If a supplier sues your company for an invoice you believe was paid, reconcile where the money went while obtaining prompt advice on the court response. A transfer receipt may prove a payment, but it may not establish which invoice was discharged. Do not ignore the claim because finance is certain the account is clear.
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Identify the papers and the service dates
Separate a solicitor’s demand from an originating claim and statement of claim. Keep complete papers, envelopes, emails and service information. The court, procedure and location matter when calculating deadlines.
For the ordinary originating-claim procedure described by the Singapore Courts, a defendant located in Singapore generally has 14 days after service of the statement of claim for the notice of intention, and 21 days for the defence. Have counsel check the actual case, any exceptions and directions.
Example: the supplier credited the oldest balance
The company transferred one sum covering several invoices. Its email identified the newest invoice, while the supplier’s statement applied the money elsewhere. Gather both versions and the contract terms. Do not assume a preferred accounting allocation determines the legal result.
Build an invoice-by-invoice reconciliation
- The amount claimed and supporting invoice.
- Payment dates, beneficiaries and bank references.
- Remittance instructions sent and received.
- Supplier statements before and after payment.
- Credit notes, interest and other adjustments.
- Disputed items and the basis of each disagreement.
Check whether the transfer reached the correct legal entity. Payments to another group company, an intermediary or an unverified account may require separate investigation.
Give the lawyer facts rather than a conclusion
Provide the contracts, reconciliation and original messages. Explain missing evidence and unresolved differences. A statement that “we paid everything” is less useful than a traceable account of each payment.
Ask about the appropriate defence, any counterclaim and settlement options. Do not make an unsupported admission or assert fraud merely because the supplier’s ledger differs.
Keep negotiations separate from procedural compliance
A discussion with the supplier does not automatically stop court time. Obtain advice on any required application, agreement or court direction, and keep its actual outcome.
If resolved, document payment credits, costs and what happens to the proceedings. A corrected ledger alone does not prove the case has ended.
Is a bank debit sufficient to defeat every claim?
No. Trace receipt, purpose and the contractual position.
Can we wait for the supplier to finish checking?
Protect the actual court deadlines while the reconciliation continues.
Related guidance
disputed invoice evidence; settlement documentation; responding to creditor objections.
Discuss your next step
RCS can help organise accounting records and coordinate a referral to legal advisers from associated law firms for the court response. Email [email protected] or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133. Legal advice is provided by advisers from associated law firms.