Referral Handover Checklist
When you refer a debt, a complete handover pack lets the agency act on day one instead of chasing you for documents.
What's included
- Assemble a complete debt-referral handover pack
- Gather every document a recovery agency will need
- Confirm the debtor's identity and current details
- Provide a clean, dated contact history
- Hand over so recovery starts without delay
5 min read
The checklist
Run this before you refer an account to a commission-only recovery agency. A complete pack means the agency can act immediately rather than bouncing the file back to you for missing pieces.
Debt referral handover pack [ ] Debtor's correct legal entity name and ABN/ACN [ ] Current contact: address, phone, email, key person [ ] Copy of the unpaid invoice(s) with dates and amounts [ ] Your trading terms / credit application signed by the debtor [ ] Proof of delivery or completion of the goods/services [ ] Statement of account showing the total now owed [ ] Full contact history: reminders, calls, promises, dates [ ] Any dispute raised and how it was handled [ ] Any part-payments and the current outstanding balance [ ] Notes on debtor circumstances (hardship, insolvency signs) [ ] Confirmation the debt is undisputed and within your terms
How to use it
The single biggest cause of slow recoveries is an incomplete file — an agency cannot demand payment from the wrong legal entity, or enforce terms it has never seen. Verify the debtor's correct legal name and ABN/ACN first, because a demand against the wrong entity is wasted effort. Include the proof that the debt is real and owed: the invoice, the signed terms, and evidence the goods or services were delivered. A clean, dated contact history then shows the agency exactly where the account stands and what has already been tried.
Quality over haste
A few minutes assembling the pack saves weeks of back-and-forth later.
- Confirm the legal entity — sole trader, company, or trust changes who you pursue.
- Prove the debt — invoice, terms, and delivery evidence together.
- Show the history — every reminder and promise, dated.
- Flag the risks — disputes, hardship, or signs of insolvency up front.
What happens next
With the pack ready, refer the debt to a commission-only agency such as Merion — refer a debt — so specialists pursue it without diverting your team. If you would rather try one more formal step first, a structured demand drafted with the free Letter of Demand Generator sometimes prompts payment before referral is needed.
Tips
- An incomplete file is the biggest cause of slow recovery.
- Confirm the correct legal entity before anything else.
- Include invoice, signed terms, and proof of delivery together.
- Provide a clean, dated contact history and flag the risks.
FAQ
What's the most important thing to get right in a handover?
The debtor's correct legal entity. A demand against the wrong entity wastes time and weakens recovery.
Why does the agency need my trading terms?
Your terms establish what was agreed — due dates, interest, costs — and underpin the agency's demand. Without them, the file is weaker.
Does it cost me to refer a debt?
Commission-only agencies such as Merion are paid from what they recover, so referral itself need not carry upfront cost. Confirm terms when you refer.
Templates are a head start — not legal advice
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