Is it always necessary to work through a lawyer to collect invoices?

When you think of a recovery procedure, you instantly think of the high costs of a bailiff and a lawyer. But that picture is no longer accurate. You don't actually need a lawyer to collect your business invoices. We'll explain how it works.

A procedure without the involvement of a judge

Many entrepreneurs still have the idea that a recovery procedure means having to find a lawyer and then waiting for a verdict in court. And for many, it is a reason not to collect unpaid invoices. However, the procedure for undisputed business invoices has been radically changed. In 2016, the procedure for the collection of undisputed debts, also known as the IOS/RCI procedure (Invordering Onbetwiste Schulden / Recouvrement de Créances Incontestées), was considerably simplified. Since then, it is no longer necessary to go to court before you can engage a bailiff. That saves time. And money.

Read also: All about the IOS/RCI procedure

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Do you no longer need a lawyer to collect unpaid invoices?

No. And yes. The reform of the law provides for a number of checks that a lawyer must do before a bailiff can get started collecting an unpaid invoice. So in that respect, you still have to work through a lawyer.

But it no longer has to cost time or money.

Unpaid.be has fully automated the legal checks. As soon as you send all the details together with the outstanding invoice, the lawyer's checks are done in real time. You can immediately see whether your claim is legally enforceable. The result? All your work is done in ten minutes and a bailiff starts working on it immediately.

Want to know more about our procedure? See how it works here.

A lawyer intervenes when invoices are disputed

Above, we are referring specifically to the collection of undisputed B2B invoices. For such cases you can bypass a lawyer's cost by using a system like Unpaid. However, you will need legal assistance for the collection of invoices that are disputed.

If your customer disputes an invoice, you have two choices: stop the recovery or continue the recovery through the court. At that time, a judge must first determine whether or not your defaulter's dispute is justified. And for that procedure, it is best to hire a lawyer.

Are you familiar with Unpaid?

At Unpaid, we believe that entrepreneurs are entitled to the income they have earned without losing a lot of time or money.

Via unpaid.be you can quickly, effectively and inexpensively collect unpaid and undisputed B2B invoices. All you have to do is submit your details, those of your defaulter and the outstanding invoice via the online platform. You pay an advance and that's all there is to it, on your side. The bailiff will send an official letter of formal notice to your customer within 5 working days. On average, a full refund of your invoice and the advance will follow within 30 days.

Start your first claim

Do you have an outstanding invoice that you would like to collect? Enter your details below and start your first claim.

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Do you have an unpaid invoice or do you have questions about how Unpaid works? Call +32 9 396 34 00 or let us know when you want to be called.