- File your case online – 5-minute form or secure API feed.
- Pre-legal contact – courteous letters, calls and SMS to prompt settlement.
- Legal review – our solicitors assess prospects and advise costs.
- Court action – if required, we issue a claim or statutory demand.
- Enforcement & monitoring – High Court Enforcement Officers, charging orders, attachment of earnings or winding-up petitions.
- Case closed – funds remitted daily; full audit trail stored for six years.
Expert Debt Recovery That Protects Cashflow and Relationships
Why choose LRC as your debt collection partner?
- End-to-end service – tracing, pre-legal calls, solicitors’ letters, litigation & enforcement under one roof
- Sector specialists – dedicated teams for commercial, consumer, utilities, healthcare, food distribution, recruitment & more
- Transparent pricing – fixed-fee letters or success-based commission; no hidden extras
- Regulatory peace of mind – SRA, FCA and ISO 27001 compliance plus GDPR-aligned processes
- Real-time reporting – 24/7 Debt Manager portal tracks every action & payment
Debt Collection Agency UK
Key UK services
Stage | Typical timeline | Outcome |
---|---|---|
Pre-legal collections | 7–14 days | Payment or plan agreed |
Letter Before Action | 48 hours | Statutory 14-day warning |
CCJ issuance | 4–6 weeks | Judgment recorded & interest accruing |
High Court Enforcement | 7 days from writ | Seizure, repayment or charge |
Learn more about our Pre-Legal Debt Recovery process.
Our sector-by-sector expertise
- Commercial & B2B – bespoke strategies to protect trading relationships while enforcing contractual terms.
- Consumer credit & retail – FCA-aligned scripts that maintain brand reputation.
- Utilities & energy – volume collections using automated data feeds and field visits.
- Healthcare & NHS – sensitive recovery of treatment fees and salary over-payments, preserving patient trust.
- Food distribution – rapid action to keep supply chains moving; see our food sector page.
- Recruitment agencies – chasing placement fees and temp invoices without damaging client goodwill.
- Legal & professional services – discreet collections that protect reputational value.
Debt Collection Agencies vs. In-House Recovery
In-House | Outsourced to LRC |
---|---|
Staff pulled from core duties | Specialists handle full casework |
Limited credit data access | Advanced tracing & asset reports |
Potential compliance risk | SRA & FCA regulated processes |
Single geographic reach | National coverage, global tracing |
Outsourcing frees your team to focus on revenue-generating work while we convert aged debt into cash.
Technology-driven, people-led
- Debt Manager portal – upload cases, watch activity logs and download MI dashboards.
- AI-enabled trace – cross-matches 200+ data sources to locate absconded debtors.
- Secure payments – compliant card, Open Banking and payment-plan options.
- Client services team – named account manager plus solicitor support for complex disputes.
How our process works
Featured Customer Reviews
I have had the pleasure of working with Legal Recoveries and Collections (LRC) for several years across various industries. Throughout our partnership, LRC has consistently demonstrated a deep knowledge of the market and provided strategic insights that have been invaluable to our business. Their excellent communication and commitment to delivering on promises have always stood out. LRC’s proactive approach, engaging early and adapting as needed, ensures that we are always prepared and supported. Their partnership style not only delivers the best results for our business but also enhances the experience for our customers.
“LRC provide a professional and efficient service, delivering regular updates and effective solutions”
We have been utilising the legal review services of Legal Recoveries and Collections (LRC) for the past few years, and we couldn’t be more satisfied. Their reviews are consistently thorough and informative, becoming an essential part of our pre-legal processes. This has significantly helped improve our recovery rates and reduced overall legal costs. The team at LRC are also very easy to work with and always available to provide professional advice when needed. We highly recommend their services.
As an NHS ambulance Trust, we don’t have in-house debt collection specialists, so find it difficult to pursue monies outstanding once our usual follow up process runs its course. LRC was recommended to us by another local NHS Trust and we approached them to find out what they could offer. We have been using LRC for nearly 3 years now and have not been disappointed. Our collection rate is circa 70% which represents a significant sum of money that is coming back into the NHS for patient care.
The team are very knowledgeable on the best route to recovery but will also advise when its just not financially viable to pursue a debt any longer. We have regular updates and meetings with Andrea the client services manager so everything is kept on track. It’s always our decision but LRC give us the best tools to make the right one.
We have worked with Legal Recoveries and Collections for a number of years now and they have provided an outstanding service to us. We have worked closely with the team and have a good working relationship with both Rachel and Andrea. Their online portal is very user friendly. They have collected both pre-legal and post legal debts for us to a high standard and we would recommend their services to anyone considering using them going forward.
We contacted LRC when we wanted to strengthen our collections processes and recover debt after we had exhausted our internal processes attempting to collect. From the off, LRC offered exceptional advice and support and helped us shape the way in which we approach collections. The team at LRC have a wealth of knowledge and experience which has enabled them to collect a significant amount of money on our behalf and through their professional approach have helped to change customer behaviour in many cases from infrequent to regular payers. LRC have tailored their collections activities to meet our needs and regularly make suggestions to make sure we spend our money wisely to ensure maximum return from their services . We are currently working with LRC to create a bespoke training package that they will deliver to staff across the business who manage and recover debt. I would not hesitate to recommend LRC for debt recovery.
Debt Collection Agencies – Frequently Asked Questions
A modern agency like LRC manages every stage of the recovery lifecycle on your behalf. That includes debtor tracing, credit-status checks, pre-legal communication, formal Letter Before Action drafting, litigation through the County Court or Insolvency routes, and enforcement via High Court Officers. Throughout, we act within FCA, SRA and GDPR frameworks to protect your brand and maximise the net amount collected.
Yes. UK agencies must comply with regulations such as the Financial Services and Markets Act for consumer cases and the Solicitors Regulation Authority for legal work. Reputable firms follow OFT guidelines (now adopted by the FCA) that prohibit harassment and ensure fair treatment. Choosing an SRA-regulated practice like LRC guarantees full legal compliance and professional indemnity insurance.
Costs vary by size, age and complexity of the debt. We offer two transparent models: fixed-fee Letters Before Action (from £7 + VAT) and commission-based recovery where we charge a percentage of sums collected. All disbursements (e.g., court fees or High Court writ fees) are agreed in advance and, wherever possible, reclaimed from the debtor.
Not when handled professionally. Our “firm-but-fair” approach stresses dialogue first, with litigation only when necessary. Scripts are tailored to industry norms—for example, softer language for healthcare patients versus robust prompts for commercial debtors—maintaining goodwill while asserting your rights.
Pre-legal efforts often secure payment within 14 days. Litigated claims typically resolve in 4–12 weeks, depending on court workloads and debtor response. Enforcement can extend timelines, but our asset-trace reports ensure we target recoverable debts only, minimising delay.
Yes. Through a network of vetted overseas partners we trace and pursue debtors globally, applying local statutes while coordinating strategy from the UK. This ensures seamless reporting and a single point of contact for you.
A copy of the invoice or statement, any signed contract or purchase order, records of prior chase attempts and debtor contact details. Uploading PDF evidence on Debt Manager speeds verification and strengthens any future court claim.
Absolutely. Our healthcare and public-sector teams specialise in recovering salary and stipend over-payments for NHS Trusts and universities, balancing sensitivity with fiscal responsibility.
We file Proof of Debt forms, liaise with Insolvency Practitioners and, where appropriate, challenge preferential payments or misfeasance. Our aim is to secure the highest dividend while exploring director-guarantee enforcement if available.
Log in to the Debt Manager portal 24/7 for real-time notes, payment statuses and document downloads. Automated email alerts flag key milestones such as payment plans agreed, court dates and enforcement actions, giving complete transparency.
Get in Touch with Us
If you have any questions about our service or would like to discuss your matters with us in greater detail, please contact the Business Development Team on 0330 024 6342