Debt collection in Cyprus

Sometimes, when a company is facing financial problems, it’s difficult to pay the creditors. In this exceptional cases, collection agencies or a law firm in Cyprus may be hired to recover some of the creditor’s losses. Usually, there is a fee or a part of the recovered debt that must be paid to these agencies.

Forbidden debt collection methods in Cyprus

There are some forbidden practices in the Cypriot debt collection procedure for a debt collector or lawyer to use in his attempt to determine a debtor to pay its dues. It’s forbidden for a collector to use abusive language, to make public a list with the debtors (even though he can provide this information to other agencies) or to harass the debtor with numerous calls.

Also, the credit collector cannot use false statements in its attempts to recover the dues or using another identity. Accusations of any kind cannot be addressed to the debtor. The creditors cannot send a notification that looks like official documents, cannot give false information regarding the debtor to other agencies or use a false company name.

We also invite you to watch the video below on the debt recovery procedure in Cyprus:

Another forbidden action is that the creditor cannot collect more debit than it supposed to, except the case where the state law provides so.

Debt collection policy in Cyprus

The collection agencies and law firms in Cyprus can also assist the creditors during the trials against the debtors.

To enforce payment of the dues, the debtor must be judged by an authorized Court. A fee must be paid for issuing the case to the court. The value of it is regulated by the Company Registrar according to the court regulations. The judgment costs are usually paid by the defendant but it’s not a general rule, the judge may dispose that both parties must pay their part.

Normally, if the procedure for debt claiming is not disputed, the average time from the issue of proceedings to the judgment doesn’t take longer than a month.

A petition of bankruptcy can be filled only if the judgment was issued against the debtor.

After the judgment is issued, the procedures of enforcement may begin. The debtor’s assets may be object of the enforcement if the Court decides so. A subpoena for confiscation and sale of the surety's movable property can be emitted. The surety’s movable property must be part of public auctions.

If a loading order over the immovable assets of the debtor has been recorded with the Land Registry, a sale of it may be ordered if it’s necessary to cover the debtor’s dues.

The debtor’s assets may be frozen before the judgment issue by applying some measures after the claim was registered to the Court but only under some special circumstances. The immovable and movable properties can be part of the special seizure.

Out-of-court negotiations in Cyprus

Enforcement methods in Cyprus

If you need assistance in a debt collection in Cyprus, we invite you to contact our Cypriot law firm.