Send a final, dated chaser today that refers to the Letter Before Action, repeats the deadline, and states the exact next step (court claim or the relevant scheme) if there is no reply. If nothing is done, the business usually treats the silence as a win and the dispute drifts until evidence goes stale and deadlines start to bite. Keep everything in writing, stop negotiating by phone, and get the claim-ready facts in one place. If the deadline has already passed, move to the escalation route that matches how the business was paid and what was promised.
Most UK cases settle once a clear escalation is started and the business can see the cost of ignoring it.
What the problem is
A business ignoring a Letter Before Action is a common sticking point in UK consumer and small-business disputes, especially where a service was paid for but not delivered properly, a refund was promised and never processed, or a contract ended badly. It tends to affect people dealing with traders who have a complaints inbox but no real complaints process, and it often shows up after a partial response such as “it’s with accounts” or “a manager will call” that never turns into a decision. The silence usually arrives after the deadline in the letter has passed, or right after the business receives the letter and decides not to engage.
This stage is frustrating because it feels like the formal step has been taken, yet nothing changes. In practice, the Letter Before Action is often treated by businesses as a test of whether the customer will actually follow through. When the business has already stopped responding to ordinary complaints, the same behaviour can continue unless the next step is made real.
Why this happens
Silence after a Letter Before Action usually comes from a mix of incentives and internal process. Many firms route legal-looking emails and letters into a general inbox where they sit until someone has time, or they are handled by staff who are told not to admit liability. Some traders rely on delay because a percentage of people give up, accept a small goodwill offer, or miss the moment when chargeback or other routes are easiest.
Another common driver is that the business may be waiting to see whether a claim is actually issued, because responding properly takes time and can create a paper trail. Where there is a dispute about what was agreed, businesses often avoid committing to a position in writing until forced. A typical organisational response pattern is that the first meaningful reply arrives only after a formal escalation is started and a reference number exists.
Your rights or position
In the UK, a Letter Before Action is a practical warning shot, not a magic switch that forces a reply. The leverage comes from showing that the next step is ready and proportionate: a court claim where suitable, or another official route where that is the normal channel. Businesses tend to respond when there is a clear deadline, a clear remedy being sought, and a credible escalation that will cost them time or money if ignored.
Good leverage is specific and measurable. Asking for a defined amount, a defined action (such as completing a service by a date), or a defined remedy (refund, rework, cancellation) usually gets further than broad complaints about poor service. Keeping communication calm and factual matters because it makes later escalation easier and reduces the chance the business frames the dispute as “abusive customer” rather than “unresolved debt or breach”.
Where payment was made by card, bank transfer, or finance, the payment route can add pressure because the business risks a reversal or a parallel dispute. Where the issue is about a service that never happened or was materially different, the business is often more responsive once it sees that evidence and a timeline are organised.
Legal or official basis
The practical basis for moving forward is the small claims process in the County Court (often used for consumer disputes and straightforward money claims). It works by turning the dispute into a structured timetable: the claim is issued, the business must respond within set time limits, and the court process encourages settlement once both sides see the evidence and the risk. The key point is that the court expects reasonable pre-action behaviour, which is why keeping the Letter Before Action and any chasers clear and polite helps later.
For the official starting point and the current process, use GOV.UK guidance to find the correct route for making a money claim and to check what information will be needed before issuing.
Evidence that matters
When a business ignores a Letter Before Action, the next step depends on whether the facts can be shown quickly. Evidence that usually matters most is what was agreed, what was paid, what was delivered, and what was done to resolve it. A clean timeline beats a long argument, and screenshots are only useful if they show dates, names, and the full context.
Collect the contract or booking confirmation, invoices, receipts, and proof of payment. Keep copies of the Letter Before Action, proof it was sent (email sent items, delivery confirmation, or a screenshot of the online submission), and any replies. If the dispute is about poor workmanship or a service not carried out, photos, dated messages, and an independent quote for putting it right often carry weight.
What not to do is flood the business with daily messages or threats; it rarely speeds things up and can muddy the record. Common mistakes are sending a Letter Before Action without a clear deadline and remedy, relying on phone calls with no written follow-up, and changing the amount being claimed without explaining why.
Do not issue a court claim yet if the amount being claimed is still uncertain or depends on a repair quote that has not been obtained.
Quick checklist
- One-page timeline with dates and outcomes
- Proof of payment and the agreed price
- Copy of the Letter Before Action and delivery proof
- Photos, reports, or quotes showing the problem and cost to fix
What to do next
Send final chaser
Send one final chaser by email and, if possible, by post to the registered or trading address. Keep it short: refer to the Letter Before Action date, confirm the deadline has passed (or restate a final 7 days), restate the exact remedy sought, and state the next step that will be taken without further notice. Attach the original letter and include a simple timeline so the recipient can understand it quickly.
Pick escalation
Choose the escalation route that matches the dispute. If the issue is that a paid service was not provided, or was provided so poorly it needs redoing, align the claim to the specific failure and the cost of putting it right; the decision point is whether the remedy is a refund, a price reduction, or the cost of another provider. Where the core problem is non-performance, the practical framing used in many UK disputes mirrors the approach described in Service not delivered — legal options, because it keeps the claim focused on what was promised versus what happened.
Prepare claim pack
Before issuing anything, assemble a claim pack that could be sent to the business again or uploaded later. Put documents in date order, name files clearly, and keep a single figure for the amount being claimed with a short explanation of how it is calculated. If claiming extra costs, keep them reasonable and directly linked to the breach, because inflated add-ons are a common reason negotiations stall.
Use official process
If the business still does not respond, use the official money claim process rather than informal templates or third-party “claims portals” that add confusion. The correct place to start is via the official route shown on GOV.UK; it will ask for the parties’ details, the amount, and a concise explanation of the claim. Prepare the information in advance and keep the wording factual, because this text is what the business and the court will see first.
Info checklist
- Correct legal name and address of the business
- Total amount claimed and how it is calculated
- Key dates: order, payment, promised delivery, complaint, Letter Before Action
- Copies of the main supporting documents
The normal response timeframe once a claim is issued is that the business must react within the court’s set deadlines, and silence then can lead to a default judgment. Escalate by issuing the claim if the final chaser deadline passes with no meaningful response, and keep all contact in writing after that point. Change strategy if new information shows the business is insolvent or has ceased trading, because enforcement can become the real challenge rather than proving the claim.
One sentence typical outcome: Many disputes are resolved when the business receives the court papers and offers payment or a settlement plan.
Related issues nearby
If the ignored letter relates to a subscription or contract that keeps renewing while the dispute drags on, the pattern can overlap with Auto-renewal trap explained, especially where cancellation was attempted but billing continued. If the dispute is really about ending the agreement rather than getting money back for past failures, that angle can change what evidence matters and what remedy is realistic. These related problems tend to show up when the business keeps taking payments during the silence or insists the contract is still live despite complaints.
FAQ and quick checks
Deadline already passed
A Letter Before Action deadline already passed usually means moving to the stated escalation after one final chaser, not restarting the whole complaint. Keep the chaser brief and attach the original letter.
Partial reply received
A partial reply after a Letter Before Action often needs a short written response that narrows the issues and restates the remedy and deadline. If the reply is just stalling, proceed to escalation on the date given.
Wrong business details
Wrong business details on a Letter Before Action can undermine later steps, so confirm the trader’s legal name and service address before issuing a claim. Correct it in the final chaser and keep evidence of the correct entity.
Phone calls only
Phone calls only after a Letter Before Action usually lead to disputes about what was said, so switch to email or letter and summarise any calls in writing. Written records tend to prompt more serious handling.
Before you move on
Set a single final deadline, prepare the claim-ready pack, and follow the official route if the business stays silent, because the next step works best when it is clean and predictable. Time pressure can creep in when a trader pushes for a quick acceptance of a small offer right before escalation.
Get help with the next step
Contact UKFixGuide — Share the date the Letter Before Action was sent, the remedy requested, and whether the deadline has passed so the next escalation step can be chosen cleanly.
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