Collection case (inkassosag)
Also known as collection process, debt collection case, case file
A collection case is the whole course of one claim — from the moment it is handed over until it is paid, written off or time-barred.
- Begins
- On handover
- Ends
- On payment, write-off or limitation
- Tracked by
- A single case number
In practice
The case is the unit everything else hangs on. The claim can change size along the way, the sender can change, and the process can move from letter to bailiff’s court — but it is the same case, which is why the case number is worth holding on to.
A typical course has three parts. The out-of-court stage, where the letter and the settlement have to do the work. The judicial stage, if the debtor does not respond or disputes the claim. And enforcement in the bailiff’s court, if there is a decision to enforce.
Cases are closed less often than people think. Where there is no ability to pay today, the case can be kept alive and reopened, and that is frequently what decides whether the claim ends as a payment or a write-off.
Where it commonly goes wrong
- The case changes number along the way. The history is then lost exactly where it is needed as evidence.
- The case is closed after the first unsuccessful attempt. A claim with no cover today is not the same as a claim with no value.