Debt recovery · Czechia
Payment order and claim for payment (Czechia)
Recovering a claim against a Czech debtor under Czech law. A letter before action, payment order and, where required, a claim. From a lawyer registered with the Czech Bar.
What we'll do for you
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Assessment of the claim under Czech law
Czech law of obligations and procedural rules differ from Slovak rules in details that matter. We assess the claim from the perspective of a Czech court.
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Letter before action in Czech
We prepare the demand as required by Czech legislation. A properly sent demand also matters for the later recovery of the costs of proceedings.
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Application for a payment order
We file the application with the competent Czech court and use the electronic procedure where appropriate. We confirm the procedure and court fee in advance.
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Representation before a Czech court
As a firm with a lawyer registered with the Czech Bar, we act directly before Czech courts. We handle submissions, supplementary documents and communication with the court.
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Calculation of ancillary claims
We calculate default interest and costs under current Czech legislation so that the application can stand without reductions.
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Monitoring deadlines and next steps
We monitor service, the opposition deadline and finality. If opposition is lodged or payment is not made, we propose the next step, including enforcement in Czechia.
Deliverableletter before action sent and payment order application filed; once final, a title enforceable in Czechia
How it works
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- You provide the documentsday 0
Email the invoices, contract and correspondence, in Slovak if you prefer. We translate them into Czech and the language of Czech law.
- Assessment under Czech lawtypically within 24 h
We confirm whether and how to recover the claim in Czechia, together with the price and approach.
- Letter before action
The debtor receives a demand in Czech from a lawyer registered with the Czech Bar, with a payment deadline and a clear description of what follows.
- Payment order
If the debtor does not pay, we file an application with the Czech court and pursue the proceedings with the aim of obtaining an enforceable title.
- Enforcement in Czechia
We pursue recovery of the claim awarded by a final payment order through a Czech enforcement officer. We handle the application and communication.
Claims against Czech customers are written off by Slovak businesses more often than necessary. The reason is usually the same: ‘it is abroad’. Yet Czechia need not be unfamiliar territory for your claim. It is a country with functioning courts and enforcement officers, simply with its own rules. Those who know them can recover there as reliably as at home.
Our firm’s lawyer is registered with both the Czech and Slovak Bar Associations, so we do not conduct Czech proceedings through an intermediary. We write the letter before action in Czech and under Czech legislation, including the requirements that later determine recovery of the costs of proceedings. We file the application for a payment order (known in Czechia as a ‘platební rozkaz’) with the competent Czech court and, once it is final, can proceed to enforcement through a Czech enforcement officer.
For you, the process remains straightforward: you send documents in Slovak, receive summaries in Slovak and know the price in advance. The debtor’s language and law are our work, rather than a concern for you.
No-obligation enquiry
Ready to start?
Send us an enquiry. We usually reply within 24 hours with a price confirmation and next steps. The first 30-minute consultation is free and commits you to nothing.
- 1Send your enquiry via this form
- 2Usually within 24 h you get a price confirmation and plan
- 3We start work only after your approval
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What clients ask
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Why do I need a demand under Czech law rather than an ordinary reminder?
Czech legislation provides for a letter before action, and sending it correctly also matters for recovery of the costs of proceedings. A demand from a Czech Bar lawyer also clearly signals to the Czech debtor that the next step is a Czech court, rather than another email from abroad that they can ignore.
Must I communicate with the Czech court or authorities?
No. We handle the entire proceedings. You receive clear summaries in Slovak and only decide on the next steps.
What if the debtor lodges opposition?
The proceedings continue as a dispute before a Czech court, where we represent you directly. Before this step, we always assess the prospects and agree the approach and fee.
In what currency and with what interest is the claim recovered?
Generally in the currency agreed, whether Czech crowns or euros. We calculate default interest under current Czech legislation and claim it alongside the principal.
We signed the contract under Slovak law. Can we recover in Czechia?
Yes. These situations are common in cross-border trade. We assess the applicable law and competent court from your contract and the rules on cross-border disputes, then propose the most practical route for you. These are precisely the cases where a firm familiar with both legal systems offers an advantage.
What if the debtor does not pay even after the payment order becomes final?
You have a title enforceable in Czechia. We prepare the enforcement application, file it with a Czech enforcement officer and monitor recovery through to payment.
Legal Q&A
Common questions on this topic
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What is a payment order and how can I challenge it?
A payment order is a summary court decision requiring the debtor, without a hearing, to pay the claim and costs within 15 days or file an objection within the same period. A timely objection supported by substantive reasons sets the order aside and the dispute continues; in separate procedural joinder, however, one defendant's objection does not set the order aside against the others. Without an objection, the order becomes final and enforceable. Separate electronic payment order proceedings work similarly.
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How does a European order for payment work, and what do we need for Form A?
A European order for payment is a uniform EU procedure for cross-border monetary claims. Applications use Form A under Regulation (EC) No. 1896/2006, and the court issues the order without a hearing, normally within 30 days. The defendant may object within 30 days of service without giving reasons. The case then continues as ordinary proceedings unless you stated you did not want this. Prepare precise party details, principal, interest and costs, claim basis codes and evidence descriptions.
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A Czech customer has lodged an objection against the order for payment without giving any reasons. Will the dispute drag on for years?
Not necessarily. A Czech court cannot reject an objection against an order for payment for want of reasons; the order is set aside by it and the dispute continues. The court may, however, order the defendant by resolution to respond in writing within a period of at least 30 days and to set out its defence with supporting evidence. If the defendant stays silent without serious cause, the claim is deemed to have been admitted and the court may give judgment on admission even without a hearing.
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Further reading
A Czech payment order and a debtor who does not collect post: data mailboxes, cancellation of the order and what comes next
A Czech payment order is quick, but it stands or falls on personal service. We explain why non-collection does not help a company with a data mailbox, when the court cancels the order or does not issue it at all, and how a Slovak creditor verifies the debtor's address before filing.
Read more →
Czech customer not paying? Recovering a debt in Czechia without a second law firm
A debtor across the border does not mean a lost claim. How to recover from a Czech customer, from a demand and payment order to enforcement, and why two law firms are unnecessary.
Read more →
A Czech company with a Slovak debtor: four rules that work differently in Slovakia
A Czech company recovering an invoice in Slovakia naturally proceeds on Czech habits. Slovak law, however, ties costs to a pre-action demand differently, regulates the debtor's defence against a payment order differently, allocates the enforcement officer differently and calculates accessories differently. An overview for creditors from Czechia before the first step.
Read more →