Debt Collection Spain

Debt Collection Spain. When your company does business abroad it is important to understand how different countries deal with payments. There is a chance that your customer in Spain will not pay, for example. The economic crisis has made its contribution to the enormous increase in cases of nonpayment. What can you as creditor do?

Content on this page:

• Demanding payment
• Assigning claims
• Dealing with collections in Spain
• Advice about Debt Collection in Spain
• Safely upload your claim

Demanding payment

When your Spanish customer does not pay, you can send a claim for payment. It is important that the claim include an order/order confirmation, a waybill or bill or lading, and an invoice. Also, the general terms and conditions must be given to your customer in the correct way. If you customer does not pay within the term for payment you can contact the customer and send a demand for payment. Be tenacious, clear, and fast: Spanish debtors frequently try to gain time with vague arrangements for payment or disputes.

Assigning claims

Should your Spanish customer not pay, you can upload your claim to Collections in Europe. We will then recommend some course of action. This is often serving a summons on the debtor or preparing a case file. It will also take account of the case’s chances of success, litigation risk, and the costs and benefits for you as the creditor.

Dealing with collections in Spain

A. Extrajudicial collections

The lawyer will make both a written and a telephone demand upon the debtor for payment. If the debtor does not pay within the deadline set, legal action will be brought after consultations with you.

B. Court-ordered collections

All actions in Spain involving an interest greater than €2,000.00 must be brought by a lawyer and an attorney of record. They must show the court proof of their authority to represent you. They must submit a power of attorney executed before a civil-law notary.

There are different ways to bring legal action in Spain:

Proceso monitorio procedure

Processo monitorio is Spain’s order compelling payment. This action is relatively quick and inexpensive. The debtor is given a demand to make payment within twenty days or to raise a defense. In the absence of a defense judgment can be pronounced quickly. When there is a defense, a thorough action on the merits can be pursued.

Jucio Verbal procedure

Under the jucio verbal, after a summons is served the court schedules a session and issues a judgment no more than six weeks later. This proceeding is for claims up to €6,000.00.

Jucio Ordinario procedure or, an action on the merits

The Jucio Ordinario is used for claims greater than €6,000.00. This is a very thorough procedure, and can take one to two years.

Jucio cambiario procedure

Spain has a separate form of proceeding when your claim is based on an unpaid check or bill of exchange, the Jucio cambiario. A demand is made for payment within ten days and provides for the simultaneous attachment of the debtor’s property.

Attachment

It is possible to apply for measures for a pre-judgment attachment before bringing legal action. This would require simultaneous urgency and necessity. Measures for pre-judgment attachment could then be granted in the subsequent action without the counterparty being heard. While Spanish law provides for this possibility, in practice the courts usually want to hear the counterparty. Attachment also requires the claimant to post collateral.

Request bankruptcy

Spain has an insolvency proceeding that applies both to civil law debtors and to commercial debtors.

The insolvency proceeding can be instituted at the request either of the debtor or of the creditor, or at the request of partners personally liable for the debts of a partnership who apply for the institution of an insolvency proceeding,

The law requires a number of external facts for a creditor’s application to be accepted:

• The total suspension of payment obligations.
• The cessation of payment of tax assessments and social insurance assessments and/or salaries in the three months prior to the application for bankruptcy.
• The unsuccessful conclusion of enforcement proceedings based on a title or judgment.
• Property removed from the liquidation assets or a hasty sale of property yielding no proceeds.

Advice about Debt Collection in Spain

Would you like more information about collections or bringing legal action in Spain? Fill out the contact form or call us:   +44 (0)20 3808 5878.

Safely upload your claim

Click here to upload your claim to us.

See also: Debt Collection Spain on the website of Bierens Debt Recovery Lawyers.