Goal
Stop collection activity on a case you have submitted to Debitura. Depending on the lifecycle stage and your exclusivity period, you will either:
Close a case directly if no collection partner has started active work on it
Withdraw a case immediately if the partner has accepted but the exclusivity period has expired
Request closure from the partner if the case is within an active exclusivity period or operates under custom terms
Before you start
Check your case status in the Cases list. The action available to you depends on the case's current lifecycle stage and exclusivity state:
Case status | What you can do | Fees |
Pending Verification | Close the case directly | No fees owed |
Active, Paused, or Needs Additional Details (within exclusivity period) | Send closure request to partner | Full success fee + collection costs added by the partner |
Active, Paused, or Needs Additional Details (exclusivity period expired) | Withdraw case (closes immediately) | No fees owed |
Legal / Enforcement phase or custom-terms cases | Send closure request under your custom terms | As agreed in your custom terms |
Leads or Leads Quote Given | Close the case directly | No fees owed |
For a full explanation of what each status means, see case status definitions.
Option 1: Close an early-stage case
If the collection partner has not yet accepted and started working on your case (Pending Verification, Leads, or Leads Quote Given), you can close it directly with no fees.
Go to Cases and open the case you want to close
Click Close case in the Actions dropdown
Optionally add a comment explaining why you are closing the case
Click Close case to confirm
The case closes immediately with no fees owed.
Tip: If you closed a case to correct information, you can recreate it with the correct details.
Option 2: Close an active case
If the collection partner has accepted and started working on your case (Active, Paused, or Needs Additional Details), the Close case modal adapts based on your exclusivity period. There are three branches.
2a. Exclusivity period still active
Open the case in Cases and click Close case in the Actions dropdown.
The modal shows the period end date and remaining days, plus a list of fees you will incur (the full success fee and all collection costs added to the case by the partner).
Tick the acknowledgement checkbox and click Send closure request.
The case is paused. A standardised message is sent to the partner. The partner finalises any invoices and closes the case.
2b. Exclusivity period expired
Open the case and click Close case in the Actions dropdown.
The modal confirms the period has expired and shows the expiry date. Withdrawal is free, so there is no checkbox.
Click Withdraw case. The case closes immediately with the close code "Withdrawn by client". No partner approval is needed.
The partner is notified afterwards so they can stop any ongoing collection activity.
2c. Legal / Enforcement phase or custom-terms cases
Standard SDCA exclusivity rules do not apply to cases in the Legal or Enforcement phase, or to cases operating under custom terms.
Open the case and click Close case in the Actions dropdown.
The modal explains that SDCA exclusivity rules do not apply and surfaces any fees agreed in your custom terms.
Tick the acknowledgement checkbox and click Send closure request.
The partner finalises the closure and any applicable invoices.
What happens next
What happens after you submit depends on the branch you used:
2a (in-period closure request): The case is paused immediately. A standardised message is sent to the partner via the case chat confirming you understand the success fee and collection costs apply. The partner reviews, issues any final invoices, and closes the case.
2b (post-exclusivity withdrawal): The case closes immediately. The partner is notified so they can stop all collection activity.
2c (custom terms): The case is paused. A generic closure request is sent to the partner, who closes the case under your agreed terms.
If you need to follow up, you can contact your collection partner through the case chat.
Fees when closing a case
Whether you owe fees depends on the case's lifecycle stage and whether the collection period and exclusivity period is still active.
Early-stage cases (Pending Verification, Leads, Leads Quote Given): No fees owed. The case closes immediately.
Active cases within the exclusivity period: The Withdrawal Fee remains payable, calculated as if the full Principal Amount had been recovered, even if no money has been recovered yet. Any partner-added collection costs are also owed. The collection period is typically 6 months from the Collection Period Start Date (the earlier of when the partner accepts the case or when all required information is provided), extended by 12 months whenever the debtor makes a payment or signs a payment agreement.
Active cases after the exclusivity period has expired: You may withdraw the case without owing the success fee. The case closes immediately when you click Withdraw case; no success fee invoice will be issued.
Exception - Severe Breach Carve-Out: If a Partner Severe Breach has been upheld through the complaint process, you may close or withdraw the affected case without paying the Withdrawal Fee or any other financial penalty, even during an active collection period.
Edge cases
Debtor paid you directly: If the debtor paid you instead of the collection partner during the exclusivity period, the success fee is still owed. Send a closure request and inform the partner via chat so they can record the payment and finalize the case.
Case is in Leads status: You can close a lead request at any time, even if quotes have been offered or accepted.
Partner has not yet accepted the case: If the case is still in Pending Verification, use Close case to close it directly and avoid fees.
Related
How to export case documentation as a PDF - another action available from the same Actions dropdown.