Debt Recovery in the County Court: Preparing Your Court Bundle

Last updated: March 2026

Quick Answer

Recovering a debt through the County Court requires a well-organised bundle containing the underlying contract or agreement, invoices, proof of delivery or service, correspondence (including your letter before action), default notices, and a clear interest calculation. Most debt claims are governed by CPR Part 7 and allocated to either the small claims track (up to £10,000) or the fast track (£10,001 to £25,000). A properly prepared bundle makes the difference between a smooth hearing and an adjournment that costs you time and money.

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Why Debt Recovery Through the Courts?

Every business, at some point, encounters a customer or client who simply will not pay. You have sent the invoices, chased by email and telephone, and perhaps even instructed a debt collection agency. Nothing has worked. At that point, the County Court becomes the practical route to recovering what you are owed.

According to Ministry of Justice statistics, the County Court handled approximately 1.5 million money claims in 2023 — the vast majority of which were straightforward debt recovery actions. The process is designed to be accessible, and many creditors (both businesses and individuals) navigate it successfully without legal representation.

But accessibility does not mean simplicity. The court expects documents to be in order, deadlines to be met, and evidence to be presented clearly. A creditor who arrives at a hearing with a carrier bag of unsorted invoices and printouts will struggle. A creditor who presents a paginated, indexed bundle — with every key document in its logical place — commands the court's attention from the outset.

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The Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims

Before you issue proceedings, you are required to follow the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims (effective since 1 October 2017). This protocol applies specifically to businesses and sole traders claiming payment of a debt from individuals, though the court expects all creditors to follow its spirit regardless of the debtor's status.

Key Steps

Why this matters for your bundle: The court will check whether you have complied with the pre-action protocol. Non-compliance can result in costs sanctions — even if your underlying debt claim succeeds. Your bundle should therefore include copies of your letter of claim, the information sheet, and any responses received.

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Documents for Your Debt Recovery Bundle

The Contract or Agreement

The starting point for any debt claim is the agreement that gives rise to the obligation to pay. This might be:

• A written contract — signed by both parties
• Terms and conditions — incorporated into the relationship by reference (for example, on the reverse of invoices or on your website)
• A purchase order — accepted by the debtor
• An oral agreement — in which case you will need witness evidence to establish its terms
• A course of dealing — where the parties have traded on consistent terms over time

If your terms and conditions were not expressly agreed but were consistently applied over multiple transactions, case law such as British Crane Hire Corp Ltd v Ipswich Plant Hire Ltd [1975] QB 303 may assist — though proving incorporation of unsigned terms is always more difficult than relying on a signed contract.

Invoices

Your invoices are the core evidence of the debt. For each unpaid invoice, include:

• The original invoice — showing the date, amount, description of goods or services, and payment terms
• Proof of delivery — delivery notes, signed receipts, or tracking confirmations showing that the goods or services were actually provided
• Credit notes — if any credits were issued, include them to show the net amount outstanding
• Statement of account — a running summary showing invoices raised, payments received, and the outstanding balance

Correspondence

Include the relevant correspondence in chronological order:

• Payment reminders — emails and letters chasing payment
• Debtor's responses — any replies acknowledging the debt, disputing it, or requesting time to pay
• Letter before action — your formal pre-action letter (see above)
• Debtor's response to the letter before action — or confirmation that no response was received

Default Notices

If your contract includes a mechanism for formal default notices, include:

• The default notice itself — setting out the breach and the consequences of non-payment
• Proof of service — evidence that the notice was served on the debtor (postal tracking, email delivery confirmation, or a certificate of service)

Interest Calculations

You are entitled to claim interest on the debt. The basis for interest depends on the nature of the agreement:

Your bundle should include a schedule of interest showing:

• The principal sum outstanding
• The date from which interest runs (typically the date payment was due)
• The rate of interest applied
• The daily rate
• The total interest accrued to the date of the hearing

Practical tip: Update your interest calculation on the morning of the hearing. Judges expect the figure to be current, and arriving with a calculation that is weeks out of date looks careless.

Statements of Case

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Track Allocation and What It Means for Your Bundle

The court will allocate your claim to one of three tracks based on its value and complexity:

For most County Court debt claims, you will be on the small claims or fast track. Even on the small claims track, where the procedural requirements are lighter, presenting your documents in a clear, organised bundle makes a tangible difference to how the judge receives your case.

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Structuring Your Bundle

Recommended Order

Pagination

Number every page consecutively from the first page of the bundle to the last. Do not restart numbering for each section. Include a front page listing all documents and their page numbers.

Number of Copies

Check the court's directions. Typically, you will need:

• One copy for the judge
• One copy for the witness box
• One copy for each opposing party
• One copy for yourself

For electronic bundles, a single PDF with bookmarks and a hyperlinked index is usually sufficient.

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What Happens at the Hearing

Small Claims Track

The District Judge will adopt an informal procedure. You will be asked to explain your claim, the debtor will respond, and the judge will ask questions. The hearing typically lasts 30 minutes to one hour. Strict rules of evidence do not apply, but your documents must be available and organised.

Fast Track

A fast track trial is more formal. It typically lasts one day and follows a structured format:

1. Opening submissions — brief overview of each party's case
2. Claimant's evidence — your witnesses give evidence and are cross-examined
3. Defendant's evidence — the debtor's witnesses give evidence and are cross-examined
4. Closing submissions — each party summarises their case and addresses the evidence

Your bundle is the reference point throughout. The judge will expect you to direct them to specific page numbers when making a point.

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After Judgment: Enforcement

Winning a judgment is only half the battle. If the debtor still does not pay, you will need to enforce the judgment. The main enforcement methods are:

Practical tip: Before issuing proceedings, consider the debtor's ability to pay. A judgment against a debtor with no assets or income is worth nothing. An order to obtain information (Form N316) allows you to question the debtor about their financial position — useful before selecting an enforcement method.

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Using BundleCreator for Debt Recovery Bundles

Debt recovery bundles are typically document-heavy — invoices, statements, correspondence, and financial calculations. Manually organising, paginating, and indexing these documents is time-consuming and error-prone.

BundleCreator handles the heavy lifting:

• Upload all your invoices, contracts, and correspondence in one go
• Organise documents into logical sections with drag-and-drop
• Automatic consecutive pagination across the entire bundle
• Generate a professional index page
• Export a court-ready PDF — formatted, paginated, and indexed

For businesses that pursue multiple debt claims, the time saving is considerable. Instead of spending hours formatting each bundle manually, you can focus on the substance of your case and present it with confidence.

Create your debt recovery bundle at BundleCreator.co

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I issue a debt claim online?

Yes. The Money Claims Online (MCOL) service allows you to issue County Court money claims for fixed sums up to £100,000 entirely online. The process is straightforward: you register, complete the claim form, pay the court fee by card, and the court serves the claim on the defendant. Claims can also be issued through the County Court Money Claims Centre by post.

What if the debtor says they have a counterclaim?

If the debtor files a defence that includes a counterclaim, the court will consider both the claim and the counterclaim at the same hearing. You should prepare your bundle to address the counterclaim — include any documents that rebut it. If the counterclaim exceeds the value of your original claim, the court may reallocate the case to a higher track.

How long does County Court debt recovery take?

If the debtor does not file a defence within 14 days of being served (28 days if an acknowledgment of service is filed), you can apply for default judgment — which can be obtained in as little as 4 to 6 weeks from issuing the claim. If the claim is defended, it will be allocated to a track and listed for a hearing, which typically takes 4 to 9 months from allocation.

Can I recover my legal costs?

On the small claims track, costs recovery is limited to the court issue fee, any hearing fee, and a limited contribution towards expert fees and travel. On the fast track, the court has discretion to award costs, and the losing party will typically pay the winner's costs on a standard basis. For businesses without legal representation, the court may award a modest sum for time spent preparing the case.

What if the debtor is a company that has been dissolved?

If the debtor company has been dissolved, you may apply to restore it to the register under section 1029 of the Companies Act 2006, provided you have a legitimate reason (such as an outstanding debt claim). Once restored, the company is treated as if it had never been dissolved, and your claim can proceed. The application is made to the court and costs are typically modest.

Should I accept a payment plan?

This is a commercial decision. If the debtor offers to pay in instalments, consider whether the proposed schedule is realistic. A judgment entered by consent on agreed terms (a Tomlin order) gives you the certainty of a court order whilst allowing the debtor to pay over time. If the debtor defaults on the payment plan, you can enforce the full judgment immediately.

What is a statutory demand, and should I use one instead?

A statutory demand under section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986 is a formal demand for payment of a debt exceeding £750 (for companies) or £5,000 (for individuals, as at March 2026). If the debtor fails to pay or reach an agreement within 21 days, the creditor may present a winding-up petition (for companies) or a bankruptcy petition (for individuals). This is a different route from County Court debt recovery and carries serious consequences — see our separate guide on statutory demands and winding-up petitions.

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This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The law and procedure described applies to England and Wales. If you are unsure about your specific situation, seek independent legal advice.