Before chasing an unpaid invoice, make sure you are pursuing the correct legal company and that your records are complete. An Irish company search can add useful public context, but it does not decide whether a debt is valid, who is liable, what assets are available or which recovery step is appropriate.
Preserve facts before escalating
Collect the contract, purchase order, delivery or service evidence, invoice, account statement and correspondence. Check that they all name the same legal party. Seek timely professional advice where a dispute, guarantee, insolvency process or formal recovery action may be involved.
Confirm the customer’s exact legal identity
An invoice may show a trading name, a division or a brand. Use the CRO registration number and legal company name to establish the incorporated entity you contracted with. Match this to your quote, purchase order, delivery evidence and accepted terms. A similar company name or a group company can be the wrong target.
Documents to gather before a recovery decision
- signed contract, agreed terms and any personal or company guarantee;
- purchase order, quotation, order acceptance and scope or specification;
- delivery notes, timesheets, completion records or service acceptance evidence;
- invoice, account statement, agreed payment date and any credit-note history;
- emails or messages about approval, queries, disputes and promised payment;
- the exact legal entity, CRO number, registered office and known trading contacts.
Keep original records and a simple chronology. It makes it easier to distinguish a disputed invoice, an administrative delay and a genuine inability or refusal to pay.
What to check in the public company record
| Public check | Why it matters | What it cannot decide |
|---|---|---|
| Current status | May identify liquidation, receivership, examinership or strike-off context | Whether your debt is valid or recoverable |
| Registered office | Helps identify the statutory company address | Correct formal service method |
| Filing history | Provides historical compliance context | Present-day ability to pay |
| Accounts and charges | Offers historical financial and secured-lending context | Current assets, creditor priority or likely recovery |
| Officers | Can help explain the company record | Personal liability, ownership or authority |
Watch for material status changes
If the company record shows liquidation, receivership, examinership, Strike-Off Listed, Struck Off or Dissolved, stop and obtain advice promptly. These labels represent different processes and can affect the appropriate next step. They do not all mean the same thing, and the timing and nature of your claim matter.
Read what Strike-Off Listed means and how to check filing history before drawing conclusions from a label.
Do not assume a director is personally liable
A limited company is generally a separate legal person. A public record of directors or secretaries does not, by itself, make an officer responsible for the company’s debts. Personal liability may depend on a guarantee, contract terms, conduct, statute or other facts. Do not send a claim to an individual or make assertions about liability without appropriate legal advice.
A practical escalation sequence
- Reconcile the account. Confirm amount, VAT, credits, delivery and agreed due date.
- Contact the known customer contact. Ask whether there is a genuine dispute and document the response.
- Verify the legal company. Check CRO number and public status before sending formal correspondence.
- Choose a proportionate next step. This may include a reminder, agreed payment plan, formal demand or professional referral.
- Get advice early for material or complex cases. Particularly where insolvency, a guarantee, cross-border issues, disputed work or a limitation period may matter.
What public information cannot tell you
Public filings are historical and can be abridged. They do not confirm a live bank balance, all assets or liabilities, priority between creditors, current cash flow or the merits of a legal claim. Treat the record as supporting context alongside your contract and evidence, not as a recovery strategy by itself.
Review the company record before you escalate
Search the company free, or order a Businesses.ie report to consolidate available identity, status, officers, filings, charges and financial information before deciding what professional advice or commercial step is appropriate.
Sources and review note
This guide was reviewed on 4 August 2026 against CRO information on access to CRO data, involuntary strike-off and company statuses. It is general information, not debt-recovery or legal advice.