Debtor (debitor)
Also known as obligor, late payer, skyldner, kredittager, rekvisitus, dårlig betaler
The debtor is the party who owes the money — the counterparty to the creditor in a debt relationship.
In practice
Debitor and skyldner are the same party. The difference is linguistic: debitor is the finance function’s word (hence debtor ledger, receivables management, aged debtor listing), while skyldner belongs to the law and is used in statutes and in court.
In the bailiff’s court the name changes again: there the debtor is called rekvisitus, and the creditor is called rekvirent. It is the same two parties all the way through — only the label changes, depending on which room the case is in.
A debtor can be an individual or a company, and the difference is decisive for which rules apply. If the debtor is a consumer, the requirements are far stricter, both for what you may do and for what you may charge.
Where it commonly goes wrong
- The debtor is confused with whoever the invoice was sent to. The claim must be directed against the legal entity that entered into the agreement — not against the contact person, and not against the parent company.
- The corporate form is overlooked. If the debtor is an ApS (a Danish private limited company), the owner is not personally liable. If it is a sole proprietorship, the owner is. That determines whether there is anything to pursue at all.