Received a Danish Debt Collection Letter? How to Respond
A debt collection letter is not a judgment. Here is what to check: the sender, the debt collection notice, the fees and the deadline, and what to do if you disagree or cannot pay.
info General information, not legal advice. Rules and rates can change, so always check the current rules and get advice on your specific case. Disclaimer
Short answer
Read the letter carefully and check three things: whether the sender is an authorised debt collection agency or a lawyer, whether you received a debt collection notice with a deadline of at least 10 days, and whether fees and costs are within the legal caps. Pay the part you agree with, object in writing to the rest, and never ignore letters from the court or the bailiff's court.
Stay calm and read the letter
A debt collection letter (inkassobrev) means that a creditor believes you owe money and that the claim is now being collected by the creditor, a debt collection agency or a lawyer. The letter is not a judgment. You still have the right to have the claim explained and to dispute it if you disagree.
Find out who the claim is from, what it concerns, how the amount has been calculated, and what deadline you have been given. Keep the letter and the envelope or email, so you can show when you received it.
Check the sender
Collecting debts for others requires authorisation from Rigspolitiet, the Danish National Police, under section 3 of the Debt Collection Act (inkassoloven). Lawyers are exempt. You can ask the agency for proof of its authorisation or check with the police. According to forbrug.dk, a debt collector who contacts you in person must immediately show an identity card issued by Rigspolitiet.
Do not pay until you know who you are paying
If the letter seems suspicious, for example from a company you do not know, about a claim you have never heard of, or with pressure to pay at once, contact the original creditor using contact details you already have. A reputable agency can always explain what the claim is about.
Did you receive a correct debt collection notice?
Before any other steps are taken to collect the claim, you must have received a letter of demand, also called a debt collection notice (inkassovarsel), under section 10 of the Debt Collection Act. It must clearly give all the information you need to assess the claim and a deadline of at least 10 days from sending, and it must warn that further costs will follow if you do not pay. Read more about the requirements for the notice.
Check the fees and costs
- Reminder fee: at most DKK 100 per reminder, for at most 3 reminders about the same claim, at least 10 days apart (section 9 b of the Interest Act). The reminder must have been sent with reasonable cause.
- Collection fee: at most DKK 100, if the creditor had reasonable cause to ask someone else to collect the claim (section 9 b of the Interest Act).
- Fixed compensation of DKK 310: can only be claimed from businesses and public authorities, never from consumers.
- Collection costs: capped according to the size of the claim. For claims that arose on or after 1 July 2024, the cap is, for example, DKK 500 excluding VAT for claims up to DKK 1,000.
- Late-payment interest: the reference rate plus 8 percentage points a year.
See all the amounts in our guide to debt collection costs. If more has been charged than the rules allow, you can dispute that part.
If you disagree with the claim
Object in writing, explain why, and keep a copy. According to forbrug.dk, it is not reasonable to send reminders with a fee if you have raised reasonable objections to the claim. Under the rules on good debt collection practice, an agency must also not simply carry on collecting as if nothing had happened when you object.
Pay the part you agree with
If you only disagree with part of the amount, for example a fee, pay the rest and dispute the contested part in writing. That way interest and costs do not keep growing on the part that is not in dispute.
If you owe the money but cannot pay
Contact the sender before the deadline and propose a monthly amount you can realistically pay. Get the agreement confirmed in writing. Note that when you pay an instalment or otherwise acknowledge the debt, the limitation period is interrupted. If you have several debts, you can seek free debt counselling.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ignore the letter if I do not think I owe the money?
No. Object in writing and keep a copy. If you do not respond, the case may go on to court.
What do I do if I receive a payment order from the bailiff's court?
You have 14 days from service to object. If you do not object, the order can have the same effect as a judgment, and the creditor can ask the bailiff's court for attachment (udlæg). Read about the bailiff's court.
Where can I complain about a debt collection agency?
Complain to the agency in writing first. According to forbrug.dk, you can complain to the police's administrative centre (Politiets Administrative Center) if you think the agency is not following the debt collection rules. Read more about good debt collection practice.
Getting started
Use our debt collection letter checklist to go through the letter point by point. If you run a business and need help recovering a claim of your own, you can use InkassoHurtig to get no-obligation quotes from police-authorised debt collection agencies and lawyers. This content is general information and not legal advice.