One of the main methods of recovering a debt is to take the debtor to small claims court, and it’s something that a lot of people do. However, it does come with the additional cost of hiring a solicitor. Though you can navigate the process without a solicitor, having someone with expert knowledge is hugely beneficial.
How Does a Small Claim Work?
To take a small claim to court, you need to complete an online application and detail what you are owed, by who and why. Once you have submitted this, the person you are claiming money from will be informed. They will be given a date to respond by, and sometimes this is enough to encourage someone to pay. Simply, the threat of things going to court shows how serious you are, and payment might be made. If they do not pay, a decision on how to proceed will be made by the court. This could involve a payment plan being put in place, or a legal requirement to pay everything at once. This can be a long process, and the chances of success are low.
Do I Need a Solicitor?
Though you don’t need a solicitor to proceed with a small claims court case, having one might increase your chances of success. Even if you don’t hire a solicitor for the case itself, some people consult one ahead of time to increase their chances of winning. Taking someone to small claims court can be a lengthy and complex process, and having a solicitor on board can help to keep things simple.
The Alternatives to Small Claims
Without a solicitor, a small claims court has a low chance of success, but hiring one makes the process a lot more expensive. This is why a lot of people choose an alternative way of recovering a debt, such as using a debt collection agency, which tends to be a quicker and more cost-effective solution. The small claims court can be slow and laborious, especially if there is a backlog of cases and yours doesn’t go straight to the top of the list. But, with face-to-face debt collection, we can get the ball rolling very quickly. This is usually a more effective way of recovering debts, even compared to letters which are easy to ignore.
At Cobra Financial, we offer a wide range of debt collection services, and we endeavour to recover your debt before going to small claims court becomes a necessity. The small claims court process can be long and costly, which is why enlisting the help of a debt collection agency should always be your first port of call. To find out more about who we are and what we do, get in touch with our helpful team.
