Tracing the illusive Debtor
25 September 2017
As a specialist in the Debt Recovery department, I am often faced with potential defendants whose whereabouts are unknown. This may be someone who owes a client thousands of pounds, a customer who has not paid an invoice on time or an injured party seeking to locate a defendant in order to pursue damages.
In all of these circumstances it is important that the advice given doesn’t just focus on the prospects of winning the claim, or the chances of obtaining a Judgement, but goes one step further and considers the likelihood of actually getting any money out of the debtor and whether enforcement of a Judgement will be possible. This all begins with having a reliable confirmed location for the defendant.
At Curtis Law we work closely with a number of reputable providers in this area and are able to trace or locate individuals quickly, efficiently and legally.
People Tracing can be hard work – a minefield of legitimate means, questionable methods and those which are simply illegal / immoral. If you are tempted to try and locate a debtor yourself, it is important that you know what is permitted and what is not. It is often very sensible – and ultimately time and cost saving – to use a reputable tracing service who are experts in the field. Here at Curtis Law we are able to undertake some steps ourselves, but know when to hand the matter on to one of our trusted providers.
Starting with as much background information as you can makes the job easier. If you know the Date of Birth, previous aliases, former addresses or even partner’s names, please tell us. This enables us to target the search from the outset and will usually lead to quicker results.
We then have access to a number of resources to trace the individual. This can include some simple steps such as Land Registry, Companies House and Insolvency records, but goes a lot further than that! There are so many different databases and electronic records available in the UK, starting from the electoral roll, telephone records, internet and IP addresses, credit agencies and the like. This is where a professional trace agent can prove invaluable.
So if you are having trouble locating a debtor, come in and speak to Bethany Wetherby-Green, or our dedicated Debt Recovery Team. We will be happy to advise you – in a free initial consultation – on your prospects of success, but will also look at the equally important issue of locating your debtor.