A NSW fire safety company
Fire safety inspections and equipment · NSW · Owed money by a strata management company
Anonymous case study
Fire safety inspections and equipment · NSW · Owed money by a strata management company
Anonymous case study
At a glance: a $2,431 invoice, 141 days overdue. Letter of demand sent on 22 September. The debtor opened it within a minute. Automatic reminder on day 7. Paid in full on day 9.
What was the job, and who owed for it?
Our client is a fire safety company in NSW. It did a fire safety inspection for a strata management company: it supplied and installed a smoke alarm and two fire extinguishers, replaced a portable extinguisher, and went back to reinspect units it couldn't get into the first time.
The invoice was $2,431, and it fell due on 4 May 2026.
How long had it been waiting?
| Date | Where it stood |
|---|---|
| 4 May | The invoice falls due. |
| June to August | Still unpaid. |
| 22 September | 141 days overdue. Our client sends a letter of demand through SydneyCollect. |
| 1 October | Paid in full. |
How did the letter get them paid, step by step?
From letter to payment
22 September to 1 October
Day 0, 22 September
Letter of demand emailed to the debtor at 3:09pm, with the unpaid invoice attached.
$29
Within a minute
The debtor received the letter and opened it. Our tracking link records every open.
Tracked
Day 7, 29 September
Still unpaid, so an automatic reminder went to the debtor at 3:15pm.
Automatic
Day 9, 1 October
Our client confirmed they'd been paid. The last follow-up was cancelled.
$2,431 paid
Letter to payment
9 days
No phone calls, no lawyer and no court.
Would they just ignore it, start an argument, or cost more than it's worth?
Won't they just ignore a letter?
This debtor opened it within a minute and paid two days after the day 7 reminder.
Will it turn into an argument about the work?
No. The debtor raised no dispute and paid in full.
Is it worth it for a $2,431 invoice?
It cost $29 to start. A law firm's letter alone is $500 or more.
What would it have cost another way?
| Option | Cost on this invoice | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Keep chasing it yourself | Free | Your time. It had already been 141 days |
| A lawyer's letter of demand | $500+ | One letter |
| A debt collection agency | $365 to $729 | 15% to 30% commission |
| SydneyCollect Collect+ | $272 | $29 to start, plus 10% only if you get paid |
What does the event log show?
| Sydney time | Event |
|---|---|
| 22 Sep, 3:09pm | Letter of demand emailed to the debtor, with the invoice attached |
| 22 Sep, 3:09pm | Copy of the letter emailed to our client |
| 22 Sep, 3:09pm | The debtor opens the letter |
| 23 Sep, 8:39am | Our client checks the letter's tracking page |
| 24 Sep, 12:18pm | Our client checks the tracking page |
| 29 Sep, 3:15pm | Day 7 reminder emailed to the debtor |
| 29 Sep, 3:15pm | Day 7 check-in emailed to our client |
| 30 Sep, 11:39am | Our client checks the tracking page |
| 30 Sep, 12:36pm | Our client checks the tracking page |
| 1 Oct, 11:30am | Our client marks it paid with the signed link in their email. The day 14 follow-up is cancelled |
Source: SydneyCollect event log. Names and email addresses removed.
Owed money for a finished job? We send the letter today and chase it for 30 days. $29 to start, 10% only if you get paid.
Recover your money
Frequently asked questions
It varies. Here it was 9 days, after 141 days unpaid. Some debtors pay within days, and some need a law firm.
It can. Here the debtor was a strata management company, and it paid in 9 days.
Usually not. This one was 141 days overdue. A debt can generally be recovered for six years in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT.
With Collect+, we pursue it by SMS and email for 30 days. Still unpaid? Refer it to a partner law firm in one click.
We act for debtors in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT.
Sources
- 01SydneyCollect event log for this matter, 22 September to 1 October 2026, client and debtor names removed
- 02Our client's invoice, as attached to the letter: amount, due date and the work done
- 03How SydneyCollect's letter and follow-ups work: sydneycollect.com/journey