Dealing with Non-Payment: Recovering Retentions, "Ghosting" Clients & Using Future Work as Leverage

Register for our newsletter for regular updates of events and webinars. https://www.top-service.co.uk/contact-us/ (newsletter link at bottom of page) "I've done the work, so why aren't they paying?" It is the most frustrating question in construction. In this episode of Minimise Debt, Maximise Cash, Emma Reilly continues the October "At the Coalface" review, tackling the difficult subject of clients who simply ignore payment requests. Moderated by Philip King, our expert panel discusses the tactical steps you can take when a client goes silent, refuses to release retentions, or delays payment without cause. Key Strategies Discussed: The "Pre-Emptive Strike":   Simon Howell  (Tarmac) explains why waiting for the due date is a mistake. Learn why you must start the dialogue  4 weeks in advance  to "flush out" disputes before they delay payment. Leveraging Future Business:  How to use the promise of future work as a bargaining chip:  "I won't sign the next contract until the old retention is paid" . The Insolvency Paradox:   Guiseppe Parla  (Menzies) reveals a surprising truth—retentions are often  easier  to recover from an insolvent company than a trading one,  provided  your paperwork is perfect. Separate Ledgers:  Why keeping retentions on a separate ledger (or purely administrative separation) is the single best way to ensure they don't get "lost" in the system. The "Easy Money" Tactic:  Why using an external debt agency to clear low-value, high-volume debts frees up your skilled credit team to handle the complex disputes. Whether you are dealing with a "ghosting" client or trying to secure your final 5%, this episode provides the commercial strategies you need to enforce payment. Featured Guests: Philip King  (Moderator) Simon Howell  (Tarmac) Guiseppe Parla  (Menzies) Debbie Nolan  (CICM) Charlie Barratt-Meade  (Top Service) Keywords: Non-Payment, Retentions, Construction Law, Insolvency, Debt Recovery, Credit Control, Commercial Leverage, Tarmac, Menzies. Subscribe to Minimise Debt, Maximise Cash for your monthly construction credit update. To enquire about Top Service services for your Business, go to https://www.top-service.co.uk/contact-us/ Music by Purple PlanetRead transcript