Debt collection costs in 2025 - what should CFOs know?
From the company's point of view, the costs of recovery fall into three baskets:
- Costs of voluntary recovery
- Costs of the proceedings and the application for a summons in the district court, and
- Costs of enforcement and the collection agency's own handling/service charges.
In this article, I will focus in particular on legal recovery (summons + legal fees) and the related fees charged by collection agencies.
1) Fees collected by the district court (uncontested and contested debts)
District court fees are set nationally. 2025 table (Courts of Justice) in summary form:
- Litigation and land law: 610 €
Exceptions in summary (OC 5:3) matters:- Fully electronic uncontested case, settled by default judgment/adjudication or not appealed → 70 €
- Other uncontested summary dispute (not directly in the information system) → 100 €
- Summary judgment contested by the defendant (moves to contested) → 310 €. (Courts)
What does this mean for the CFO?
If the claim is uncontested and you take it electronically to the district court, the court fee is €70. If the case is contested (even partially), be prepared for a fee of €310 - and if you go to full litigation, the total fee is €610. Court fees are official fees and come on top of the collection agency's fees. (Courts)
2) Charges by collection agencies (and law firms) for legal recovery
In the market, price lists vary and some operators price their services on a contract basis. Below are extracts from publicly available prices to illustrate the range:
- Intrum - Fast track (for businesses):
- Basic fee for an assignment 79 € (+VAT)
- Success fee 79 € (+VAT)
- Additional fee for uncontested legal collection 179 € (+VAT) (application for summons, etc.)
- Typically a commission (e.g. 50%) on back payments, depending on the contract. (intrum.fi, invoicing.fi, laskutperintaan.fi)
- Intrum - Online billing utility document (example level):
- "Challenge and enforcement 120,00 €" (VAT separately). (Note: Partner specific document, but indicative of the level.) (app.nettilasku.fi)
- "Challenge and enforcement 120,00 €" (VAT separately). (Note: Partner specific document, but indicative of the level.) (app.nettilasku.fi)
- Visma Amili (recovery price list):
- Preparation of a statement of claim in an uncontested debt 60 € / each
- Preparation of an application for enforcement 20 € / each
- Administrative costs (such as court fees) are charged as a pass-through. (amili.fi)
- Law firm (e.g. Heikkilä & Co, consideration/lease agreements):
- Preparation of a challenge application €175 (VAT 0%) + success fee of 7-16% of the debt capital in steps. (Example of a law firm model; does not include court fees.) (Law firm Heikkilä & Co.)
Several large players (e.g. Lowell, Svea) describe the process, but do not publish a full price list openly - pricing is often contract-based (volume, class corrections, SLA). (lowell.fi, Svea Bank)
3) Costs of enforcement - in brief
Once a payment order has been received, the case can be taken to enforcement. The fees for enforcement are determined by law and are mainly charged to the debtor (e.g. table fee, processing fee, sales tax). The detailed cost structure varies according to the enforcement situation, but the key point for the CFO is that the costs of enforcement are not usually the final risk of the creditor unless the recovery is unsuccessful (Minilex.fi)
Side note: The 2025 hedge contributions (how much the debtor has left in hand) affect the rate of foreclosure, not as a single expense for the creditor. (MFI.com.)
4) Single claim "through the pipe" cost examples
A. Uncontested B2B receivable, electronic application for a subpoena
- Court: €70 (e-filing, judgment by default) (Courts)
- Collection agency: e.g. €179 + VAT (Intrum uncontested legal add-on) or €60 + €20 (Amili: summons + application for enforcement), depending on the contract.intrum.fi, amili.fi)
- Total to be paid immediately to the creditor: typically collection agency fees + court fees (however, many operators will advance/invoice and deduct the costs from the accrued payments). The final cost is often left to the debtor if the recovery is successful (costs can be claimed in the judgment).intrum.fi, Svea Bank)
B. Disputed claim (becomes disputed)
- Court: €310 (contested summary judgment) → possibly €610 if proceeding to full litigation (Courts)
- Collection agency/lawyer: preparation + possible session work at hourly or fixed rates + transaction fees (varies greatly from contract to contract).
- CFO's perspective: litigation multiplies the cost risk and extends the payback lead time. The decision to litigate should be based on evidence (claim documents, counterclaim risks, debtor's ability to pay).
5) How to compete and optimise?
- Separate the costs of public authorities and service charges. Ask clearly: what the collection agency charges (summons, application for enforcement, "uncontested legal" supplement), and what are the pass-through costs(€70/100/310/610 per court).Courts)
- Compare the prices of an uncontested legal package. The difference between the different operators is significant: in the examples, €60-179 + VAT for the same basic service (drafting the summons and bringing the case to court).amili.fi, intrum.fi)
- Estimate success fees and commissions. Some charge for success (e.g. percentage of capital accumulated), some charge per step for service/assignment. In law firms, there may be combinations (flat + percentage). (Law firm Heikkilä & Co.)
- Agree on forecasting and accounts. Who pays the legal fee as a cash flow and when is it deducted? How will the instalments be allocated (expenses vs. capital)? These are often stipulated in the contract text (Talenom)
- Take care of good collection practices and the limits of consumer redress. Maximum collection costs and procedural requirements are particularly relevant for consumer claims - infringements can lead to reputational and regulatory risks.Competition and Consumer Authority, Svea Bank)
6) Quick comparison (public prices / examples)
| Actor (Actor) | Typical Legal Phase Charges (Examples) | Attention (Notes) |
| Intrum (Fast track) | Uncontested legal +179 € (+VAT); basic 79 € and successful 79 € | Court fee in addition (70/100/310/610 €). |
| Intrum (Net invoice doc.) | "Challenge application and enforcement 120 €" | Partner-specific document; indicative. |
| Visma Amili | Summons 60 €, application for enforcement 20 € | Administrative costs as pass-through costs. |
| Law firm (e.g. Heikkilä & Co) | Challenge application 175 €, plus a success fee of 7-16 % | Price list linked to the type of debt. |
| Lowell, Svea | Process described, full price list not public | Pricing typically contract/volume based. |
Remember: the table does not include district court fees - they are always added separately depending on whether the case is electronic uncontested (€70), other uncontested (€100), contested summary (€310) or fully contested (€610).Courts)
7) CFO checklist
- Is the claim uncontested and the documentation in order? If yes, apply for the e-challenge (€70) and choose an operator with a low-cost, no-contest package(Courts)
- Is the other party contesting? Make a cost-benefit estimate(€310/610 legal fees + own legal costs vs. likely recovery).Courts)
- Agree on the accounting procedures and the order of allocation of expenses (expenses/capital/interest). (Talenom)
- Check the maximum recovery costs and procedure (reputational and regulatory risk) for consumer claims. (Competition and Consumer Authority, Svea Bank)
- Follow the progress of the foreclosure and understand the impact of hedge ratios on the accrual (cash flow time).MFI.fi)
Summary
- The lowest possible court fee for an uncontested e-challenge is €70, making the electronic procedure a cost-effective path for the CFO. A contested case will increase the fee to €310 and a full dispute to €610, plus own legal costs.Courts)
- There is a clear variation in the fees charged by collection agencies at the legal stage: around €60-179 (typical "uncontested" packages) + any basic/effort fees or percentage commission - and always on top of the official fees. (amili.fi, intrum.fi, Heikkilä & Co law firm)
- The costs of enforcement are determined by law and are generally borne by the debtor, but the cash-flow effect and the speed of accrual depend on the debtor's income (hedge ratio).Minilex.fi, rahalaitos.fi)
Bottom line for the CFO: Standardize the process on an "uncontested + e-challenge" line wherever possible, compete with partners on the price of an uncontested legal package, and do a rigorous up-front calculation on contested matters (costs vs. likely recovery and lead time).
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