Collect your debts: what are the options?

If you’ve got a business of your own and one of your customers doesn’t pay, there are many options to get the debtor to pay. Sure, you can politely remind them, but that won’t always be enough. So after a while, you need to take other measures if the debtor still hasn’t paid the money they owe you. But what are your options? What will happen if you hire a Debt Collection Agency?

Hire a Debt Collection Agency

Collect your debts - image — Freepik image adapted by Market Business News.

If a debtor refuses to pay the money they owe you, it’s probably time to hire a Debt Collection Agency (Dutch: incassobureau inschakelen). DCAs have the expertise and resources to recover the debt and can take measures you simply can’t take as an entrepreneur. Besides, they can recover your money a lot faster than you can because they have more resources.

Sure, hiring a Debt Collection Agency costs you money, but most of them have a ‘no collection, no fee’ service, which means you don’t pay for their service if they don’t succeed in collecting the debt.

Debt collectors

Another option you have, is hire a debt collector (Dutch: deurwaarders). A debt collector is a public official who is charged with performing so-called official duties. Debt collectors can issue summonses, officially hand over judgments and injunctions, seize and evacuate properties. Unlike debt collection agencies, debt collectors do have a legal status and legal powers.

Seizure

Patience is important, but when a debtor refuses to pay your invoices, it’s time to take action. So, don’t make a mistake by waiting. Another solution to collect your money, is to secure your claim through seizure (Dutch: beslaglegging). If you want to prevent your debtor from obscuring or diverting money away, let the properties of your debtor get seized.

Seizure forces your debtor to pay the money they owe you by seizing their bank accounts or with seizure among customers, by which customers are no longer allowed to make payments to your debtor.

Apply for bankruptcy

Another option to let your debt get paid, is to apply for bankruptcy. Often, applying for bankruptcy offers the best results. Defaulters quickly pay if they run the risk of being declared (personally) bankrupt. Sure, it’s a complicated process with an attorney, debt collector and going to court, but it’s often worth the time (and money).

We wish you a lot of luck with dealing with your debtors and of course, we hope you will soon recover the money they owe you.

Interesting related article: “What is Credit Control?“