An "inkasso" letter in your Digital Post is designed to feel urgent. But Danish debt collection follows strict rules — fixed fee limits, mandatory notice, a 3-year limitation rule — and you have real rights, including the right to dispute a wrong claim. Here is the calm, step-by-step version in English.
The numbers the collector must respect
| Rule | The limit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Reminder fees | Max 3 reminders of max 100 kr. each | More or bigger fees on the letter = red flag, dispute them |
| Inkasso warning | 10 days' written notice before collection may start | No warning = the collection step itself is out of order |
| Limitation (forældelse) | Most consumer claims expire after 3 years | Old claim out of nowhere? Check whether it has expired — expired claims cannot be enforced |
Step 1: is the claim right?
- Is it yours? Right name, right product or service, right period?
- Is the amount right? Original bill plus lawful fees and interest — not a mystery total?
- Is it too old? If nothing has interrupted it (payments, acknowledgements, court steps), a 3-year-old consumer claim may be expired.
If the claim is wrong: dispute it in writing
Write, don't call. Send a short written objection to the collector: which claim, why it is wrong, and ask them to document it. A disputed claim cannot simply roll on to enforcement — it must be settled first. Keep a copy of everything.
An objection you can copy:
«I dispute the claim of [amount] regarding [invoice/reference from the letter]. Reason: [the amount is wrong / it is already paid / I never entered this agreement]. Please send documentation for the claim, and pause collection until the dispute is settled. Date, [name]»
If the claim is right: act, don't hide
Pay if you can. If you cannot, contact the creditor or collector and propose a realistic instalment plan — collectors prefer a paying agreement over court. Public debt (tax, fines, licence) is collected by Gældsstyrelsen, the state's own collection agency, under separate rules.
What happens if you ignore it
The claim can go to the enforcement court (fogedretten) and you can be registered as a bad payer (RKI) — which affects everything from phone subscriptions to renting a home. The letter is not the danger; silence is.
For claims up to DKK 100,000 that step formally happens as a payment order (betalingspåkrav): once it is served on you, a written objection must reach the court within 14 days — 4 weeks if you are served abroad — otherwise the order becomes binding like a judgment (Administration of Justice Act § 477 e). Our Danish guide walks through the objection step by step.
Is the letter from Gældsstyrelsen — or from a private collector?
Debt to the public sector (tax, benefits, fees, fines) is not collected by private agencies but by Gældsstyrelsen, the Danish Debt Agency — and their letters follow different tracks than private inkasso. Log on to Mit gældsoverblik (via gaeldst.dk) to see the amount, the interest and who the debt is owed to. If you do not recognise the debt — or believe it has already been paid in full or in part — the agency's own advice is to contact them directly; for decisions you disagree with there is a separate complaints track. The written-objection recipe on this page applies to PRIVATE collection letters.
Not sure what your inkasso letter actually says?
Upload a photo — Sofia explains the claim, the fees and your options in plain English, and helps you write the objection or instalment proposal in Danish. Free to try, no login.
Explain my inkasso letterFrequently asked questions
How many reminder fees are legal in Denmark?
At most 3 reminder fees of max 100 kr. each, and there must be at least 10 days between reminders. After that, the creditor must send a 10-day inkasso warning before starting debt collection.
What if the debt is not mine or the amount is wrong?
Dispute it in writing immediately: state which claim you dispute and why, and ask for documentation. A disputed claim must be settled — often in court — before it can be enforced.
Do old debts expire in Denmark?
Most consumer claims expire after 3 years unless the limitation period has been interrupted — for example by a payment, a written acknowledgement or court steps. An expired claim cannot be enforced.
What is Gældsstyrelsen?
The Danish state's own debt collection agency. It collects PUBLIC debt — taxes, fines, media licence — under separate rules. Private inkasso companies collect private claims.
The letter is from Gældsstyrelsen (the Danish Debt Agency) and I don't recognise the debt. What now?
First log on to Mit gældsoverblik at gaeldst.dk — it shows the amount, the interest and who the debt is owed to, which often explains where it comes from. If you still don't recognise it, or believe it was already paid, contact Gældsstyrelsen directly (their own advice when you disagree). If you are unhappy with a decision, there is a separate complaints procedure described on their site.