A complaint is a formal report you file when you have a concern about a collection partner handling your cases. You can file a complaint about issues such as communication problems, collection practices, billing disputes, data quality concerns, or missed deadlines.

Each complaint is assigned a unique reference number so you can track it throughout the process.

Complaints start from Report Issue on the case (or on the collection partner's page). Report Issue first asks what you actually need. Some answers are not complaints at all - a question about your case, a request to change or close it, or a closure you do not understand - and those take you straight to the right place at Debitura or the right case action.

The answers that are about how the partner behaved lead to the complaint form: money the partner collected has not reached you, the partner has gone silent, you disagree with a fee or invoice, the partner did something wrong, or your issue isn't covered by any of the above. For two of those - money not received, and a fee or invoice dispute - you go straight to the complaint form. For the other three - the partner has gone silent, the partner did something wrong, and 'my issue isn't on this list' - you are first asked whether you would rather leave a review than file a complaint.

You never pick a category yourself: the option you chose records it for you.

To file a complaint, see Clients: File a complaint about a collection partner.

A complaint is about a collection partner's conduct - how they handled your case. It is not a ruling on the debt itself: it does not decide whether the debt is owed, whether an invoice or fee is valid, or what amount is due. Those remain between you, the debtor, and (if needed) the courts.

If your real concern is that a fee, invoice, or the debt amount is wrong, a complaint will be declined, even if you chose the option about disagreeing with a fee or invoice. Two money-related issues are in scope because they are about conduct: the partner keeping money it already collected for you, or charging/withholding more than the agreed rate.

The complaint process gives you a structured way to raise concerns and hold collection partners accountable. Debitura reviews every complaint, ensures the partner is notified, and makes a final decision on the outcome. Upheld complaints affect the partner's compliance record on the platform.

Every complaint moves through a defined lifecycle with seven possible statuses. Here is what happens at each stage.

Your complaint has been received. Debitura begins an initial review to assess whether the complaint meets the criteria for further investigation.

You receive: a "Complaint Received" confirmation email with your reference number.

A Debitura administrator is assessing the complaint. At this stage, the administrator may accept the complaint for investigation or decline it if it does not meet the criteria.

Debitura has accepted the complaint for investigation. The collection partner has been notified and given 10 calendar days to respond.

You receive: an "Investigation Started" email confirming the partner has been notified.

The partner has submitted their response. If the 10-day deadline passes without a response, the complaint does not move automatically - it stays in Awaiting Response until a Debitura administrator resolves it directly. Either way, Debitura reviews all information to reach a decision.

Every complaint you file today ends in one of two outcomes:

You may also see Withdrawn on older complaints. It is a legacy status - there is no current way for you or the partner to withdraw a complaint, so no new complaint can reach it.

An outcome is binding only as to platform remedies (the partner's quality score and, for a Severe breach, a fee carve-off under the Standard Debt Collection Agreement). 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.

A decision changes whether you can raise something on that case again. An upheld complaint closes the case to further complaints permanently. A declined complaint usually leaves the case open too - the person declining it records whether it should, and the default is to leave it open - and your decline email tells you which applies. (A small number of older cases carry a legacy Withdrawn complaint, which also left the case open.)

If it says the matter is closed and you have genuinely new information, email [email protected] with your complaint reference. You can also leave a review of the partner on the case at any time.

One exception: complaints declined before we started recording this decision carry no recorded position, so those cases stay closed to new complaints. If yours is one of them, email [email protected] and we will pick it up.

For the full rules on when you can and cannot file again, see Filing a complaint - limits and what to do if you cannot file.

When a complaint is upheld, Debitura assigns one of four severity levels that determines the impact on the collection partner:

Declined and withdrawn complaints have no impact on the partner's record.

You receive automatic email updates at key points in the complaint process:

After you file a complaint, Debitura handles the review process. You do not need to contact the collection partner directly. You can track the current status and view complaint details from your Complaints page in the Debitura portal.

If the complaint is accepted for investigation, the partner is given 10 calendar days to respond. After their response (or after the deadline passes), Debitura reviews all the evidence and reaches a final decision. Both you and the partner are notified of the outcome by email.

Allegations about contact methods - such as calls from personal numbers, caller-ID issues, or alleged regulatory breaches - are taken seriously and sent to the partner for a formal response even if you can't provide documentary proof yourself. The relevant records (call logs, contact records) are held by the partner, who has a defined window to respond. Attach any evidence you do have, but it is not required for the complaint to be reviewed.

If your complaint relates to the partner contacting the debtor after you requested case closure, be aware that a debtor payment during the case can automatically extend the collection period under SDCA §6. If the collection period was still active when you requested closure, the partner keeps the right to continue collection through the end of the extended period, so the contact may have been authorised. You can check the collection period status on the case detail page.