[New] Start as you mean to go on

A new year often brings about a thirst to make lists around how you can improve your professional operations going forward. One of the most frustrating areas of business administration that can hamper your New Year plans are unpaid debts. Collecting outstanding invoices is a laborious and often stressful task that steals away resources that could be used in so many more productive ways, such as increasing client satisfaction and developing new service and product offerings.

What happens, therefore, is that a majority of debt claims are written off, especially if the debt itself is disputed by the person/company who owes you money. What makes this situation even more insidious is that people are well aware that it is rarely worth the time and effort to pursue debts of less than £10,000. This makes the risk associated with not paying an invoice or disputing it one that is sometimes worth taking.

Members of our team at Askews Legal LLP recognised that too many of our clients were losing significant revenue and struggling with cashflow due to the expense, time, and unpleasantness of collecting unpaid debts. Partner and co-founder of Askews Legal LLP, Teerath Gill thought “there has to be a better and cheaper way. So, I started doing some research and concluded that the debt claims process could be automated”.

The Debt-Claims portal (Debt-Claims is a trading name of Askews Legal LLP) was launched early in 2022 and since then Askews Legal LLP has been committed to developing and utilising technology to optimise how our clients can access legal services and gain best in class advice and representation. We believed that by automating debt collection protocols and procedures our clients, which include debt collection agencies, could quickly create and distribute the necessary documents such as Late Payment Demands and a Letter Before Action.

Our point of difference is that every letter, every pleading, and indeed every part of our portal and outward communication has been written by lawyers who know how to get debtors to effectively respond and maximise the chances of recovery. Using Debt-Claims’ unique and bespoke algorithm and programming, only the correct and necessary information is presented in an effective and direct way.

How does debt-claims.com work?

The portal has been specifically designed to be used by business owners and experienced debt collectors to assist and manage the prompt collection of outstanding debts.

Once you register for an account, you can use the platform to send Letters Before Action, issue Court proceedings, and enforce judgments. New features, such as insolvency actions, are in the process of being developed and will be added in due course.

Our portal has been designed and built by experienced debt recovery lawyers who have worked in the field for many years. It includes unique features such as a two-way messaging system to use with debtors and direct integration with Money Claims Online – all accessible under a fixed price per service –for example, a Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims compliant letter of claim costs £12.50, leaving you to bill your clients as per your normal business practices.

Wrapping up

Robin Appleyard, the designer of the Debt-Claims solution and portal had this to say about why Askews Legal LLP invested in and created debt-claims.com:

“Debt-Claims was created to provide an effective solution to two common problems:

• As a business built from scratch, we understand the frustration and anger when a client’s hard work in providing goods or services to another goes unpaid, and

As lawyers, we understand the complexities of the legal system and how costs can often outweigh the matter at hand.

The simple answer for us was to create a user-friendly debt recovery process that took the time and expense out of instructing a law firm yet was built by and has the full support of experienced debt recovery lawyers.”

As businesspeople ourselves we believe in the good old-fashioned principle that if you do work for someone you should be paid on time. Just because, however, the problem is age-old it does not follow that the solution has to be cumbersome and expensive.

By registering with debt-claims.com you and your business can benefit from being able to collect your unpaid invoices quickly, cheaply, and with the full backing of a highly accredited law firm.