About Collection Costs
Invoices must be paid within the agreed period. If you do not do this, you will have an outstanding invoice with the creditor. The creditor can engage Flanderijn to collect this amount from you. The costs they incur for this may be charged to you under certain conditions.
What are collection costs?
If you do not pay an invoice on time, the creditor may charge collection costs. Consumers must be given the opportunity to pay the outstanding invoice (without extra costs) within 15 days. After that, costs may be charged. These additional costs are also known as collection costs or extrajudicial collection costs. They are to reimburse the creditor for the costs it incurs collecting the debt.
How are collection costs calculated?
Collection costs consist of a percentage of the outstanding amount. This is legally determined. The percentage is calculated according to a graduated scale. These percentages and amounts are as follows:
| Outstanding invoice amount | Maximum collection costs |
|---|---|
| Over the first € 2.500 | 15% |
| Over the next € 2.500 | 10% |
| Over the next € 5.000 | 5% |
| Over the next € 190.000 | 1% |
| Above € 200.000 | 0,5% (with a maximum of € 6,775 in collection costs) |
Minimum amount
A minimum amount of € 40, excluding VAT, applies to collection costs. Is your invoice € 250? Then the collection costs will amount to € 40, excluding VAT.
An example
Imagine: you buy a sofa for € 3,500 and you do not pay the invoice on time, even after you have been given the opportunity to pay the outstanding amount within 15 days. Then your maximum collection costs are:
- 15% over the 1st € 2,500 (= € 375);
- 10% over the next € 1,000 (= € 100).
In this case you will pay a maximum of € 475 in collection costs, excluding VAT.
Other costs
In addition to the collection costs, a creditor can also charge you the statutory or agreed interest. Moreover, VAT may also be charged on the collection costs. This is only allowed if the creditor is not liable for VAT. In such case, VAT will be charged to you.
How can I avoid collection costs?
We will give you some tips to prevent (extra) collection costs.
- Pay on time
Pay your invoices on time. This will prevent a collection agency and/or bailiff being engaged. In consumer cases, the creditor must always give you 15 days within which to pay an outstanding debt without any further costs. He will first send you a what is called a WIK-letter. WIK stands for the Law on Collection Costs (Wet Incasso Kosten). In this letter you will be given the opportunity to pay the entire debt within 15 days. If you do not do so within the specified period, then collection costs will be charged.
- Contact us as soon as possible
If - for whatever reason - you cannot pay an invoice on time, please contact us as soon as possible to make repayment arrangements.
- Do you disagree? Please explain this!
Do you have a disagreement about an invoice with a company or organization and this is why you do not want to pay? Send the company a letter, explaining why you have not paid their invoice. If the company has engaged us to collect the debt, please send this letter to us.
- Did you not order or buy anything? Please explain this!
Do you disagree with the invoice because you did not order or buy anything? Then please respond to demands or a summons. We will submit your response to the creditor.