Your outstanding claim · Austria and Germany
Claim recovery: prepare outstanding receivables for handover
Claim recovery starts with a clearly documented receivable. Check the contracting party, due date, performance and outstanding balance. incaseof.law regularly handles due, undisputed claims with evidence of default. After handover, new payments and objections remain important for the next steps.
Which amount do you want to recover?
Calculate the outstanding principal from the invoice, credit notes and recorded payments. Show interest and claimed costs separately. When several invoices are involved, make the allocation of each payment clear.
Illustrative example before handover: An invoice of EUR 4,800, a payment of EUR 1,200 clearly allocated to it and a credit note of EUR 300 leave EUR 3,300 in outstanding principal. This calculation does not establish whether additional interest or costs are due. After handover, the contractual allocation order also matters.
Which documents explain the claim?
A third party should be able to understand the receivable without knowing your internal processes. Connect the invoice and contract with evidence of delivery or performance. Record receipt of the invoice, the agreed payment deadline and previous reminders. An internal list of receivables does not replace supporting documents.
- The contracting party's full name and current address.
- The order or contract and corresponding invoice.
- Delivery, performance or handover records.
- A payment list, credit notes and evidence of default.
- Known complaints, counterclaims and court documents.
Which situation applies?
| Situation | What to establish first |
|---|---|
| Due, undisputed and default documented | Check a regular instruction and its acceptance requirements |
| The customer disputes performance | Document and clarify the objection; do not declare the claim undisputed |
| A court title already exists | Prepare the title, service records, balance and previous enforcement steps |
| Known insolvency or approaching deadline | Obtain prompt case-specific assessment of the procedure and deadlines |
Another private payment request is not a reliable substitute for a necessary deadline-preserving step. Potential limitation or insolvency proceedings require assessment of the specific situation.
What remains to be done after handover?
Avoid parallel handling based on outdated amounts. Report direct payments, new agreements and objections promptly through the agreed channel. The terms set out cooperation obligations and possible reimbursement duties.
A designated contact in your business helps prevent inconsistent information. Keep a record of the initial handover and subsequent changes. Whether to proceed in court depends on matters including evidence, disputed issues, costs and recoverability.
Austria or Germany?
Preparing the case file is similar, but court procedures differ. Austria uses the payment-order claim for eligible cases; Germany uses its court payment-order procedure with a Mahnbescheid. A separate page explains the next steps for an existing German title.
A customer abroad also requires consideration of jurisdiction, applicable law and service. A German-language invoice does not make one collection procedure apply everywhere.
Related topics
Sources and basis
- Engagement, services, remuneration and cooperation: incaseof.law terms
- Payment default in Germany
- Suspension of limitation through legal proceedings in Germany
- German court payment-order procedure
Content reviewed on 23 September 2026. Procedural information and our contractual terms are separate foundations. The individual case remains decisive.
Your next step
Prepare your documents and use the existing registration. For questions about the scope of services, visit our contact page.
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