Debt Collection Lawyers in Norway

Updated on Monday 09th January 2023

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The debt collection procedure in Norway refers to the legal measures through which a person or a company can collect payments from entities that have failed to pay the respective sum of money in accordance with the stipulations prescribed between the parties. Our team of lawyers in Norway, specialized in debt collection procedures, can assist both local and foreign persons in this matter, and can offer tailored assistance, depending on the specific situation of each case.

Legislation related to corporate debt collection in Norway

Companies which owe an amount of money to other companies are usually forced to pay their debts through the help of a debt collection agency or a law firm in Norway. The most important law regulating debt collection in Norway is the Creditors Recovery Act from 1984, which specifies the steps of the recovery procedures, sets out the most important deadlines, and clarifies priority issues.

Debt collection in Norway is also regulated under the Debt Collection Act 1988, in relation with the pecuniary claims and it prescribes rules of law regarding the relations between the collector, the debtor and the creditor, but it also offers the legal framework for the supervisory authorities, the sanctions that can be applied and others.

In Norway there are strong incentives to solve a debt situation through conciliatory means. A financial conciliation mechanism (Forliksradet) is implemented through the Conciliation Boards in this country. Before starting any legal proceedings against a debtor, it is important to establish whether the company is still active. If the debtor has already initiated insolvency procedures this won’t allow another party to enforce a debt, but our team of Norwegian lawyers can assist with more information on this matter.

What are the main stages for debt collection in Norway?

The debt recovery process usually consists in two phases - the amicable procedure where the debtor is invited to pay the debt in a specific time frame, or the legal procedure, when the debtor is enforced to pay the debt through a court’s decision. Commercial disputes are handled along other civil cases by the district court as there are no specialized courts in the country. Our debt collection lawyers in Norway can offer in-depth details concerning the court procedures.

What are the main recommendations for debt collection situations in Norway?

A company that deals with debt collection in Norway will first appeal to the amicable procedure and in this case, the company’s representatives will try to address to its debtors, with the purpose of recovering the delayed amount of money. Some of the most common scenarios involved in this case are the following:

• address to the respective debtor and request information concerning the delay of the payment;
• the next step involved is to send a reminder as soon as possible, through which the company will invite the debtor to pay its debts;
• attach to the respective reminder the invoice that describes the services or products that were delivered;
• the reminder should also contain a deadline for the payment of the debt.

It is important to know that under the Norwegian legislation, this can be done by sending a demand for payment or a letter of claim (the latter is sent through a debt collection agency). Regardless of what document is chosen to address the debtor, the document must contain other items, such as the name of the debtor, the main subject of the claim, but also the date from which the creditor will charge an interest for the respective sum of money.

We can aslo advise on relocation matters. You must apply for a residence permit if you want to move to Norway and are from a country outside the EU/EEA. As a general rule, you must apply for this before moving to Norway, and it must be approved before you do. For more information about the prerequisites for immigration to Norway, please get in touch with our law office.

What is the amicable procedure in Norway?

In the first stage, the debtor is contacted through the phone, the fax, the email or by post and invited to pay the debt. The debtor is also announced regarding the consequences of the non-payment usually consisting in the initiation of the legal procedure. The debt collection agency will send a 14 days’ notice containing the name of the creditor, the type of debt, the warning that non-payment will lead to legal concequences and further costs.

Most of the disputes below NOK 125,000 do not reach the District Courts because they are usually settled by the Conciliation Boards (present in most cities). The first step in the amicable procedure is to assess the value of the assets. It is important to provide and obtain correct and complete data so that the legal body has enough information on which to base his/her decision.

Negotiations have a very important role in the amicable procedure. If a claim proves to be legitimately grounded, but the parties fail to achieve an agreement, or the debtor provides no response within three weeks, the Board has to take a decision for the parties and render an enforceable order.

The legal phase of a debt collection case in Norway

In some cases, when the debtors do not accept the claim and dispute the debt, the trial is initiated, if not, the Bailiff issues the payment order and the issue is settled. In order to initiate the lawsuit, the following documents must be delivered: the copies of the contract signed between the creditor and the debtor, the overdue invoices and a clear statement of account related to the actions took on those invoices.

In the first phase, the plaintiff and the defendant must deliver all the necessary documents to the judges such as exchanging opinions and proof by letter. After gathering all the necessary information, the judge will decide for a date of hearing, at which the depositions of both the debtor and the creditor will be heard. The decision taken by the court is delivered in written to the involved parties. Our team of attorneys in Norway are qualified to represent your interests in a lawsuit.

If the court decides in favor of the creditor, the Bailiff’s Court will enforce the decision. In some cases the salary of the debtor can have retentions applied to it, which consists in withholding a part of the salary, sending the money to the bailiff and delivering the amount to the creditors.

We invite you to watch a comprehensive video concerning the debt collection procedure in Norway:

The costs of this procedure depend on the amount of the debt and the fact that the process requires various experts and witnesses to be called in the process. The creditors must also be aware that the legal process may take around one year but this term is extendable depending on the complexity of the case and the availability of the Norwegian lawyers and the judge.

In case you are trying to recover a debt in Norway and your methods are not successful, our law firm in Norway is ready to help you. Feel free to get in touch with our legal team for a personalized offer. Our debt collection lawyers in Norway have the necessary expertise to handle a wide range of cases.