How to Collect Unpaid Business Invoices in Spain: What Actually Works

"«Estamos revisando la factura.»" We're reviewing the invoice. It's the most common opening move in Spain, and you'll hear it whether you're owed €15,000 or €1.5 million. What follows is usually a predictable sequence: a dispute about delivery terms, a claim that the approval process requires another signature, then radio silence.

If this sounds familiar, you've already learned the expensive lesson that most overseas creditors discover too late: collecting unpaid invoices from Spanish companies requires a fundamentally different approach than your domestic collections process.

The Five Excuses (and What They Actually Mean)

"«Estamos revisando la factura.»" Translation: we've deprioritised your payment. This is the most common stalling tactic and usually appears within the first 30 days past due. It sounds reasonable, which is why creditors typically wait another 30–60 days before escalating. That patience costs you leverage.

"There's been a change in management." Translation: we're using an internal transition to justify external delays. New management may genuinely need time to review outstanding liabilities, but the debt obligation doesn't reset with a personnel change. Spanish law is clear on this point.

"We dispute the quality/delivery." Translation: this is either legitimate or a tactical delay. The distinction matters because it determines the collection approach. A genuine dispute requires negotiation. A tactical dispute requires escalation. Experienced Spanish collection agents can usually tell the difference within the first conversation.

"We're waiting for our own client to pay us." Translation: they've overextended their credit and are using your money to finance their cash flow gap. Sympathetic, perhaps, but not your problem. Their receivables difficulties don't extinguish their obligation to you. A structured payment plan may be appropriate; indefinite patience is not.

"Our legal department needs to review." Translation: the legal department has been weaponised as a delay mechanism. If legal review was genuinely required, it would have happened before or shortly after the invoice was issued — not six months later when you start pressing for payment.

What Actually Works

Local presence. A Spanish-based collection agent changes the dynamic immediately. The debtor can no longer assume you have no enforcement capability. A phone call from a local agent, referencing specific legal provisions and offering to visit the debtor's premises, produces results that months of international correspondence cannot.

Documentation leverage. Spanish courts and the monitorio procedure favour creditors with clear documentation. A contract, purchase order, invoices, proof of delivery, and correspondence trail create a case that's straightforward to enforce. The stronger your paper trail, the weaker the debtor's tactical options.

Escalation timing. The optimal window for professional collection is 60–90 days past due. Before 60 days, the debtor may still be within culturally normal (if legally late) payment behaviour. After 90 days, recovery probability begins declining measurably. After 180 days, you're competing with other creditors and the debtor's deteriorating willingness to engage.

FAQ

My Spanish client used to pay on time but has started delaying. What changed?

Gradual payment deterioration almost always reflects financial stress rather than a change in attitude. The debtor may be managing cash flow problems by extending payment cycles to international suppliers first (since domestic creditors are perceived as higher-risk to delay). An early conversation with a collection professional can assess the situation before it becomes a default.

The debtor offered 60% settlement. Should I accept?

It depends on the debtor's financial position and your assessment of the alternatives. If the debtor is genuinely struggling, 60% now may be worth more than 100% in theory after 18 months of legal proceedings. If the debtor is financially healthy and testing your resolve, rejecting the offer and escalating usually produces a better outcome. Your agency can advise based on their assessment of the debtor.