Pre-action

Letter before action for unpaid commercial invoices

Send a compliant B2B letter before action, or instruct us and a partner agency will take the file. Free template for limited-company debtors. Recovery is not guaranteed.

  • Free B2B template (limited companies)
  • Or instruct a partner to send it
  • Not for sole traders — use the Debt PAP

Start your claim

Three steps. Instruct us. We take the file and get recovery moving.

  1. You
  2. The debt
  3. Docs
You
  • B2B only
  • Partner agencies
  • No collection, no fee options
  • Secure upload

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 details and copy the letter. It is a practical B2B template, not legal advice.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is a letter before action a legal requirement?

There is no form titled letter before action. Before you start a claim in England and Wales the court expects the relevant protocol or the Practice Direction to have been followed. Skipping a proper letter can affect costs.

How long after an LBA can I issue a claim?

For a straightforward company debt, 14 days is the usual reasonable time under the Practice Direction. For a sole trader, the Debt PAP Letter of Claim uses a 30-day timetable, plus extra time if they reply and seek advice.

Can I use the free template on a sole trader?

No. That template is for a limited company or LLP. A sole trader needs a Debt PAP Letter of Claim with the Information Sheet, Reply Form and Financial Statement.

Will you send the letter for me?

A partner agency can. Upload the unpaid invoice through the form on this page. We introduce the file; we do not issue proceedings. Recovery is not guaranteed.

Does sending an LBA get me a CCJ?

No. A CCJ is a court judgment after a claim. The letter is pre-action only. Silence on the letter is not a judgment and does not freeze a bank account.