Independent Schools Specialists

Our Independent Schools Experience

900+

schools

£50m+

Collections

0.0064%

Complaint rate

Commission only charged on monies recovered

Our rate remains the same whether it takes us a single day to recover your debt or an entire year. It’s in our interest to act as quickly as possible.

All Services

Ancillary Services

Our ancillary services are available to all our clients. If a case requires a specific service such as legal action or debtor tracing, the associated issuing cost will be explained to you before any speculative action is taken and we will require your express instruction before undertaking any fee incurring work.

No collection, no commission

In most cases, our typical commission rate is 15%, and we only charge commission if we successfully collect. Which means we’re fully focused on getting results.

Dependent on our clients’ terms and conditions, or relevant legislation, costs may also be recovered where we are legally able to do so.

Easing the burden

Credit control can be a time-consuming process. For a small business, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to dedicate to chasing debt, while even larger companies with credit control staff frequently need a hand with stubborn debtors. Which is where a partner with experience, expertise and a persistent, professional approach can prove priceless.

Trusted Credit Control and Debt Collection for Independent Schools

Redwood Collections is the market leader in credit control guidance and debt collection for the Private Education sector. We proudly support more than 750 independent schools and trusts, earning a reputation as the go-to partner for recovering unpaid school fees quickly and compliantly.

Our team has extensive experience in advising schools on the most effective legal action to take against non-paying parents. With a dedicated account manager overseeing your case, you receive regular updates and complete peace of mind that recovery is being handled with care and professionalism.

ParentCheck+ is a quick and effective way to screen the financial reliability of prospective fee-payers before a place is offered. This service allows independent schools to reduce the risk of future non-payment by identifying any adverse credit history or financial red flags at an early stage.

Used as part of your admissions process, ParentCheck+ gives your finance team an added layer of insight when assessing applicants. It helps you make informed decisions while maintaining fairness and discretion. With rising levels of unpaid fees across the sector, early checks like this can provide vital reassurance that your school is protecting its income from the outset.

Commonly Asked Questions from Independent Schools

Can we recover unpaid school fees without harming parent relationships?

Yes. Our team works sensitively and professionally to protect your school’s reputation while pursuing overdue balances.

Do you understand the independent education sector?

We work with dozens of independent schools across the UK and are familiar with the fee cycle, payment plans and parental concerns unique to the sector.

What if the family has left the school?

We offer Tracing services to locate former parents or guardians, even if they have relocated or become unresponsive.

Can we refer debts from previous academic years?

Yes. Debts can usually be recovered up to six years from when payment became due. If you’re unsure whether a case is still eligible, we can assess it and advise you on the next steps.

“The collection of debts is vital to any business where credit is offered and whilst at our school fees should be paid in advance this is not always the case.

We operate a very effective credit control at school and I take pride in the great job that my team does to collect fees. However, there are some that we do not manage to collect despite our very best efforts.

These debts are referred to you and so far you have a 100% success rate of making these parents pay school what is legally owed to school. We have tried other debt collection agencies previously but with little success.

The combination of our efforts and your expertise means that the school has a very good track record of debt collection and the last set of statutory accounts actually shows the school making a profit on bad debts as we collected on debts that had previously been provided for.”

Stover School

“May I take this opportunity of saying how pleased we are with the service delivered by your organisation. You are the consummate professionals in what can be a less than glamorous undertaking. You have kept us involved and updated throughout the various proceedings and the sound advice, guidance and personal service were exactly the approach we were looking for.

Your persistence when dealing with debtors and your expert knowledge of the systems available to you as debt collectors has resulted in an impressive performance in the recovery of debts over the past year. I am more than contend to endorse your company to those whom might have the need of debt recovery.”

Burgess Hill School for Girls

“Engaging Redwood Collections to undertake fee debt collection has improved the efficiency of debt collection and allowed the finance team to focus on its principal activities. Where initial attempts to secure payment have failed, it has been beneficial to be able to engage a third party to pursue the matter professionally and objectively. Often, the mere involvement of Redwood Collections prompts a payment from a debtor who has been unwilling to prioritise a debt to the school.”

Wells Cathedral School

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REDWOOD COLLECTIONS

Refer a debt

To recover bad debts from non-payers, simply turn to the team who have helped many others in your position recoup what they are rightfully owed.

LET’S GET STARTED

The impact of an unresolved debt

Our interactive calculator helps you understand the financial impact of keeping a debt on your ledger and the costs involved in managing or collecting it.