Make and serve a statutory demand, or challenge one
When you can make a statutory demand
You can make a statutory demand to ask for payment of a debt from an individual or company.
Anyone who鈥檚 owed money (the 鈥榗reditor鈥�) can make a statutory demand. You do not need a lawyer.
If the debt鈥檚 over 6 years old, you cannot usually make a statutory demand. You can get legal advice instead.
There may be faster ways of getting smaller debts paid than making a statutory demand.
When the individual or company that owes you money (the 鈥榙ebtor鈥�) receives a statutory demand, they have 21 days to either:
- pay the debt
- reach an agreement to pay
You can apply to bankrupt your debtor or close (鈥榳ind up鈥�) their company if they do not respond to the statutory demand within 21 days.