Protect Your Business.
Protect Your Future.
Helping UK business owners, directors, individuals and associates understand their options with personal guarantees, business debt and the financial pressures that come with running a company.
Specialist advice for the moments that matter most.
Whether you're worried about a guarantee you've signed, or facing mounting pressure from creditors, we help you see your position clearly and act with confidence.
What is a McKenzie Friend?
A quietly powerful form of support — recognised by the courts of England and Wales — for people navigating legal and financial proceedings without traditional representation.
A McKenzie Friend is a lay person who assists a litigant in person during court or tribunal proceedings. Their role, established by the 1970 case McKenzie v McKenzie, is to provide moral support, take notes, help organise case papers and quietly offer advice on the conduct of the case.
A McKenzie Friend does not address the court, examine witnesses or sign court documents — that remains the role of the litigant or their legal representative. What they provide is calm, informed company at a moment when most people feel entirely on their own.
- Prepare and organise your paperwork
- Sit alongside you at the hearing
- Take detailed notes on the record
- Quietly advise on next steps
Independent, discreet, on your side.
We are not a lender, a creditor, or a call centre. We are experienced advisers whose only job is to give you clarity and a route through.
- Senior advisers only
You speak directly to experienced professionals — never a script.
- Directors are our specialism
We understand personal guarantees inside-out, from wording to negotiation.
- Full-picture strategy
We look at your business, your position and your family — not just the debt.
- Confidentiality guaranteed
Every conversation is private, secure, and without obligation.
Clarity in four simple steps.
A calm, considered approach designed for busy directors under pressure.
Confidential call
A no-pressure conversation to understand your situation and what matters most to you.
Full review
We assess your guarantees, debts and options — in plain English, not jargon.
Tailored strategy
You receive clear recommendations, next steps and, where useful, trusted introductions.
Support to resolution
We stay alongside you until the matter is genuinely resolved and you have breathing space.
Trusted by UK directors when it matters most.
"I didn't realise how exposed I was until McKenzie Friends & Co. walked me through the guarantees I'd signed. Within weeks I had a proper plan — and my family home was safe."
"Creditor pressure was keeping me up at night. Their team negotiated calmly on my behalf and gave me a realistic path forward. Genuinely life-changing advice."
"Professional, discreet and refreshingly honest. They told me what I needed to hear — not what I wanted to hear — and it saved the business."
Straight answers to common questions.
Can't see your question? Our full FAQs page covers more — or simply get in touch.
A personal guarantee is a legally binding promise, usually made by a company director, to repay a business debt personally if the company cannot. It effectively removes the protection of limited liability for that specific obligation and can put personal assets — including your home — at risk.
Sometimes, yes. Depending on how the guarantee was signed, what information you were given, and the conduct of the lender, there may be grounds to negotiate, reduce or challenge the amount claimed. We review each case individually and explain your realistic options.
Yes. Your first conversation with us is completely free, confidential and without obligation. It's an opportunity for you to understand your position clearly before making any decisions.
We support company directors and business owners throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — remotely, and in person where appropriate.
Take back control today.
One confidential, no-obligation conversation could change the outlook for you and your business.