Third-party debt collection (fremmedinkasso)
Also known as external debt collection, collection on behalf of others, ekstern inkasso, inkasso for andre
Third-party debt collection is the recovery of other parties' claims — it requires authorisation from the police or admission to the Danish Bar.
In practice
Third-party debt collection is what a debt collection agency does: it recovers claims it does not own itself, on the creditor’s behalf. The claim remains yours — only the recovery has been handed over.
It differs from debt purchase (fordringskøb), where the claim actually changes owner, and where the new owner collects for its own account.
Where it commonly goes wrong
- Handing over is confused with selling. With third-party collection you are still the creditor, and you still decide how far the case is taken.
- The case is handed over and you stop responding. The customer still calls you. Without agreeing who says what, you work against each other.
- The agency is chosen on price alone. It is the recovery rate on your type of claim that decides what it costs you in the end.