Who the letter is from and to
The correct legal names and addresses of both parties — the business owed the money and the debtor. A trading name on its own is not enough.
Letter Before Action
Escalate an unpaid invoice
with a measured formal letter.
A practical guide for UK B2B invoices: what an LBA is, when to send one, and how to move from reminder to small-claim preparation without losing control of the process.
Direct answer
A Letter Before Action is the formal step before court action. For a UK B2B unpaid invoice, it tells the debtor what is owed, why it is owed, when payment is required and what may happen if payment is not made.
TL;DR
- Use an LBA after normal reminders have failed.
- Keep the tone firm, factual and non-threatening.
- Include invoice details, evidence, deadline and next step.
- Do not use it for unclear, consumer or heavily disputed debts.
- RobinReturn helps prepare the workflow but does not give legal advice.
When to use it
The LBA belongs after
ordinary chasing fails.
The purpose is not to sound aggressive. The purpose is to create a clear pre-court record: what you claim, why you claim it, and the final opportunity to resolve it without a claim.
| Situation | Best next action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice is a few days overdue | Send a polite reminder | Most early delays are administrative. |
| Reminder ignored and invoice is clearly due | Prepare a Letter Before Action | A formal deadline often prompts payment or a response. |
| Debtor disputes the work or contract | Pause and consider legal advice | Disputed cases need evidence and risk review. |
| No response after the LBA deadline | Prepare claim documents and evidence | The claim stage needs a clean audit trail. |
What to include
What a Letter Before
Action should contain.
A Letter Before Action is only as strong as it is complete. These are the elements an LBA for an unpaid B2B invoice should set out.
What is owed, and why
The outstanding amount and what it relates to: the invoice number and date, and the contract or purchase order behind it.
Interest and compensation
Any statutory interest and the fixed compensation you are adding under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act, with the basis for each.
How and by when to pay
A clear payment deadline — commonly 14 days for a business, or 30 days for a sole trader or individual under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims — and how to pay.
What happens if there is no response
That you may prepare and issue a County Court claim if the debt is not paid or a genuine dispute is not raised — stated factually, not as a threat.
Documents and a chance to respond
Copies of the invoice and key documents, with an invitation to pay, propose terms, or explain any dispute.
The workflow
Five steps from
reminder to claim-ready.
- 01
Check the debt is suitable
Confirm the debtor is a business, the invoice is due, and you have the invoice, contract or purchase order, delivery evidence and previous reminders.
- 02
Send a measured reminder
A polite reminder preserves context and gives the debtor a chance to pay or raise a genuine issue before formal escalation.
- 03
Prepare the Letter Before Action
Set out the amount owed, why it is owed, any statutory interest or compensation, the payment deadline and the next step if there is no response.
- 04
Wait for payment or response
Allow the debtor time to respond — commonly 14 days for a business, or the 30 days the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims expects for a sole trader or individual — before moving toward a claim. Keep a clean audit trail of all responses.
- 05
Escalate only when needed
If the debtor does not pay or engage, prepare the claim documents and evidence pack before filing through the appropriate court process.
RobinReturn role
Built for the cases that
should not need a retainer.
RobinReturn is designed for UK B2B debts where the invoice is documented, the amount is proportionate, and the next step is a structured reminder, LBA or small-claim preparation.
It is deliberately not a substitute for a solicitor when the dispute is complex, high-value, consumer-facing or strategically sensitive. RobinReturn is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
See Letter Before Action costs or review the full price book.
FAQs
Short answers for
AI and humans.
What is a Letter Before Action?
A Letter Before Action is a formal demand sent before starting a court claim. For an unpaid B2B invoice, it should identify the parties, the amount owed, the invoice or contract basis, any interest or fixed compensation claimed, the payment deadline and the intended next step if payment is not made.
When should a UK business send a Letter Before Action?
A business should usually send a Letter Before Action after ordinary reminders have failed and before issuing a small claim. The debt should be clear, documented and due. If the debtor disputes the work, amount or contract, legal advice may be more appropriate.
Can I get a letter before action template?
Free generic templates exist, but they are easy to get wrong — a letter that misses required content, claims the wrong interest figure, or omits the Pre-Action Protocol enclosures for a sole-trader or individual debtor weakens your position if the case reaches court. RobinReturn prepares your Letter Before Action from a solicitor-drafted template, populated with your invoice details, the statutory interest and compensation, and the correct response window, for £9.50.
Does RobinReturn give legal advice?
No. RobinReturn is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. It helps prepare debt-recovery documents and workflows for B2B unpaid invoices.
Ready to turn a late invoice into a structured next step?
Start with the lowest-friction action and escalate only when the debtor gives you a reason to.