Debt recovery

Collecting what is due to you

The effective recovery of outstanding debt is fundamentally important to all individuals and organisations - it can potentially be the difference between success and failure.

If you are owed money, our specialist debt recovery team can help you collect what you, your business or your organisation is due – in Scotland and beyond.

Our solicitors are ranked among Scotland’s leading debt recovery lawyers and are experienced specialists in all aspects of debt recovery. Recovery of a debt is never guaranteed but with our advice it can often be made where in other circumstances opportunities might be missed.

We advise a wide range of clients, including:

  • Businesses
  • Individuals
  • Landlords

With offices across Scotland and experience in pursuing recovery in many other jurisdictions, we can assist you with your debt recovery matters wherever you are based.

We offer a complete, professional and cost effective debt recovery service, from issuing demand letters to enforcing decrees (court orders).

Our team is rated in the top tier of Debt Recovery in Scotland by leading directory The Legal 500. We offer a complete, professional and cost effective debt recovery service.

Contact us

0330 159 5555

Professional approach to debt recovery

We work closely with our clients to create long-standing relationships. Our expertise and experience ensure that we take account of individual client circumstances objectives and priorities, as well as wider environmental factors and any sensitivities that may arise during the recovery process.

A customised case management approach supports our team to prioritise and progress cases quickly. We offer secure, remote, online access to clients, enabling them to have direct access to electronic files at any time. Each case is monitored and progressed by a member of our team.

We regularly provide pre-litigation advice, training and support for clients implementing best practice rules, including reviewing clients’ internal credit control procedures.

Our debt recovery team is supported by experienced individuals in other departments across the firm to provide a full commercial service to any client.

Going to court

We have extensive court experience in dealing with a broad range of actions. We initiate and defend actions and appeals in Sheriff Courts and the Court of Session. We raise actions for payment of debt on behalf of commercial and non commercial clients across a number of industry sectors.

We also act for a number of public sector organisations. We advise a number of housing providers regarding a wide variety of court actions including actions for recovery of rent arrears, factoring arrears, rechargeable repairs, and all other debts. We also provide advice in of respect court actions against antisocial tenants and actions for recovery of possession of property.

Quality and value

We provide fixed-fee costs on a range of debt recovery matters, from single actions to multiple debt recovery issues where appropriate.

To find out more please get in touch with a member of our team.

Our key debt recovery services include:

  • Antisocial behaviour 
  • Court actions
  • DAS arrangements
  • Enforcement of Decree/Diligence
  • Enforcement of an English Judgement in Scotland
  • Enforcement of a Scottish Decree in England
  • Factoring
  • Housing
  • Overpayment
  • Pre litigation letters and advice
  • Sequestration
  • Summary diligence
  • Trust deeds
  • Recovery of possession

Frequently asked questions

What documentation do I need to provide to become a client of Harper Macleod LLP?

For businesses, we require details of the directors of the company and details of all beneficial owners. If you are an individual, we require your name, address and date of birth. If you have lived at your address for less than a year, we will require details of previous address.

What information do you need to start recovering my debt?

Once our mandatory anti money laundering checks are completed, in order to commence the debt recovery process, we will require details of the debtor, the amount outstanding and copies of the invoices issued. Prior to commencing any legal action, we will undertake pre litigation checks to ensure that it is economic for you to proceed with legal action.

What happens if a debtor enters into a payment arrangement, can Harper Macleod LLP process the payments?

Yes, our finance team can take payments from your debtors. Once the payment has cleared the banking process, we will ensure that payment is forwarded to your account. We do not charge our clients administration fees for processing any payments.

How long do I have to enforce a court decree?

A court decree is valid for enforcement for 20 years from the date that the appropriate court extracts the decree. 

Harper Macleod LLP is ‘responsive' and ‘has a good understanding of its clients’ business requirements'.

The team provides a ‘high standard’ of service, and practice head Dawn McKenzie is ‘very knowledgeable’ and ‘committed’.

The Legal 500

Meet the debt recovery team

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