What if the client says a feature wasn't delivered?
Then it is a scope dispute, not a simple late payment, and it may need legal advice — disputed debts fall outside this workflow. RobinReturn is built for undisputed invoices and is not a law firm.
For IT & software contractors
IT contractor with an
unpaid invoice?
You shipped the sprint, closed the milestone, sent the invoice — and the client went dark. Recover a day-rate or project fee with a structured escalation that stays professional enough to keep the door open.
Direct answer
If a business client owes you an undisputed fee up to £10,000 in England & Wales, you can recover it yourself: a polite reminder, then a Letter Before Action, then a County Court claim. RobinReturn prepares each step at a published price, takes no commission, and the client pays you directly.
TL;DR
- For undisputed B2B fees up to £10,000.
- Built for day-rate, milestone and retainer invoices.
- Pay per stage; no commission on what you recover.
- If scope is genuinely disputed, that is a different route.
- You stay in control; the client pays you directly.
The situation
Shipped the work,
then silence.
Contractors carry the cashflow risk of every project: the work is delivered and irreversible, but the final invoice is the easiest thing for a client to let slide.
A graduated escalation gives a quiet client a reason to engage: a calm reminder that the invoice is overdue, a formal Letter Before Action if it is ignored, and a County Court claim as the backstop. The wording stays professional, so you can chase a client you might still want to work with.
One honest caution: RobinReturn is for an undisputed debt. If the client is withholding payment because they say a feature was missing or the work was not as specified, that is a scope dispute — it may need advice and falls outside this workflow. A clear contract, signed-off milestones and your delivery record all help show the debt is undisputed.
Many contractor invoices are paid at the reminder or Letter Before Action stage, once a quiet client sees a clear next step — though every case differs and nothing is guaranteed. Statutory interest and fixed compensation are recoverable from the client and are yours to keep.
Use the calculator below to see what you can add, or calculate late payment interest with the formula and reference rates in full.
MIN £100 · MAX £10,000
PICK A DUE DATE TO COUNT THE DAYS OVERDUE
%
DEFAULT 3.75% · RATE FIXED ON 30 JUNE 2026
What you can claim
Debt, interest & compensation
Invoice owed£5,000.00
Statutory interest (11.75% · 0 days)+ £0.00
Reference rate used3.75% + 8%
Daily interest£1.61
Fixed compensation (LPCDA s.5A)+ £70.00
Total you can claim£5,070.00
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.
FAQs
Your questions,
answered.
I work through an agency or an MSA — can I still use this?
You can recover a debt that is owed to you. If your contract is with an agency that owes you, the agency is the debtor; if it is directly with the end client, they are. RobinReturn recovers an undisputed B2B debt owed to your business.
Is my contract or statement of work enough?
A written contract, signed-off milestones and your invoices all strengthen an undisputed claim, but they are not strictly required. The key question is whether the debt is genuinely disputed.
Who sends the letter?
You do, as the litigant in person. RobinReturn prepares the solicitor-drafted documents from your case; it is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
Next steps
The route,
step by step.
Letter before action
The formal letter that sets a payment deadline before any claim — what it should say, and when to send it.
How much a letter before action costs
A solicitor, a DIY template, a collection agency or a flat per-letter price — the options side by side.
Small claims for an unpaid invoice
How an undisputed B2B invoice up to £10,000 goes through the County Court small-claims track.
Small claims court fees
The HMCTS fee to issue a claim scales with the amount, and you can add it to your claim.
The N1 claim form
What goes on the County Court claim form and the Particulars of Claim for an unpaid invoice.
A debt collection agency alternative
Flat pay-per-action with no commission, instead of a percentage of what you recover.
Debt recovery solicitor vs RobinReturn
When a solicitor is worth paying for — a disputed or complex debt — and when it is not.
Debt recovery pricing
Every step's price in one place, with the court fees shown upfront.
Start the chase
for free.
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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