its payback time!

[humble pie]

I'm owed a couple of grand for some Internet related services provided over the last year or so. It's just bloody rude really when someone won't pay their invoice but keeps using the service

We're talking £500 here and there, sometimes you just have to write this shit off but I discovered this GOV Money Claim Service other day https://www.gov.uk/make-money-claim-online

So my question is has anyone tried this service or been on the other end of it, are there any downsides, what if respondent ignores it..

I mean how much clout does it really have - seems almost too good to be true: pay a small fee, take someone to court get what your owed

~cheers

 

[mat]

I would send a letter to them first via signed delivery outlining the money that they owe you and for what, with a deadline to pay it. I would give 14 days to be very fair.

Tell them that failure to pay will result in you taking further action to recover the money (Money Claim Service).

They may pay it when faced with this... If they don’t at least you can demonstrate when making the claim that you gave them warning and a chance to pay you.

 

[monaghan]

I've not claimed as a business, but did use it to get back money from a mail order phone seller who kept refusing a refund despite having a clear email chain saying he'd refund. You have an option for mediation and then court if that fails.

The chap rejected mediation and escalated all the way to court and lost costing him the court fees as well. If you get that far, you both get to put your case to a judge (in a small meeting room, not a main court!), and can ask questions of the other party (you can take a lawyer or a friend if required but anyone other than you speaking has to be agreed in advance) this is recorded and he takes a copy of both side's evidence and then will make a decision and call you back in.

In my case, the looser was given 14 days to pay or appeal. If they pay up within that period there is no judgement recorded against them, if they appeal of fail to pay the result is formally recorded.

Based on that experience, I'd use it again if needed if I was sure that I had a water tight case.

If they choose to go all the way to court it will take a long time though, legal wheels move slowly!

 

[philipp]

Moneyclaim is good, but I'd recommend a scary Letter before Action from a friendly online solicitor first. Shouldn't cost more than a tenner at the most, and useful to show them you mean business.

Legal action is really, really slow especially if abroad. I have sued an Eire organisation and it's taken about 9 months so far, with an unfeasible amount of paperwork. European orders for payment, followed by process to get a court seal on the EOP, enforcement orders and a finally 'writ of fifa' on the foot of the EOP. Bailiffs finally visited debtor last week so hopefully it's almost over.

 

[nick-harper]

I had a letter before action I think written once for about £12, it managed to scare them into paying up

 

[Admin]

You say they are still using the service, have you given notice of termination of the service for non-payment? Maybe that can be a lever too.

I would send a strong letter as advised with a statement and copy invoices and then follow it through if they don't pay. I would say 7 days notice is enough.

Admin