Debt Collection in Poland: How It Actually Works

How debt collection works in Poland, walked through end to end by Piotr Piekarski of EBOF, Debitura's collection partner in Wrocław: checking a Polish debtor, the first contact, mediation settlements, court, enforcement by bailiffs, limitation periods and what results to expect. In this walkthrough: • See how a Polish debtor is checked and traced before the first contact • Understand why a mediation settlement is the strongest tool before court • Compare the order-for-payment and e-court (EPU) routes • Learn how far enforcement goes, including board-member liability • Know which limitation periods, interest and recovery costs apply Chapters: 0:00 What happens when a case lands with EBOF 2:25 Checking the debtor in the national debt register (KRZ) 4:28 Skip tracing when contact details are wrong 6:17 The first steps: reminder, phone call, 7-day deadline 7:48 People, not software, on your case 9:25 What the law requires before court 11:14 What the amicable phase costs 12:39 Instalments and the mediation agreement 17:32 When the debtor disputes the invoice 20:09 Court routes: order for payment and e-court (EPU) 21:48 Enforcement with court bailiffs 24:17 How far enforcement goes 26:14 How old can a debt be? Limitation periods 27:53 Interest and recovery costs 29:36 Bankruptcy and restructuring 32:13 Enforcing a judgment from abroad 33:03 What results to expect ⚠️ Notes on the legal detail • 2:25 The register described is the Krajowy Rejestr Zadłużonych (KRZ), live since 1 December 2021. • 20:09 The e-court (EPU) has no legal cap on claim value. Using it only for small claims is EBOF's practice, not a rule. • 26:14 Sales of goods by a business prescribe in 2 years and carriage and forwarding claims in 1 year. A 2026 draft proposes shorter, unified limitation periods; it is not yet law. • 32:13 Judgments from other EU countries and European Enforcement Orders are enforceable in Poland without a Polish court clause (KPC art. 1153(14)). The bailiff may ask for a certified translation of the certificate. • 33:03 The success rates are EBOF's own figures, not official statistics. 📄 Full written guide, with statutes and current figures https://www.debitura.com/countries/de... Our partner in Poland, EBOF: https://www.debitura.com/partners/ebof 🌍 About Debitura Debitura is the global debt collection platform for international businesses. We connect you with 500+ licensed collection partners in 183 countries — all from one dashboard, one contract, one invoice. 🔗 Links Website: https://www.debitura.com Help center: https://support.debitura.com Contact: contact@debitura.com #Debitura #DebtCollection #Poland