The 60-Second Test: Collecting From a Dutch Company (56-second quiz)
A 56-second INTERCOL quiz on a tablet: five questions about collecting from a Dutch company, five seconds each, then the answer.
Chapters
Transcript
Question 1: Your Dutch customer is 60 days late. Can you charge interest if your contract doesn't mention it? A) No, not without a clause B) Yes, statutory commercial interest C) Only after a court ruling. Answer: Yes, statutory commercial interest. Yes. It runs automatically from the due date: the ECB rate plus 8 points. Question 2: What fixed compensation can you add to each late invoice? A) €40 B) Nothing C) €400. Answer: €40. At least €40 per invoice under EU late-payment rules, plus reasonable collection costs. Question 3: Can their Dutch bank account be frozen before any judgment? A) Never B) Only for tax debts C) Yes, with a judge's leave. Answer: Yes, with a judge's leave. Yes. A pre-judgment attachment, often granted within days, without hearing the debtor. Question 4: The claim is €18,000. Do you need a Dutch lawyer to sue? A) Yes, always B) No, not up to €25,000 C) Only if you write in English. Answer: No, not up to €25,000. No. Claims up to €25,000 go to the subdistrict court, where companies can act without a lawyer. Question 5: Who delivers the court summons to the debtor? A) A court bailiff B) Registered post C) Your lawyer, by email. Answer: A court bailiff. The same bailiff later enforces the judgment, usually on the bank account. Stuck on one or two? That's normal. Knowing the next step is our job. INTERCOL. International debt recovery. No cure, no pay.