How much does a debt collection agency cost? Rates, WIK, and who pays

In the Netherlands, a debt collection agency typically costs between €40 and €6,775 — not as a guideline price, but based on the statutory scale (WIK) to which collection costs are tied. The good news: if the debtor pays in full, the collection procedure is often free of charge for you as the creditor. Below are the three cost models, the WIK scale with figures, and when each route will cost you the least.

Piet the plasterer believed for years that a collection agency cost “a fortune.” When his client failed to pay €9,000, he discovered that the WIK costs of €925 were simply charged to the debtor — and that the agency operated on a no cure, no pay basis. The net costs for Piet upon full collection: zero. In this article: the real story.

The short answer: how much does a debt collection agency cost?

Three cost models you encounter:

• No cure, no pay. You only pay upon success — usually a 10 to 20% commission on the collected amount (excl. VAT). If nothing is collected: no costs, except for any administration or file fees.
• Passing on WIK. The statutory extrajudicial collection costs are charged to the debtor according to a fixed scale. If the debtor pays up, he pays it — not you.
• Fixed rate / subscription. For companies with many debtors: a fixed amount per file or a monthly subscription.

In practice, collection agencies often combine these models — for example, no cure no pay for the out-of-court part, with additional costs if the case is referred to court.

The WIK scale: what may be charged in collection costs?

The extrajudicial collection costs are legally established in the Decree on Compensation for Extrajudicial Collection Costs (BIK). The scale — unchanged since 2012, with an increase in the maximum since 2018:

• On the first €2,500 of the principal: 15%, with a minimum of €40.
• On the next €2,500 (up to €5,000): 10%.
• On the next €5,000 (up to €10,000): 5%.
• On the next €190,000 (up to €200,000): 1%.
• On the amount exceeding €200,000: 0.5%, with an absolute maximum of € 6.775.

A few concrete examples:

• Principal € 500 → collection costs € 75 (15% of € 500, with a minimum of € 40 already paid).
• Principal € 1,000 → € 150.
• Principal € 5,000 → € 625 (€ 375 + € 250).
• Principal € 10,000 → € 875 (€ 375 + € 250 + € 250).
• Principal € 50,000 → € 1,275 (€ 875 + 1% × € 40,000).

Full explanation with all scenarios: the Debt Collection Costs Act (WIK) and passing on debt collection costs and statutory interest. Official text: the BIK on wetten.overheid.nl.

The WIK scale always applies to consumers

If you sell to consumers, you may not charge more in collection costs than the WIK scale prescribes. Furthermore, you must first send a 14-day letter (demand notice) — without that letter, your right to collection costs lapses. Also read Charging collection costs: what is allowed and what is required.

B2B: contractual agreements may vary

For business claims, parties may make other arrangements in general terms and conditions or in an agreement — for example, a fixed percentage of 15% with their own minimum, a higher interest rate, or an interest rate combination with the statutory commercial interest rate. Condition: your general terms and conditions must apply correctly (see the explanation in ' Two-step hassle regarding the applicability of general terms and conditions').

For statutory commercial interest B2B and the current rates: statutory commercial interest on unpaid invoices. The statutory commercial interest rate in 2025/2026 is around 12% per year — substantially higher than the standard statutory interest rate for consumers.

Who pays for it in the end?

The short version: the debtor, provided that the out-of-court collection is successful and you pass on the costs to him in accordance with the law. Three scenarios:

• Full collection: debtor pays principal + interest + collection costs. Net, it costs you nothing (apart from a possible no cure no pay commission).
• Partial collection: the law stipulates that collection costs and interest are covered first, and only then the principal amount. In the event of partial payment, you can still claim the remaining amount.
• No collection: with no cure no pay, you pay little to nothing. With other models, however, there are administration or file costs. Subsequent legal proceedings entail court fees and possibly attorney fees.

When is a debt collection agency not worth the effort?

Three situations where it is — to be honest — rarely worth the effort:

• The claim is very small (for example, under €100) and you have not agreed on contractual collection costs. The costs and effort do not outweigh the proceeds.
• The debtor is in financial difficulties or bankrupt. In that case, your claim follows a different route — sometimes involving registration with an administrator or bankruptcy trustee.
• There is a serious substantive dispute regarding the invoice. In that case, consultation or legal proceedings are more logical than first pursuing an out-of-court process.

Honest recommendation

For most SME debts, a collection agency is a financially sensible instrument: statutory collection costs usually cover the engagement, and with a no cure no pay arrangement, you only pay upon success. Keeping costs truly low is only possible if your administration is in order — meaning a proper invoice, correct application of general terms and conditions, a timely reminder for consumers, and waiting no longer than a month.

View the options for initiating debt collection at MKB Juristen. For the complete step-by-step plan and what you need to arrange yourself in advance: engage a debt collection agency.

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