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 Contract Signing | Close the case directly | No fees owed |
Pending Verification | Close the case directly | No fees owed |
Active, Paused, or Needs Additional Details (within exclusivity period) | Send closure request to partner | Withdrawal Fee (the full success fee, calculated on the full claim) + collection costs added by the partner |
Active, Paused, or Needs Additional Details (exclusivity period expired) | Withdraw case (closes immediately) | No fees owed |
Active, Paused, or Needs Additional Details (no collection partner assigned) | Close the case directly | Closing does not waive existing fees |
Debtor has disputed the claim (you decline to escalate) | Handled under the dispute process - the partner closes the disputed case at no cost or offers a custom quote | The partner closes the disputed case at no cost; custom-quote fees apply only if you accept a quote |
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 (until you accept a quote) | Close the case directly | No fees owed. Accepting a quote moves the case to Active, which uses the closure-request route above. |
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 Contract Signing, 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 dialog 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 Request case closure dialog shows your Withdrawal Fee estimate - the full success fee calculated on the full claim, plus the additional fees the partner has recorded - and when your exclusivity period ends. It is an estimate, not a new amount due: VAT, fees already paid and applicable exemptions can change what you owe. See signed contract opens your agreement.
Read the Message preview on the right. It is the exact message sent to the partner in your company's name. You can add a Reason for the partner (optional); it is added to the message.
Tick I accept the fees described above and click Send closure request.
The case is paused and the message appears in the case chat. The partner finalises any invoices and closes the case.
Already sent a request? While your request is open, Close case opens a Closure requested dialog instead. It shows which partner is handling the request, the date you sent it and the message that was sent. Click Open case chat to read the partner's reply or follow up. You cannot send a second request for the same case while the first one is open.
2b. Exclusivity period expired
Open the case and click Close case in the Actions dropdown.
The Close case dialog 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
The standard exclusivity rules do not apply to cases in the Legal or Enforcement phase, or to cases under custom terms or an accepted quote.
Open the case and click Close case in the Actions dropdown.
The Request case closure dialog says that a Withdrawal Fee estimate is not available and that the Withdrawal Fee and any additional costs follow the agreed terms. Custom terms open in the dialog under Custom terms; for an accepted quote, ask the partner for the quote in the case chat before you agree to the fees. If no collection period is recorded on the case, the dialog says so.
Read the message preview, add a reason if you want to, tick I accept the fees described above and click Send closure request.
The case is paused and the message appears in the case chat. The partner finalises the closure and any applicable invoices.
Option 3: Close an active case that has no collection partner
If your case is Active, Paused, or Needs Additional Details but no collection partner is assigned to it, you can close it directly, without a closure request to a partner. You, or a managing firm authorized to act for you, can use this route.
Open the case in Cases and click Close case in the Actions dropdown.
Optionally add a reason (up to 500 characters).
Confirm to close the case.
The case closes directly. No closure request, chat message or closing email is sent to a partner. Closing does not waive existing fees.
When you confirm, Debitura checks the case's assignment again. If the case has changed, for example because a partner has been assigned, or the result cannot be confirmed, the dialog keeps your reason so you can copy it and asks you to reload the page. Reload and check the case before trying again, rather than assuming it closed.
What happens next
What happens after you submit depends on the branch you used:
2a (in-period closure request): The case is paused immediately. The message you previewed (with your reason, if you added one) is sent to the partner in the case chat, in your company's name. 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. The message you previewed is sent to the partner in the case chat, and the partner closes the case under your agreed terms.
Option 3 (no collection partner assigned): The case closes directly. No closure request, chat message or closing email is sent to a partner, and existing fees are not waived.
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 Contract Signing, Pending Verification, Leads, Leads Quote Given): No fees owed. The case closes immediately and no collection period is started.
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 Request case closure dialog shows an estimate of this fee before you confirm. 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.
Cases where the debtor has disputed the claim: A disputed claim falls outside standard collection. The partner either closes the disputed case at no cost or offers a separate custom quote. If you decline the quote, only fees in a custom quote you accept would apply. See Disputed claims: what happens when a debtor disputes the debt.
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 or Leads Quote Given status: You can close the case directly at any time while quotes are being collected, and after partners have submitted quotes, right up until you accept one. No fees are owed. Once you accept a quote the case moves to Active under that partner's terms and is no longer an early-stage case - closing it then follows the Active route above (a closure request, with the fees set out in the accepted quote or your Standard Debt Collection Agreement).
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.
Case is awaiting contract signing: If the case is still in Pending Contract Signing (you have not yet signed the Standard Debt Collection Agreement), you can use Close case to close it directly with no fees instead of signing.
Case still shows a balance, or you issued a credit note: A case does not need a zero balance to be closed; only a case closed as Paid must have no balance left. During an active collection period, a credit note or a reduction of the claim amount that you make on your own counts as a withdrawal, so the Withdrawal Fee applies: the full success fee, calculated as if the claim had been paid in full, plus the additional fees recorded by the partner (Standard Debt Collection Agreement, SDCA, §07.1(c) and §06.5). A settlement that you approve and that consists only of a credit note or balance waiver, with no cash payment, owes no success fee (SDCA §07.1(b)). After the collection period has ended, including any extensions, you can withdraw the case without fees. These rules are part of the 2026 agreement (effective 25 March 2026).
Related
How to export case documentation as a PDF - another action available from the same Actions dropdown.