Debt collection services
Turning overdue receivables into cash, from the first reminder to the execution court.
We collect unpaid invoices for businesses of every size, amicably first and through the courts when necessary. Fast payment orders for undisputed debts, full claims for disputed ones, and enforcement against the debtor's assets.
Unpaid invoices are the most common debt a business carries, and the most damaging when they accumulate. A receivable that is ninety days overdue is already harder to collect than one that is thirty days overdue, and after a year the evidence fades, the debtor may have moved or closed, and the limitation period starts to matter. The UAE Commercial Transactions Law and the Civil Procedure Law give creditors effective tools, including a summary payment order procedure for debts that are written and undisputed, but they reward creditors who act early and with organised evidence.
The Debt Collection Department of Khalifa Al Sada Advocates & Legal Consultants collects unpaid invoices for suppliers, service providers and traders in the UAE and abroad. We combine the amicable methods of our collection team with the court experience of our advocates, so that every invoice is pursued by the most effective route.
We collect invoices for:
We can act on a single invoice or take over the whole overdue ledger.
We start with the amicable stage: a review of the invoices and the underlying contract, a formal legal demand, and direct contact with the debtor to obtain payment or a secured payment plan. Most invoices are paid at this stage once the debtor sees that a law firm is involved and that the next step is a court application. Where a debtor disputes the invoice we test the dispute against the evidence and advise whether it is genuine.
For undisputed written debts we apply for a payment order, a summary procedure that can produce an enforceable order in weeks without a full trial. For disputed debts we file a civil or commercial claim, present the invoices, delivery notes, statements of account and correspondence, respond to any expert report and obtain judgment. We then open the execution file and enforce against the debtor's bank accounts, receivables, vehicles, property and shares, apply for travel bans where the law permits, and pursue the debtor's partners where the legal form allows. For cross-border invoices we coordinate enforcement with our associate firms abroad.
Our collection team and our advocates work in the same department, so a file moves from a demand letter to a payment order without delay or a change of hands. We advise honestly at each stage whether the next step is worth its cost, based on what we find about the debtor's assets.
We work in Arabic and English, and through our desks in Russian, Hindi and Turkish, from a dedicated office in Dubai with its own contact lines.
We review the invoices and the evidence, check the debtor, and advise on the amicable and legal options.
We send a formal demand and negotiate payment or a secured plan.
If unpaid, we apply for a payment order or file a claim, depending on whether the debt is disputed.
We enforce the order or judgment against the debtor's assets until the invoice is paid.
A summary court procedure for debts that are fixed in amount and proven in writing, such as signed invoices and statements of account. It produces an enforceable order without a full trial.
Commercial claims are generally subject to a ten-year limitation period, but some claims have shorter periods and evidence fades. The sooner you act, the better.
Yes. Commercial debts carry legal interest from the due date or the demand, at the rate the court applies, unless the contract sets a different rate within legal limits.
We check the register and, depending on the legal form and the circumstances, pursue the liquidator, the partners or the managers. We advise on whether that is worthwhile.
Insights
6 Nov 2023 3 min read
Unpaid invoices strain cash flow, damage credibility and can create legal problems of their own. Why a structured approach to collecting what you are owed is part of running a healthy business.
Read more11 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.
Read moreConsultation
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