Debt CollectionExpress

DIY Recovery Guide

The umbrella guide tying the whole decision path together, matching the same logic behind the Free Check, so recovering an unpaid invoice never feels like guesswork.

What the Guide Walks Through

1

Confirm the debt and gather your evidence

Invoice, signed agreement or purchase order, delivery or completion proof, any prior correspondence. This mirrors the Free Check's own "paper trail" question.

2

Start soft: a payment reminder

A lighter-touch nudge before anything formal, for debts under 30 days overdue.

3

Escalate to a letter of demand

When to send it, and how to follow up if it's ignored. See our free Letter of Demand Template.

4

Decide the next step

A decision framework: a company debt of $4,000+ that's undisputed may suit a statutory demand. Smaller or disputed debts usually suit your state's small claims tribunal (NCAT in NSW, VCAT in Victoria, QCAT in Queensland, and equivalents elsewhere). An unresponsive or insolvent debtor, or a weak paper trail, often means the honest write-off path. And if any of this feels like too much to handle alone, that's exactly when a partner agency is the better next step.

5

Keep records as you go

A simple timeline, date sent, method, response, next action, so your own file is in good shape if it ever needs to go further.

6

When to bring in a partner agency instead

Signals it's time: the debtor is stalling past a second deadline, you've got multiple overdue accounts at once, or you're simply unfamiliar with the formal process.

Pricing for the finished guide is still being finalised.

This is an informational guide and general guidance only, not legal advice. We recommend independent legal review before relying on it for a specific legal step.

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