I take the liberty of creating a thread for this request for advice from Spiny Norman, so that it’s not overlooked in the ‘Chat’ thread, and to make it easier for him to review any suggestions from Forumites.

I did suggest that SN might do this, but i think he must have gone to bed without seeing it.

Anyway, here’s his post from the ‘Chat’ thread:

From: Spiny Norman
ID: 2444222
Subject: re: Chat October 2026
Got a legal problem where someone I used to work for owes me money. It’s not a huge amount but well into the four digit range.

I posted this on Reddit in a legal advice sub-Reddit.

I was a CAD designer in a car mod workshop. In August 2023 I got quite sick and told them that I had to quit immediately. I was only casual so there was no real problem in doing that.

I’d submitted my work & cost paperwork but the bloke that runs it just ignored me.
I went back about two months later – the earliest I was able to drive that far – to pick up the handful of gear I’d left there.
I sent him several emails & texts over months about getting paid for the last couple of months I was there but got no reply.
The thing is that the money I’m owed from that company isn’t coming out of his pocket, the car company is owned by another silent investor. So it’s not as if he is worse off by paying me.

But there is about $500 owned to me by that car workshop manager as I spent some time designing a complicated suspension for one of his own customers cars. That was a separate thing to the car workshop company. (non-linear rising-rate suspension with a couple of bellcranks & pushrods in each front corner)

A few months ago he rang asking if he could collect some parts of his that are in my shed. I said yes, but you have to pay me what you owe me first. He’s completely forgotten about that in the mean time. Doesn’t give a shit. and still not replied to another email with the copy of what was done, when, and how much in total.

So I’m after some advice on where to go now for this. I’ve got the QCAT site open on a tab in this laptop and I did a little digging through my emails and found the email address of the silent partner, the one that actually pays the wages, etc.
So should I engage QCAT or perhaps email the silent partner who likely doesn’t know anything about this, or has been lied to by the workshop bloke.

Or go in a different direction?
TIA for the advice.
_________________________________

So … any advice?
I’m off to bed soon, I’ll catch up on this tomorrow most likely.

My own suggestion is that the ‘silent partner’ should be informed first.

This will ensure that any further reluctance by the firm to pay what’s owed is not due to anyone being ignorant of the situation.

Of course, mention should be made of an intention to take the matter to QCAT, if payment is still not forthcoming. That might be sufficient to stir them into honouring their debts.

But, if that fails, it may be a QCAT matter. The only other thing i can think of is to employ debt collectors, but that may be a bit extreme.

I’ve never been involved in anything like that myself, but i’ve had a hunt around on the internet, and my enquiries tell me that it’s widely regarded as a good idea to consult with a solicitor before taking a matter to QCAT.

The reasons for that were summed up on one of the pages i saw in this way:

• Procedural Complexity: QCAT has strict jurisdictional limits, pre-application requirements (such as QBCC complaints for building disputes), and filing deadlines. A solicitor ensures you lodge the correct application under the right legal area and meet all necessary steps.

• Representation Rules: Unlike standard courts, QCAT generally requires you to represent yourself; you need the tribunal’s leave (permission) to have a lawyer appear for you, which is typically only granted in complex cases, disciplinary matters, or where there is a significant power imbalance.

• Strategic Value: Even if you cannot have a lawyer in the hearing room, a solicitor can provide critical back-end support, including drafting applications, organizing evidence bundles, preparing witness statements, and advising on settlement strategies or appeals.

• Risk Mitigation: Legal advice helps you understand your rights, assess the strength of your case, and navigate tribunal processes, which is particularly important given that QCAT registry staff cannot provide legal advice or predict outcomes.

captain_spalding said:

My own suggestion is that the ‘silent partner’ should be informed first.

This will ensure that any further reluctance by the firm to pay what’s owed is not due to anyone being ignorant of the situation.

Of course, mention should be made of an intention to take the matter to QCAT, if payment is still not forthcoming. That might be sufficient to stir them into honouring their debts.

But, if that fails, it may be a QCAT matter. The only other thing i can think of is to employ debt collectors, but that may be a bit extreme.

I’ve never been involved in anything like that myself, but i’ve had a hunt around on the internet, and my enquiries tell me that it’s widely regarded as a good idea to consult with a solicitor before taking a matter to QCAT.

The reasons for that were summed up on one of the pages i saw in this way:

• Procedural Complexity: QCAT has strict jurisdictional limits, pre-application requirements (such as QBCC complaints for building disputes), and filing deadlines. A solicitor ensures you lodge the correct application under the right legal area and meet all necessary steps.

• Representation Rules: Unlike standard courts, QCAT generally requires you to represent yourself; you need the tribunal’s leave (permission) to have a lawyer appear for you, which is typically only granted in complex cases, disciplinary matters, or where there is a significant power imbalance.

• Strategic Value: Even if you cannot have a lawyer in the hearing room, a solicitor can provide critical back-end support, including drafting applications, organizing evidence bundles, preparing witness statements, and advising on settlement strategies or appeals.

• Risk Mitigation: Legal advice helps you understand your rights, assess the strength of your case, and navigate tribunal processes, which is particularly important given that QCAT registry staff cannot provide legal advice or predict outcomes.

Good info,thanks.
I did call a debt collector a while back and they said I need to have engaged QCAT or some other legal proceeding before they can go ahead.