Last updated: June 2026 | Absolute Enforcement | Authorised High Court Enforcement Agents | England & Wales
TL;DR
If someone owes you money and won’t pay, the legally required first step in England and Wales is a Pre-Action Protocol Notice — a formal written demand giving the debtor 30 days to pay or respond before you can apply for a County Court Judgment. Skipping this step can delay or damage your court claim. Around 75% of debts are resolved at this stage, without ever going to court. If the debt remains unpaid after judgment, Absolute Enforcement can enforce it through the High Court.
You Are Owed Money. What Do You Do Next?
The debtor has ignored your invoices. Your emails are going unanswered. You’ve chased, you’ve been patient, and now you want to actually do something about it.
The problem most people hit at this point is not knowing which step comes first — so they either do nothing, pay a solicitor far more than necessary, or jump straight to the wrong option. All three cost time and money.
The correct process is straightforward. Here is exactly how it works.
The Debt Recovery Process: Step by Step
Step 1 — Confirm the debt and the debtor’s details
Before anything else, make sure you have the correct legal name and a current address for the person or company you are pursuing. For limited companies, verify the registered name and address on Companies House — errors here can invalidate a court claim.
Check a Company on Companies House →
Step 2 — Send a Pre-Action Protocol Notice
This is the court-required first step. A formal written demand — also called a Letter Before Action — giving the debtor 30 days to pay, dispute, or respond. Without this, a court may delay your claim or penalise you on costs. Around 75% of debts are settled here, before court is ever needed.
Absolute Enforcement issues court-compliant Pre-Action Protocol Notices from £49 + VAT →
Step 3 — Apply for a County Court Judgment (CCJ)
If the debtor ignores the notice, file a claim through Money Claim Online. If they fail to respond within 19 days of the claim being served, you can apply for a default judgment — a legally binding order to pay.
Start a Money Claim Online →
Step 4 — Enforce the judgment
A CCJ does not guarantee payment. It gives you the legal right to enforce. For debts of £600 or above, the most powerful option is transferring the CCJ to the High Court, where certificated enforcement agents can attend the debtor’s premises under a Writ of Control and take control of goods.
Instruct Absolute Enforcement to Enforce Your CCJ →
Common Questions
What if the debtor just ignores my invoices?
Ignoring invoices is not the same as disputing the debt. If a debtor is not engaging with your reminders, it is time to move from informal chasing to the formal legal process. The first formal step is a Pre-Action Protocol Notice — a document that puts the debtor on legal notice that court proceedings will follow if the debt is not resolved within 30 days. Many debtors who ignored every reminder respond immediately when a notice arrives from a High Court Enforcement Company, because they understand the next step is not another letter.
Can I go straight to court without warning the debtor first?
In most cases, no. The Civil Procedure Rules Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims requires creditors to send a formal notice before issuing proceedings — particularly where a business is claiming against an individual or sole trader. Failure to follow this process can result in your claim being delayed, or cost penalties being applied against you, even if the debt is undisputed and genuine.
What is a Letter Before Action?
A Letter Before Action — formally called a Pre-Action Protocol Notice — is not a standard reminder. It is a legally prescribed document that must include a full breakdown of the debt, a reply form, signposting to free debt advice organisations, and confirmation that interest is frozen during the 30-day notice period. It is the document that formally begins the legal recovery process. Getting it wrong can delay your claim; getting it right, issued by a High Court Enforcement Company, often resolves the debt before court is ever needed.
Full guide to Pre-Action Protocol Notices →
How long do I have to chase a debt before it’s too late?
In England and Wales, the standard limitation period for most debts is six years from the date the debt became due, under the Limitation Act 1980. After this point, the debt becomes statute-barred and cannot be pursued through the courts. If you are approaching this deadline, take action now — do not wait.
What is a Statutory Demand and should I use one instead?
A Statutory Demand is a formal written demand for an undisputed debt of £750 or more. If a limited company fails to pay within 21 days, it can form the basis of a winding-up petition. For individuals, it can support a bankruptcy petition. It is a powerful tool, but only effective for genuinely undisputed debts — if the debtor has any legitimate grounds to dispute the amount, they can apply to have it set aside. For most straightforward unpaid invoices, a Pre-Action Protocol Notice followed by a CCJ is the more reliable route.
What happens after I get a CCJ and the debtor still won’t pay?
A County Court Judgment is a legal order, not an automatic payment. If the debtor ignores it, you need to enforce it. For debts of £600 or above, the most effective option is a High Court Writ of Control — issued after transferring your CCJ to the High Court. Certificated enforcement agents then attend the debtor’s premises with legal authority to take control of goods.
Important update for 2026: Under the Taking Control of Goods (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026, which came into force on 1 May 2026, the minimum notice of enforcement period has increased from 7 to 14 clear days before agents can attend to take control of goods. For personal (non-business) debts, this can extend to 28 days where a debt advice provider makes a request on the debtor’s behalf. Creditors should factor this into their recovery timelines.
How High Court Enforcement Works →
Does the debtor have to be a business for this process to apply?
No. The same process applies whether you are pursuing a business, a sole trader, or an individual. You also do not need to be a business yourself — individuals owed money from a personal loan, a private sale, or property damage follow exactly the same steps.
A real example: from unpaid invoice to recovered debt
A building contractor completed a £3,200 kitchen fit-out. The client went silent. Three months of invoices were ignored. Rather than instructing a solicitor, the contractor instructed Absolute Enforcement to issue a Pre-Action Protocol Notice. The debtor — who had not responded to a single reminder — paid in full within 11 days of receiving it. Total cost: £49 + VAT. No court claim was needed.
This is a representative scenario. Results vary depending on the debtor’s circumstances.
Realistic Timelines: What to Expect in 2026
| Stage | Typical Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Pre-Action Protocol Notice issued | Same or next working day |
| Debtor response window | 30 days |
| Court claim filed (if unpaid) | Days after expiry |
| Default judgment granted | ~19 days after claim served |
| High Court Writ issued | 2–5 working days after instruction |
| Notice of Enforcement served to debtor | Writ issue + 1–2 days |
| Enforcement attendance (2026 rules) | Minimum 14 clear days after Notice |
| Full recovery (typical uncontested case) | 6–10 weeks from instruction |
Note: The 14-day notice of enforcement period is a 2026 regulatory change (up from 7 days). For personal debts where a debt advice provider is involved, this can extend to 28 days.
What Happens After the 30-Day Notice Period?
If the debtor pays — resolved. No court action needed. This is the most common outcome when notices are issued by a professional enforcement company.
If the debtor responds but doesn’t pay — they may dispute the debt or propose a payment arrangement. You are not obliged to accept, but must engage reasonably and provide written reasons if you reject a proposal. If no agreement is reached, give the debtor at least 14 days’ written notice of your intention to issue proceedings before applying for a CCJ.
If the debtor ignores the notice — proceed with a CCJ application once the 30-day period expires.
For a full breakdown of each scenario and your obligations under the protocol, see the Pre-Action Protocol Notice service page →
Why a Notice From Absolute Enforcement Carries More Weight
A letter from an email address or an accounts department is easy to ignore. A Pre-Action Protocol Notice issued by a High Court Enforcement Company is not.
Debtors who receive correspondence from Absolute Enforcement understand that the creditor has already engaged a company with the legal authority to attend their premises and take control of goods — not at some distant hypothetical point, but as a concrete next step if they do not engage.
We are not a debt collection agency. We are certificated High Court Enforcement Specialists, authorised under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, as seen on Channel 5’s Call the Bailiffs: Time to Pay Up. We issue your Pre-Action Protocol Notice, follow up at 35 days, and if the debt remains unpaid, we handle every step through to enforcement — all under one roof, with no commission taken from your recovery.
📞 0300 302 1010 | Contact Us Online | Instruct Us Now from £49 + VAT →
Related
- Pre-Action Protocol Notice Service — Full Guide →
- How to Take a Limited Company to Court →
- High Court Enforcement →
- Transfer a CCJ to the High Court →
- Tracing a Debtor →
Absolute Enforcement Limited | Authorised High Court Enforcement Agents | England & Wales | Updated for the Taking Control of Goods (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026
