Free payment recovery consultation in Kolkata

What happens in the consultation

1. You message us on WhatsApp or book a slot; a recovery expert calls at the agreed time (phone or video).
2. We go through the invoices, the order, the delivery proof and the buyer’s replies, and ask about the buyer’s pattern.
3. You get an honest view: how recoverable the claim is, which route fits (reminders, legal notice, MSME Samadhaan, Section 138, summary suit or arbitration), a realistic timeline and the exact cost.
4. If you decide to go ahead, a dedicated advocate is assigned and the legal notice goes out within 24 hours. If you decide not to, you owe nothing.

What is specific to Kolkata

Kolkata’s trade in Burrabazar, Posta and Howrah still runs on relationships and post-dated cheques, so Section 138 and old-fashioned negotiation both matter. Jute mills, foundries and engineering units supply across eastern India and Bangladesh, and distributors here often carry dues for FMCG brands with slow reconciliation.

Forums: Metropolitan Magistrate courts at Bankshall Court, Calcutta, and Alipore for Section 138; City Civil Court and the Calcutta High Court Commercial Division for recovery suits.

MSME claims: West Bengal Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council, Directorate of MSME, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata.

Industries we see most from Kolkata

• jute and textiles
• tea trading
• engineering and foundry
• leather
• FMCG distribution

Industry pages: Textiles and garments dues in Kolkata, Engineering, fabrication and machine tools dues in Kolkata, Logistics, transport and warehousing dues in Kolkata, FMCG and consumer goods distribution dues in Kolkata, Leather and footwear dues in Kolkata, Steel, metals and scrap trading dues in Kolkata, Printing, publishing and stationery dues in Kolkata.

If you are in textiles and garments in Kolkata

60 to 120 day credit is normal; post-dated cheques and running accounts (khata) are common, and buyers raise quality or shortage disputes when they want to delay. In the consultation we ask for sale bills with HSN, delivery challans or lorry receipts, e-way bills, the buyer’s acceptance or no complaint within the agreed period, ledger statements and WhatsApp confirmations of orders.

What we usually advise: A legal notice with the full statement of account settles many textile dues because the buyer wants to keep sourcing. Bounced cheques go under Section 138. Udyam-registered manufacturers can file MSME Samadhaan and claim interest at three times the bank rate; trading dues go by notice, settlement and a summary suit.

• We check for: verbal orders with no written confirmation
• We check for: goods accepted without a signed delivery record
• We check for: quality complaints raised only after the due date

If you are in engineering, fabrication and machine tools in Kolkata

Purchase orders with 45 to 90 day terms, frequent “hold” on payments pending inspection, and debit notes for rejections. In the consultation we ask for purchase orders, delivery challans and GRNs, inspection and test certificates, invoices and the buyer’s rejection or debit notes.

What we usually advise: Most engineering suppliers are Udyam-registered, so the MSME Act’s 45-day limit and statutory interest apply to OEM and EPC buyers, including PSUs. A legal notice followed by MSME Samadhaan is the standard route; large contracts often add arbitration.

• We check for: deliveries without GRN acknowledgement
• We check for: rejections not contested in writing
• We check for: tooling and development costs not covered by a PO

If you are in fmcg and consumer goods distribution in Kolkata

Brand dues: scheme and claim settlements that lag months; retailer dues: weekly credit that becomes a running balance. In the consultation we ask for distribution agreement, claim submissions and brand acknowledgements, DMS records, retailer invoices and signed delivery notes.

What we usually advise: Brand claim disputes need a reconciled ledger in the notice and often an arbitration clause check; distributors registered on Udyam (where eligible) can approach the Facilitation Council. Retailer dues are recovered by notice and summary suit, or Section 138 where cheques were given.

• We check for: claims filed late or without proof
• We check for: agreements terminated without a closing reconciliation
• We check for: retailer credit given without any written record

What to check in any free consultation

• Is the person assessing your case an advocate or working with one? Ask who will sign the notice.
• Do they tell you when a claim is weak? A good assessment sometimes says “not worth pursuing”.
• Is the fee in writing, and what happens if nothing is recovered?
• Will the recovered money come to you directly from the buyer?
• Do they know the MSMED Act timelines, Section 138 deadlines and Section 43B(h)?

What to have ready

• The unpaid invoice(s) and payment terms
• Purchase order, delivery challan, e-way bill or proof of service
• Messages, emails or letters about the payment
• For a bounced cheque: the cheque and the bank return memo

Photos or PDFs on WhatsApp are fine. Missing documents do not stop the assessment; we tell you what to collect.