Debt recovery up to £100,000 

Fixed fees

Where appropriate, we may agree a fixed fee for a particular piece or stage of work. For example, it may be possible to agree on a fixed fee for reviewing the relevant documents and preparing a letter before action or for another clearly defined stage of the recovery process.

Whether a fixed fee can be offered, and the amount of that fee, will depend upon the circumstances and complexity of the matter. Any fixed fee will be agreed with you in writing, and we will explain what work is and is not included.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, a fixed fee will not include court fees, barristers' fees, experts' fees, process-server fees or other payments to third parties.

Our estimated legal costs

Undisputed debts

For a straightforward business debt which is not disputed and which can be pursued through correspondence, our legal fees are generally expected to be in the region of £750 to £1,500 plus VAT at 20% where applicable.

This estimate assumes that:

• the debt does not exceed £100,000;
• there is clear documentary evidence of the debt;
• the debtor does not raise a substantive dispute or counterclaim;
• no complex legal or factual issues arise;
• no contested hearing is required; and
• Substantial enforcement action is not required.

A particularly straightforward matter which is resolved following an initial letter before action may cost less than this range.

Defended debts

If liability for the debt is disputed, a defence or counterclaim is filed, substantial negotiations become necessary or the matter proceeds towards trial, considerably more work will be required.

Our fees for a defended debt claim of up to £100,000 would vary depending on the complexity and the stage of proceedings at which the case concludes. If it is possible to resolve the matter at an early stage of any court proceedings, through negotiation, a without prejudice meeting or ADR, matters can be concluded in a range of £5,000 to £12,000 plus VAT at 20% where applicable. As a very general estimate, taking a claim of this value to conclusion after a trial would range between £15,000 to £35,000 plus VAT at 20% where applicable, plus costs and disbursements. We set out below some of the likely disbursements in many cases.

More complex cases may exceed this range. Factors which can increase the cost include the number and complexity of the issues, the volume of documentation, the number of witnesses, expert evidence, applications made during the proceedings, a counterclaim, the length of any hearing and the conduct of the opposing party.

Once we understand the issues in a defended case, we will provide a more specific estimate and keep that estimate under review.

Our hourly rates

Where we have not agreed a fixed fee, our fees are normally calculated according to the time spent working on your matter, depending on the level of fee earner. The hourly rates below are exclusive of VAT at 20%. VAT at 20% will be added where applicable.

Who will carry out the work?

Your matter will be handled by, or under the supervision of, an experienced solicitor.

Depending upon the nature of the matter, work may also be undertaken by an assistant, trainee solicitor, paralegal or other member of the litigation team. Work undertaken by junior members of the team will be appropriately supervised.

We will tell you who will have day-to-day responsibility for your matter and who will supervise their work, where applicable.

What is included?

The precise work required will depend upon your instructions. A typical debt recovery matter may involve some or all of the following stages:

1. Taking your instructions and reviewing the relevant documents;
2. Considering the legal basis and recoverability of the debt;
3. Carrying out appropriate searches or preliminary investigations where required;
4. Advising you upon the available options, likely costs and prospects of recovery;
5. Preparing and sending a letter before action or other appropriate pre-action correspondence;
6. Considering and advising upon any response from the debtor;
7. Negotiating with the debtor where appropriate;
8. Preparing and issuing court proceedings if payment is not made;
9. Dealing with an Acknowledgement of Service, Defence and/or Counterclaim;
10. Applying for judgement in default where the claim is not defended;
11. Complying with court directions and preparing the case for hearing where the claim is defended;
12. Instructing and liaising with a barrister where appropriate;
13. Conducting settlement negotiations;
14. Attending or arranging representation at hearings; and
15. Advising upon the judgment and the next steps.

Not every case will require every step mentioned above and it will also depend on the amount of the claim. We will tell you which stages we consider necessary and provide further costs information as your matter progresses.

Disbursements and other expenses

Disbursements are payments made to third parties in connection with your matter. They are separate from our legal fees. The disbursements which are likely to arise will depend upon the circumstances of the case and the stage which it reaches. We will not incur any significant disbursement without discussing it with you in advance.

The figures below are intended as a guide. Court fees are those applicable from 13 July 2026 and may be changed by HM Courts & Tribunals Service. Fees charged by barristers, experts and other third parties will depend upon the work required.

Identity, AML and other searches

We are required to carry out appropriate identity and anti-money laundering checks when accepting instructions. We may also consider it appropriate to undertake company, insolvency, property or other searches in order to investigate the debtor and the prospects of recovery.

• Electronic identity and AML check: £8 plus VAT at 20% where applicable per individual.
• Land Registry searches: £7 plus VAT at 20% where applicable for an office copy entry.
• Other asset or tracing searches: normally around £130 plus VAT at 20% where applicable. We will advise you of the likely cost before the search is undertaken.

We will tell you which searches we consider appropriate and their likely cost before incurring any material third-party charge.

Court issue fees – money claims

The court fee for issuing a money claim is based upon the amount claimed, including interest. The current court issue fees are:

For example, the issue fee on a claim for £20,000 is £1,000; on a claim for £50,000 it is £2,500; and on a claim for £100,000 it is £5,000. Court fees do not attract VAT at 20%.

Hearing fees

Court fees do not attract VAT at 20%.

Application fees

• Application on notice: £321.
• Application by consent or without notice: £126.
• Application to vary a judgement, suspend enforcement or suspend a warrant: £16.
• Witness summons: £4.

Court fees do not attract VAT at 20%.

Barristers' fees

It may be appropriate to instruct a barrister to advise upon the merits of the case, draft pleadings or other documents, attend an interim hearing, assist with settlement or represent you at trial.

These are estimates. The actual fee will depend upon the barrister's seniority, the complexity and value of the case, the volume of material, the preparation required and the length of the hearing. More senior counsel or particularly complex cases may cost more. We will normally obtain a quotation and seek your approval before instructing counsel. 

Barristers involved in trials lasting more than one day will generally charge a brief fee, which includes the work for preparing for trial and the first day.  If any subsequent days are necessary, they will charge a refresher fee at a daily rate that, as a general guide, would be 50 – 65% of the brief fee. 

Expert witnesses

Expert evidence is not required in most straightforward debt recovery cases but may become necessary in a defended claim involving technical, accounting, valuation or other specialist issues.

Where an expert is required, fees will typically be approximately £1,500-£3,000 plus VAT at 20%, depending upon the nature and complexity of the evidence required.

More complex expert evidence, extensive investigations, expert meetings or attendance at trial may result in additional fees. We will obtain an estimate or quotation before instructing an expert.

Mediation

Mediation can sometimes provide a cost-effective means of resolving a defended claim without proceeding to trial.

A mediator's fee will typically be approximately £1,000-£2,000 per party plus VAT at 20%.

The actual fee will depend upon the mediator selected, the value and complexity of the dispute and the length of the mediation.

Many mediations are now conducted remotely. Where an in-person mediation is arranged, there may also be charges for the mediation venue and meeting rooms. These will vary depending upon the location, facilities required and duration of the mediation. As a general guide, room and venue hire may cost approximately £500-£600 plus VAT at 20%, usually divided between the parties unless otherwise agreed.

Where possible, the parties may agree to hold the mediation at the offices of one of the parties or their solicitors, which may avoid or reduce a separate venue charge.

We will obtain details of the mediator's fee and any proposed venue costs and discuss these with you before the mediation is arranged.

The figures above relate to the mediator and venue only. They do not include our own legal fees for preparing for and attending the mediation, or any barrister's fees. We will provide you with an estimate of those costs before the mediation.

Process server

Where personal service of a document is required, we may instruct a professional process server. The typical charge is £150-£250 plus VAT at 20%, for service including the appropriate certificate or evidence of service.

Additional charges may arise if repeated attempts at service, urgent service, tracing or service at multiple addresses is required.

Enforcement of a judgment

Obtaining judgment does not necessarily result in payment. If the debtor does not pay voluntarily, further enforcement action may be necessary. The most appropriate method will depend upon matters such as the amount owed, whether the debtor is an individual or company, the debtor's employment, bank accounts, property and other assets.

Court fees do not attract VAT at 20%.

Warrant of control

A County Court warrant of control authorises a County Court enforcement agent to attend and seek payment or take control of goods. The current court fee is £96. A County Court warrant of control is generally available where the amount to be enforced does not exceed £5,000. Different enforcement arrangements may be appropriate for larger judgements.

High Court enforcement - writ of control

Where appropriate, a County Court judgement may be transferred to the High Court for enforcement by a High Court Enforcement Officer. The current court fee for sealing a writ of control is £82. High Court Enforcement Officers charge statutory enforcement fees in addition to the court fee. Depending upon the circumstances, some or all of those enforcement charges may be recoverable from the debtor. We will explain the likely costs before instructing an enforcement officer.

Charging order

A charging order may secure a judgement debt against property or certain other assets owned by the debtor. The current court application fee is £139 for each charging order applied for. There may also be Land Registry fees and other expenses associated with registering the charge.

Third-party debt order

A third-party debt order may, in appropriate circumstances, enable money held by a third party for the debtor – commonly money in a bank account – to be used to satisfy the judgement. The current application fee is £139 for each party against whom the order is sought.

Attachment of earnings

Where the judgement debtor is an individual in employment, it may be possible to obtain an attachment of earnings order requiring deductions to be made from the debtor's earnings. The current application fee is £139 for each defendant against whom an order is sought.

Order to obtain information

Where there is insufficient information about a debtor's financial position, an application can be made requiring the debtor, or in appropriate circumstances another person, to attend court and provide information. The current application fee is £69. If County Court bailiff service of the order is required, the current fee is £139.

Enforcement costs

The court fees above do not include our legal fees for advising upon, preparing or conducting enforcement proceedings, nor any fees payable to enforcement agents or other third parties. If enforcement is required, we will advise you on the available options and provide an estimate of our legal fees and any likely additional disbursements before proceeding.

Insolvency proceedings

Where a debt is undisputed, it may in some circumstances be appropriate to consider insolvency procedures rather than an ordinary money claim. This may include serving a statutory demand and, where legally appropriate, presenting a bankruptcy petition against an individual or a winding-up petition against a company.

Insolvency proceedings are not appropriate merely as a means of putting pressure on a debtor where there is a genuine and substantial dispute concerning the debt. We will advise you whether an insolvency procedure is appropriate in the circumstances of your case.

Statutory demand

Our fees for advising upon and preparing a statutory demand are generally £500-£750 plus VAT at 20% where applicable.

A statutory demand will normally need to be personally served. A process server will typically charge £150-£250 plus VAT at 20%, for service, including the appropriate certificate or evidence of service.

If the debt is not paid, secured or otherwise resolved within the applicable period following service, it may be possible to present a bankruptcy or winding-up petition, depending upon the debtor and the circumstances.

Bankruptcy petition against an individual

A creditor may petition for an individual's bankruptcy where the statutory requirements are met. The debt must presently be at least £5,000.

Our legal fees for advising upon, preparing and presenting a straightforward creditor's bankruptcy petition are generally £750-£1,200 plus VAT at 20% where applicable. More complex or contested petitions may cost more.

The principal court and Official Receiver charges currently payable on presentation of a creditor's bankruptcy petition are:

• Official Receiver's petition deposit: £1,500. This deposit does not attract VAT.

The total initial court fee and Official Receiver's deposit is therefore £1,852, before our legal fees and any other disbursements.

A process server will normally be required to serve the petition. The typical charge is £150-£250 plus VAT at 20%.

There will ordinarily be a petition hearing. Our further legal fees for preparing for the first hearing are generally £750-£1,200 plus VAT at 20% where applicable.

Counsel's fee for a routine bankruptcy petition hearing will typically be £1,000-£1,500 plus VAT at 20%. The fee may be higher if the petition is opposed, raises a substantive insolvency issue, or requires a longer hearing.

Winding-up petition against a company

Where a company owes an undisputed debt and the statutory requirements are satisfied, it may be appropriate to present a winding-up petition. A statutory demand is not invariably required before a winding-up petition, although it may be appropriate in some cases.

Our legal fees for advising upon, preparing and presenting a straightforward winding-up petition are generally £750-£1,200 plus VAT at 20% where applicable. More complex or contested petitions may cost more.

The principal court and Official Receiver charges currently payable on presentation of a winding-up petition are:

There is no vat on court fees and the Official Receiver’s deposit. 

The petition must normally be served on the company. A process server will typically charge £150-£250 plus VAT where applicable at 20%.

Before the hearing, a winding-up petition will ordinarily need to be advertised in The Gazette in accordance with the applicable insolvency rules. The Gazette's 2026 standard charge for a corporate insolvency notice placed by a non-public-sector advertiser using its webform/template service is £96.55 plus VAT at 20%. Different submission methods or additional notices may cost more.

There will ordinarily be a petition hearing. Our further legal fees for preparing for the first hearing are generally £750-£1,500 plus VAT at 20% where applicable.

Counsel's fee for a routine winding-up petition hearing will typically be £500 - £1,000 plus VAT at 20%. The fee would be higher if the petition is opposed, or a substantive issue is raised, which requires a longer hearing.

Adjourned or contested petition hearings

If a petition is adjourned, for example to allow additional time for payment or for evidence to be filed, further preparation and representation costs are likely to be incurred for the next hearing. We will provide an updated estimate before undertaking material additional work.

If a petition becomes contested, involves a disputed insolvency jurisdiction issue, substantial evidence, applications or a hearing of more than routine length, our legal fees and counsel's fees may exceed the ranges above. We will provide a revised estimate as soon as the likely scope of the additional work is known.

Other insolvency court fees

The July 2026 EX50A also specifies the following fees which may become relevant in insolvency proceedings:

• Application under the Companies Acts or Insolvency Act 1986, other than a petition, where no other fee is specified and not made in existing proceedings: £326. This court fee does not attract VAT.
• Application on notice in existing insolvency or Companies Act proceedings where no other fee is specified: £115. This court fee does not attract VAT.
• Application by consent or without notice in existing insolvency or Companies Act proceedings where no other fee is specified: £31. This court fee does not attract VAT.
• General search in the High Court records for each 15 minutes or part thereof: £15. This court fee does not attract VAT at 20%.
• Search in person of bankruptcy and company records in the County Court: £11. This court fee does not attract VAT.
  

Timescale

As a general guide, an uncontested insolvency process may take approximately 3-6 months from service of a statutory demand to conclusion of the petition. The actual timescale depends upon the applicable procedure, court listing times, whether the debt is paid or secured, whether the petition is opposed or adjourned, and whether other creditors become involved.

Deposits and recovery of costs

The Official Receiver's deposit is paid up front when the petition is presented. The treatment and possible repayment of a deposit depends upon what happens to the petition and the assets available in the insolvency. We will advise you about the position in your particular case. You should not assume that all legal fees, court fees, deposits or other disbursements will ultimately be recovered from the debtor.

Court fees, Official Receiver deposits and third-party charges can change. We will confirm the applicable figures before a petition or application is issued.

VAT

Bowman & Co Litigation Solicitors is not presently registered for VAT, so VAT is not currently charged on our legal fees. However, the firm may become registered during the period in which this costs information is published. For that reason, references to our fees state that VAT at 20% will be added where applicable.

This position may change. If the firm becomes registered for VAT during the course of your matter, we will notify you and VAT at 20% will be added to our legal fees where applicable.

Some third-party disbursements attract VAT at 20%. Where VAT applies, it will be added to the stated figure.

How long will my matter take?

Initial review and letter before action: ordinarily approximately 7-14 days from receipt of the information and documents we require.

Pre-action correspondence/negotiations: often approximately 2-8 weeks, depending upon the debtor's response and the applicable pre-action requirements.

Undefended court claim: where proceedings are issued and the debtor does not defend the claim, judgment may often be obtained within approximately 1-3 months, although this depends upon court processing times and the circumstances of the case.

Defended proceedings: a defended claim may take approximately 6-18 months or longer to reach a final hearing, depending upon complexity, the court timetable and the conduct of the parties.

Enforcement: the timescale varies considerably depending upon the method of enforcement selected and the debtor's circumstances.

These are estimates rather than guarantees. We will provide a more specific indication of likely timescale once we have considered your case.

Recovery of legal costs from the debtor

You should not assume that all of the legal costs you incur will be recoverable from the debtor, even if your claim succeeds.

The rules concerning recovery of legal costs depend upon matters including the value of the claim, the court track to which it is allocated, the stage at which it concludes and the orders made by the court.

In particular, recovery of legal costs in lower-value claims may be restricted, and fixed recoverable costs may apply to certain claims.

Any amount recovered from your opponent towards your legal costs may therefore be less than the amount you are required to pay us. We will advise you about the likely costs position and potential recoverability in the circumstances of your particular claim.

Fixed recoverable costs and sums recovered from your opponent

Where costs are recovered from the debtor or another party, those costs are normally credited against the legal costs for which you are responsible to us, subject to the terms of our retainer.

Where the amount recoverable from another party is less than our actual charges, you will ordinarily remain responsible for the difference. The precise position will be explained in our client care documentation and any specific funding agreement entered into with you.

Conditional Fee Agreements and other funding arrangements

Most debt recovery matters are undertaken on a privately funded basis.

In an appropriate case, we may agree a different funding arrangement, including a Conditional Fee Agreement or other arrangement permitted by law. We are not obliged to offer such an arrangement and will consider suitability on a case-by-case basis.

Where a Conditional Fee Agreement or other alternative funding arrangement is offered, we will explain separately and in writing how the arrangement operates, what you may be required to pay if the case succeeds or fails, the treatment of disbursements, and any sums which may be payable from damages or other monies recovered.

You should not assume that a case will be accepted under a Conditional Fee Agreement unless and until a written agreement has been entered into.

Legal expenses insurance

Your business insurance or another insurance policy may include legal expenses cover. We recommend checking any potentially relevant insurance policy at an early stage. If you believe that you may have legal expenses insurance, please tell us and we can discuss the position with you.

Important information about our estimates

The figures on this page are intended to provide general information about the likely cost of business debt recovery claims up to £100,000.

Every case is different. Once we have sufficient information about your particular matter, we will provide you with a more specific estimate or quotation and explain the basis upon which we will charge.

If circumstances change materially during the course of the matter, we will review the costs position and provide you with updated information.

No substantial additional work outside an agreed fixed fee or estimate will be undertaken without discussing the costs implications with you where it is reasonably practicable to do so.