Definition
A debtor record stores the contact details and location of the party that owes money. The platform uses this information to determine the jurisdiction of the case and to match it with a collection partner.
How debtor records are created
Every time a client creates a new case, the platform also creates a new debtor record. Even if several cases involve the same person or company, each case has its own debtor entry. Debtor records are not shared between clients or between cases of the same client.
Debtor fields
Contact information
Email - primary contact email
Phone - contact phone number
Identity information
Type - whether the debtor is a Company or a Private individual
First name / Last name - for private debtors
Company name - for company debtors
Company registration number - VAT or business registration number
Location information
Address, Zip code, City - street address details
Jurisdiction - the legal jurisdiction, which determines partner assignment and applicable rules
Restricted fields
Currency - can only be changed under specific conditions (see Currency changes below)
Country - read-only; automatically set from the selected jurisdiction
Client (Creditor) - read-only; cannot be changed after creation
When debtor information can be edited
Whether a debtor record can be edited depends on the case lifecycle stage. The platform controls editing at two levels: the client portal controls whether the edit form is available, and the backend controls whether jurisdiction and debtor type changes are accepted.
Lifecycle stage | Basic fields (name, email, phone, address) | Jurisdiction / Debtor type |
Pending Contract Signing | Yes | Yes |
Pending Verification (internal and partner review) | Yes | No (jurisdiction is locked once a partner is assigned) |
Leads | Yes | No |
Leads Quote Given | No | No |
Active / Paused / Needs Additional Details | No | No |
Once a case reaches Leads Quote Given, no debtor fields can be edited through the client portal. If corrections are needed, the client must close the case and recreate it with updated information.
For cases that are Active, Paused, or in Needs Additional Details, no debtor fields can be edited through the client portal. The client must use the case chat to request that the collection partner updates the information in the partner’s own system.
High-impact field changes
Three types of changes have significant side effects because they can affect partner assignment.
Jurisdiction changes
Changing the debtor's jurisdiction triggers automatic partner re-matching for all cases still in validation. This change is blocked if any case is already assigned to a partner (Active, Paused, Leads, or similar). The platform also verifies that collection partners are available in the new jurisdiction and that a signed Power of Attorney (PoA) exists with the new partner.
Debtor type changes (Company to Private or vice versa)
Changing the debtor type can trigger partner re-matching if the currently assigned partner cannot handle the new type. As with jurisdiction changes, this is blocked once a case is assigned to a partner beyond the validation stage. A signed PoA with the new partner is required if reassignment occurs.
Currency changes
Currency can only be changed if the debtor has at most one active case. It is blocked when the debtor has two or more cases, because currency is tied to case grouping. Currency changes do not currently trigger partner re-matching.
Relationship between debtors and cases
Each case has exactly one debtor record. Multiple cases against the same real-world party each have their own separate debtor entry. The debtor's jurisdiction, type, and currency are among the four core parameters the platform uses to match the case with a collection partner (alongside the claim amount).
Audit trail
All changes to debtor fields are recorded. Each update captures the previous value, the new value, who made the change (Client, Collection Partner, or Debitura), and which field was changed.
Impact by actor
Client:
Creates debtor records as part of case submission.
Can edit basic debtor fields while a case is in early lifecycle stages (up to Leads).
Cannot edit debtor information once the case progresses to Leads Quote Given or beyond. At Leads Quote Given, the client must close the case and recreate it. For Active, Paused, or Needs Additional Details cases, the client can request changes via case chat.
Collection Partner:
Receives case assignments based in part on the debtor's jurisdiction and type.
May be re-assigned if the client changes jurisdiction or debtor type during validation.
Can be contacted via case chat if the client needs debtor information updated on a case that is already active.
Debitura:
Validates debtor data during the internal verification stage.
Enforces editing restrictions based on case lifecycle state.
Automatically re-matches cases to new partners when jurisdiction or debtor type changes during validation.
Where to find debtor information in the platform
Clients can view and edit debtor details by opening a case from the Cases list. Debtor information is displayed on the case detail page.