Simplify your invoice recovery process and get paid faster 💪 with Qonto's Debt Collection service. This feature helps you recover unpaid B2B invoices with the support of a professional debt collection agency, directly from your account.
When an invoice is overdue, you can request debt collection in just a few clicks. Our partner agency, CF2C, takes over and contacts your client on your behalf via phone, email, SMS, and formal written notices. You only pay if the invoice is successfully recovered—there's no upfront cost.
Can I use the Debt Collection service?
The Debt Collection service is available under specific conditions:
Geographical availability:
- France 🇫🇷
- Germany 🇩🇪
Access requirements:
- Device: Web app only 💻 (not available on the mobile app)
- Role: Account Owners, Admins, and Managers with the Invoicing permission can request debt collection. However, signing the service contract (required the first time only) requires the Owner role.
- Invoice eligibility: Only B2B invoices issued via Qonto, in EUR, and overdue by at least 1 day
Important limitations: Debt collection is not available for consumer invoices, contested invoices, invoices in a non-EUR currency, or invoices currently in legal proceedings.
How much does the service cost?
The Debt Collection service operates on a success-based pricing model with no upfront fees.
You only pay if your invoice is successfully recovered:
- Commission: 10% of the amount successfully collected
- Payment: The fee is automatically deducted from your Qonto account
- Example: If a €1,000 invoice is recovered, you pay a €100 fee and receive €900 net
If the debt is not recovered within the collection period, no fee is charged. The collection period lasts up to 120 days from the date you submit the request.
How do I request debt collection for an overdue invoice?
To start the debt collection process, follow these steps:
- Go to Business account > Invoicing > Invoices on your web app
- Open the overdue invoice you want to recover from your Invoices list
- Click Request debt collection in the invoice detail panel
- (First time only) Sign the service agreement with CF2C via electronic signature. This step only needs to be completed once—all future requests will skip this step.
- Review the confirmation screen, which shows the invoice amount and your estimated net amount after the 10% commission
- Click Confirm to submit your request
Once confirmed, CF2C will start contacting your client and the invoice status will change to In collection. You'll receive email notifications throughout the process to keep you informed of progress.
What happens after I submit a debt collection request?
Once your request is confirmed, CF2C—a professional B2B debt collection agency—takes over the recovery process on your behalf.
CF2C's recovery process includes:
- Contacting your client via multiple channels: phone, email, SMS, and formal written notices
- Negotiating payment arrangements directly with your client
- Reporting status updates back to your Qonto account
☝️ Important: CF2C always identifies itself as the collection agency in all communications—never as Qonto. This ensures transparency with your client while maintaining professional distance.
If CF2C needs additional information: The agency may request supporting documents to strengthen your case, such as signed contracts, proof of delivery, or service agreements. You'll be notified by email and will see an Action needed alert on the invoice. Documents are shared directly with CF2C, not through the Qonto platform.
If your client pays you directly: If your client sends a payment directly to your Qonto account during the collection period, it will be automatically matched to the invoice. You'll receive a notification and see an Action needed badge on the invoice. You must confirm the match to close the collection successfully, or reject it if the payment is unrelated.
How do I track my debt collection status?
You can monitor the progress of your debt collection directly from the invoice detail page. Email notifications will keep you informed of every key update.
Collection statuses explained:
- In collection: CF2C is actively working on recovering the invoice
- Action needed: Your input is required (e.g., documents requested, payment confirmation needed)
- In dispute: Your client has raised a dispute—this must be handled directly between you and your client
- Recovered: The invoice has been successfully recovered, either fully or partially
- Not recovered: The 120-day collection period ended without recovery—no fee is charged
💡 Note: The collection period lasts up to 120 days from the date of your request. If the invoice is not recovered within this timeframe, the case is automatically closed with no fee charged.
What if I need to cancel a request?
Once submitted, a debt collection request cannot be cancelled directly from the app. If you need to stop the process for any reason, please contact Qonto support for assistance.