Practice area 02
Royalties and Withheld Funds
Reading what the statements actually say, testing it against the contract, and pursuing payments that are being withheld.
Royalty disputes usually turn on two documents: the agreement that says what should be paid, and the statement that says what was. We read both, and identify where they stop agreeing with each other.
We assist with disputed payments, withheld balances and suspended withdrawals, prepare demands where payment is due, and assess the realistic routes available if correspondence does not resolve the matter.
Clients usually come to us when
- A balance has been withheld, frozen or made unavailable for withdrawal.
- Royalty statements do not reconcile with the streams, sales or usage you can see.
- A distributor or label has stopped accounting to you, or stopped responding.
- An account has been suspended and funds are held pending an investigation.
- Payments due under a licence or collaboration agreement have not been made.
What we can help with
- Review of royalty statements against contractual payment obligations
- Assistance with disputed payments and accounting discrepancies
- Matters involving withheld balances and suspended withdrawals
- Preparation of payment demands
- Negotiation and escalation with the paying party
- Assessment of the dispute resolution routes realistically available
How we approach it
We establish what the contract requires before arguing about the numbers. Where money is properly due, we set out the position and the basis for it in a demand, then negotiate. If that does not resolve matters, we assess what escalation is proportionate given the sum involved and where the counterparty sits.
What we cannot promise. We cannot guarantee that withheld funds will be recovered. Not every withheld balance is recoverable, and recovery can depend on the counterparty's solvency, location and willingness to engage.
Common questions
Is it worth pursuing a small withheld balance?
Sometimes not, and we will say so. Part of the initial assessment is whether the likely cost of pursuing an amount is proportionate to the amount itself.
My account was suspended for suspected artificial streaming. What now?
The first question is what evidence the platform or distributor is relying on and what the agreement permits them to do. The response depends heavily on both, so an assessment comes before any correspondence.
Do you work on a percentage of what is recovered?
Fee arrangements are confirmed before any engagement begins and depend on the matter. We do not publish fees on this website.
Related practice areas
Copyright Protection and Content Removal
Establishing what you own, acting against unauthorised use, and responding when a claim against your work is wrong.
Music, Licensing and Commercial Agreements
Drafting and negotiating the agreements that decide who owns the work, who may use it, where, for how long, and on what terms.
Intellectual Property Disputes
Assessing the position honestly before escalating, negotiating where settlement serves you better, and litigating where it does not.