When to use it
Send it when a foreign business customer fails to pay. Most Danish creditors wait longer on foreign claims than on domestic ones — out of a mixture of courtesy and resignation — and it is an expensive habit. Within the EU, a Danish judgment can be enforced where the debtor is, and there is a common procedure for undisputed claims. The case is not hopeless. It is merely unfamiliar.
It has to be right
The wording is rarely the problem. It is the deadline, the fee and what the letter leaves out — and the mistake costs you the expenses, not the debtor.
- Cite the EU Late Payment Directive. It applies across the EU, and the customer knows it
- State the amount in the currency of the invoice — not in kroner if the invoice was issued in euro
- State which country's law and which venue apply, if that has been agreed
- Do not wait longer on foreign claims than on domestic ones. Distance does not improve a claim that is left to sit
How to fill it in
Most placeholders are trivial. These are not.
- The currency
- State the claim in the currency of the invoice. If you convert it into kroner, you hand the customer an objection about the exchange rate for free — and a reason to wait.
- The interest clause
- If an interest rate has been agreed in your terms of sale, refer to it. If it has not, the Directive's minimum applies — and that is still considerably more than nothing.
- Venue and choice of law
- If it is in the contract, put it in the letter. It signals that you know where the case will end — and that is often what moves a customer who assumed the distance was your problem.
Frequently asked questions
Can a claim abroad be recovered at all?
Within the EU, yes. A Danish judgment can be enforced in the debtor's country without fresh proceedings, and for undisputed claims there is the European order for payment. Outside the EU it is a different exercise — nothing happens automatically.
Do the Danish fees apply to a foreign customer?
The compensation amount derives from an EU directive and exists across the EU — the Danish amount of 310 kr. corresponds to the Directive's minimum of 40 EUR. Reminder fees, by contrast, follow Danish law and can be claimed if Danish law has been agreed.
Legal disclaimer. The template is generic and free to use. It is not legal advice and does not take account of the circumstances of your particular case. Rates, deadlines and statutory references change — check them before you use the document. If the claim is large, disputed or heading for court, call us before you send anything.