Templates
Debt recovery letter templates
A polite 7-day reminder and a firmer 7-day warning of action. Drop in your details and send — court should be the last resort.
Get the letters
Practical advice · Nearly 30 years in the field
Recover what you're owed — before you pay anyone a penny
Most debt collectors take an upfront fee or a hefty slice of your money. Try our free guides, letter templates and real-world know-how first. You'd be surprised how often a debt is settled with the right letter and a bit of nerve.
No upfront fees
Plain English, no jargon
Free templates & guides
Why start here
Why part with your hard-earned cash before you've tried?
Debt recovery isn't magic. A lot of the time it's about doing the right things, in the right order, with the confidence that comes from knowing your options. That's exactly what this site gives you.
Letters that get taken seriously
Our polite 7-day reminder and firmer 7-day warning are written to prompt a reply — not to threaten. Court action should always be your last resort, not your first.
Find out who you're dealing with
Trace a debtor, check for CCJs and insolvency, and run an asset check before you spend money chasing someone who can't — or won't — pay.
Know when to call in the pros
Solicitor, debt collector or no-win-no-fee? We lay out the real costs and success rates honestly — including when it's simply not worth chasing at all.
Guides & tools
Everything you need to collect your own debts
Free, practical, and written from real experience — not a textbook.
Tracing
Tracing your debtor
People move, people lie, people die. Free ways to find someone — Companies House, the Insolvency Register, Land Registry — and when to pay a pro.
How to trace
Checks
CCJs & insolvency checks
Is your debtor already drowning in judgments or heading for insolvency? Find out for free before you throw good money after bad.
Run the checks
Risk
Asset checks (pre-sue reports)
Balance your risk before going legal. A pre-sue report tells you whether there's anything worth chasing — usually around £300.
About asset checks
Legal
Legal & insolvency action
When letters aren't enough — CCJs, enforcement and insolvency routes explained in plain English, with the pitfalls flagged.
Understand your options
Decisions
Solicitor v collector v no-win-no-fee
The honest numbers on costs, commission and success rates — so you pick the route that actually leaves money in your pocket.
Compare the routes
Real-world scenarios
Sound familiar? You're not the first
Some debts come up again and again. Here's how to handle the most common ones we're asked about.
Construction debts
Builders, sparkies, plumbers, landscapers — chasing payment for work done sends a chill down every tradesperson's spine. Here's how to get paid.
Read the scenario
Dodgy car dealer debts
You buy a car, it breaks down within a month, and suddenly it was "sold as seen". Where you stand and how to push back.
Read the scenario
Landlords v tenants
Without a shadow of a doubt the most common debt we're asked about — a never-ending saga. How to recover unpaid rent and damage.
Read the scenario
A sensible order of play
How to collect a debt without losing the plot
Work through it step by step. Most disputes are settled long before anyone gets near a courtroom.
Send a polite 7-day reminder
Keep it friendly but firm. Often a debtor simply needs a nudge and a clear deadline.
Follow up with a 7-day warning
If they go quiet, escalate in writing — spelling out what happens next.
Check who you're chasing
Trace them, look for CCJs and insolvency, and run an asset check to gauge your risk.
Choose the right route
Debt collector, solicitor or no-win-no-fee — or, sometimes, know when to walk away.
30YEARS IN THE FIELD
Who's behind this
Straight-talking advice from Tim Adams
I've spent the best part of 30 years in debt recovery and credit — long enough to know that most people chasing a debt don't need a solicitor, they need a plan and a bit of confidence.
This site is the manual I wish people had before they handed over money to someone promising the earth. It's free. All I ask is that you let me know if it works — and maybe buy Holly and Pickle a treat.
“
Most debt collectors charge an upfront fee, or take a big chunk of what you're owed. Try the guides before you part with your hard-earned cash — you might not need anyone at all.— Tim Adams, The Debt Recovery Manual
Free, friendly, no obligation
Have a go at collecting your own debts
Tell us what you're up against and we'll point you to the right guide — or tell you honestly if it's not worth chasing. No hard sell, no upfront fee.