Unpaid invoice? A five-step recovery sequence for UAE businesses
Most bad debts were recoverable once. The difference is acting early, in the right order, with the right documents.
5 min readLegal consultancy & debt collection · UAE
Recover what you're owed. Protect what you build.
Commercial debt recovery and legal advisory for businesses in the UAE — with the construction and real-estate depth of PDC Group behind every file.
Your recovery pathMember of PDC Group
- Review
- Demand
- Negotiate
- Settle
- Escalate
Every file moves through clear, documented stages.
- Businesses, not consumersB2B recovery and advisory
- Arabic & EnglishEvery letter and contract
- PDC GroupEngineers, QS and claims specialists
- Written termsScope and fees agreed first
What we do
Five practices. One standard.
From the first contract to the last dirham collected, we keep your commercial position documented, defensible and moving.
01
Debt Collection & Recovery
Amicable recovery of unpaid invoices, retention and final payments — through demand, negotiation and documented settlement.
- Debt collection & amicable recovery
- Outstanding invoice, retention & final payment recovery
- Demand letters & legal notices
- Debt settlement & payment plan negotiation
Construction & Real Estate Advisory
Construction, engineering and fit-out contracts, claims advisory, and developer, landowner and investor agreements.
- Construction & engineering contract advisory
- Interior design & fit-out contract advisory
- Construction claims advisory
- Developer, landowner & investor agreements
Contracts & Commercial Agreements
Drafting, review and negotiation of commercial contracts, joint ventures, shareholder, procurement and supplier agreements.
- Contract drafting, review & negotiation
- Joint venture, partnership & shareholders' agreements
- Procurement, supplier & subcontractor agreements
Corporate & Business Advisory
Corporate and commercial consultancy, legal due diligence, employment contracts and ongoing legal retainers.
- Corporate & commercial legal consultancy
- Legal due diligence
- Employment contracts & workplace policy advisory
- Ongoing legal retainers for businesses
Dispute Readiness & Litigation Coordination
Pre-litigation assessment, evidence organisation and coordination of litigation through licensed advocates.
- Pre-litigation assessment
- Evidence organisation
- Litigation coordination through licensed advocates
The PDC Group advantage
Legal strategy with engineering evidence behind it
Construction and real-estate disputes are rarely won on law alone. They turn on programmes, quantities, variations and payment certificates. As a member of PDC Group, we work alongside PDC Consult's project managers, quantity surveyors and claims specialists — so the numbers in your claim are tested before anyone else sees them.
Quantified claims
Variations, extensions of time and loss calculated by quantity surveyors.
Documented evidence
Programmes, site records and correspondence organised into a clear evidence file.
Contract insight
Advice from people who have managed and certified projects, not only read the contract.
Recovery readiness check
How strong is your file?
Tick what you have. This indicative check shows how ready your claim is for a formal demand — and what to gather next.
File strength
Strong file
Your documents support a formal demand now. A well-drafted demand backed by this evidence often prompts payment or a serious settlement offer.
Start an enquiryWorkable file
There are gaps worth closing first. We would organise the evidence you hold and look for what is missing — site records, emails, delivery notes — before the demand goes out.
Start an enquiryThin file — act carefully
Before demanding payment, the evidence and any time limits should be reviewed. A premature demand can weaken your position; a short review costs far less.
Start an enquiryIndicative only. It does not assess the debtor's ability to pay or replace legal advice.
- 01
File review
We review the contract, invoices, delivery or completion records and correspondence, confirm the amount due and identify any weak points before the debtor does.
- 02
Formal demand
A precise demand letter or legal notice, in Arabic and English, setting out the debt, its basis and a deadline to pay.
- 03
Negotiation
Direct, documented negotiation with the debtor's decision-makers. We look for payment — not just promises.
- 04
Settlement & security
Agreed terms are recorded in a written settlement or payment plan, with security such as cheques or guarantees where possible.
- 05
Escalation
If the debtor will not pay, we prepare the litigation or arbitration file and coordinate with licensed advocates you appoint.
Our standards
Firm on the debt. Fair to the debtor.
How a debt is collected reflects on the creditor. We collect lawfully and professionally, so your reputation and your legal position stay intact.
- 01
Lawful methods only
No threats, no intimidation, no misrepresentation of legal consequences.
- 02
Respect for privacy
No contact with a debtor's family, and no public disclosure of a debt.
- 03
Everything on record
Communication in writing or documented, so every step can be shown.
- 04
Accurate figures
We demand only what the documents support, with a clear statement of account.
- 05
Confidentiality
Your commercial information is handled in confidence and shared only as the matter requires.
Where we stop — and who takes over
Legal Expert is a legal consultancy. We do not appear before the courts. When a matter needs litigation, we prepare the file and coordinate with licensed UAE advocates whom you appoint directly. You keep one point of contact and a file that is ready from day one.
Sectors
Built for businesses that build
- Contractors & subcontractors
- Interior design & fit-out
- Developers, landowners & investors
- Suppliers & trading companies
- Consultants & professional services
- SMEs & family businesses
What kind of debts do you recover?
Business-to-business debts: unpaid invoices, interim and final payments, retention, and amounts due under commercial and construction contracts.
Do you represent clients in court?
No. Legal Expert is a legal consultancy and debt collection company. When litigation is needed, licensed UAE advocates whom you appoint represent you in court, and we prepare the file and coordinate with them.
How are your fees calculated?
Fixed fees for defined work such as reviews, demand letters and contracts; success-based or blended fees for recovery mandates; and monthly retainers for ongoing advice. Everything is agreed in writing first.
How long does recovery take?
It depends on the documents, whether the debt is disputed and how the debtor responds. Many files are resolved at the demand or negotiation stage; others need escalation. We give you a realistic view after reviewing the file.
Insights
Practical guides for UAE businesses
Retention and final payment: how contractors protect and recover them
Retention and the final account are often a contractor's margin. They are also the sums most often left unpaid. Here is how to protect them.
5 min readBefore you sign: nine clauses that decide construction disputes
When construction disputes arise, they are usually decided by a handful of clauses that nobody read closely at signing.
6 min readSend us the file. We'll tell you where you stand.
Share a short summary and the other party's name. After a conflict check, we review your documents and set out the route, the timeline and the fee — in writing.