Payment order (betalingspåkrav)
Also known as payment order, simplified collection procedure, simplified judicial process, § 477 b, betalingspåkrav, forenklet inkassoproces, retligt betalingspåkrav
A payment order is a simplified judicial collection procedure for undisputed claims of no more than 100.000 kr., giving you an enforceable instrument without a full court case.
In practice
The payment order is the simplified route through the court system. If the claim is no more than 100.000 kr. and the debtor does not dispute it, you can obtain an enforceable instrument without running an ordinary court case. It is faster and cheaper than a writ of summons.
The case is filed with the bailiff’s court, which serves the order on the debtor. If no objection arrives before the deadline, the bailiff’s court endorses the order — and that endorsement has the same effect as a judgment. From there, an attachment can be levied.
If the debtor does object, the simplified procedure stops. The case must then be heard as an ordinary civil case, and the claim must be proven.
Where it commonly goes wrong
- Choosing the payment order for a claim you know will be disputed. The time is wasted — the case has to take the long road anyway.
- The monetary limit is exceeded because interest and costs are counted in. Assess the limit correctly before filing.
- Going to the bailiff’s court before the out-of-court route has been tried. Most cases are resolved more cheaply with a collection letter and a settlement.