Recover unpaid invoices
An unpaid B2B invoice is the most recoverable kind of debt there is - the paperwork exists, the law is on your side, and a professional approach usually gets attention that your reminders didn’t.
- Interest you can add
- 8% plus the Bank of England base rate
- Fixed compensation
- £40, £70 or £100 per invoice, by value
- Time limit to act
- 6 years in England and Wales, 5 in Scotland
Three steps, about a minute
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Describe the debt
Amount, age, debtor location and type. Six questions, or one sentence.
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Compare them blind
Fees, minimum debt, coverage and rating side by side. No names, no logos.
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We introduce you
Pick one, the name is revealed, and they contact you to agree terms.
Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 you can add statutory interest - 8% plus the Bank of England base rate - to an overdue commercial invoice, plus a fixed compensation fee of £40, £70 or £100 per invoice depending on its size. In many cases you can also pass the reasonable costs of recovery on to the debtor, which is why instructing an agency on a commercial debt often costs you little or nothing in the end.
Agencies differ more than you’d think: some work no-win-no-fee, some charge commission on what they recover, some quote fixed fees. Collect Compare shows you vetted agencies side by side - fees, specialisms and verified track record - without names, so you choose on merit rather than marketing. It’s free for you: the agency pays us for the introduction, only when you choose them.
Before you escalate, work out exactly what you’re owed with our free late-payment calculator - it adds the statutory interest and compensation for you and generates a ready-to-send letter before action.
How to choose an agency for unpaid invoices
- Fee model - no-win-no-fee, fixed fee, or commission - and what each means for your recovery
- Sector fit: consumer debt, commercial debt, or rent arrears specialists
- Verified track record and independent ratings, not marketing claims
- Whether they handle escalation - legal action and High Court enforcement - if the first approach is ignored
How agencies charge for unpaid invoices
Most use one of these, or a blend. The model matters more than the headline rate, because it decides what happens if the debt proves hard to collect.
- No win, no fee
- A share of what is recovered, nothing if nothing comes back.
- Commission
- A share of the recovery, sometimes with a small set-up charge.
- Fixed fee
- A set price per case or per letter, whatever the outcome.
- Blended
- A smaller share plus a modest fixed element.
Compare vetted agencies for unpaid invoices
Describe the debt - or let AI fill the form in from a sentence - and compare vetted agencies side by side, free.
Common questions about recovering unpaid invoices
How much interest can I add to an unpaid invoice?
Statutory interest on commercial debts is 8% plus the Bank of England base rate, fixed on the reference date for when the invoice fell overdue, plus a one-off compensation fee of £40, £70 or £100 per invoice depending on its value. Our free calculator works it out and dates it correctly.
How long do I have to recover an unpaid invoice?
In England and Wales the limitation period is six years from when the debt became due (five in Scotland under prescription rules). The clock can reset if the debtor acknowledges the debt in writing or makes a part-payment - but the older a debt gets, the harder recovery becomes, so acting early matters.
What does a debt collection agency cost for an invoice debt?
It depends on the fee model. No-win-no-fee and commission agencies take a percentage of what they recover; fixed-fee agencies quote up front. On commercial debts you can often add reasonable recovery costs to what the debtor owes. Comparing models side by side is exactly what this site is for.
Will using an agency destroy the business relationship?
Reputable agencies recover debts professionally precisely because they’re a neutral third party - often a firm but courteous agency letter resolves things without the personal friction of you chasing directly.
Do I need a written contract to recover an unpaid invoice?
No. A signed order, an accepted quote, an email confirming the work and the invoice itself can all evidence the debt. What matters is that you can show what was agreed, what was delivered and what remains unpaid. Gather that before you instruct anyone, because the strength of the paperwork drives both the fee you are quoted and the likelihood of recovery.
General information, not legal advice. Statutory interest and compensation apply to qualifying commercial debts under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 - our free calculator works out what you can add, at the correct rate for your dates.
Take the logo away and the facts have to do the work
Every agency is vetted before it can appear, no one can pay for a higher position, and names stay hidden until you decide. We are paid only when you choose an agency and we introduce you.