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For IT & software contractors

Client vanished
after delivery?

You shipped the sprint, closed the milestone, sent the invoice — and the client went dark. Recover a day-rate or project fee with a structured escalation that stays professional enough to keep the door open.

Direct answer

If a business client owes you an undisputed 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.

TL;DR

  • For undisputed B2B fees up to £10,000.
  • Built for day-rate, milestone and retainer invoices.
  • Pay per stage; no commission on what you recover.
  • If scope is genuinely disputed, that is a different route.
  • You stay in control; the client pays you directly.
The situation

Shipped the work,
then silence.

Contractors carry the cashflow risk of every project: the work is delivered and irreversible, but the final invoice is the easiest thing for a client to let slide.

A graduated escalation gives a quiet client a reason to engage: a calm reminder that the invoice is overdue, a formal Letter Before Action if it is ignored, and a County Court claim as the backstop. The wording stays professional, so you can chase a client you might still want to work with.

One honest caution: RobinReturn is for an undisputed debt. If the client is withholding payment because they say a feature was missing or the work was not as specified, that is a scope dispute — it may need advice and falls outside this workflow. A clear contract, signed-off milestones and your delivery record all help show the debt is undisputed.

Many contractor invoices are paid at the reminder or Letter Before Action stage, once a quiet client sees a clear next step — though every case differs and nothing is guaranteed. Statutory interest and fixed compensation are recoverable from the client and are yours to keep.

£
PICK A DUE DATE TO COUNT THE DAYS OVERDUE
%
DEFAULT 3.75% · BANK RATE AS OF 18 JUNE 2026
What you can claim

Debt, interest & compensation

Invoice owed£5,000.00
Statutory interest (11.75% · 0 days)+ £0.00
Fixed compensation (LPCDA s.5A)+ £70.00
Total you can claim£5,070.00

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.

FAQs

Your questions,
answered.

What if the client says a feature wasn't delivered?

Then it is a scope dispute, not a simple 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.

I work through an agency or an MSA — can I still use this?

You can recover a debt that is owed to you. If your contract is with an agency that owes you, the agency is the debtor; if it is directly with the end client, they are. RobinReturn recovers an undisputed B2B debt owed to your business.

Is my contract or statement of work enough?

A written contract, signed-off milestones and your invoices all strengthen an undisputed claim, but they are not strictly required. The key question is whether the debt is genuinely disputed.

Who sends the letter?

You do, as the litigant in person. RobinReturn prepares the solicitor-drafted documents from your case; it is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.

Start the chase
for £2.00.

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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