1. Costs - No Win No Fee! 

Having long standing relationships with all our overseas partners we have agreements to provide these services on a NO WIN NO FEE basis charging the agreed commission rate against monies recovered only. 

2. Coverage in Brazil 

We cover all 26 states and the federal district (capital). We have offices in Novo Hamburgo and Porto Alegre but we are registered and able to collect / litigate in all regions throughout Brazil. 

3. Local Experience 

Unlike many of our competitors all cases are handled by the local office or partner. The reasons for this are they speak the debtors' language in this case Portuguese and we understand the local cultures and know all the legal processes. These are reasons why Creditreform are the ideal people to help you in collecting debts from overseas. 

4. Statute of Limitation in Brazil 

5 years but there are many special exemptions so whatever the age please contact us and we will advise if we can assist with your claim 
Search a country below for debt collection: 

How to Instruct Us 

We simply require the following details: 
Full name & address of the debtor 
All available contact details of the debtor i.e. contact name(s) / Tel / Mobile / Email(s) 
Amount owed (Invoice(s) or Statement will help) 
PLEASE CALL US ON +44 121 442 5330 FOR FURTHER DETAILS 
Or ask us to call you – just leave us your details: 

Case Study - USD 9,500 recovered from Brazil Debtor 

Initiation of Case 
 
A Brazil shipping protection group had an outstanding debt of USD 9,500 due from a company based in Maranhao, Brazil. The debt related to annual shipping security and safety checks. 
 
Debt Collection Process 
 
Despite efforts the client did not receive settlement of their invoices so instructed Creditreform to pursue on their behalf. This was a complex case as the debtor was not the owner of the vessel and ceased acting on their behalf. The owner was based in Singapore so we had to establish who was responsible for the debt. Following joint efforts between ourselves and local partners we resolved the case and effected full payment to the client. 
 
Summary 
 
The client was extremely grateful for all our efforts and made our company their number one point of contact for any international debt issues. 

Brazil Debt Collection – No Win No Fee 

Creditreform operates a global specialist International debt collections service. We have local offices and fully approved expert international debt collection agency partners in every country worldwide. All our International debt collection agency partners and offices operate on a No Win No Fee basis charging an agreed commission against monies recovered only. All our international offices and partners initiate the collection processes by sending the debtors a debt collection letter to introduce their involvement. 
 
Chilean companies generally pay their bills and invoices on time. Invoices are normally settled within 60 – 90 days. The legal system is also good but actions can take time and be quite costly. Pre-court collection processes by our approved local Chilean debt collection partner will prove far  more cost effective and a speedier process to recover your monies successfully. 
 
Chilean debtors will also pay debt collection costs and late payment interest. However, these will normally be negotiated  and part of the final settlement especially if an agreed payment plan has been put in place. 
 
Main reasons why a local country debt recovery agency is so important rather than trying to recover from a debt collection agency UK are as follows: 
 
The local International Debt collection Partners know: 
 
The local cultures 
The best methods of initiating debt recovery letters and processes 
The languages 
The laws 
Are in the same time zones 
 
Herewith details of our debt collection service Brazil: 

Location of debt recovery office in Brazil? 

Novo Hamburgo/RS and Porto Alegre/RS, but we are registered and able to litigate on every jurisdiction on the country. 

Number of debt collection staff? 

75 lawyers and 25 paralegals/support staff 

How long have you been operating a debt recovery service in Brazil? 

We have been operating a South America debt collection service on a no win no fee basis in Brazil since 1990 (over 30 years). Brazil is included on our debt collection agency list

What type of debt collection services do you provide? Do you do commercial debt recovery (B2B) and consumer debt recovery (B2C)? 

We handle both Business to Business debt recovery cases and Business to Consumer debt collections cases. There is different content for business to business debt collection letter templates and business to consumer debt collection letters templates

Statue of Limitation in Brazil? 

It depends on the debt, usually 5-10 years. 
 
Brazil civil litigation statute of limitations is a law that time limits a plaintiff’s right to bring a claim against a defendant. The statute of limitations in Brazil is 5-10 years. However, if an action has been taken within this time then the statute of limitations time will be extended to account for this. Once the specified time period elapses then no action can be taken through the legal processes unless the plaintiff is able to prove exceptional circumstances. Other Statute of Limitations include: 
 
Brazil Open Account Years – 10 years 
Brazil Promissory Notes – 10 years 
Brazil Written Contracts – 10 years 
Brazil Oral Agreements – 10 years 

How EU (European Union) laws effect debt collection in Brazil? 

Brazilian laws are very similar to EU laws but we have huge consumer protection and usually courts will apply Brazilian law disregarding of any parties agreement or contract. 
 
Brazil is in discussions over a free trade agreement (FTA) as part of Mercosur which includes 4 South America countries together with the European Union (EU). This is referred to as The European Union–Mercosur free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union who reach agreement in principle in 2019. The other Mercosur member states are Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay

How many companies registries in Brazil for businesses (i.e. UK has just 1 central registry)? 

There are numerous registries for business. Each state has one chamber of commerce that regulates estate registration, cities also may have a registry center and there is a central registration for companies nation wide. Usually companies are registered in the 3 (city, state and federal). 
 
There is 1 company registry in Brazil which is called Department of Business Registration and Integration (DREI) with 27 regional (state / district) registers but only 16 have data this is publicly available: 
Acre - Commercial Registry of Acre 
Alagoas - Commercial Registry of Alagoas 
Amapá - Commercial Registry of Amapá 
Amazonas - Commercial Registry of Amazonas 
Bahia - Commercial Registry of Bahia 
Ceará - Commercial Registry of Ceará 
Distrito Federal - Commercial Registry of Distrito Federal 
Espírito Santo - Commercial Registry of Espírito Santo 
Goiás - Commercial Registry of Goiás 
Maranhão - Commercial Registry of Maranhão 
Mato Grosso - Commercial Registry of Mato Grosso 
Mato Grosso do Sul - Commercial Registry of Mato Grosso do Sul 
Minas Gerais - Commercial Registry of Minas Gerais 
Pará - Commercial Registry of Pará 
Paraíba - Commercial Registry of Paraíba 
Paraná - Commercial Registry of Paraná 
Pernambuco - Commercial Registry of Pernambuco 
Piauí - Commercial Registry of Piauí 
Rio de Janeiro - Commercial Registry of Rio de Janeiro 
Rio Grande do Norte - Commercial Registry of Rio Grande do Norte 
Rio Grande do Sul - Commercial Registry of Rio Grande do Sul 
Rondônia - Commercial Registry of Rondônia 
Roraima - Commercial Registry of Roraima 
Santa Catarina - Commercial Registry of Santa Catarina 
São Paulo - Commercial Registry of São Paulo 
Sergipe - Commercial Registry of Sergipe 
Tocantins - Commercial Registry of Tocantins 
 
We have access to Brazil Company Registry searches to find out who further background information on all Brazil companies. 

What is the debt collection process in Brazil? 

It depends on the document attesting the debt. If it is a invoice (or other judicially recognized debts) it is possible to file a claim asking for the debtor to pay in 15 days. If it is not paid the court will proceed with bank account blocking and all the required procedures to charge the debt. If the document is not a invoice or a non-legal recognized document there is the requirement to file a claim to first recognize the validity of the document and the debt and then proceed with debt collection. 

Average length of time to collect a debt? 

The average time taken to recover a Brazil B2B debt collection case varies from case to case but typically 1 year for judicially recognized documents, 4 years for non-recognized in Brazil. 

Can late payment fees / interest to be added to claims? 

Yes, late fees can be added for Brazil debt collection cases according to local law. 

Details on legal service / process in Brazil? 

Our office usually prefers to try to collect the debt without filling a claim, this avoid delays and costs. Brazilian judicial system has been recently renewed and since 2015 debt collections are faster and more effective. We also do a case to case analysis to recommend our clients on the best approach. Judicial costs tend to be around 1% of the debt and this amount can be charged from the debtor at the end of the claim. 
 
We have been experiencing a modernization of the judicial system in Brazil, claims are now electronic and government branches are syntonised with judges to better find resources to cover the debts. It has never been a better time to file a claim in Brazil. 

Brazil Business Credit Reports 

Creditreform provides over 88 million international business credit reports throughout Europe and 200 million international business credit reports worldwide. We provide freshly investigated Brazil Credit Reports which can be done prior to trading to make sure the company you will be dealing with can meet the commitment or once the debt becomes overdue to ensure the debtor can meet the amount owed. 

Brazil Skip Tracing Agents 

Creditreform’s debt collection company service also uses expert local Brazil tracing agent services to locate any absconded debtor. This debtor tracing service is provided on a No Find No Fee basis only charging for a successful trace. 

Specialist Debt Recovery Experts 

There are many unique requirements to recovering international debts in all countries including Brazil debt collection services which differ from the UK and therefore it is very important that cases are handled directly by our expert international debt collection agencies and not from debt collectors UK. This method of international debt collection sets Creditreform aside from the competition who in many cases try and recover debts from a UK debt collector only. Using the local offices and partners enables us to achieve a far greater success rate and our No Win No Fee service together with competitive commission rates against monies recovered only ensures you get the best service. 

Brazil Debt Collection Partners in the following Brazilian Cities 

Which countries border Brazil? 

Who are the main trading partners for Brazil? 

The main trade markets for Brazil are China, United States (USA), Argentina, Germany, Netherlands, Canada and South Korea

What is the legal system in Brazil? 

The Brazil legal system is based on German, Italian, French and Portuguese law. 

What is the name of the Government Gazette in Brazil? 

The Gazette in Brazil is called the Diário Oficial da União - Official Journal of the Union. 

What is the Supreme Court in Brazil? 

The Supreme Court in Brazil is called the Supreme Federal Court, Superior Court of Justice. 

Brazil Debt Collection Agency FAQs 

1. How does a Debt collection agency in Brazil recover overdue debts? 

The debt collection process is initiated by an introductory letter to your debtor stating the amount owed to you and informing them of our involvement. Letters are then followed up with emails and telephone calls. From our experience the most effective part of this process will be the outsourcing to a third party debt collection agency in Brazil as the debtor now has to resolve the debt and can no longer hide or provide lame excuses. 

2. How long does the debt recovery agency in Brazil take to process a case? 

The debt collection case will be processed immediately up receipt and a letter sent normally by email and post. You will receive an automated confirmation by return. 

3. What is the success rate for debt collection agencies in Brazil? 

The success rate of the debt recovery case depends on a number of factors including the solvency of the debtor and whether the case has a legitimate dispute. Our aim is to recover every debt that is recoverable. 

4. Does the debt recovery agency in Brazil operate a No Win No Fee debt collection? 

We take on all debt collection cases on No Win No Fee basis only charging the agreed commission against monies recovered. 

5. Why use a local debt recovery agency in Brazil? 

The reasons for using a local Brazil debt collection agency than processing from a different country is the debt collector in Brazil speaks the local language, knows the local laws and operates in the same time zones. 

6. Are there any debts too old or too small for Brazil debt collection? 

We will assess all debt cases, irrelevant of age and size and then advise the best processes to recover these through the Brazil debt collector. 

7. How do I instruct the debt collectors in Brazil? 

Instructing the debt collectors Brazil is a simple process. You just email details of the debt, debtor and amount to be recovered and the case can be initiated. 

8. What evidence do I need to provide when instructing the Brazil debt collector? 

When instructing the debt collector in Brazil just provide copies of invoices/statements, debtor contact details and any relevant information you may have to assist with the recovery process. 

9. Who does the debtor pay? 

In general the debt collector in Brazil will request payments to be sent directly to the client but if not possible for any reasons will take payment directly. If payment is taken then cleared funds will be processed and sent to client straight away. 

10. Can I instruct multiple cases? 

You can send unlimited debt case instructions. Our systems will automate volume cases to meet your requirements. 

11. Can you trace debtors in Brazil? 

Through our network of skip tracing agents we have an extremely high success rate of locating your absconded debtor. 

12. How long does the debt collection process take? 

On average the debt collections process takes 90 days to resolve an amicable debt recovery case. There are a number of factors that can delay this process but we will keep you informed every step of the way. 

13. What are my options if debt collection in Brazil is not successful? 

If the debt recovery service is not successful we will advise you of your options including legal actions. Please note no legal actions or other processes will be taken without prior instruction from you.