Best Debt Collection Agency recommendation please or Court collections process?

[fewtrell]

Hi All,
I have an Auckland tenant who has defaulted on a mediator's order through fast track mediation for a significant sum . My options are now to go through a debt collections process at the District Court or use a Debt collections agency.
Please can anyone advise which they have found is the best option or have any recommendations for a good debt collection agency? Tenant is self employed.
The tenancy agreement and the mediators order both state the tenant is liable for any extra costs. The fixed term ends in 6 weeks so I am keen to act soon. Thanks for your advice and help.

[Perry]

The tenancy agreement and the mediators order both state the tenant is liable for any extra costs.

The tenant being liable for costs is one thing.
The tenant paying you those costs is another.

Just be wary of "throwing good money after bad."

[Davo36]

Law Debt. http://www.lawdebt.co.nz/

Disclaimer: They are my tenants

[Perry]

Law Debt. http://www.lawdebt.co.nz/

Disclaimer: They are my tenants

What do you know (and can tell us) about their cost-effectiveness and success ratio, David?

[mrsaneperson]

Do all you can yourself to follow through with your own investigations first, check out tenants Facebook profile etc. For all my T/A s i have a contact next of kin as one of the addresses for service. If you're diligent and determined enough you may need to do street visits to pickup the money owed .
The debt collection agencies may often be ineffective or overloaded and don't always have the resources you may have in terms of the time factor.

[tallica1]

CIA Debt Recovery specialise in tenancy debt recovery - www.cia.co.nz

However, District Court enforcement is a bit pointless if the tenant is self-employed. I.e. the tenant won't active an attachment order on their own income.

[Davo36]

What do you know (and can tell us) about their cost-effectiveness and success ratio, David?

Nothing other than they have a staff of 10 and make enough money to pay them and pay me the rent each month