A retainer or project invoice has aged past terms and the client has gone quiet. Recover it with a discreet, professional escalation that protects the reputation your next referral depends on.
If a business client owes your agency an undisputed B2B fee up to £10,000 in England & Wales, you can recover it yourself: a polite reminder, then a Letter Before Action, then a County Court claim. RobinReturn prepares each step at a published price, takes no commission, and the client pays you directly.
For an agency the single invoice matters less than the referral network — so the chase has to be firm without ever reading as heavy-handed.
A graduated escalation gives you exactly that: a calm first reminder, a formal Letter Before Action only if it is ignored, and a County Court claim as a last resort. At every step the wording is measured and the client pays you directly — there is no third-party collector in the relationship.
One caution: RobinReturn is for an undisputed debt. If the client is withholding payment because they say the work fell short, that is a quality dispute, not a simple late payment — it may need advice, and it falls outside the eligibility for this workflow. Be honest with yourself about which one you have before you start.
Many invoices clear at the reminder or Letter Before Action stage, once the client sees a structured process behind the chase — though outcomes vary and nothing is guaranteed. Statutory interest and the fixed compensation are recoverable from the client and are yours to keep.
Interest accrues at the Bank of England base rate plus 8% (Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998), about £1.61 a day on this debt. Interest and compensation are recoverable from the debtor where the court agrees — RobinReturn takes no cut of either. Figures are illustrative and not legal advice.
Then it is a genuine dispute, not a straightforward late payment, and it may need legal advice — disputed debts fall outside this workflow. RobinReturn is built for undisputed invoices and is not a law firm.
The escalation is designed to stay professional and proportionate — a measured reminder first, and a Letter Before Action only if it is needed. You approve each step, so nothing goes out in a tone you would not send yourself.
You control every step and can mark a case paid at any time. RobinReturn never auto-escalates — the next action only happens when you choose it.
Pay-per-action with no commission: a reminder, then a Letter Before Action, then a flat claim-preparation fee if it goes that far. The full price book is on the pricing page.
Begin with a reminder and escalate only if you need to. RobinReturn is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
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