Debt Collection Handbook Portugal

Amicable collections

General information

If we’ve tried all amicable recovery actions (e.g. sending letters by mail to debtors along with making phone calls and sending emails) and it is still not possible to collect the debts within 30 to 48 days, we’ll analyse whether it would be viable to file lawsuits. In that event, the cases will be sent to lawyers.

Local agents

At the present time, we use our external lawyers’ service to visit debtors in Portugal. The lawyers’ fees depend on the recovered amounts, with a percentage fixed by the contracts applied. We always need prior approval from you to entrust your cases to the lawyers.

Interest

For amicable recovery, it’s difficult to collect costs and interest from debtors. Should these costs be established in your general conditions of sale, we’ll have a better chance of claiming them.

In the amicable phase, we can conclude agreements with or without interest, depending on the payment plans in place. In legal proceedings, there is always interest to claim. The interest rate in 2024 is set at 12.5%.

The Debt Collection Handbook Portugal presents a snapshot of Portugal's economic situation and covers the following topics:

• Debt collection costs
• Prescription
• Payment methods
• Types of companies
• Retention of title
• Safeguard measures
• Legal procedures & legal system
• Insolvency proceedings

To read more about the steps and procedures undertaken in debt collections in Portugal and other countries, download the International Debt Collection Handbook now!