International Debt Recovery Services: What Overseas Businesses Actually Need

International debt recovery sounds like it requires a global operation with offices on every continent. In practice, what overseas businesses actually need is much simpler: a competent local agency in the country where the debtor is located. The global framing is marketing. The local execution is what recovers money.

What International Recovery Services Offer

Local collection capability. For Spanish debts, this means a Spain-based agent who contacts the debtor in Spanish, issues formal demands with legal weight, conducts field visits to the debtor's premises, and understands the legal framework that governs commercial debt collection in Spain. This is the core capability that produces results.

Cross-border legal expertise. Understanding how to enforce a judgment obtained in one country against assets in another. Within the EU, the Brussels Regulation and European Enforcement Order provide established mechanisms. Post-Brexit UK enforcement requires different procedures. Non-EU enforcement depends on bilateral treaties and the Hague Convention. Your agency should know which route applies to your specific situation.

Multi-jurisdictional coordination. If your debtor has assets in multiple countries, or if you're pursuing debtors across several jurisdictions simultaneously, coordination between local agents becomes necessary. This is the one area where network agencies add genuine value over direct-to-local arrangements.

Two Models: Network vs. Direct

Network agencies maintain referral relationships with local agents in dozens of countries. You submit your case to a central office; they forward it to the appropriate local partner. Advantages: single point of contact, centralised reporting, administrative simplicity. Disadvantages: two margins (you pay the network fee plus the local agent's commission), communication through an intermediary, limited control over who actually handles your case.

Direct engagement with local agencies in each country where you have debtors. Advantages: direct access to the person handling your case, lower total cost, faster execution, ability to evaluate the specific agent. Disadvantages: managing multiple agency relationships, consolidating reporting yourself.

For businesses with debts concentrated in Spain (or one or two other countries), direct engagement is almost always more effective. For businesses managing a portfolio of debts across ten or more countries, a network may offer administrative convenience that justifies the additional cost. More on this comparison here.

What to Look For in International Recovery Services

The evaluation criteria are the same regardless of whether you're using a network or going direct: physical presence in the debtor's country, B2B commercial specialisation, integrated legal capability, transparent no-win, no-fee terms, and verifiable recovery data segmented by jurisdiction, debt type, and age.

Specific to international services:

Jurisdictional expertise. Ask specifically about the country where your debtor is located. A service that "operates in 190 countries" is describing a referral network's breadth, not operational depth. What matters is whether the agent in Spain (or wherever your debtor is) has the local knowledge and legal capability to handle your case effectively.

Cross-border enforcement experience. If your case might require enforcing a judgment across borders, the service should be able to explain the specific procedures that apply. For Spain-UK enforcement post-Brexit, for example, the procedures differ depending on whether your contract includes a jurisdiction clause. An agency that can't explain this probably doesn't handle cross-border cases regularly.

Communication quality. International cases involve multiple time zones, languages, and legal systems. The service should provide clear, regular updates in your language, with honest assessments of progress and realistic timelines. If communication quality is poor during the evaluation phase, it won't improve once you're a client.

FAQ

Do I need an "international" agency, or just a local one in Spain?

For a debt owed by a single Spanish debtor, you need a Spanish agency. The "international" label adds nothing to the collection process in that specific case. For debts across multiple countries, an international service provides coordination value. The key is matching the service to your actual needs, not paying for capability you don't use.

How do I manage currency and payment across borders?

Most agencies invoice and pay out in the currency of recovery (euros for Spanish debts). Currency conversion happens at settlement. Some agencies can pay in your home currency, though exchange rates may be less favourable than converting yourself. Clarify the payment currency and any conversion costs before engaging.