A letter before action is the usual next step on an unpaid B2B invoice
A letter before action (LBA) is the formal written warning you send before a county court claim for an unpaid commercial invoice. It is not a court form, not a statutory demand, and not a CCJ. The Civil Procedure Rules do not use that name. Practice Direction — Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols requires a concise letter of claim where no specific protocol applies.
If the debtor is a limited company or LLP, that letter is what commercial recovery calls an LBA — typically 14 days in a straightforward case. If the debtor is a sole trader or other individual, use a Debt PAP Letter of Claim instead, with the 30-day timetable and annexes. Details: what to include in a letter before action.
What the letter must set out
- Your legal name and the debtor’s registered office or last known address
- Invoice numbers, dates, what was supplied, and the outstanding principal
- Any statutory interest and £40 / £70 / £100 compensation you can actually claim
- How to pay, where to send a dispute, and a clear deadline
- That you may issue a county court claim if they do not pay or engage
Confirm when the invoice is legally late before you write. A reminder is not enough. A false figure in a pre-action letter can be contempt of court.
Write it yourself, or instruct a partner
You can send the letter on your own letterhead. The free template below is a practical B2B draft for a limited-company debtor. It is not legal advice and not a solicitor’s letter. Do not use it on a sole trader.
If reminders have already failed, upload the unpaid invoice. A partner debt collection agency can send a compliant letter and take the file. We introduce the claim; we do not issue proceedings. Recovery is not guaranteed.
Free letter before action template
Leave your name, work email and phone in the form on this page to unlock the free UK final-demand template for limited-company debtors. It is not shown in the public page source.
This is a practical B2B template, not a solicitor’s letter and not legal advice. You must fill in the [SQUARE BRACKETS] and send it on your own letterhead.
If the debtor is a sole trader or an individual, do not use this letter. Use the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims instead.
PASECOM GROUP LTD trading as Debt Collection UK is an introducer, not a law firm, and is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.