Does a Customer Owe You Money for an Outstanding Debt?
July 01, 2012
If you’re having trouble collecting payment for an outstanding invoice, contact Chane Socarras, PLLC to speak with a Boca Raton business lawyer. We understand the burden businesses face when a client refuses to pay for goods or services rendered. If you choose us to represent you, we can pursue legal action to help you collect payment for any kind of unpaid debt.
Before Taking Legal Action
Before you pursue legal action to collect on an unpaid invoice, give your customer a fair chance to settle their debt by considering the following:
- Have you given your customer enough time to pay? Two to four weeks is typical, depending on the type of business.
- Does your invoice include a payment deadline? If not, be sure to add this to your invoices in the future.
- Have you sent a second invoice or notice of nonpayment? The original invoice may not have reached your customer or your customer may have simply forgotten about the invoice. Give them a second chance to pay before escalating the matter.
- Have you tried contacting your customer? Try calling your customer to speak with them about the invoice. Be sure to call at a reasonable hour, speak directly with the customer that owes you, and do not harass or threaten.
By following these steps, you may collect payment without having to take further action. Ideally, you will be able to resolve the issue amicably and the customer will continue doing business with you or recommend your business to others.
When to Take Legal Action
If you have made reasonable efforts to collect the unpaid debt but have still not received payment, you may consider hiring a collection agency. However, it is often in your best interest to hire a collection attorney instead. Collection agencies often rely on making phone calls to the debtor to request payment, a method you have likely already tried on your own, and will often give up if the debtor hires legal representation.
By hiring an attorney, you skip the unnecessary step of hiring a collection agency. An attorney will first send a demand letter to the debtor demanding payment. If the debtor does not respond, your attorney will then take legal action by filing a lawsuit against them. A collection attorney understands the complexities of these cases and can aggressively pursue your case to get you the money you are rightfully owed.
Contact a Boca Raton Business Lawyer
If you need help dealing with any kind of business legal matter, contact a Boca Raton business lawyer at Chane Socarras, PLLC. We are committed to helping clients resolve a wide range of business issues including collecting unpaid debts. It is our goal to provide you with effective and efficient solutions to minimize the disruption to your business.
Chane Socarras, PLLC handles complex commercial litigation, corporate law, and other general business legal matters for clients of all sizes in a variety of industries. The firm’s commercial litigation attorneys represent small and large corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, professionals, entrepreneurs, condominium/homeowners’ associations, employers, employees and individuals to assess their options and make informed decisions to achieve their objectives. Please contact our firm today for more information about how we can assist you with your business needs at 561-609-3190 or info@cslawfl.com.
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