What it is
The complaint management system lets either party to a case raise a formal concern about the other party's conduct on the Debitura platform.
Client about Collection Partner - a client raises a concern about how a collection partner is handling one or more cases.
Collection Partner about Client - a collection partner raises a concern about a client's conduct, such as withholding case information, an undisclosed payment or settlement, contacting the debtor directly, refusing to cooperate, or abusive conduct.
Each complaint is assigned a reference number in the format C-YYYY-NNNNNN and carries a category. The client does not pick the category - it is derived from the option they chose on the Report Issue screen.
Scope: conduct, not the claim
A complaint determines whether the other party to the case breached its conduct obligations and applies platform remedies. When a client's complaint against a partner is upheld, the remedy is an impact to the partner's quality score, and for an upheld Severe breach, a fee carve-off; there is no equivalent score for a client, so an upheld complaint against a client carries no such deduction - the remedy is Debitura's written determination and whatever account action Debitura takes. Either way, a complaint is not a ruling on the underlying claim - it never decides whether the debt is owed, whether an invoice is valid, or what amount is due. A filing whose real grievance is the amount or validity of a fee, invoice, or the debt itself is out of scope and declined, even when filed under Billing.
Two money matters stay in scope because they are conduct issues: (1) collected-but-unremitted funds - the partner kept money it already collected for you; (2) over-retention beyond the agreed success-fee rate - "the agreed rate is unfair" is out of scope; "the partner took more than the agreed rate" is in scope.
Why it matters
The complaint system provides accountability on both sides of the platform. For clients, it offers a formal channel to address issues with how their case is being collected; for collection partners, it offers the same formal channel to raise a client's conduct - such as withheld information or non-cooperation - as a formal matter instead of only raising it informally. Debitura administrators review each complaint, ensuring fair outcomes for all parties.
Upheld complaints filed by a client directly affect a collection partner's quality score through the Compliance Score component. There is no equivalent score for a client, so an upheld complaint filed by a partner carries no score impact - the outcome is Debitura's written determination and any action Debitura takes on the client's account.
The complaint lifecycle
Every complaint - whichever party files it - progresses through the same 7-status lifecycle:
Status | What happens |
Submitted | The complainant files the complaint. An automated pre-review is queued. |
Under Review | A Debitura administrator assesses whether the complaint is valid. The administrator can accept it for investigation or decline it. |
Awaiting Response | The respondent is notified and given 10 calendar days to respond. A task is created for the respondent to track the deadline. |
Response Received | The respondent has submitted a response. An overdue complaint does not move here automatically - it stays in Awaiting Response until an administrator resolves it directly from the Overdue tab. |
Upheld | The administrator finds the complaint valid. A severity level and penalty points are assigned. The Compliance Score is affected. |
Declined | The administrator finds the complaint not substantiated. No penalty is applied. |
Withdrawn | Legacy status carried by some older complaints. No current portal or API action lets either party withdraw a complaint, so no new complaint can reach this status. |
Key transition shortcuts:
An administrator can decline a complaint directly from Submitted or Under Review, bypassing the response step.
If no response is received within 10 days, nothing moves automatically - the complaint stays in Awaiting Response until an administrator resolves it directly from the Overdue tab.
Response deadline and reminders
When an administrator accepts a complaint and moves it to Awaiting Response, the respondent receives 10 calendar days to reply. A reminder email is sent 3 days before the deadline. If no response arrives by the deadline, nothing happens automatically - the complaint stays in Awaiting Response until a Debitura administrator resolves it directly from the Overdue tab.
Respondent's response
When a complaint reaches the Awaiting Response status, the respondent submits a free-text response describing their position (maximum 10,000 characters). Optional evidence files can be attached during this step.
Filing limits
To prevent duplicate complaints, the system enforces limits on how many active complaints can be open at the same time. The limits differ by direction.
Client complaints about a partner
One active complaint per partner - a client can have at most one complaint in progress against a given collection partner. Once it ends (Upheld or Declined), a new complaint about that partner can be filed on another case.
One complaint per case, with one exception - filing a complaint on a case normally locks that case to further complaints, whichever partner it concerned. The exception: when a complaint is declined, the person declining it records whether that particular case should stay open to a future filing - that choice defaults to leaving it open, and the decline email states plainly which applies: either that the client can raise it again if something changes, or that we consider the matter closed. (A legacy Withdrawn complaint also left its case open, but no current action can produce that status.)
The statuses that count as still in progress are Submitted, Under Review, Awaiting Response and Response Received. While a client's complaint against a partner is in one of those, the client cannot file a new complaint against that same partner.
An upheld complaint locks the case permanently to further client complaints. A declined complaint locks it only when the decline was recorded that way - and declines issued before that choice existed carry no recorded decision, so those cases stay locked and have to be reopened through Debitura support.
Collection Partner complaints about a client
One active complaint per client - a collection partner can have at most one complaint in progress about a given client. Once it is resolved (Upheld or Declined), the partner can file about the same client again right away - there is no permanent lock in this direction.
No case-level lock - a partner's complaint about a client does not lock any case, and a partner may still file even when the linked case already carries a complaint.
Shadow clients cannot be complained about - a client with no login of its own cannot take part in a complaint, so the partner is directed to [email protected] instead.
Evidence and file uploads
Evidence files can be attached at different stages of the complaint:
The complainant can attach files at submission and afterwards.
The respondent can upload files only while the complaint is in the Awaiting Response status. The upload window closes once the complaint moves to the next status.
Debitura administrators can attach files during the review process.
Allegations about contact methods
Allegations about contact methods - such as calls from personal numbers, caller-ID issues, or alleged regulatory breaches - are taken seriously and sent to the collection partner for a formal response even when the complainant cannot provide documentary proof. The relevant records (call logs, contact records) are held by the partner, who has a defined window to respond. Complainants should attach any evidence they have, but it is not required for the complaint to be reviewed.
Severity levels and penalty points
When a complaint is upheld, the administrator assigns a severity level. For a complaint a client files about a partner, severity determines the number of penalty points deducted from the partner's Compliance Score, shown below. The same five severity levels apply when a partner files about a client, but there they are informational only - see the note after the table.
Severity | Penalty points | When used |
No Penalty | 0 | Complaint valid (Upheld), but the partner should not be penalized - quick fixes, first-time issues, or minor SLA breaches that were promptly corrected |
Minor | -5 | First-time minor breach, no mitigating circumstances |
Medium | -15 | Clear violation or emerging pattern |
Severe | -40 | Egregious violation, repeated pattern, or potential platform removal. Triggers financial remedies under §08.2 (Partner Severe Breach) or §08.3 (Client Severe Breach). |
All upheld complaints are assigned one of four severity levels (No Penalty, Minor, Medium, or Severe). No Penalty means the complaint was upheld but the circumstances do not warrant a score deduction - only Minor, Medium, and Severe severity levels affect the Compliance Score. Minor and Medium complaints impact the quality score only; Severe complaints trigger the financial remedies defined in §08.2 or §08.3 of the SDCA. Declined and withdrawn complaints have no impact on partner scoring.
An upheld outcome is binding only as to platform remedies (quality score impact and, for Severe breaches, a fee carve-off under the Standard Debt Collection Agreement, when a partner is the respondent). It is not a determination of any amount owed or of the validity of any invoice, and does not affect either party's right to seek relief from a court.
When a partner files the complaint, the severity assigned at resolution carries no penalty points and triggers no fee carve-off - there is no client score for it to affect. The outcome that matters to the partner in that direction is the separate outcome-and-action decision Debitura records for the client's account, not the severity label itself.
Impact on partner quality scoring
The Compliance Score is one of five components in Debitura's partner quality scoring system. It carries a weight of 15% of the overall quality score.
The Compliance Score starts at a base of 100. Penalty points from upheld complaints within the last 12 months are deducted from this base. Multiple upheld complaints stack their deductions, with a floor of 0. When a complaint is upheld, the partner's score is recalculated immediately rather than waiting for the next monthly scoring run.
Email notifications
Automated email notifications are sent at each key stage of the complaint lifecycle. The complainant receives notifications when the complaint is received, when investigation begins, when it is declined, and when a final decision is made. The respondent receives a notification when a response is needed, a reminder 3 days before the deadline, and a final notification when the complaint is resolved.
Complaint categories
Client complaint categories (for a complaint about a collection partner)
Category | Description |
Communication | Responsiveness, professionalism, unclear communication |
Collection Practices | Collection methods, tactics, compliance concerns |
Billing | The partner kept funds already collected for you, or charged/withheld more than the agreed rate. A pure fee or amount dispute is out of scope. |
Data Quality | Data accuracy, wrong debtor info, missing documentation |
Timeliness | Delays, missed deadlines, slow progress |
Other | Any other complaint type |
Complaints filed through the Creditor Portal today land on Communication, Collection Practices, Billing or Other. Data Quality and Timeliness remain valid on complaints filed before the Report Issue routing existed and on complaints created directly through the API.
Partner complaint categories (for a complaint about a client)
Category | Description |
Incorrect or incomplete case information | Important facts about the case were wrong or missing - bad debtor data, wrong amounts, missing documents |
Undisclosed payment, settlement, or dispute | The client knew of a payment, settlement or dispute and the partner learned of it only after starting work |
Unpaid money owed to partner | Fees, costs or collected funds the client owes the partner remain unpaid |
Debtor contact or interference | The client contacted the debtor or otherwise disrupted the collection activity |
Failure to respond or cooperate | Required answers, approvals, confirmations or documents are missing |
Abusive or bad-faith conduct | Abusive or obstructive behaviour toward the partner's team, including a frivolous complaint filed against the partner |
Other | Anything not on the list |
Every route on a partner's Report an issue screen maps to exactly one of these categories.
Impact by actor
Client
Can file complaints about a collection partner's conduct on one or more cases.
Can be the respondent to a complaint a collection partner files about the client's conduct - notified once Debitura accepts it for investigation, with 10 calendar days to respond.
An upheld complaint filed against a client carries no score or penalty-point impact - the outcome is Debitura's determination and any action Debitura takes on the account.
Receives email notifications at each stage of the complaint lifecycle, in either role.
Can attach evidence files at submission and throughout the process as complainant, or while responding as respondent.
Collection Partner
Can file a complaint about a client's conduct on one or more cases - for example withheld case information, an undisclosed payment or settlement, unresponsiveness, or abusive conduct.
Receives complaints filed by clients regarding conduct on their cases.
Receives a notification and a 10-day deadline to respond when a complaint is filed against them.
Can upload evidence files only during the Awaiting Response window.
Can assign specific team members to handle individual complaints internally.
As a respondent, upheld complaints result in penalty points that reduce the partner's Compliance Score (part of the overall quality score); filing a complaint as complainant carries no such consequence for the partner.
Debitura (Admin)
Reviews submitted complaints and decides whether to accept or decline them.
Sets the final outcome (Upheld or Declined) and assigns severity for upheld complaints.
Can attach files and notes during the review process.
AI-powered tools provide advisory pre-review and severity recommendations, but all final decisions are made by administrators.
What to expect
The complaint lifecycle typically moves through submission, review, response, and resolution.
Respondents have 10 calendar days to respond once notified, with a reminder sent 3 days before the deadline.
If no response is received, nothing happens automatically - an administrator resolves the complaint directly from the Overdue tab.
Both parties are notified by email at each major status change.
Upheld complaints with Minor, Medium, or Severe severity affect the collection partner's quality score immediately when the partner is the respondent; there is no equivalent score change when the respondent is a client. No Penalty complaints are recorded but carry zero penalty points either way.
Related articles
For Clients:
Clients: File a complaint about a collection partner - step-by-step instructions for filing a complaint.
Clients: How complaints work - what clients can expect from the complaint process.
Clients: Respond to a complaint filed by a collection partner - what to do when a partner files a complaint about you.
For Collection Partners:
Collection Partners: Respond to a complaint - step-by-step instructions for responding to a complaint.
Collection Partners: How complaints work - what collection partners can expect from the complaint process.
Collection Partners: File a complaint about a client - step-by-step instructions for filing a complaint about a client.