SJ Collections

When someone makes a referral to you, how do you handle it? Their reputation is on the line, and that needs to be protected. So, if someone makes a referral, we have an obligation to contact the person who may need your services, even if we can't take on the work. And whatever the outcome I also contact the person who made the referral and update them (I’m assuming that they have been thanked previously) in a timely fashion. For me that's within a day or two of receiving the referral.

Now more than ever, it is vital to have a robust system in place to ensure that your invoices are paid on time. I can help you develop that system, so that your cash flow doesn’t suffer. https://buff.ly/303s2RX

If you are a landlord, new legislation means that you must perform an Electrical Safety Inspection every five years - or face a large fine.

Landlords face fines of up to £30,000 if they don't follow new rules from April Under the new rules, all existing rented properties in England will need an electrical safety inspection every five years by law - here are more details

When taking a case to court, remember the burden of proof is on you, the litigant, in order that you make your case for consideration. This article explains more.

The Burden Of Proof - Oliver Elliot Are you a creditor looking to recover your money?If you are a creditor of an insolvent company or a bankruptcy, Oliver Elliot can help you address your claim and concerns arising from the insolvency. Find out howThe burden of proof is usually on the applicant in litigation.In the case of Stewart & O...

The Ministry of Justice has launched a public consultation on 22nd March regarding a number of court fee increases. The proposal is to increase fees in line with inflation between August 2016 and April 2021 and the fees being considered are those which are under-recovering compared to the estimated cost of the service and those fees which are enhanced, meaning they can legally be set above the cost of service. https://buff.ly/3dpSave

Businesses have taken on further debt at twice the normal rate over the last year, so says an article in the Guardian. That's probably not news to you, but it makes interesting reading. https://buff.ly/3aIwitF

Remember, I offer a wide range of services to assist you and your business, from credit control processes, process serving, tracing, and of course, bad debt collection. If you need any help or advice with anything related to debt, please don't hesitate to get in touch. https://buff.ly/3dkPkHX

Good news for renters - the evictions ban continues until May, and to the end of June for commercial properties. https://buff.ly/31MVLyl

A report has been published about the use of Individual Voluntary Arrangements, or IVAs, as a way of managing "unmanageable" debt. The use has been on the rise over the last few years, and it's possible that these are not always the right way to go for the individual. Read more https://buff.ly/2O7NMbI

If you're interested in statistics about how businesses, and particularly SMEs are doing, and did during 2020, you might like to read the various reports and stats from the link. It makes fascinating reading, if that's your inclination! https://buff.ly/3fukteQ

My March newsletter discusses payment holidays for mortgages and loans, which are more complicated than you might imagine, and links to my blog on the subject. To get this direct to your inbox, don't forget to subscribe! https://buff.ly/3fummbu

Next week we will learn whether the next part of the roadmap out of this pandemic will happen on schedule. There does seem to be an air of optimism around. Are you feeling that way? Hope you've had a lovely long weekend, haven't eaten too much chocolate and are ready for the week ahead!

I hope everyone is enjoying a lovely four day Easter Break. Spring is finally heard, lockdown measures are beginning to ease, and the light at the end of the tunnel is finally getting a bit brighter. Take the time to recuperate and relax!

With the new financial year right upon us, are you considering increasing your employee's wages? The National Living Wage is increasing and the age where people are eligible is decreasing, bringing more young people into a higher rate of pay. This is a useful article for other factors to consider. https://buff.ly/3cDUoYR

With the lockdown gradually easing, and more rules relaxing during the coming weeks, its even more important to try to help local businesses.
Here's what you can do to help https://buff.ly/3l3o8kn

Changes to the IR35 rules, deferred from last year, are being brought in as from April. Make sure you know the implications of these changes for your business. This article gives a useful rundown. https://buff.ly/3cet7L7

"What to Do if You Want to Rescind a Winding-Up Order — and What Not to Do" is the title of my most recent blog.
It's a complicated process which must be done exactly right. If you need any help with this, please don't hesitate to get in touch https://buff.ly/3v5vMiS

We've discussed before about how easy it is to be scammed these days, with online and telephone scamming ever increasing.
But it can be much harder to recover your funds than it was to lose them.
However, the Payment Systems Regulator is currently conducting a consultation into new regulations that may force banks to implement more robust systems - and if these fail, ensure an automatic refund of monies lost. https://buff.ly/38oX7Ts

If you rent out property, the last thing you will need are "void" periods, when you have no tenants and are effectively losing money.
This useful article gives you some pointers on how to avoid this disaster in the making. https://buff.ly/30tCMrU

During the Budget, the Chancellor announced further support for self-employed people. Find out the details here https://buff.ly/3vb7QuD

The Chancellor presented his Spring Budget at the beginning of March. This Which article gives a useful rundown of what it might mean for you - both personally and professionally. https://buff.ly/3clOevg

Wills and legacies are outside the area in which I usually work, as you all probably know, but I found this article interesting about how to go about leaving a legacy for philanthropic purposes. https://buff.ly/3rAZslO

Wrongful trading - do you know what this means?
Does it affect you?
Read all about this here https://buff.ly/30o3G4m

It's distressing to read, just one day after International Women's Day, that older women's finances have been more negatively impacted by the pandemic than mens, with a resultant impact on their mental health. https://buff.ly/2O6FJfr

You can read last month's Newsletter here, and don't forget you can also sign up on this page to receive my news directly into your inbox.

SJ Collections Newsletter February 2021

There has been some good news in 2020 on the business start up front, and certainly there were lessons to be learned, and both opportunities and problems in equal measure.

Read more about those lessons here. https://buff.ly/39H0C8H

Changing from a constant diet of debt gloom and doom is easy - can we eat to be happy? How's that for a change of pace?! The answer seems to be yes, we can eat better, make sure we get the right nutrients which help with mood. I'm off to find the chocolate.... https://buff.ly/3tmEF6F

What is a website for? Well, it's a very good question!

The reality is that most people turn to Google if they don't know the ansrer to a question, or need something, so if you're not there in the listing, you could be missing a trick.

Check out this article for everything that you should consider. https://buff.ly/3tmEqbY

Zombie companies - are you running one? A zombie company is one who is surviving, just, but can't pay off it's debts or invest in growth.

If this is could be you, check out this article.

One way of helping you, of course, is to make sure you get what is owed to you on time. If you're struggling with this, don't forget I can help. https://buff.ly/2NRv2N5

Broadband - once thought a luxury - has become an essential resource for people working from home, and for families homeschooling (and often both at once!) - but for poorer families, it's becoming increasing unaffordable. https://buff.ly/3jc1RQo