An invoice is unpaid, reminders go unanswered, or the customer withholds payment because of alleged defects.
What matters now
- Keep limitation in mind: under German law, many claims become time-barred after three years, counted from the end of the year in which they arose. The end of the year is therefore often the critical point.
- Establish default clearly; it gives rise to default interest and a lump-sum charge.
- Take the customer’s objections seriously and document them. They determine the right route.
- If the claim is undisputed, the court payment order procedure is fast and inexpensive; if it is disputed, the route is more likely a lawsuit.
- Clarify beforehand whether there is anything to recover from the customer. If your customer is based in Germany, I can pursue the claim here directly.
Documents I need
- offer, order or contract and the general terms included
- delivery note, acceptance or proof of performance
- invoices, reminders, payments received
- correspondence on defects or objections
Next steps
Send me the documents by email to kanzlei@bauer.legal or use the appointment request, and mention any deadline that is running. I usually reply within one working day and let you know how things can proceed. You can write to me in English or German. How we work together and how fees are charged is explained under How we work together.
More: Civil and commercial law.
This page gives a general overview of German law and does not replace advice on the individual case.