Check the debtor first, then litigate
This is the opposite of instinct and it saves the most money.
Proceedings against a company with no assets produce costs and a judgment nobody can enforce. So the first job is to see whether there is anything to collect from: property, accounts, vehicles, receivables, and whether the company has been transferred to a nominee.
If the answer is that there is nothing, I will tell you. Better to hear it before you have paid for a case.
The steps, in order of cost
A demand letter. Sent by a lawyer, in writing and traceable. Some debtors pay at this stage, because until then they treated the obligation as informal.
Order for payment proceedings. A faster route for undisputed claims, usually supported by documents. If the debtor objects, it moves to ordinary proceedings. See order for payment proceedings.
A claim. Where the substance is genuinely disputed.
Enforcement. Once you hold an enforceable title, collection runs through a bailiff.
Limitation
Claims do not sit there forever. After a certain period the obligation still exists but can no longer be enforced.
I am not going to give you a general figure, because it depends on the type of claim. But I will say this: if the debt goes back years, that is the first thing checked, and it is a reason not to delay further. See limitation of old debts.
If the debtor is abroad, or you are
Both happen and neither is an obstacle. There is a procedure for cross-border collection within the European Union, and outside it, it depends on the country.
You do not need to come. It is handled through a power of attorney.
What I will need
The basis: a contract, an invoice, a receipt, correspondence, messages. Details of the debtor, including the exact name and registration number if it is a company. Any acknowledgement of the debt, even in a chat, because it counts.
This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice on any specific case. Rights and deadlines depend on the facts and the applicable law.