We are UK Process Servers

We are UK Process Servers

We're one the UK's leading companies that serve legal papers or court papers in accordance with requirements and law.

Process Servers & Private Investigators - 35+ Years Expertise

Call our experienced Legal Server Team on 0208 390 9988

Process servers are people who serve legal court papers or other legal documents that require some kind of legal action, like someone’s presence in court. 

Many papers are time sensitive and some have serious consequences under UK law if they are not adhered to. Process servers are trained professionals and are also known as court servers, court summons servers, international process servers, a process service or legal document servers.

Our Legal Processing Service features expert staff who have over 35+ years of expertise in serving legal papers and private investigations

 

UK Court Process Server & Legal Document Server

Vilcol’s team of London-based process servers deliver a range of legal papers from statutory demands, bankruptcy petitions, injunctions, court summons and writs to court orders in divorce and family law proceedings across the UK.

Vilcol Process Servers serve legal papers in London and across the UK

 

Why use a process server?

Process serving is carried out in accordance with UK legal requirements and law, in a timely manner and to the correct location and person.

Vilcol is one the leading Process Servers in the United Kingdom. We have extensive process serving experience with 38 years in the field of people tracing and document serving (also called Court Serving).

Our legal document servers adopt a scrupulous approach and all are well-versed in the law.

Our team of legal serving agents will ensure that all legal papers are delivered correctly and on time. They are independent to legal proceedings so their action can be used as evidence and carries more weight than were the papers served by a non-process server.

We can serve documents out of normal hours to home or business addresses, as instructed. We will provide an affidavit/certificate of service once the documents have been successfully served.

The serving of formal papers can at times trigger emotional responses like anger and aggression or distress on behalf of the person receiving the document. People who serve court papers must be skilled and trained to handle these responses in a professional manner. Vilcol's document and process servers are trusted individuals who get the job done efficiently and effectively.

 

How our process serving service works

A process server is expected to deliver legal documents to a named person but in cases where this cannot be achieved, it is possible for them to hand papers to management of someone’s workplace or to another resident who is 18 or over in the defendant’s home.

Process serving agents are UK legal document servers for the following:

  • Divorce petitions
  • Eviction notices
  • Applications
  • Injunctions
  • Non-Molestation Orders
  • Bankruptcy notices
  • Petitions
  • Insolvency document
  • Statutory demands
  • Witness summons
  • Claim forms

Once we receive the necessary documents, your case will be logged immediately by an experienced process serving administrator and you will be sent a receipt usually by email.

Vilcol will dispatch instructions to our nearest process serving agent in the field. Our legal document server will attempt to make contact with the named person who is to receive the legal notice. The process server will do this for a maximum of three times at various times throughout the day.

We prioritise professionalism and efficacy in all our process serving work. When we serve papers such as eviction notices, we make sure that the notice is served twice; once in person directly to the recipoent or through the letterbox of the home, and once taped to the door. We photograph the eviction notice taped to the door as evidence of our service. 

We make efforts to keep our clients informed of progress and up-to-date at all times. If our process serving activities are not successful, we gather evidence and prepare a witness statement prepared to support any application for a substituted service.

 

Or call our experienced Legal Document Servers on 0208 390 9988

International Process Server Services

Our process servers form a valued and highly trusted team of staff. Whilst the majority of our work is in the UK, we also conduct international process serving measures if that is what is required. Please contact us if you have any queries or wish to discuss your specific process serving needs.

Process Serving Company UK

 

What is a Process Server?

A process server is someone who is trained to deliver court and other legal documents to their intended recipient.

Using a process server in the UK rather than posting or emailing documents ensures the recipient receives the papers and can’t claim otherwise.

Hiring a UK process server avoids the common pitfalls of mail going astray in the post and helps in cases where the recipient may have moved to a different address.

 

Who hires process servers?

Vilcol provides a rapid, efficient and compliant process serving service to people or companies named in UK court documents. Our legal notice services can deliver court papers on behalf of:

• Solicitors & Lawyers
• UK Businesses
• UK Government departments
• UK Local authorities
• Housing associations
• Debt collection agencies
• Charities (usually based in the UK)
• Private clients and individuals (Internationally)

Our process servers deliver all types of court documents or legal papers, in accordance with instructions and legal requirements.

We can serve lgeal documents throughout London and the rest of the UK through our strong network of experienced professional process serving agents and can provide a quick turnaround with attendance at short notice if necessary.

The fee is still payable when our legal document server attends and confirms conclusively that someone is not at the address that has been provided. If you suspect the individual(s) or company(s) have moved Vilcol also offers a Trace and Serve service.

You can either instruct us online or contact us to discuss any details or find out more about our process serving procedures.

 

Why choose Vilcol for your process serving requirements?

We have a wide number of people who serve court papers as part of our UK process serving agent network, as well as an international process serving function. We offer an efficient delivery service with papers usually served within one week.

We also provide an express service for next day delivery if this is required. Please note that this service is only available for uk process serving. 

We are well-trusted professionals with solid expertise. By instructing Vilcol, you benefit from process servers of the highest calibre and can be confident you are working with the best.

 

How much does it cost to serve papers using a process server?

Our standard legal document process serving service fee is £155.00 inclusive of report or certificate of service. If preperation and swearing of an  affidavit is required a further fee of £25.00 is due.

 

Where the client is unsure about a person’s location, we are experts in tracing individuals and can make lawful and legitimate discreet enquiries into the whereabouts of individuals before court proceedings begin. Our Trace and Serve fee is £215.00 inclusive of report, affidavit or certificate of service.

Fees not inclusive of VAT.

 

London Process Server Agency is a company that serves legal documents in the United Kingdom

 

What is a Process Server allowed to do?

When Vilcol’s process serving agents arrive at the named person’s place of location, we knock on the door to ascertain we are dealing with the right person. Our legal document servers outline the purpose of the visit and then either we leave the documents on the doorstep and stand back as part of social distancing requirements, or we post them through the letterbox.

The recipient usually opens the door to retrieve the documents while we witness them doing so. However, in cases where they refuse to pick them up, the process servers inform them that we are going to post the information through their letterbox and then we do so.

In both examples, the exchange is written up and signed by the process server. Based on the contact, the relevant identification of the person on whom the papers are being served and the verbal dialogue, the exchange is considered a legal process serving activity.

 

What address should process servers deliver documents to?

If the documents to be delivered by the process server are intended for a business, then the address would be that of the Limited Liability Partnership or the office of the partnership, or anywhere in England and Wales where the partnership conducts its business.

If the legal papers are to be served to a person, then the process server would deliver to their current address. If you are unsure you have the correct address, then it's a good idea to instruct your agent to conduct a trace and serve service.

If the papers are to be served to an individual who is being sued in the name of a business, they would deliver to that person’s current or last known residence, or last known place of business.

If the individual is being sued in the name of a partnership, the process server will serve papers to the current or last known address of the individual or last known address of the partnership.

If documents are to be served on a company registered in England or Wales, the process server would deliver to the registered address.

 

Why can’t legal documents be delivered by a layperson?

To ensure court documents are served correctly and on time to the recipient named in the papers, then hiring an experienced process server to carry out the job is highly recommended. 

Doing so will also add authority to court proceedings, as professional process servers are seen as independent, an important facet in the legal process. Because of their independence, they can provide proof of service that can be used in official evidence (more below). 

Serving court orders and other legal documents can be complicated. There are some orders that can be posted through the letterbox, handing the document to a person who acknowledges the address is current for the subject and states they will hand it onto them. This is also known a substituted service and must ensure a standard process has been adhered to beforehand. Other agents require a signature or a personal service.

In the case of the latter, it is always advised to use a professional process serving agency in the likelihood the recipient may become aggressive or respond in an unpredictable manner. Fully-trainied, they have the skills and training to handle such scenarios.

If the process serving is not carried out in accordance with legal requirements, this can cause disruption and delays to court hearings. In some instances, it could mean the dismissal of a case altogether. In no circumstances, can a creditor serve legal papers on his own behalf.

 

What proof do process servers provide to show that the legal papers were served?

After legal papers have been served, the process server will most commonly produce a Certificate of Service, a Statement of Service or an Affidavit. These documents will confirm the date and time of the delivery, details of which will be lodged with the court before any legal hearing.

Can a process server serve an Eviction Notice?

Yes, they can. It is recommended practice to use a licensed process server to serve your eviction notices. At Vilcol, we ensure that all eviction notices are served legally and efficiently. Usually, we serve the eviction notice in two ways; either in person or through the letterbox of the property, and by taping the eviction notice onto the door of the property and taking a picture of the notice taped to the door as evidence of our service.

It is always wise to go through a licensed process server because they should provide certified proof of service that can be used in court if the serving of the eviction notice is called into question.

You can also choose to have your eviction notice to be served by post or recorded delivery, however these options come with some uncertainty that you might not wish to face. If the notice doesn’t get delivered as the tenant is out, it will not be served. Only if the tenant accepts the eviction notice will the notice count as properly served.

By hiring a process server, you are ensuring that your eviction notice is being served within the deadline at a time specified by you, and that you have proof of service should you need it further down the line.

 

How is a non-molestation order delivered?

Molestation orders are served to individuals at their home, place of work or location where we know they will be. Our experienced process servers are fully-versed in serving stalkers, abusive spouses, and people who are deemed a nusiance by the courts. Learn more here about how we served a molestation order.

Need more help tracing people? 

We are one of the UK’s leading tracing agents with expertise in people tracing, debtor tracing, debt recovery, process serving (handing over an official notice or court order by legal document servers), employment tracing, probate tracing, international people tracing and private investigations

 

What our customers say

Solicitor

Thank you very much indeed for this report and for your prompt delivery.
I must say I am incredibly impressed with your service and will most definitely be using it again.
You definitely deserve a well earned drink this evening for that result!
My client is so chuffed as it means not having to push back court proceedings (which they have had to do before) as we can send the paperwork there so you have saved them a great deal of time and money which is fantastic!

Thanks again

Find out more about financial enquiries.

Customer Service Recommendation

Hi,

Just a quickie to thank you for all your help and advice in the initial stages of this below case, over a year ago... I was so despondent initially, but you invited me to call, talked me through the necessary steps and recommended the transferring of it to the High Court etc
I have today received notification that they finally tracked her down and that her dad finally paid the debt which has now been transferred into my account, so all's well that ends well.
Many many thanks once again to yourself and your team and I will certainly recommend you to anyone I know who needs similar help.

Find out more about Vilcol debt collection.

National Audit Office

The National Audit Office - NAO - sought to ascertain whether it was possible to trace current addresses for migrants that the UK Border Agency were unable to locate. Hence to ascertain whether there are more cost- effective methods the Agency could be using to trace overstayers and absconders & selected Vilcol.com for this exercise.

Find out more about our international tracing services.

Client Account Manager

"We have had a number of these reports from Vilcol.com.
As a commercial credit management agency we have found the reports extremely useful when deciding how to progress some of our more difficult cases, as any positive information we can find can assist us with our overall collections"

FInd out more about credit control services.

JB

"We have been using Vilcol for 3 years now and I have to say they are one of the best tracing agencies in this sector. Quick, efficient, accurate and detailed information.

Any problems are being resolved effectively, always contactable, I would have no problem in recommending their services. Keep up the good work"

Law Society Council member representing women

"I needed to find a debtor who had supposedly moved abroad. Within 2 hours he was found living in Chiswick W4. I successfully reclaimed the debt for my client who was delighted and impressed"

Find out more about our debt collection services.

National Audit Office

The National Audit Office - NAO - sought to ascertain whether it was possible to trace current addresses for migrants that the UK Border Agency were unable to locate. Hence to ascertain whether there are more cost- effective methods the Agency could be using to trace overstayers and absconders & selected Vilcol.com for this exercise.