Best Money Recovery Lawyer in Delhi
Money lent to a friend, an unpaid invoice, a buyer who stopped paying after delivery — we recover dues through the fastest route the documents allow, from a legal notice to a summary suit and execution.
A claim for money due on a written contract, invoice, promissory note or signed acknowledgment can usually be filed in Delhi as a summary suit under Order XXXVII of the Code of Civil Procedure, where the defendant cannot contest the claim without the court's leave. Most money claims must be filed within three years, but a written acknowledgment or part payment made before that period expires starts it again. Suits up to ₹2 crore go to the district courts, larger ones to the Delhi High Court.
What we handle
- Recovery of friendly loans, advances and unpaid business dues
- Summary suits under Order XXXVII for claims on written documents
- Commercial recovery suits, including pre-institution mediation
- MSME claims before the Facilitation Council for delayed payments
- Attachment before judgment where the debtor may move assets
- Execution of decrees — bank account attachment and sale of property
From our office in Pitampura we act for clients across Delhi — North, North-West, West, Central, East and South Delhi — and for NRIs with matters in the city.
Documents to keep ready
- The written basis of the debt — agreement, invoice, promissory note, loan receipt or signed acknowledgment
- Bank statements or transfer receipts showing the money paid, and any part repayments
- Emails, WhatsApp messages or letters in which the debtor admits the amount or promises to pay
- Delivery challans, work orders or completion records, for unpaid goods or services
- Any dishonoured cheque with its bank return memo
- Udyam registration certificate, if you are a micro or small enterprise
Choosing the recovery route
Money disputes do not all go the same way. A debt backed by a signed document is a candidate for a summary suit. An unpaid bill between two businesses usually counts as a commercial dispute, which goes to the Commercial Courts after pre-institution mediation. A registered micro or small supplier can refer the claim to the MSE Facilitation Council instead of suing. And where the debtor gave a cheque that bounced, a criminal complaint under section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act can run alongside the civil claim. We look at your documents and the debtor’s position, and pick the route that gets you paid soonest.
The demand notice
Before filing, we send a legal notice setting out the amount, the basis of the claim, the interest claimed and a deadline to pay. A notice drafted with the suit in mind does real work: it puts the debtor’s answer on record, it often surfaces the defence they will run, and a reply admitting any part of the debt can be relied on in court. Many debtors pay, or offer instalments, at this stage — and we put any settlement in writing so that it can be enforced if they default again.
Filing the suit and securing the money
We file in the court with the right pecuniary and territorial jurisdiction — generally where the debtor lives or works, or where the money was payable — with the court fee calculated on the full claim and interest. Where there is evidence that the debtor is selling property, closing accounts or shifting business to another name, we apply for attachment before judgment under Order XXXVIII, so that assets are held until the case is decided. For clients in North and North-West Delhi, we handle district-level matters from our Pitampura office, including cases at Rohini Courts.
From decree to payment
Winning the suit is not the same as receiving the money. Once the decree is passed, we file for execution without delay and use the remedies the Code of Civil Procedure allows — attachment of bank accounts, salary or rent receivable, attachment and sale of property, and in cases of deliberate refusal to pay, civil detention. Throughout, we keep the option of a negotiated settlement open where it gets you paid faster than enforcement.
How we handle your matter
The fastest route for your paperwork
A signed acknowledgment, an invoice and a loose verbal loan each call for a different procedure. We choose between a summary suit, a commercial suit and an MSME reference on the strength of what you can prove.
Limitation checked on day one
A claim filed a week late is lost for good. We work out the exact deadline from the last payment or written acknowledgment before anything else is done.
Assets traced before we sue
A decree is worth only what can be collected. We look at the debtor's property, business and bank relationships early, and seek attachment where there is a risk they will disappear.
Money Recovery Suits, Delhi: common questions
Is a legal notice necessary before a recovery suit?
Not in law for a private party — a notice under section 80 of the Code of Civil Procedure is needed only against the government. In practice, a well-drafted demand notice often brings payment or a settlement, and it also fixes the date from which interest can be claimed.
I lent money to a friend without any written agreement. Can I recover it?
Yes, if you can prove the payment and the promise to repay. Bank transfers, messages asking for or acknowledging the loan, and witnesses can all be used. Without a written document, the claim is filed as an ordinary suit rather than a summary suit, so it takes longer.
How does a summary suit work?
The defendant must enter appearance within 10 days of being served. Once the plaintiff serves a summons for judgment, the defendant has another 10 days to apply for leave to defend. If the court finds no substantial defence, as explained by the Supreme Court in IDBI Trusteeship v Hubtown (2016), it can pass a decree without a full trial.
How long do I have to file a recovery suit?
Usually three years, counted from the date the loan was given, the goods were delivered or the payment fell due, depending on the transaction. A written and signed acknowledgment of the debt, or a part payment, made within that period starts a fresh three-year period under sections 18 and 19 of the Limitation Act.
Do I have to go to mediation before filing?
For a commercial dispute of ₹3 lakh or more, yes. Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act requires pre-institution mediation unless urgent interim relief is sought, and the Supreme Court held in Patil Automation (2022) that this step is mandatory. Private loans between individuals are not covered.
I am a registered MSME supplier and the buyer has not paid. What are my options?
Under the MSMED Act, a buyer must pay within the agreed period and never later than 45 days after acceptance, failing which compound interest at three times the RBI bank rate applies. You can refer the claim to the Delhi MSE Facilitation Council, and a buyer who challenges its award must first deposit 75% of the amount.
Can I get interest on the amount due?
Yes. Contractual interest is claimed at the agreed rate. Where none was agreed, interest before the suit can be claimed under the Interest Act, 1978, from the due date or the date of a written demand, and the court can award interest under section 34 of the Code of Civil Procedure while the suit runs and until payment — at a higher rate for commercial transactions.
Other matters we handle
Civil & Arbitration Lawyer, Delhi
Recovery suits, commercial disputes, arbitration petitions and injunctions across Delhi — in the district courts, the commercial courts and on the original side of the Delhi High Court.
Learn more →Civil & Commercial Disputes
Unpaid dues, a broken contract, or someone interfering with your rights — civil courts can order payment, performance and injunctions. We file and defend civil and commercial suits from our Pitampura office.
Learn more →Civil Lawyer, Rohini Court
Unpaid dues, a defaulting tenant in a Rohini market shop, or a dispute between partners in a family business — we file and defend civil suits at Rohini Courts from our office a short drive away in Pitampura.
Learn more →Cheque Bounce Lawyer, Delhi
Section 138 cases anywhere in Delhi — for payees recovering their money, and for companies, directors and individuals accused. Notices, complaints, trials, compounding, appeals and High Court petitions.
Learn more →