Project delivered, final invoice ignored
The client signed off the work, paid the deposit and went quiet on the last invoice.
Professional services
Debt collection for professional services firms with clients abroad
Unpaid project fees, retainers, placement fees and time-and-materials invoices from clients in other countries, collected by a licensed partner in the client's country. You pay only when money is recovered.
$0 upfront One agreement for every country You stay in control of the client relationship
Sound familiar?
Why professional services invoices go unpaid
Your work crosses borders: projects, placements and advisory work for clients in many countries. The work is done, and then the last invoice is the hardest one to collect.
Placement made, fee still open
The candidate started weeks ago, but the client's finance team abroad has not paid the placement fee.
Approved hours, unpaid invoices
The project lead approved every hour, yet the time-and-materials invoices sit unpaid in a foreign payables queue.
A court abroad costs more
Suing in the client's country would cost more than the fee itself, so the invoice just ages.
How Debitura helps
A licensed expert in your client's country
We match each claim to a vetted local partner who knows the language, the late-payment law and the courts. You sign one agreement and follow every case on one platform.
Local late-payment law on your side
A partner in the client's country writes in the client's language and applies the national rules on statutory interest and recovery costs.
Deadlines checked before they pass
Limitation periods differ by country, such as six years in England and three years in Germany. The local partner knows when a claim must move.
Collection that fits client work
Brief the partner in the case chat on the engagement and the tone you want. You approve payment plans and you decide whether to escalate.
How it works
From overdue invoice to money in your account
- Submit the invoice
Upload it with the engagement letter or contract and proof of delivery, such as approved time sheets or a sign-off. You see the fee before you confirm.
- A local expert takes over
We match the claim to a licensed partner in your client's country. You talk to them directly in the case chat.
- You get paid
You get paid what is recovered, minus the partner's share. Court action only starts if you accept a quote.
Ways to submit
Send cases the way you already work
Type in one claim, upload a spreadsheet, or connect your accounting software and send overdue invoices from there.
What it costs
No Cure, No Pay, with the fee shown before you submit
No setup fee, no subscription and no retainer. If money is recovered, the success fee depends on where your client is and the size of the claim. One contract shared by every business on Debitura means terms you would struggle to negotiate alone.
Europefrom 6%
EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the UK and Switzerland
Internationalfrom 7.5%
Every other country, including the United States
Where we collect
Collect from clients in 180 countries
Whether your client is in Germany, Singapore or the United States, a licensed partner in that country takes the case.
FAQ
Debt collection for professional services
Is Debitura a collection agency?
No. Debitura is a debt collection platform. We match your case to a licensed local collection agency or law firm in your debtor's country, which does the collection under local law. We provide the agreement, the platform and the quality checks.
Do I have to pay anything upfront?
No. There is no setup fee, subscription or retainer. You pay a success fee only on money that is recovered. Legal action is quoted separately and only starts if you accept the quote.
Can I charge interest when a foreign business client pays late?
In the EU, Directive 2011/7/EU gives creditors in B2B deals statutory interest of at least the reference rate plus eight percentage points and a fixed EUR 40 recovery sum, applied through national law. In the UK, the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 adds a fixed sum of GBP 40, 70 or 100.
How long do I have to collect an unpaid consulting invoice?
It depends on the debtor's country. In England and Wales, contract claims expire after six years. In Germany, the standard period is three years. The local partner checks the deadline that applies to your claim.
Can you collect a recruitment placement fee from a client abroad?
Yes, if the fee is undisputed. The partner in the client's country collects under local law. In the UK, temp-to-perm transfer fees are only enforceable if the contract meets the 2003 Conduct Regulations, so check your terms first.
What if the client says the work was not delivered as agreed?
Then the claim is disputed. Disputed claims get a quote from the partner first, and legal action only starts if you accept the quote.
Do we stay in control?
Yes. You decide whether to escalate, you approve payment plans over 12 months and discounts over 20%, and you can see every action the partner logs.
What does it cost?
From 6% in Europe and 7.5% elsewhere, depending on claim size and the debtor's country. See the full fee schedule.
Get your client invoices paid
Create a free account and submit your first claim in two minutes. You see the fee and the partner before anything starts.