Debt collection: a self-help guide for farmers

There is no sure-fire way to ensure that debtors pay their outstanding bills. However, below there are some questions which you might consider asking yourself to try to minimise the risk of default or, where there is default, to maximise the amount that you can legally recover.

Debtors normally fall into two categories, those who will not pay and those who cannot pay. The strategy of recovering needs to be tailored depending on which type of debtor is not paying. There are many considerations including processes, costs and time. There also may be other factors that are not so obvious, such as potential reputational damage or the debtor avoiding enforcement.