Debt collection

Let us collect your unpaid invoice

The goods were delivered and the invoice was issued, but the payment never came. We review your documents and obtain an independent credit report on the debtor, so you know whether the money is there at all. We then establish the route that applies in the debtor's country and coordinate the collection, from the first formal notice to the legal stage if it comes to that. You hear from us at every step.

Why collecting from Europe is hard

Distance, language, and a different procedure in every country. An unpaid invoice has to be pursued where the debtor is, in their language and under their rules — which takes local knowledge and the right contacts.

67%
of Turkish exports are sold on open account. The goods leave before any payment is received.
Source: TurkStat 2025
$105.9 bn
Turkish exports to the EU-27 in 2025, roughly 39% of all goods exports. The biggest markets are not always the most reliable payers.
Source: TİM 2025; Ministry of Trade 2025
FR · IT · RO
France, Italy and Romania: large markets, weak payment discipline. The most reliable payers are the Netherlands, Denmark and Austria.
Source: D&B / CRIBIS Payment Study 2026

Payment behaviour and collection routes in 24 countries: the Europe Payment Risk Report →

Process

Collection runs in four stages

Send us the case

Share the invoice, the order or contract, the proof of delivery (CMR) and your correspondence with the customer. The form takes a few minutes.

First assessment and credit report

We review your documents and obtain an independent credit report on the debtor: ability to pay, any insolvency or restructuring filing, whether the company is still trading. You then hear which route applies in the debtor's country and what it is likely to cost.

Out-of-court collection

The debtor receives a formal notice in their own language. Under the EU Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU) we claim statutory interest and collection costs. Where it makes sense, we agree a payment plan.

Legal stage — only with your approval

Nothing moves to this stage without your go-ahead. A qualified lawyer or bailiff in the debtor's country takes the case on; coordination and reporting stay with us.

The debtor is asked to pay in their own country and their own language

A formal notice from inside the EU, written in the debtor's language, carries far more weight than an email from Türkiye.

The tone hardens step by step: first a reminder, then a formal notice. You decide when each step is taken.

If the contract is governed by the law of an EU member state, you can claim statutory interest (the ECB rate plus at least eight percentage points) and at least € 40 in collection costs per invoice.

Every country has its own route

What decides the route is not EU membership but the rules in the debtor's country. We tell you which one applies to your case in the first assessment.

RouteCountriesNote
Payment order, no lawyerGermany (from € 38), France (~€ 30), Spain (€ 100 for companies), Romania, Sweden, FinlandIn Norway an unpaid invoice can go straight to enforcement, without a court case.
Lawyer requiredItaly, Greece; in Austria for claims above € 5,000The case is handed to our partner lawyer in the debtor's country.
Local partner neededBelgium, Poland, Slovakia, United Kingdom, IrelandThe digital filing systems are effectively closed to Turkish suppliers, or a local address is required. In the UK and Ireland the court may order security for costs; in Greece that is at the judge's discretion.

The amounts are 2026 indications for a simple, undisputed claim and are confirmed case by case. All 22 countries are covered in the Europe Payment Risk Report.

Fees

You know the cost before we start

After the first assessment you receive a written quotation for your case. Nothing starts until you approve it.

Costs of the legal stage — court fees, lawyer's fees — are separate and are always put to you in writing beforehand.

How we work

Business-to-business (B2B) commercial receivables only

From € 20,000 per debtor; several invoices on the same debtor count together

No legal step without your approval

Watch out for the customer who never existed

Not every unpaid invoice is a collection case. Sometimes there was no real customer at all. Turkish authorities have issued repeated warnings about fake orders, particularly from France. Stop the shipment if you see any of these:

A company that was set up recently or has just changed its name
An email domain that does not match the company's website
Contact only by mobile phone or WhatsApp
A delivery address that differs from the company address
A new IBAN or new payment instruction that appears after the order
An unusually large first order, or your price accepted without any negotiation

Check your customer before you ship →

Frequently asked questions

Which claims do you take on?

Business-to-business commercial receivables of € 20,000 or more per debtor. Several invoices on the same debtor count together. Below that amount, cross-border collection costs are rarely proportionate to the claim.

Which countries do you collect in?

Across Europe. In Germany, France and Spain a payment order can be applied for without a lawyer; in Italy, Greece, Belgium, Poland and the UK a local lawyer or partner is needed. We tell you which route applies in the first assessment.

Are you a law firm?

No. We coordinate the out-of-court stage. When a legal step is needed, and only with your approval, a qualified lawyer or bailiff in the debtor's country takes the case on. Coordination and reporting stay with us.

Will this damage my relationship with the customer?

You set the tone. The first step is a polite reminder, and nothing further happens without your approval.

Which documents do you need?

The invoice, the order or contract, proof of delivery (such as the CMR) and your correspondence with the customer. If something is missing, we will look at what can still be done.

What if the debtor simply cannot pay?

The independent credit report we obtain in the first assessment shows the debtor's ability to pay and their insolvency risk. If the chances of recovery are poor, we say so at the outset rather than let you spend money on it.

What if the debtor has gone insolvent?

We make sure your claim is filed with the insolvency administrator in the debtor's country. This is the single biggest risk of selling on credit — which is exactly why a risk report before shipment matters.

Incasso Mentor is not a law firm. We coordinate the out-of-court collection stage; when a legal step is required, and with your approval, a qualified lawyer or bailiff in the debtor's country takes over. No collection result can be guaranteed, and nothing here constitutes legal advice.

Send us your case today

Share your invoice and the main documents. You'll hear which route applies in the debtor's country and what it is likely to cost.

Submit a collection case →