Debt collection services
Recovering what you are owed without a courtroom, through structured negotiation.
Our debt collection department recovers commercial and consumer debts amicably, through correspondence, negotiation and mediation with the debtor. Most debts are settled at this stage, faster and at lower cost than litigation, and with the business relationship intact where that matters.
Most unpaid debts are not disputed. The debtor has cash-flow problems, has moved the invoice to the bottom of the pile, or is testing whether the creditor will follow up. In those cases a structured amicable process recovers the money in weeks rather than the months a court claim takes, and at a fraction of the cost. The UAE courts themselves now push parties towards conciliation before a hearing, and a settlement recorded properly is as enforceable as a judgment.
The Debt Collection Department of Khalifa Al Sada Advocates & Legal Consultants handles commercial and consumer collection matters amicably outside the courts, within the UAE and internationally. Our recovery team uses a wide range of collection practices established over the years, which allows us to build a complete collection strategy for each file. Our process is cost-effective and time-efficient, and when the amicable route is exhausted the case passes to our advocates without leaving the firm.
We recover debts for:
We take on single large debts and portfolios of smaller accounts alike.
We begin with a review of the file: the contract, the invoices, the delivery or acceptance evidence, the correspondence and the debtor's status in the commercial registers. We then contact the debtor in writing and by telephone in the language the debtor uses, set out the claim and the consequences of non-payment, and open a negotiation. Where the debtor is willing but unable to pay at once, we negotiate a payment plan with security, such as post-dated cheques, a guarantee or an acknowledgement of debt notarised before the notary public.
Where the debtor raises a genuine dispute we act as mediator between the parties or arrange mediation through a court-annexed or private centre, and we draft the settlement agreement so that it can be enforced directly if it is breached. Throughout, we report to you at each step and never commit you to a settlement without your approval. If the amicable stage fails, we hand the file to our litigation team with the evidence already organised, and we advise honestly whether the debtor has assets worth pursuing before you spend money on a claim.
We are a law firm, not a collection agency. That means our letters carry the weight of advocates who can and do file claims, our settlement agreements are drafted to be enforceable, and we are bound by professional conduct rules that protect you and your reputation. We work in Arabic, English and, through our desks, Russian, Hindi and Turkish.
Our department has a dedicated office, telephone and WhatsApp line, and reports on every file so that you always know where your money is.
We check the contract, invoices and evidence, and verify the debtor's status and assets.
We send a formal demand and contact the debtor to open negotiation.
We negotiate payment or a secured plan, and record the agreement so that it is enforceable.
If the debtor does not engage, we advise on and start the legal route.
Many files are settled within a few weeks of the first demand. We agree a time limit with you for the amicable stage before moving to legal action.
The contract or purchase order, the invoices, proof of delivery or performance, any correspondence about the debt, and the debtor's details. We can start with less and gather the rest.
Yes, if it is properly drafted and, where possible, notarised or recorded before the court. A breached settlement can be enforced directly through the execution court.
Our fees depend on the size and nature of the debt. We explain the fee structure before we start and there are no hidden charges.
Insights
11 Sept 2023 4 min read
Eight practices that reduce bad debt and make recovery faster: a written process, a collection policy, clear communication rules, professionalism, payment plans, technology, outside help and legal action as a last resort.
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