Squatting was never far from the headlines before the law changed in September 2012 in response to public outrage at home invasions taking place while the occupants were on holiday. It is now a criminal offence to enter a residential building as a trespasser intending to live there. The offence can lead to six months in prison, a £5,000 fine, or both. Police have powers to help “displaced residential occupiers” regai
Why you have to consider mediation Mediation is a buzzword in legal circles. You might think it only applies to squabbling couples heading for a divorce, but it can be a flexible, fast and cost-effective means for businesses to resolve disputes. Making a court claim for money owed can be known as taking someone to the “small claims court”. But you might not have to appear before a judge to prove your claim. “Courts
Have a look – do you think it’s a good likeness? MAKE CREDIT COLLECTIONS EASY Businesses have leant the hard way, it is not only the new customers that need vetting, but existing customers also need to be reviewed by getting the paperwork right. Ensure that you have all the correct contact details for your customer, and you have an account form and your terms and conditions signed by an approved signato
How can directors ensure they do not get in hot water if their company is facing financial difficulty? When a company is solvent a director’s duty is to “promote the success of the company.” But what if the company is insolvent? Writes Jamie Playford, a director and licensed insolvency practitioner with Parker Andrews Ltd. It is important that a director understands what “insolvent” means. The Insolvency Act 1986 c
The financial limit for the small claims track is £5,000, but lower limits apply for personal injury and housing disrepair claims, but as a debt collection agency I want to deal with financial claims for service and goods supplied which fall under the “Small Claims Court” As I have said the limit for such claims is limited to £5,000. In the case of a defended successful claim, it is possible to claim for
Do you really control credit? Businesses have leant the hard way, it is not only the new customers that need vetting, but existing customers also need to be reviewed by getting the paperwork right. Ensure that you have all the correct contact details for your customer, and you have an account form and your terms and conditions signed by an approved signatory. Confirm that the account has been set up correctly on y
Ancient common law has existed for over 750 years. It arises from the relationship between a landlord and tenant. Most leases do not mention or enlarge on the right of distress, but it is always prudent to check. Commercial distress is a landlord’s power. A landlord, if an individual can levy himself, but this is not for the faint hearted. Corporate bodies must use a certificated bailiff. A landlord and tenant relat
Which one would you choose? More and more solicitors are trying to break into the debt collection business. Are they better or on a par? As a collection agency, we are often instructed by solicitors to collect their own accounts, and in the past even initiated legal action. But, we are not saying that all solicitors are inefficient in collecting outstanding accounts. Indeed we have, in the past, used solicitors in ce
Centralised court system – does it work? One member of the Civil Courts Users Association has said that “one aspect of moving to a centralised service is that problems become apparent much more quickly”. But we see that one of the biggest problems is the delay in processing claims and the follow-up paper work. Unhappy with the Court? Communicating with a court can be onerous and almost impossible, but improvements ar
Over twenty years experience in Debt Collection and Credit Control at your service. The worst thing you can do about collecting slow and overdue accounts is: "NOTHING"