FAQs

Q. We are owed a debt by a client/customer and despite demands they have failed to pay, how can J&P Credit Solutions help?  

A. It is important to ensure your business has a tried and tested credit control process that allows you to easily and efficiently track when a debt has not been paid. However, after you have exhausted your internal processes, you may have no option but to seek assistance.

At J&P Credit Solutions we have years of experience in collecting a range of debt types which means we are able to review the precise circumstances of each case and provide you with a solution which is likely to maximise your recovery.

Before we take any action we ensure that we understand your business or the debt type we are instructed to recover. We appreciate that having a working understanding of our client’s business is an invaluable tool which ensures that we can take action on your behalf confidently and further allows us, in collaboration with you, to effectively deal with any disputes or issues raised by default payers.

In many cases our action will start with a detailed Letter Before Claim, which will demand payment and will set out clearly to a customer the potential consequences of non payment. In our experience we find that on receiving a Letter Before Claim many customers are prompted to make payment or at the very least to make contact and respond to the demand. For many default payers the fact that a letter has come from a firm of solicitors will be signal that you are intent on recovering the debt owed to you and will cause them to respond to the matter, whereas previously they had failed to do so. If necessary we can act on your behalf to overcome any disputes with a customer and secure full payments or to negotiate repayment plans.

In those cases where a customer continues to refuse to pay we are able to escalate the matter further and to issue legal proceedings on your behalf in a quick, efficient and cost effective manner. Please see our guide to the Debt Recovery Process for a detailed look at the steps we can take on your behalf.

Q. I have more than one debt are you able to recover these? And would you offer a discount?  

A. At J&P Credit Solutions we frequently act on behalf of clients who have multiple debts that they wish to recover, whether these are due from one individual/business or from a range of individuals/businesses. Our case management system allows us to manage a large number of debts on our clients' behalf and efficiently process matters simultaneously in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Further, where we are instructed to issue proceedings on behalf of our clients, we are able to use the County Court Bulk Centre to process claims and as such are able to secure reduced court fees.

When you refer cases to us we will work with you to consider the likely required steps in order to achieve recovery and will provide you with a competitive price for the work we do. In many situations, where clients refer us bulk or volume cases we are able to offer rates which are lower than our one-off referral costs. However, even if we are instructed to recover a single debt we ensure the price and service we offer is competitive and provides excellent value for money.

Q. How can we instruct J&P Credit Solutions to act on our behalf ?  

A. There are a number of ways in which you can refer your debts to us: 1. The quickest and easiest way is to submit an enquiry online using our contact form. 2. Call us on 020 8290 0333 to discuss your individual requirements 3. Email us via info@jpcreditsolutions.co.uk. 4. Or come and see us – We appreciate that you may wish to have a meeting and we are more than happy to arrange for you to visit us so we can discuss your needs. Alternatively we may be able to visit you at your offices if it is more convenient. To arrange a meeting give us a call on 020 8290 0333

Q. What are the advantages of instructing J&P Credit Solutions rather than a Debt Collection Agency?  

A. J&P Credit Solutions is part of Judge & Priestley LLP, The firm has a well established reputation having been formed in 1889 with debt recovery at the very core of its practice. As a firm of solicitors we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority as well as being members of the Law Society. In addition, the firm has obtained the Lexcel quality standard. Beyond our rigorous internal quality standards these external bodies and quality standards mean that you can be assured that the service we provide to you is of the highest standard. Debt Collection Agencies are not regulated in the same vigorous and many are not formally registered.

At J&P Credit Solutions we are able to provide you with a true one stop shop for all of your debt collection needs. We are able to offer you pure collection services to include telephone and letter collections recoveries. Our collection teams are viewed by many of our clients as an extension of their own internal credit control departments.

Where further action is required we have dedicated qualified and experienced legal teams that are able to issue proceedings on your behalf. Debt Collection Agents invariably do not have the expertise to issue and conduct litigation on your behalf which will often mean cases referred to Debt Collection Agents have to either be referred back to you or passed on to third party to take legal action. The need to refer the matter on causes inevitable delays in the recovery process. Such delay can prove to be critical and can be the difference between you securing a recovery or not. At J&P Credit Solutions where we have to take legal action we can do so seamlessly without any delay thereby maximising your prospects of recovery.

If you instruct J&P Credit Solutions, you have at your disposal not only the expertise that our legal teams have built up over the years but also access to our trained and qualified solicitors and paralegals who are able to deal with those complex, disputed and defended matters that may arise. Our qualified staff are not only able to assist where matters become disputed but are also able to give our clients detailed legal advice even before proceedings begin. Such advice can prove invaluable and is aimed at identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your case from the outset and to ensure that the action you take enhances your chance of winning any claim which might subsequently be necessary. These services are not services that you can routinely get from Debt Collection Agencies.

At J&P Credit Solutions we are able to tailor the approach we take to recovery based on the nature of the case. For example you may require action to recover a debt against a client who you also wish to retain as a customer. We are able to measure our recovery action to factor in the commercial realities and needs of your business. 

Q. We have heard rumours that the company that owes us a debt may be in financial difficulty and may not be able to pay us, what shall we do?  

A. It is always important to ensure you pursue any debt you are owed quickly. This golden rule becomes even more important where you are aware or suspect that the reason you are not being paid is that the default payer is suffering from financial problems. When a customer faces such problems they will often prioritise which creditors to pay first, based on which of their creditors pose the biggest threat to their on-going survival. As such it is crucial to ensure you are at the head of the queue of creditors.

At J&P Credit Solutions we can work with you to formulate a strategy which ensures your customer takes your payment policies extremely seriously and that where possible your debt is paid. It is vital that such cases are referred to us as soon as possible so we can begin the recovery process on your behalf. Our process will start with us ensuring the company has not yet become subject of any insolvency action and if it has we will provide you with advice as to your options.

Q. Is it expensive to take the matter to court? ​

A. There is a common misconception that taking court action is always expensive and will always be disproportionate to the debt owed.

At J&P Credit Solutions we have been able to develop a service for our clients which is affordable, cost effective and proportionate. Our case management system allows us to take action at minimal cost to our client whilst at the same time providing us with the flexibility to react and deal with non-standard cases.

We secure costs savings for our clients by issuing proceedings via the County Court Bulk Centre to which reduced court fees apply.

Further in respect of our own fees we will work with you to agree a structure that works for both of us. We have the flexibility to offer our services on a fixed fee, commission, Collective Conditional Fee Agreement or standard hourly rate fee structure. We are dedicated to providing a cost-effective service to our clients.

If you would like to discuss our costs or our fee structure please feel free to call us on 020 8290 0333 or email info@jpcreditsolutions.co.uk.

Q. We are owed money from a company that is based abroad can you assist us?  

A. Yes, at J&P Credit Solutions we often act for clients who have to pursue default payers abroad or in different jurisdictions. The precise action we can take on your behalf will depend on how the debt has arisen and where the customer is based. If you have any queries regarding a debt owed by a company or person based abroad get in contact us with us and we will let you know precisely how we can help to recover the debt.

Q. I am going through old debts is there a time limit on me recovering those debts?  

A. It is always vital to take recovery action as soon as possible. The older a debt is the harder it becomes to recover. The increased difficulty occurs for a number of reasons e.g. the customer may disappear, may sell or dissipate assets, may raise disputes which are hard to refute because evidence has no longer been retained. For those reasons we would suggest that you refer any debts you cannot recover to us as soon as possible. However, there may well be old debts that you have which you still wish to pursue. Generally for contractual debt there is a statutory limitation period of 6 years. The 6 years will in general start to run from the date the debt is due. However, there may be ways to extend the period e.g. if within the 6 years a part payment is made against the debt or if the debt has been acknowledged in writing by the customer within that period. It is always best to seek advice as to whether you would succeed with any arguments that the limitation period has been extended prior to the original period expiring.

If the limitation period has expired it provides a default payer with an impregnable defence to a claim. However, this does not necessarily mean that we cannot assist you to try and recover the debt. For a number of our clients we do recover debts which have passed the strict limitation period. Although the ideal situation is not to allow these debts to reach the point at which they are at risk of being statute barred if you do have older debts contact us urgently and we are able to take fast track action to either protect your position by issuing urgent proceedings. Alternatively if the debt is already statute barred we can adopt a recovery strategy which is aimed at still trying to secure a recovery where possible.