What is a disputed invoice?
An invoice is disputed as soon as your customer indicates that they do not agree with the substance of (part of) your claim. The customer cites a well-founded reason for not paying — and that makes this a legal
dispute, not an ordinary payment default.
Common reasons for dispute are that the customer claims that delivery was non-existent or incomplete, that the delivered goods or services do not conform to the agreement, that there is non-conformity, that the customer believes delivery was late and has suffered damage as a result, or that the customer claims that no agreement was concluded at all.
It makes no difference whether the customer is correct in their dispute. As soon as a defense is raised, standard debt collection is no longer the correct route.
Why doesn't regular direct debit work for a disputed invoice?
For an undisputed invoice, the out-of-court collection process works excellently — demand letters and telephone pressure lead to payment in most cases. With a disputed invoice, this has no effect. The customer does not dispute the payment, but the underlying obligation. Sending reminders is then a waste of time.
First, it must be assessed whether the dispute holds up legally. For this, knowledge of contract law, the law of evidence, and the contents of your file is necessary. A standard debt collection agency typically does not possess this.
The first step: assessing your evidentiary position
As soon as a customer disputes your invoice, the first question is: how strong is your case? We review your agreement, quotation, order confirmation, email correspondence, delivery receipts, time records, and general terms and conditions.
Based on that assessment, we will give you honest advice: does the dispute hold up legally or not? And what is the strongest next step — a legally substantiated letter of response, negotiation, settlement, or proceedings?
Legally substantiated response letter
If your case is strong enough, we will draft a legally substantiated response letter. In it, we refute the dispute point by point, substantiate your claim with relevant evidence, and announce concrete next steps if payment is not received.
A letter from MKBjuristen has significantly more impact than a letter written by the client themselves. The client knows that a law firm can not only write letters—but can also issue summonses, seize assets, and file for bankruptcy.
Negotiate or litigate?
Not every disputed invoice needs to lead to legal proceedings. Sometimes, partial payment or a settlement is the most commercially sensible outcome—especially if the business relationship is important or if the evidentiary position is not watertight.
We advise you on the chances and costs of legal proceedings before you take that step. If litigation is deemed advisable, we engage a specialized lawyer to draft the summons and conduct the proceedings. You remain with MKBjuristen — no transfer, no change of firm.
Disputed invoice: fixed price, no hourly rate
For disputed claims, we do not work on a no cure no pay basis — the legal complexity, time investment, and uncertain outcome make that impossible. We do, however, work for a fixed price: you know in advance what the assessment and the response letter will cost. No hourly rate surprises, and no switching firms if the case becomes more complex.
