Debt recovery guides for New Zealand businesses
How the tools actually work, in plain language. General information about New Zealand law and practice, written for business owners rather than lawyers.
Start with the question you have
Each guide covers one step in recovering a debt and links to the next. They are general information, not legal advice; if your situation needs advice, we will tell you.
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Guide 01
How to issue a statutory demand in NZ
Section 289 step by step: when it fits, the form, service, the deadlines, and what happens next.
Read the guide -
Guide 02
What to do when a builder or client won't pay
Payment claims, payment schedules, suspension, adjudication and retentions, in the order you use them.
Read the guide -
Guide 03
Disputes Tribunal vs District Court for unpaid invoices
Claim limits, lawyers, costs, speed, appeals and enforcement, side by side.
Read the guide -
Guide 04
Enforcing a judgment in New Zealand
Why an unpaid judgment is not the end of the road, and what to have ready before you hand it over.
Read the guide
General information, not legal advice. This page describes New Zealand law and practice as at October 2026; the right step for a particular debt depends on its facts. Where a matter needs legal advice, we will say so.
Send us the invoice you have been avoiding.
The invoice, your terms of trade, and any correspondence you have. We will tell you whether it is recoverable and what it will take. No cost for that, and no obligation.