We are passionate about improving access to justice by leveraging digital technology to automate our systems and deliver affordable and effective legal services for the Australian community. Our debt collection systems have been streamlined and automated to deliver a first-class product to you at fantastic value.

Contactslaw, our in-house comprehensive legal practice management software, now integrating with our websites, has enabled us to offer a range of popular legal services for prices previously unheard-of. These include Flat Rate Settlements, Perth Probate Centre, Perth Wills Centre and a range of other fixed price services.

Debtors may pay by cash or cheque deposit at any ANZ Bank branch, electronic funds transfer or using PAYID.  We offer debtors a payment portal on our website. We cannot accept credit card payment from debtors due to restrictions imposed by Visa, Mastercard and Amex.

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Our demand letters request debtors make payment into our trust account. This is for statistical purposes and so that we we can monitor compliance with instalment plans. If you happen to receive a direct payment or compromise the debt, let us know so we can update our records.

For larger debts (those exceeding $1,000) and with your approval, we offer debtors the option to enter into an agreement with you to pay by instalments. Our standard agreement requires the debtor to pay:

• the debt by fortnightly instalments for at least the minimum amount that you authorise;
• an upfront fee not exceeding $200* to us to cover our documentation and administration costs;
• interest at the rate of 6% pa on the reducing balance of the debt; and
• the outstanding balance immediately in the event of default.

We monitor compliance and forward the payments to you.
*All prices are quoted exclusive of GST

If your debtor ignores the demand letter from our lawyers, we will analyse your debt and give you a customised fixed-price quote for commencing legal proceedings. Our quote will include an estimate of the fees the court will allow you to recover from the debtor. This information will allow you to make a commercial decision as to whether or not you write off the debt or take the matter further.

Get PAID is designed to be as simple and easy to use as possible. We usually collect all the information we require to take the matter further when you order a Get Paid Legal Demand.

If we require further information, we will contact you.

You can assist us by providing the following information (if you have it):

• A copy of any terms and conditions of trade that the debtor accepted before you supplied goods and/or services
• If you have standard terms and conditions of trade, whether they apply to all of your supplies to customers
• The correct legal name of the debtor (including Australian company and/or business numbers);
• If the debtor is a company, is it still actively trading?
• Details of any real estate owned by the debtor.
• If the debtor is a company, its current registered office.
• If the debtor is a trust, the name of the trustee.
• If the debtor is a business name (other than a company), the names and addresses of the owners of the business name;
• If the debtor is an individual, his/her residential and work addresses.
• Are there any other legal proceedings on foot against the debtor?
• Is the debtor employed, and if so the nature of his/her employment?
• What is the debtor’s financial position?
• Has any third party (eg a director) guaranteed payment of the debt?

Our offices are in Perth, Western Australia.

While we focus on collecting debts in Western Australia, our demand letters can be used Australia-wide.

Our demand letters are $38.50 (inc GST) (email only) and $44 (inc GST) (email and post).

If the demand letter does not get you paid, we will analyse your debt and issue you with an obligation-free fixed price quote for commencing court proceedings. This quote will include our fees, the court fees and the cost of serving the claim on the debtor. The court fees will vary depending on the size of the debt and whether or not you are entitled to reduced court filing fees. The amount you are entitled to recover from the debtor will also vary depending on these factors.

We aren’t just another Debt Collection Agency. You should choose us because:

• No commissions – only fixed, upfront and competitive fees.
• No subscriptions – use us as little and a much as you need.
• We are more Effective – professional debtors know that mere debt collectors can’t take legal action. We can.
• We are Cheaper – no hefty commissions or hidden charges. A traditional debt collector will often engage a lawyer and you may well end up having to pay both!
• Experience – we’ve been collecting debts around Western Australia and Australia-wide for almost 40 years.
• Convenience – our website lets you instruct us and keep track of debts online. Of course, you are welcome to call us to discuss any matters that arise.

Unfortunately, you can’t get blood out of a stone.

When collecting debts, it is important to consider what you know of your debtor’s financial position. With a court judgment it is possible to seize their assets and require part-payments from their regular income. However, if your debtor lacks any means to pay the debt, you could be throwing good money after bad.

The first thing to do is to check whether this is in fact the case. You can check this:

• for bankrupt individuals – conduct a Bankruptcy Search here: https://services.afsa.gov.au/brs/search
• for companies in liquidation – conduct an Insolvency Search here: https://insolvencynotices.asic.gov.au/browsesearch-notices/

If your debtor is bankrupt or is in liquidation, you ordinarily cannot commence or proceed with court proceedings against them. You should contact the bankruptcy trustee or liquidator to notify them of your claim.

It depends on how the matter progresses. Often debtors will pay once they receive the demand. Court proceedings are usually required for those that don’t. Once you obtain a judgment, if the debtor does not have the means to pay you, you may need to accept payment by instalments. You are ordinarily entitled to charge interest on your debt in accordance with your trading terms or once you have a court judgment.

This is a common problem. Some debtors are professionals at avoiding their creditors. You can attempt to locate your debtor by:

• • conducting searches of the electoral roll;
  • searching Landgate (they may own land); and
  • engaging a process servers to conduct an in-depth investigation into the debtor’s whereabouts (known as a ‘skip trace’).

For more information, click here and here.

This is ultimately a commercial decision for you. You should consider the size of the debt, whether the debtor has the means to pay and most importantly, whether you can recover the debt collection cost from them. In this regard, at each stage of the process, we will provide a fixed price quote setting out what we charge and how much you can expect to recover from the debtor. This should assist you to make a commercially sensible decision.
For more information on smaller debts, click here and here.