Fee types overview
The table below summarises all fees that may appear on a case, who pays them, and who receives them.
Fee Type | Description | Paid By | Received By |
Success fee | Percentage of recovered principal based on claim size, region, and debt age | Client (deducted from recovery) | Collection Partner (minus Debitura's share for exclusive partners) |
Interest | Statutory or contractual interest accruing on the outstanding principal | Debtor | Collection Partner (minus Debitura's share under standard commission) |
Collection fees | Fixed or percentage-based charges for pursuing the debt | Debtor | Collection Partner (minus Debitura's share under standard commission) |
Reminder fees | Charges for sending late payment notices | Debtor | Collection Partner (minus Debitura's share under standard commission) |
VAT | Value-added tax applied to success fees based on the collection partner's jurisdiction | Client | Collected by Collection Partner; remitted to tax authority |
Bank/FX fees | Exchange rate costs, credit card fees, and banking transfer fees | Client (deducted from recovery) | Financial institutions |
Success fee
The success fee is a contingency-based charge applied when debt is recovered. Rates depend on claim size, whether the jurisdiction is European or International, and the age of the debt. Clients only pay when collection succeeds (no cure, no pay). The Standard Debt Collection Agreement (SDCA) defines all success fee rates. For a detailed breakdown, see Success fees: how pricing is calculated.
Partner-added fees
Partner-added fees are amounts a collection partner may lawfully add to the outstanding debt. These fees are paid by the debtor and retained by the collection partner as additional compensation. They typically fall into three categories:
Interest - Statutory or contractual interest accruing on the outstanding principal. Rules vary by country; for example, Denmark permits 8% plus the national reference rate, adjusting every six months.
Collection fees - Fixed or percentage-based amounts that compensate the partner for pursuing the debt. Denmark, as an example, permits a 100 DKK fee plus an additional amount based on principal.
Reminder fees - Charges for late payment notices. In EU member states, business debts may include a 40 EUR compensation fee. Denmark also permits up to three reminder fees of 100 DKK each.
The rules differ by country. European jurisdictions (particularly EU/EEA) commonly allow these fees, while many jurisdictions outside Europe prohibit or limit them. Each local collection partner knows what is legally enforceable in their region.
Debitura assumes partners add all permissible fees. The client receives the recovered principal minus the agreed success fee. The collection partner keeps all partner-added fees and accrued interest. Under the standard commission model, Debitura invoices the partner a percentage of their total earnings, including these fees.
VAT
VAT applies to all success fees and is calculated based on the VAT rate in the collection partner's jurisdiction. The client is responsible for any applicable VAT, which is added to the success fee amount. The collection partner collects this VAT and remits it to the relevant tax authority as required by local law. Learn more.
Bank and exchange rate fees
Any exchange rate costs, credit card fees, and banking fees are borne by the client and are deducted from the recovered principal amount before disbursement. These fees cover the cost of transferring funds between currencies and financial institutions. Debitura uses real-time exchange rates when converting amounts between currencies for success fee calculations.
Impact by actor
Client
Pays the success fee when debt is recovered (deducted from the recovery amount)
Bears VAT on the success fee based on the collection partner's jurisdiction
Bears any bank or exchange rate fees incurred during fund transfer
Receives the recovered principal minus success fee and applicable deductions
Debtor
Pays all partner-added fees (interest, collection fees, reminder fees) where local law permits
These amounts are added to the total debt owed
Collection Partner
Retains all partner-added fees (interest, collection fees, reminder fees) as additional compensation
Receives the success fee minus Debitura's revenue share (for exclusive partners)
Collects and remits VAT to the relevant tax authority
Debitura
For exclusive partners: invoices a share of the partner's total earnings (including partner-added fees under the standard commission model)
For partners on success-fee-only commission: the share applies only to the success fee portion
The Standard Debt Collection Agreement (SDCA) is the canonical source for success fee rates, VAT, bank fees, and partner-added fee rules. All clients sign this agreement before submitting cases. If anything in this page conflicts with the SDCA, the SDCA is the legally binding source of truth.
For an overview of how fees fit into the broader pricing model, see Fee structure explained.