Bad debts hurt businesses
Our team has an effective debt recovery process that focusses on the swift recovery of debts in the most cost effective way. We are experienced in collecting debts in Australia as well as enforcing debts against overseas residents and companies.
We attack bad debts from two angles. First, we work on recovering the debt that is unpaid. To do this, we use escalating processes, increasing the pressure until the debt is paid. This approach is efficient and cost-effective.
Our recovery lawyers in Melbourne use a specific and strategic methodology to quickly recover your money, whilst taking into account the need to maintain your client relationships and reputation
How does it work?
Contact Us
The first step is for you to call us. We will take the time to get to know you and your business, and understand the background of the claim.
Get Advice
You will then need to collate all of the relevant documents and information. We will tell you what is relevant, but we have prepared a useful guide here: LINK.
We will then give you advice on the various options that are available to you, the cost of each option, and how to recover your money in the most commercially viable way.
Take Action
We will then work with you to recover the money, whether through negotiation or litigation.
While we are recovering your debts, we will also work with you to refine your contracts, documents and processes to ensure that your debtor management is as effective as it can possibly be. Our approach has been proven to reduce debts and maximise recovery.
PROVEN APPROACH
Our process is highly flexible and can include any of the following steps:
- A letter of demand to the debtor. This correspondence is drafted to take into account the complexity of the dispute, the amount of the debt and the sensitivity of the circumstances.
- Negotiation – if an outcome can be achieved promptly, we will negotiate with the debtor for repayment and any disputes that may arise over the debt.
- Legal action – depending on the debtor’s response or lack of response, it may be suitable to commence proceedings. We have a wide variety of strategies that we use to minimise legal costs while still maximising the financial outcome.
- Settlement of the debt – once we get an outcome for you, we will finalise the matter carefully and cost-effectively with binding terms of settlement. Our settle process will better secure your position and give you the ability to recover your legal costs.
- If a judgment is obtained, there are a range of enforcement methods available to recover your money and in many cases, the legal costs. We can assist you with these proceedings to ensure your money is repaid.
- Seizing goods and property from the debtor
- Summons for oral examination
- Garnishee orders – a court order that requires the employer to ‘dock the pay’ of the debtor or take the proceeds from the sale of assets or property
- Bankruptcy
- Liquidation of the company
Protecting Your Business for the Future
Prevention is better than cure. We will provide quality advice on your current terms and conditions and standard contracts to ensure you are protected from the headache of unpaid invoices.
Whenever we are presented with a new matter, we will identify the source of any dispute and identify how the situation could have been avoided. This process helps a business to grow, rather than simply moving on and making the same mistakes again.
