Debt Recovery · Hospitality & Events
Recover unpaid venue hire, catering invoices and event cancellation fees.
Hospitality and events businesses carry significant costs before revenue is received — food orders placed, staff rostered, venues booked. When a client cancels, disputes the invoice, or simply doesn't pay, those pre-committed costs become a direct loss. Recovia recovers hospitality and events receivables with an understanding of cancellation clause enforceability, minimum spend agreements, and the particular difficulties of recovering a debt from an event that the client says 'wasn't what they expected'.
Industry challenges
Why Hospitality & Events businesses struggle to collect.
Cancellation clause disputes
Clients who cancel at short notice dispute the enforceability of cancellation fees, particularly if they believe circumstances were extraordinary. The contract and its communication are everything here.
Service quality objections
After an event, clients who are unhappy with some aspect of the service refuse to pay the balance. Separating legitimate complaints from post-event invoice avoidance requires careful handling.
Deposit forfeiture
Clients who've paid a deposit dispute its forfeiture after cancellation. If the deposit is clearly described as non-refundable in the contract, enforcement is straightforward — if it's ambiguous, it isn't.
Corporate client slow payment
Corporate hospitality clients — particularly large companies booking for team events — often have 60+ day payment terms built into their AP process. Getting paid on your terms rather than theirs requires a firm follow-up process.
How Recovia helps
Recovery built for Hospitality & Events.
Cancellation clause recovery
We enforce cancellation fees with your contract and booking confirmation as the basis. If the clause is clear and was communicated, we pursue it — most clients pay once they understand the legal exposure.
Deposit forfeiture
Non-refundable deposits are recoverable where the contract is clear. We pursue forfeiture claims with the booking record and payment history attached.
Dispute separation
We separate service quality complaints from invoice payment obligations — where a partial complaint has merit, we advise on a settlement offer. Where it's post-event avoidance, we pursue the full invoice.
Corporate account follow-up
Corporate clients have AP processes that respond to formal payment demands more readily than casual follow-up. We provide the structured escalation that gets your invoice processed.
No win, no fee
Commission-only on recovered amounts. Hospitality businesses pay nothing upfront.
Real-time account tracking
Log in to see exactly where each account is — contact attempts, responses, any payment received, and the next scheduled action.
FAQ
Common questions about Hospitality & Events debt recovery.
Can you enforce a cancellation fee if the client says the circumstances were extraordinary?
We pursue cancellation fees where the clause is clearly drafted and was communicated at booking. The client's characterisation of the circumstances is a negotiating position, not a legal defence — in most cases, the clause is enforceable.
What if the client is withholding payment due to a service quality complaint?
Service quality complaints used as a reason to withhold payment are handled on a case-by-case basis. Where the complaint has some merit, we advise on a negotiated partial settlement. Where it's post-event avoidance, we pursue the full invoice.
Do you work with restaurants and cafes on smaller accounts?
Yes, for bulk placements. Individual restaurant or café accounts under $500 are usually not economical to pursue individually — but a portfolio of small accounts can be placed together and worked as a batch.
How long does recovery take for a hospitality invoice?
Undisputed hospitality invoices typically recover within 14–30 days of first contact. Disputed cancellation claims or service quality disputes take longer — typically 30–60 days.
Ready to recover your hospitality & events debts?
Commission-only, no upfront cost, and a team that understands your industry. Place your accounts today.