You may be an account manager whose task is to collect payments from delinquent debtors. Or you are just a good Samaritan who loaned money to someone in need, but now needs that money back. In any case, you might have found out already that getting people to pay back what they owe is easier said than done.
Ultimately, you may need to bring your case to the County Court or High Court so you can get a private bailiff service to help your cause. But that should be the court of last resort.
You might want to try some tried and tested ways first to get debtors to pay money they owe. These are the simple but effective steps you can take:
Give them time, and then don’t.
Decide how long you would allow your debtor to put off their responsibility of paying back. Maybe they just cannot do so in the immediate future. It can be a friend who is really hard put. Demanding they pay back when not even a month has passed can make the resistance to pay even stronger. But then again, there are limits to everything.
Send a gentle reminder.
It can be a text message, a short call, an email, or even a personal visit. Always assume that they simply have forgotten about their loan. Even if they did not, the non-combative reminder would tell them that you have not forgotten either and that you are still expecting them to pay back.
Be sympathetic.
People who make loans generally do not have a lot, to begin with, that is why they had to borrow money. Understanding them on why they could not pay back at a given time will show that you are willing to work with them to solve the problem.
Be firm.
Now, if being the good guy still does not work, you need to demand a commitment from the debtor to settle their loan at a specific but still reasonable time. Again, no need to be combative, but make sure they understand that you are determined to make them pay back. Contact them on a regular basis. Call them even when they are in the office (just make sure you do not do or say anything that can compromise their job as that can put you in trouble).
Now, if these steps still fail, going to court is now at your disposal, and once the court has made its decision, you can let the bailiff do his job and collect your money for you.
