When a letter from Intrum arrives, the first reaction is often to pay to get rid of it. The amount claimed, the added fees, and the urgent tone create an artificial urgency. Before making any payment, several checks can help distinguish a valid claim from a questionable one and accurately assess the debtor’s room for maneuver.
Statute of limitations for claims made by Intrum
The statute of limitations is the first filter to apply. Depending on the nature of the contract that gave rise to the debt, the period after which the claim is no longer enforceable varies significantly. The table below summarizes the most common cases in debt collection files.
| Type of claim | Statute of limitations | Applicable text |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer credit | 2 years | Consumer Code, article L218-2 |
| Invoice between professional and individual | 2 years | Consumer Code, article L218-2 |
| Enforceable title (judgment, order) | 10 years | Civil Execution Procedures Code |
| Commercial claim (between professionals) | 5 years | Commercial Code, article L110-4 |
An unpaid consumer credit over two years old without any interruptive act is time-barred. Intrum cannot resurrect a claim extinguished by the statute of limitations. The difficulty lies in identifying the acts that interrupt this period: a debt acknowledgment, even oral, or a judicial filing resets the clock to zero.
To accurately assess your rights against Intrum, you must first date the last payment incident and verify that no interruptive acts have occurred since.
Intrum’s standing to act: assignment of claim and required proof
Intrum operates under two distinct models, and this distinction changes the nature of the evidence to be requested.
- As a debt collection agent, Intrum acts on behalf of the original creditor. The company must produce the signed agreement with this creditor and the notice of default compliant with regulatory obligations.
- As an assignee of the claim (via its subsidiary Intrum Debt Finance AG), Intrum has purchased the debt. It must then provide the individualized assignment slip, which precisely identifies the claim in question, its amount, and the debtor.
- Since May 3, 2025, article L54-11-14 of the Monetary and Financial Code imposes enhanced obligations on managers of non-performing loans: written agreement, access to relevant information, and maintenance of obligations towards the borrower.
A generic assignment slip, listing thousands of claims without individualization, constitutes an exploitable flaw. Without an individualized assignment slip, Intrum lacks standing to act. This deficiency has already led to the annulment of seizures in banking disputes.
Distinguishing between service provider and data controller
The legal role of Intrum can vary, including in terms of data protection. For billing management, Intrum may declare itself a subcontractor. For other activities, it may be the data controller. This distinction determines to whom a request for access, rectification, or deletion under the GDPR should be addressed.
In practice, if Intrum refuses to disclose the identity of the creditor or the supporting documents, a request for access to personal data (article 15 of the GDPR) obliges the company to provide the information held on the file.
Contesting an Intrum collection notice: procedure and response times
Written contestation remains the most effective lever. A registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt creates a dated record and obliges Intrum to respond.
Intrum’s internal complaint procedure provides for an acknowledgment of receipt within 10 working days when an immediate response is not possible. This documented timeframe by the company itself offers a reference point for follow-up or escalation.
Minimal content of a contestation letter
The letter must request three specific elements:
- A copy of the original contract binding the debtor to the initial creditor, along with the applicable general terms and conditions.
- The enforceable title or, failing that, the individualized assignment slip proving that Intrum holds the claim.
- A detailed breakdown of the amounts claimed, distinguishing the outstanding principal, contractual interest, and any fees.
On this last point, a friendly collection agency cannot charge fees to the debtor. Collection fees are the responsibility of the creditor. Any amount added as “file fees” or “management fees” in the context of friendly collection is contestable.
Friendly collection or judicial procedure: what the debtor really risks
As long as Intrum acts in friendly collection, its means are limited to letters, calls, and notices of default. The company does not have the power to seize a bank account, garnish wages, or list the debtor on a payment incident file.
However, if Intrum holds an enforceable title (judgment, uncontested payment order), the procedure shifts. A bailiff can then initiate enforcement measures: account seizure, wage garnishment within legal limits.
The absence of an enforceable title renders any threat of seizure legally unfounded. Verifying the existence of this title is the central question before deciding to pay or contest.
When a payment order has been issued, the debtor has a period to file an opposition. After this period without any action, the order acquires enforceable force, and the options for contestation are significantly reduced.
Each Intrum file boils down to three checks: is the statute of limitations applicable, is the standing to act proven, and does an enforceable title exist? As long as these three points have not received documented answers, no payment should be made.
