Yes. Merion can accept referrals for debts that are more than 12 months old. However, the age of an account is one of the factors that most significantly affects the likelihood of recovery, and it is worth understanding why.
Older debts present more challenges:
- Contact details are more likely to be out of date.
- The debtor may have changed structure, traded on, or — in the worst case — wound up.
- Documentation may be harder to obtain or produce, making disputes more difficult to defend.
- Every jurisdiction has a limitation period — generally six years for a simple contract debt in most Australian states — after which legal proceedings cannot be commenced. A very old debt may be approaching or past this threshold.
None of this means recovery is impossible — many older accounts do resolve — but you should have realistic expectations. When you refer an older debt, we will give you an honest assessment of the likely path before any work begins.
If in doubt, request a consultation and we will tell you what we think.
Was this article helpful, or still not sure? Our team is happy to talk it through.