Quick answer
If another business owes you money, has broken a contract or has fallen out with you, most disputes are settled by letter, negotiation or mediation, and only some go to court. We look at your papers, tell you where you stand, and help you weigh what you could recover against what it would cost at each step.
On this page
Disputes we handle
- Contract disputes. A supplier, customer or partner has not done what the contract says, or wants to end it early.
- Unpaid invoices and debt recovery. Another business owes you money and has stopped answering, from the first demand to judgment and enforcement.
- Partnership and shareholder disputes. Co-owners who cannot agree, want to leave, or say they are being treated unfairly.
- Professional negligence. Advice or work from an adviser, valuer or contractor that has cost your business money.
- Commercial property disputes. Dilapidations, rent arrears, break notices and possession, for landlords or tenants.
- Supplier, agency and distribution disputes. Falling out with a supplier, agent or distributor you may still need to work with.
Your dispute not listed? Tell us what has happened and we will say whether we can help.
How a dispute usually runs
Not every dispute goes through every stage. Many end at the first or second.
- Your papers
You send us the contract, the key emails and invoices, and a short timeline. We tell you where you stand and what the options are.
- Letter before claim
We write to the other side with your claim, the evidence and a deadline to respond. The courts expect this before any claim is issued.
- Negotiation or mediation
We negotiate for you, or meet the other side with an independent mediator. Mediation is confidential, and what is said there generally cannot be used later in court.
- Arbitration, if your contract says so
Some contracts send disputes to a private arbitrator instead of a court. The decision binds both sides.
- Court
If the other side will not engage, we issue and run the claim. How court claims work is on our civil litigation page.
Owed money by another business?
Where another business pays you late, the law usually lets you add statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, plus a fixed sum for each late invoice, unless your contract sets out its own fair remedy. We work this out at the start, because it changes what you can ask for in the first letter.
The rules on GOV.UK: Late commercial payments: charging interest and debt recovery.
What it costs
We quote commercial dispute work per matter, so we do not publish a fee range for it: the work varies too much for a range to mean anything. You get a written, itemised quotation with an exact figure before you instruct us.
Our hourly rates, and what every quotation covers, are on our fees and service information page.
Who handles your case
Jasmine Chaudry
Partner — Commercial & Conveyancing
Jasmine is a partner whose work includes commercial disputes and commercial property.
What clients say
Firm-wide reviews across all our services.
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Regulated by the SRA SRA No. 605949, view our record
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CQS accredited Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme
Where we act
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London office 2nd Floor, 2–5 Minories, London EC3N 1BJ 020 7063 9040
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Leicester office 3rd Floor, St George's House, 6 St George's Way, Leicester LE1 1QZ 0116 393 0334
Tell us about your dispute
A few lines is enough: who it is with, what has happened, and roughly how much is at stake.
Thank you — we've got it. A member of the team will come back to you within one working day.
Prefer to talk? Call London on 020 7063 9040 or Leicester on 0116 393 0334, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
Questions businesses ask
Do I have to write to the other side before going to court?
Yes, in almost every case. The courts expect you to send a letter setting out your claim and to give the other side a fair chance to reply before you issue a claim. Skipping this step can cost you, even if you win, because the court can take it into account when it decides who pays the legal costs.
Can I charge interest on an invoice another business has paid late?
Usually, yes. Unless your contract sets out its own fair remedy for late payment, the law lets a business charge statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate on a late payment from another business, plus a fixed sum for each late invoice towards the cost of chasing it. GOV.UK explains how it works: late commercial payments.
If I win, will the other side pay my legal costs?
Often they are ordered to pay part of them, but rarely all. The court decides how much is reasonable, and getting the money depends on the other side being able to pay. That is why it pays to weigh what you could recover against what it will cost before each step.
The contract was never signed. Do I still have a case?
Possibly. A business contract does not always need a signature: it can be agreed by email, by phone or by what both sides did. Some contracts, such as those for selling land, must be in signed writing. Send us what you have and we will tell you where you stand.
My contract says disputes go to arbitration. Can I go to court instead?
Usually not. If you start a court claim in breach of an arbitration clause, the court will normally pause it at the other side’s request. Arbitration is private and its decision is binding, so check the dispute clause in your contract before anyone starts a claim.
How much will it cost?
We quote this work per matter, because disputes vary too much for a fixed range to mean anything. You get a written, itemised quotation before you instruct us. Our hourly rates and what every quotation covers are on our fees page.
This page is general information about the law in England and Wales, not legal advice for your situation.