Business debt recovery, step by step.
Know what happens next.
We review the debt, explain your options and fees, and agree how to proceed. Accepted debts are followed up professionally, and you're kept informed.
“Marshall Freeman took the pressure off me chasing up an old debt going back 3 years.”
A structured approach.
Focused on getting you paid.
Getting a response is often the first step towards recovering payment. We start professionally, establish why the account remains unpaid and make clear that it needs to be resolved.
From there, we follow a structured five-stage process, with firmer demands where needed.
Initial outreach
Establish contact, make the outstanding obligation clear and identify what is preventing payment.
Follow-up & engagement
Follow up, address questions and discuss how the account can be resolved.
Formal demand
A firmer request for payment, with a clear opportunity to respond.
Final demand
A final opportunity to engage before the account is reviewed for further action.
Outcome & next steps
Review the outcome and recommend the next step for your account.
- Legal referral
- Pause & re-engage
Where appropriate, with legal action subject to your instructions.
Payment or a suitable resolution can be reached at any stage.
Firm follow-up. A reason to respond.
An aggressive demand can be ignored just as easily as a polite reminder. Our approach combines clear payment expectations with an opportunity to resolve the account, backed by consistent follow-up and progressively firmer demands.
The process responds to the circumstances of each account.
Track your debt recovery online.
See progress, payments and recent activity on your accounts, and send us updates when you need to.
Track collection progress and payments
See each debt’s status, collection stage, payments received and recent actions.
Lodge a debt online
Send us the details of an overdue account through your online client account.
Send documents and updates
Upload invoices or customer communications and let us know if a customer pays you directly.
Account summary
- Status
- In progress
- Collection stage
- Stage 2 of 5
- Payments
- View history
Recent account activity
- Email sent
- Call made
- Payment arrangement started
They pay
Payments show online and are normally paid to you by the 15th of the following month.
They dispute the debt
The dispute is worked through with you before anything escalates.
They don't respond
Our experienced staff assess the account on its merits and advise the best course of action.
Why it helps to act sooner.
Promises keep slipping
The payment is always coming next week. Some of these are genuine disputes, and they need working through properly.
Trails go cold
Collection usually depends on the customer still being traceable and able to pay, with no valid grounds for dispute.
Recent debts do best
Recently incurred debts are usually the most successfully collected. If an invoice is older, ask us to assess it.
Some of the businesses we've worked with
Before collection begins.
Tell us about the debt, check suitability and understand the account setup before you decide.
You tell us about the debt
What was supplied, what's overdue and anything your customer has said.
We assess suitability
We help with unpaid debts for goods or services your business supplied, assessed on the combined value of the invoices.
Is the debt suitable?
Suitable
We move on to how an account would work for you.
Not something we can help with
We'll tell you, for example personal loans or combined balances under $2,000.
Account structure and fees explained
We explain the account structure and all applicable fees before you engage us.
Do you want to go ahead?
Yes
We set up your account and you lodge the accepted debts.
Not yet
Nothing is lodged, and an enquiry doesn't engage our services.
Throughout, you can see where things stand.
Your online account shows collection activity and payments as each account progresses.
Questions about debt recovery.
How old can a debt be?
Time limits for recovering a debt depend on the state or territory and the circumstances, so we assess each case on its merits. Collection is usually most successful on recently incurred debts where the customer can be traced and is able to pay, with no valid grounds for disputing the debt.
How long does collection take?
Timing depends on the debt, any dispute and your customer's circumstances. Understanding what is preventing payment and working towards a practical solution can take time. We'll explain the collection stages during your appraisal, and you can follow progress online.
How will we receive collected payments?
Monies collected in a calendar month are normally paid to you on or before the 15th of the following month, from trust accounts, by EFT or cheque depending on your preference.
Can I lodge new debts and check their progress online?
Yes. Through your online account, you can lodge new debts, follow collection activity and view payments. You can also upload documents and correspondence, notify us of payments, and submit requests about how a debt is managed.
What are my chances of recovering an unpaid debt?
You may have a better chance than you think. Even debts that have been ignored for months can sometimes be recovered with the right approach.
However, no collection agency can guarantee recovery. The age of the debt, the debtor's financial circumstances and whether the debt is disputed can all affect the outcome.
The important thing is not to give up simply because your customer has stopped responding.
Does waiting make a debt harder to recover?
Often, yes. The longer a debt remains unpaid, the more difficult recovery can become. Customers can become harder to contact, businesses can close, and financial circumstances can deteriorate.
An overdue invoice that may be recoverable today could become much harder to collect in six months. Taking action sooner gives you the opportunity to pursue payment before your options become more limited.
What happens if you can't recover my debt?
Not every debt can be recovered, and we won't promise otherwise. Our commission is based on money successfully collected, so if no payment is recovered, there's no collection commission.
We'll explain any other applicable fees upfront and keep you informed of progress so you can make decisions about the next steps.
What types of debts do you recover, and is there a minimum amount?
We specialise in recovering unpaid invoices and overdue accounts for businesses, including money owed by other businesses or individual customers for goods and services supplied.
We can assist with a single debt or multiple overdue accounts, provided the combined outstanding balance is at least $2,000.
We generally don't accept private loans between friends or family, personal financial disputes, or debts below our minimum value where recovery would not be commercially viable.
What will it cost?
Our commission is charged only on money successfully recovered. We'll explain our commission and any other applicable fees upfront, so you can make an informed decision before proceeding.
from businesses like yours.
Over 38,000 businesses supported to date.
Google reviews
4.5/ 5
Based on 1,100+ reviews
“If you're spending months chasing overdue debts without success, don't hesitate to lodge the debt with Marshall Freeman.”
“…the service was easy to navigate, with constant communication and updates.”
“Very professional and keeps you informed during the process, the online lodgement is very handy as well”
“I appreciate all they have done for my business & helped me get the money I was owed.”
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You’ve done the work.Let’s help you get paid.
A structured, five-stage recovery process
Less stress. We handle the difficult calls.
Get back to running your business
“…great communication, easy to set up…”
Get a free debt appraisal
Tell us about your unpaid invoices. A specialist will call to discuss your options.