Get an overdue business invoice paid without handing a cut to an agency. Reminders, a solicitor-drafted letter before action and, if needed, County Court claim documents, for undisputed B2B debts up to £10,000 in England & Wales.
Small business debt recovery is the process of getting an overdue business invoice paid, from reminders to a formal letter before action and, if needed, a County Court claim. RobinReturn runs each step as software you control, and you pay per step rather than a commission.
Many small businesses would rather not hand a customer to a collector. They want the money, and the relationship if it can be saved.
An overdue invoice usually starts with a polite nudge and ends, if it has to, at the County Court. The steps in between are well defined: a reminder or two, a formal letter before action with a clear deadline, and then a claim for a fixed sum.
A collection agency takes that work on for a share of what it recovers. A solicitor charges for their time. RobinReturn prepares each step for you to send and file yourself, at a published price per step, so you decide the tone and the pace.
Many overdue invoices are paid once a formal letter arrives, though every case is different, and some debtors will only pay once a claim is issued.
Use the calculator below to see what you can add, or calculate late payment interest with the formula and reference rates in full.
An illustration on a £2,500 undisputed invoice. RobinReturn figures come from the published pricing; the court fee is paid to HMCTS and is usually recoverable if you win.
| Route | Cost on £2,500 | Who sets the tone | Time to letter before action | You keep the relationship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase it yourself | Your time, plus the court fee if you claim. | You. | When you find the time to write one. | Yes. |
| Collection agency | A percentage of what is recovered. At an illustrative 15%, £375. Rates vary, so check the terms. | The agency. | Set by the agency's process. | The agency deals with your customer. |
| Solicitor | Hourly or a fixed fee, quoted per matter. | The solicitor, on your instructions. | Depends on the solicitor's instructions and timetable. | The solicitor writes on your behalf. |
| RobinReturn | £11.50 in RobinReturn fees to the letter before action (one reminder plus the letter), plus a £25 review fee plus VAT, paid to the reviewing solicitor; £46.50 in RobinReturn fees to a prepared claim, plus the review fee and the £115 HMCTS court fee. | You. | As soon as you choose to send it. | Yes. You send each step yourself. |
More detail: RobinReturn vs a debt collection agency and RobinReturn vs a solicitor.
Stop at whichever step gets you paid.
| Step | What it does | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Polite reminder | A clear, professional request for payment. | £2 each |
| 2 · Letter before action | A solicitor-drafted formal demand with the response window set for the type of debtor (14 or 30 days), populated from your case. About the letter | £9.50 + £25 review fee plus VAT, paid to the reviewing solicitor |
| 3 · Claim-form preparation | The N1 claim form and particulars, for you to file on Money Claim Online. How small claims work | £35 |
| Court fee | Paid to HMCTS, scaled by claim value. Small claims court fees | Set by HMCTS |
Check if your invoice is eligible before you start a case.
On a late B2B invoice you can usually add statutory interest and fixed compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. Use the calculator below, or read the Late Payment Act, explained.
Better to know now than halfway through a case.
Accountant or bookkeeper? See RobinReturn for accountants for using it on clients' aged debts.
Interest accrues at the reference rate plus 8% (Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998), about £1.61 a day on this debt. Interest and compensation are recoverable from the debtor where the court agrees — RobinReturn takes no cut of either. Figures are illustrative and not legal advice.
With RobinReturn you pay per step: £2 per reminder, £9.50 for a solicitor-drafted letter before action plus a £25 review fee plus VAT, paid to the reviewing solicitor, and £35 for claim-form preparation. If you issue a claim, the HMCTS court fee is paid to the court and scales with the claim value. An agency usually charges a percentage of what it recovers, and a solicitor charges for their time.
No. RobinReturn charges a fixed fee per step and takes no share of what you recover. The debtor pays you directly.
No. It is software that prepares each step for you to send and file yourself. You stay in control of the case and of the relationship with your customer. RobinReturn is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
Partly. For a business-to-business debt you can normally add statutory interest and the fixed compensation sum of £40, £70 or £100 under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. If you issue a claim and win, the court fee is usually added to what the debtor owes. Beyond that, the legal costs you can recover on the small claims track are limited.
You can still recover a business debt from a sole trader. The Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims then applies: the letter before action gives 30 days to reply rather than the 14 common for a company, and goes with the protocol's information sheet and reply form.
The formal letter that sets a payment deadline before any claim — what it should say, and when to send it.
A solicitor, a DIY template, a collection agency or a flat per-letter price — the options side by side.
How an undisputed B2B invoice up to £10,000 goes through the County Court small-claims track.
The HMCTS fee to issue a claim scales with the amount, and you can add it to your claim.
What goes on the County Court claim form and the Particulars of Claim for an unpaid invoice.
Flat pay-per-action with no commission, instead of a percentage of what you recover.
When a solicitor is worth paying for — a disputed or complex debt — and when it is not.
Every step's price in one place, with the court fees shown upfront.
Your first reminder sequence is on us. Escalate only if you need to. RobinReturn is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
For undisputed invoices up to £10,000 owed by another business in England or Wales.
New to RobinReturn? See how RobinReturn works, why businesses choose it, who is behind it and what has changed recently.
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