The verdict in three sentences
A London enforcement firm running 3,000 live cases across spreadsheets and a dated case system burns hundreds of staff hours a month and risks breaching the notice and fee rules of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013. A custom case management application costs 50,000 to 120,000 GBP with a London agency (2026 market estimate), or 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) within Kolonell's range for a medium-complexity application, delivered in 10 to 14 weeks. The return comes from automated notices, a statutory fee engine and a creditor portal that local authorities and landlords now expect.
Spreadsheets, packaged software or custom: 3-year costs
A typical firm employs 15 office staff and enforcement agents and works for councils, commercial landlords and High Court creditors. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude for 16 users.
| Option | Upfront cost | Recurring cost | 3-year cost (estimate) | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheets and shared drives | 0 | 15 to 25 h of re-keying a week | high hidden cost | Missed deadlines, weak audit trail |
| Packaged enforcement software | 3,000 to 8,000 GBP setup | 16 x 60 to 120 GBP per month | 37,600 to 77,100 GBP | Rigid workflows, paid custom reports |
| Freelance developer | 15,000 to 30,000 GBP | no contractual support | variable | Single-person dependency |
| Custom build, London agency | 50,000 to 120,000 GBP | 800 to 2,000 GBP per month | 78,800 to 192,000 GBP | Highest upfront cost |
| Kolonell application (medium complexity) | 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) | maintenance 75,000 FCFA per month (110 EUR) | 10,060 to 14,630 EUR | Remote team, video workshops |
Packaged software and agency prices are 2026 market estimates, not published rate cards. The 3-year figure includes setup and 36 months of subscription or support.
The modules an enforcement firm actually needs
Budget is driven by compliance and the calculation engine. A generic CRM cannot issue a notice of enforcement or apply the statutory fee stages.
| Module | Scope | Share of budget | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cases and creditors | Debtor record, warrant or writ, scanned documents, history of every visit | 15 % | 2 weeks |
| Document generation | Notice of enforcement, controlled goods agreement, inventory and sale notices, versioned templates | 20 to 25 % | 3 weeks |
| Fee and interest engine | Compliance stage 75 GBP, enforcement stage 235 GBP plus 7.5 % above 1,500 GBP, sale stage, judgment interest, printable statement | 20 % | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Deadline diary | Minimum 7 clear days notice before taking control of goods, warrant expiry, automatic reminders | 10 % | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Creditor portal | Online case status for councils and landlords, monthly exports, collection statistics | 15 to 20 % | 2 weeks |
| Payments | Card and open banking payment links, reconciliation by case | 10 to 15 % | 1 to 2 weeks |
The creditor portal is often what wins contracts: a council placing 800 cases wants to see every status without phoning the office. To scope a custom business application, start with your three largest creditors and the reports they already demand.
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Mini case study
Mark, director of an enforcement firm in London (illustrative scenario), employs 15 staff and manages 3,000 live cases.
- Time lost today: each team member spends about 1.5 h a day searching documents and re-keying notices, or 15 x 1.5 x 22 = 495 h a month.
- Target gain with the software: 40 %, about 200 h a month. At a loaded cost of 22 GBP an hour, that is 4,400 GBP a month, or 52,800 GBP a year.
- Faster collection: if 150 more cases close in the year thanks to reminders and deadline tracking, at an average fee income of 300 GBP, the firm earns 45,000 GBP more.
- Investment with a London agency: 80,000 GBP plus 1,000 GBP a month of support, or 92,000 GBP in year one, covered in about 11 months in this scenario.
FAQ
Does the software produce compliant notices? Yes, templates are drafted with the firm from current documents and the 2013 Regulations, and approved by the director before go-live. Expect 20 to 40 templates for a firm handling council tax, commercial rent and High Court writs.
Can we migrate our 3,000 existing cases? Yes, from spreadsheets and exports of the current system. Migrating 3,000 cases usually takes 2 to 4 weeks and can run in parallel with development.
How is debtor data protected? The application enforces role-based access (director, office staff, agent, creditor) and logs every view, in line with UK GDPR. Secure UK hosting costs 80 to 250 GBP a month depending on volume.
Can debtors pay online? Yes, a payment link is sent by SMS or email with the itemised statement. Card fees usually run from 1 to 2 % and each payment is matched to its case automatically.
How soon can the team use it day to day? Total lead time is 10 to 14 weeks, with a first usable version covering cases and documents around week 6. Training 15 staff takes 2 half-days.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your case volume, team size and main creditors: we will price your case management software within Kolonell's 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA range, delivered in 10 to 14 weeks, through our quote form. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
