Help tracking down a sole trader.

[wc2]

A company I've done work for owes me Money.

He's a one man band not limited (I know he is VAT registered so I think he is a sole trader)

He owes me about 2.5k so I'm looking into court action. I've done this several times before so know the score, however every time I've done this all the defendants have been Ltd companies.

Anyone know if there is a search for sole traders?

Do I start the proceedings against the Company Name or him as an individual?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[BrilloPad]

If your contract was with the company then you sue the company.

 

[wc2]

If your contract was with the company then you sue the company.

Thanks.

It was not a contract. It's for several Invoices from late last year. I can find any record of the Company name other than his website. (But I know he is registered for VAT) So he must be somewhere. I think I'll give companies house a call tomorrow.

 

[VectraMan]

I did this last year, and all the letters from the solicitor said "person T/A company". So essentially you sue the company, but as a sole trader the individual and the company are one and the same.

I spent £500 on solicitors, got the CCJ, but am still no closer to receiving the £8K I'm owed and I don't think I'll ever see it. No point suing someone with no means to pay, which seems to be the case.

There's no register of sole traders (although if he's VAT registered there must be a way of getting an address from them). But how do you not know who you worked for?

 

[wc2]

I did this last year, and all the letters from the solicitor said "person T/A company". So essentially you sue the company, but as a sole trader the individual and the company are one and the same.

I spent £500 on solicitors, got the CCJ, but am still no closer to receiving the £8K I'm owed and I don't think I'll ever see it. No point suing someone with no means to pay, which seems to be the case.

There's no register of sole traders (although if he's VAT registered there must be a way of getting an address from them). But how do you not know who you worked for?

I've done work for this person/Company for the last 3 years with no problems at all.

I have his Name, Company Name & Address I just can't find any official documentation for his company.

As far as his means...

Lives in Ascot - Nice detached house with a pool. Kids in private school, So worth the £80ish fee to start proceedings.

 

[VectraMan]

Lives in Ascot - Nice detached house with a pool. Kids in private school, So worth the £80ish fee to start proceedings.

Yes mine lived in a large house in Hampshire. Kids in private school, and always bragged about all the rich people he rubbed shoulders with. It turns out the house was rented, and he now has a collection of CCJs with seemingly no means to pay and no assets worth seizing.

Why is yours a sole trader? In my case he was "going to go limited when I get around to it". But I've since found out the reason was that he was disqualified from being a director for 5 years from a previous failed company. And yes I do wish I'd checked him out beforehand. You live and learn.

 

[Turion]

I've done work for this person/Company for the last 3 years with no problems at all.

I have his Name, Company Name & Address I just can't find any official documentation for his company.

As far as his means...

Lives in Ascot - Nice detached house with a pool. Kids in private school, So worth the £80ish fee to start proceedings.

He probably doesn't own it and gets all this money for a good life style by ripping people off. Con artists in general don't typically save money or have concrete assets

 

[Paddy]

If there is no limited company you must sue as the person not the t/a name. You must send a warning letter by recorded delivery or by hand to the last known place of abode or last business address. 21 days later you sent the summons by recorded delivery or by hand to the same. This is deemed to be served whether he receives it or not.

If you have no reply you ask for a default judgement and his name is published as a debtor with a CCJ

 

[BrowneIssue]

With me as a Ltd Co & Her Ladyship as a sole trader, we learn all sorts of stuff.

A sole trader is their business and vice versa.

You go for the named individual. However, if you only have the "trading as" information, you go for that in the meantime.

You can follow the same process as you have done in the past for Ltd Cos.

(It only differs if they subsequently don't conform to the court's orders.)