Resource Centre
Guides, tools and answers for getting paid
Practical, plain-English resources on commercial debt recovery — how the process works, how to keep your receivables healthy, and what to do when an account goes overdue. No jargon, no fluff.
In-depth guides
Start with the fundamentals
Four reference guides that cover recovery from every angle — from preventing overdue accounts to knowing your options once one has aged.
The commercial debt recovery process, end to end What actually happens after you refer an overdue account — every stage from verification to resolution, and what you can see at each step. Read the guide 
The credit-control playbook The habits that measurably shorten the time it takes to get paid — none of which need new software, only consistency. Read the guide 
Unpaid invoice: the escalation timeline A practical, day-by-day timeline for chasing an overdue commercial account — from the day it falls due to the point where referring it makes sense. Read the guide 
Interest, costs and limitation periods Can you add interest and recovery costs to an overdue account, and how long do you have to act? A clear, general overview of both. Read the guide 
Your rights when we contact you about a debt If you’ve heard from us about an overdue account, you have clear rights. Here they are in plain English — and where to get free, independent help. Read the guide 
How we handle your information A plain-English explanation of what personal information we hold about you, where it came from, why we have it, and the privacy rights you can use. Read the guide 
Security of Payment: a plain-English guide for construction and trades What payment claims, payment schedules, reference dates and adjudication mean — and why the rules differ across QLD, VIC, NSW and the ACT. Read the guide 
Letter of demand: a free template and how to use it A clear, non-threatening letter-of-demand structure you can adapt — and the things to avoid so your letter stays effective and compliant. Read the guide 
If you’re struggling to pay Tough times happen. Here’s how to tell us, what we can do to help, and the free, independent support available to you. Read the guide 
The commercial credit application: what to collect and a free template A strong credit application is the foundation of every recoverable debt. What to include — and a free, plain-language template to start with. Read the guide 
What should your terms of trade include? A practical checklist. Clear terms of trade are the foundation of every recoverable debt. This checklist covers everything a commercially sound set should contain. Read the guide How to write a letter of demand What a letter of demand must contain, how to send it properly, and when to hand the job to a third party. Read the guide Statute of limitations on debt in Australia How long you have to recover a commercial debt, what resets the clock, and what 'statute barred' means in practice. Read the guide What to do when a debtor goes insolvent Insolvency doesn't mean your debt disappears. This guide explains your options when a debtor enters administration, liquidation or bankruptcy. Read the guide 
The PPSR: a practical guide for trade creditors What the Personal Property Securities Register is, why it matters for suppliers, and how to register a security interest before it's too late. Read the guide Building a credit application that actually protects you What every commercial credit application must include — from entity details and director names to personal guarantees and terms acceptance. Read the guide 
Security of Payment in construction: the full guide How the security of payment Acts work across QLD, NSW, VIC and ACT — progress claims, payment schedules, adjudication and enforcement. Read the guide Invoice factoring vs debt recovery: which is right for you? Two ways to turn unpaid invoices into cash — but they work differently, cost differently, and suit different situations. Read the guide 
Courts and tribunals for small claims in Australia QCAT, NCAT, VCAT and ACAT explained — how to file, what to expect, the costs, and what to do after you win. Read the guide Overdue accounts prevention checklist A practical checklist for keeping your ledger clean — from credit vetting before you sell to knowing when to hand the account over. Read the guide Director personal guarantees explained What a personal guarantee is, why it matters when a company can't pay, how to take one properly, and what it means to pursue a guarantor. Read the guide Terms of trade: the complete guide What terms of trade are, what they must include to protect you, how to get them signed, and how they become a recovery tool when an account goes bad. Read the guide Recovering unpaid commercial rent: a guide for landlords How to deal with commercial lease arrears — from formal notices to the difference between debt recovery and termination, and what the Retail Leases Acts require. Read the guide Claiming interest on late invoices The two sources of interest on an overdue commercial invoice — contractual and statutory — how to calculate what you are owed, and how to add it to a demand. Read the guide Bad debt write-offs: tax and GST implications for Australian businesses When a debt becomes a bad debt for tax purposes, what the ATO requires before you can write it off, and how to handle the GST adjustment. Read the guide Retention of title clauses explained What a retention of title clause is, why it matters when a customer becomes insolvent, how it interacts with the PPSR, and how to reclaim your goods. Read the guide Trade credit insurance vs debt recovery: understanding the difference Trade credit insurance protects against non-payment risk before it crystallises. Debt recovery pursues payment after it has. Here's how to understand both and decide which fits your business. Read the guide Recovering international debts: a guide for Australian exporters Why cross-border debt recovery is harder, which law governs your contract, the instruments that prevent problems before they start, and the options when recovery is needed. Read the guide Using a payment arrangement effectively When to offer a payment arrangement, how to structure one that holds up, and what to do when instalments are missed. Read the guide Understanding phoenix company activity What phoenix activity is, how to spot it, what liability directors can face, and what creditors can actually do when they suspect it. Read the guide Debt recovery for franchisors: royalties, fees and the Franchise Code How to recover unpaid royalties, marketing fund contributions and supply payments from franchisees — while navigating the Franchise Code's dispute resolution obligations. Read the guide How to serve a statutory demand on a debtor company The step-by-step process for issuing and serving a section 459E statutory demand — what the demand must contain, how it must be served, and what happens next. Read the guide Recovering a debt from a company in liquidation What to do when your debtor enters liquidation — lodging a proof of debt, understanding priority of payment, and knowing what return you can realistically expect as an unsecured creditor. Read the guide 
Payment terms best practice for Australian businesses Choosing and documenting the right payment terms — 7, 14, 30 or EOM — and understanding the legal framework that governs large-business payment times in Australia. Read the guide Conducting a pre-credit check on a new business customer What creditors can legally check before extending trade credit — ASIC searches, PPSR, court judgments, trade references and commercial credit bureau reports. Read the guide Overdue invoices and tax: GST, bad-debt deductions and ATO rules How unpaid invoices affect your tax position — claiming back GST on bad debts, income tax deductions for written-off debts, and the ATO's requirements for both. Read the guide Managing disputed commercial invoices What to do when a debtor disputes an invoice — how to respond effectively, preserve your recovery rights and decide when to concede versus when to hold your ground. Read the guide Debt recovery agency vs small claims court: which is right? Comparing the two main options for recovering a commercial debt — using a recovery agency versus going to NCAT, VCAT, QCAT or a Local/Magistrates Court yourself. Read the guide What happens to your debt when a business is sold or restructured Novation versus assignment, entity changes, business-name transfers and how to protect your ability to recover when a debtor restructures or sells. Read the guide 
Calling on a personal guarantee: what creditors need to know When a personal guarantee can be called on, what makes a guarantee enforceable, and how to recover from a guarantor when the primary debtor cannot pay. Read the guide Free interactive tool
What is late payment costing you?
Overdue invoices tie up working capital and soak up your team's time. Enter a few figures for an indicative picture of what your overdue book is really costing — and what recovering it could free up.
Free interactive tools
Run your own numbers
More tools — including the credit terms advisor and debt age impact calculator — are available at tools.merion.com.au.
What is late payment costing you?
Quantify the hidden cost of your overdue book in tied-up capital and wasted time.
Net recovery estimator
See how much you keep after commission on a typical recovered account.
Is it worth referring this debt?
Calculate expected net recovery versus your in-house chasing cost by account age.
If you have received a letter from us
Information for customers
Plain-English guides on your rights, how your information is handled, and what options are available to you.
Your rights when we contact you
What you can ask for, how to dispute, and where to get free independent help.
Struggling to pay?
Hardship options, payment plans, and free support services that can help.
How we handle your information
What personal information we collect, how we use it, and your privacy rights.
What is a letter of demand?
Understand the letter you have received and what it means for you.
From the Newsroom
Latest insights
Commercial debt trends in Australia 2026: industry report highlights Merion's 2026 review of commercial debt patterns across Australian industries — which sectors are deteriorating, what the data … Why Australia has a late payment culture problem and what businesses can do about it Australian businesses pay each other late — later than their peers in comparable economies. The causes are structural, … The Australian debt purchase market — who buys and what they pay Debt purchase — selling portfolios of bad debt to third-party buyers — is an established market in Australia. …
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Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often.
Debt recovery glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms you will come across.
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Received a letter?
A full walk-through of your options and your rights.
Popular guides
- How to write a letter of demand
- PPSR guide for creditors
- Terms of trade: the complete guide
- Statute of limitations in Australia
- When a debtor goes insolvent
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