Debt Collection in
Portugal
- Effortlessly start your case within 2 minutes
- Portuguese debt collection specialists
- Assistance in the pre-legal and judicial phases
- Debt collection in Lisbon, Porto or Vila Nova de Gaia? 95% success rate throughout Portugal
- No Cure No Pay debt collection
debt collection specialist
When dealing with debt collection in Portugal, you can count on Bierens to act swiftly and efficiently against your debtor. With more resources than a regular debt collection agency in Portugal, our experts can help overcome the language, cultural and legal differences that arise when dealing with Portuguese debtors. Our specialists always start in the extrajudicial phase on a No Cure No Pay basis. Should legal action be necessary, then our debt collection lawyers can assist you in the judicial phase when applying for an electronic payment procedure at the Balcão Nacional de Injunções or when initiating ordinary civil proceedings against your Portuguese debtor. For successful debt collection in Portugal, find out what our experts can do for you and recover your debt.
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Debt collection in Portugal explained in 7 steps
- Step 1: You can easily upload your claim here. All you have to do is enter your details, your debtor’s details and information regarding your debt collection case in Portugal.
- Step 2: Your caseworker will send your Portuguese debtor a demand letter. This will be written in Portuguese and customised according to your case.
- Step 3: We start our investigation by checking international credit reports and local databases. This way we can understand why the invoice was not paid. This helps us to define our strategy and solve your debt collection case in Portugal more efficiently.
- Step 4: Your caseworker will reach out to you to discuss the approach you wish to have. We adjust our strategy accordingly and you can track the status of the case 24/7 through our online portal.
- Step 5: If your Portuguese debtor fails to respond to the demand letter, then our efforts do not stop there. We will contact your debtor by phone and in writing. By directly contacting your Portuguese debtor, we ensure to avoid any miscommunication.
- Step 6: In some cases, we can also have your debtor visited by debt collectors. With our contacts across Portugal and private detectives, we can further investigate your debtor.
- Step 7: 95% of our cases are solved in the extrajudicial phase without court intervention. With the expertise of our native in-house specialists and the various resources that we have in store for your Portuguese debtor, we can collect your claim. If your debtor refuses to pay or disputes the case, we can continue in the legal phase in consultation with you. Before doing so, we extensively discuss your options and costs.
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International experts for debt collection in Portugal
With a team of more than 115+ experts in international recovery, our lawyers can tell you everything you need to know about debt recovery in Portugal. With each specialising in different countries and industries, our lawyers can tell you everything you need to know in both the extrajudicial and judicial phases. By overcoming the language, cultural and legal differences, our international debt collection specialists can have your unpaid debt recovered in no time. Find out more about our international team here.
Free advice from the best debt collection specialists
Debt collection costs: No Cure No Pay debt collection in Portugal
When solving your debt collection in Portugal, we aim to recover your debt without court intervention. We start on a No Cure No Pay basis, whereby we charge €165,- for administrative costs. We aim to collect the interest and costs from your debtor; however, this differs per case. With more resources than regular debt collection agencies in Portugal you can expect the following:
- Personal contact with your caseworker
- Personal contact with your Portuguese debtor by phone and in writing
- Customised strategy according to your case
- Access to the largest national and international B2B debt collection databases
- Real knowledge of local business cultures and payment behaviours
- Knowledge of national and international judicial procedures
- Honest advice if legal action is necessary
If legal action is required, then we move to an hourly or fixed fee. We will only do so in consultation with you. You can view our fees here.
Debt collection laws in Portugal
Debt collection laws in Portugal may differ compared to the regulations in your country. Often following local procedures is much more effective and faster. With a Portuguese lawyer by your side, they can initiate the following procedures on your behalf:
Electronic Payment procedure by the Balcão Nacional de Injunções
This procedure can be used if there is a simple, undisputed claim. The procedure is carried out electronically and is fast and cost-effective. The national agency for payment orders, the Balcão Nacional de Injunções, processes such procedures. When a request is made, a brief summary of the case must be given. If the claim is not contested by the debtor, then the Balcão Nacional de Injunções can issue an enforceable title. If the claim is contested, the claim will proceed to ordinary civil proceedings.
Ordinary civil proceedings
Ordinary civil proceedings are a lot more expensive and time-consuming. A hearing is scheduled after which the judge makes a judgment. If a favourable judgment towards the creditor is obtained, then enforcement proceedings follow. With an enforcement procedure, the claim can be recovered, or the debtor’s assets can be seized.
International debt collection laws in Portugal
Regardless of where you and your debtor are located, our experts can help creditors with debt collection in Portugal. If you and your debtor are both nationals of any member state of the European Union, the European Small Claims and European Order for Payment procedures are two legal possibilities that we can initiate on your behalf. Specific conditions apply, which is why it is best to contact our lawyers.
Debt collection enforcement in Portugal
Once our lawyers have received a judgement against your Portuguese debtor, the judgement will still have to be enforced. Under EU law, judgements obtained in an EU Member State are recognized in other EU countries as well. For the execution of a judgment from your country in Portugal, your court will issue a certificate. This is then sent to the bailiff in Portugal together with the judgment. The bailiff can then proceed to ensure that the debt collection judgement is enforced in Portugal.
Limitation period in Portugal
An outstanding invoice cannot be collected forever. Once an invoice becomes time-barred, you cannot recover the unpaid amount through court intervention. That’s why it is important to know that payment claims in Portugal have a limitation period of 20 years. This commences towards the end of the year the claim is payable.
While a limitation period of 20 year applies to payment claims, claims under transport law have a limitation period of 1 year. Moreover, if you wish to interrupt the limitation period, this can only be done by initiating legal proceedings.
Why hire Bierens rather than a regular debt collection agency in Portugal?
- Highest collection rate throughout Portugal
- Extensive measures to recover your debt in the extrajudicial and judicial phase
- No Cure No Pay debt collection in Portugal
- Immediate action after uploading your claim
- 24/7 tracking of your case in our online portal
“Did you know that when litigating against foreign debtors, you should consider the competent court and applicable law?”
Start your debt collection in Portugal today
Start your debt collection case in Portugal today! While our international debt collection team gets started on your case, you can resume your regular business operations. Upload your case for immediate action or contact our experts today.
Find out how we have helped others with international debt collection
From simple debt collection cases to complex legal matters, from small businesses to multinationals across different industries, our specialists have assisted over 24.000 companies worldwide, including Portugal. Find out how our international specialists and lawyers have helped other companies in similar situations and find the solution for debt collection in Portugal.
