Legal issues
The letter should identify the parties accurately, the agreement relied on, invoices and payment dates, principal sum, contractual or statutory interest, compensation and recovery costs where available, and any known dispute.
Non-compliance with pre-action requirements can affect case management and costs even where the underlying debt is valid.
Evidence that matters
The letter should be grounded in documents: contract or terms, invoice schedule, account statement, proof of performance or delivery, relevant correspondence and any admission or promise to pay.
Reasonable lines of enquiry
Before sending, check the debtor's current status and address, whether the contracting party has changed name or dissolved, whether any personal guarantee exists, whether there is a contractual notice or ADR provision, and whether limitation or insolvency creates urgency.
Also consider whether a short commercial settlement window is more valuable than mechanically escalating to proceedings, particularly where there is an ongoing trading relationship.
What happens next
The debtor may pay, propose terms, raise a defence or ignore the letter. If the matter does not resolve, the creditor can consider issuing proceedings after the applicable pre-action period has expired.
For straightforward disputes governed by the general Practice Direction, around 14 days may be a reasonable response period; the Debt Claims Protocol has its own timetable for individuals and sole traders.
Immediate steps
Do not send a generic aggressive template without checking the debtor type and legal basis. Assemble the evidence, calculate the claim carefully and identify the correct pre-action regime first.
What should you send us?
Send the contract or terms, invoices, statement of account, proof of supply, debtor details, previous chasers, any dispute correspondence and your preferred commercial outcome.