How to write a notice of collection that holds up
The one letter that decides whether the debtor ends up paying the collection costs.
You have sent a formal demand that meets the requirements of the law — so the case can be handed over, and the costs can be charged to the debtor.
Step by step
- 01
Send it once the reminders are exhausted
The notice of collection — also called the formal demand letter — is the last letter before the case is handed over. It can be sent as the third reminder, but it must be clear that it IS a notice of collection.
- 02
State the deadline, and make it at least ten days
The debtor must be given at least ten days to pay, counted from the day the letter is sent. Set a shorter deadline and the notice is not valid — and then the costs of the collection that follows cannot be charged to the debtor.
This is where it goes wrongThe ten days run from dispatch, not from the day you wrote the letter. Keep the documentation of when it went out.
- 03
Spell out exactly what happens next
That the claim will be handed over for collection, and that this will add further costs for the debtor. It is not a threat — it is a duty to inform, and it is what makes the notice a notice.
- 04
Set out the claim in full
Principal, interest to date, reminder fees and, where relevant, the compensation fee. A notice with a round figure and no breakdown is a letter the debtor can dispute without breaking a sweat.
- 05
Let the deadline run out — and then send
A single day too early, and the entire basis for recovering your costs can be lost. There is no prize for being quick on day nine.
This is where it most often goes wrong
Not because anyone is careless, but because the mistakes are easy to make and only surface once it is too late.
You call it a reminder
A letter that simply chases again is not a notice of collection. It must state that the claim will be handed over for collection if payment is not made.
You send the case for collection before the deadline has expired
Then the notice is wasted, and the costs are yours. The ten days are not a recommendation.
You cannot document that the letter was sent
The debtor does not have to have read it. You must be able to show that it was dispatched — and that is what carries the claim if he says he never saw it.