Service description Easy

1 Introduction

Easy is a comprehensive reminder and collection service offered by Svea for Finnish companies that need support in collecting individual, overdue and undisputed receivables. The service is intended for both consumer and corporate receivables and covers, for example, unpaid invoices related to the sale of movable property or service agreements. The service has been created as an easy-to-use solution that enables efficient yet customer-oriented recovery of receivables.

In this document, the company using the service is referred to as the Client, the service provider (Svea Perintä Oy) as the Service Provider, and the debtor customer as the Customer.

1.1 Glossary

The glossary contains terms used in this document. 

C

Client / Principal (tilaaja / toimeksiantaja)
The company or organisation that has ordered the collection service and has a customer relationship with Svea.

Consumer (kuluttaja)
A natural person who does not represent a company or other organisation.

Consumer receivable (kuluttajasaatava)
A debt for which a consumer is liable.

Court judgment (tuomio)
A judgment issued by the district court to confirm the customer’s obligation to pay, enabling enforcement by the enforcement authority.

Customer (asiakas)
A natural person or company that has received money or other value on credit and is obliged to repay it to the client.

E

Enforcement (ulosotto)
A process in which the creditor’s receivable is submitted for enforcement if the debtor does not pay voluntarily. Public-law receivables are directly enforceable without a court decision; other receivables require a court judgment.

L

Legal collection (oikeudellinen perintä)
A process in which the creditor seeks a district court decision to compel payment when voluntary collection has not been successful.

O

OmaSvea
The customer self-service portal provided by Svea.

Online service (online-palvelu)
The client’s self-service portal provided by Svea.

P

Payment default entry (maksuhäiriö)
An entry in the credit information register indicating that the debtor has not fulfilled their financial obligations. Receiving a reminder or collection letter does not in itself lead to a payment default entry.

Payment delay record (maksuviivetieto)
Information on a delay in paying a due invoice that is submitted to a company’s credit information register.

Payment demand / Collection letter (Maksuvaatimus / Perintäkirje)
If a receivable is not paid by the due date of the payment reminder, the collection agency sends a payment demand (collection letter).

Payment plan (maksusuunnitelma)
An agreement under which a debt is paid in instalments according to an agreed schedule.

Payment reminder (maksumuistutus)
A written reminder to pay a due invoice whichby law must be sent before collection measures can begin.

Post-collection (jälkiperintä)
The monitoring and management process for a debt when legal collection has not produced results or is not appropriate. In practice, the customer’s payment capacity is monitored and any changes are addressed.

Protest entry (protestimerkintä)
A payment default entry recorded in a company’s credit information due to tratta collection.

Protest list (protestilista)
A public list on which corporate payment default entries – particularly tratta protests and enforcement judgments – are recorded. Failure to pay a tratta may lead to a protest and a public entry on the protest list.

Public-law receivable (julkisoikeudellinen saatava)
A receivable defined in law – such as taxes or public charges – that is directly enforceable without a court decision.

Receivable (saatava)
An unpaid debt amount that the seller or lender has the right to collect.

Response (vastine)
A written explanation provided by the client in response to a complaint. The response must include the evidence relied upon.

Service provider (toimittaja)
The party implementing the collection service, i.e. Svea Perintä Oy.

T

Tratta
A payment demand used in corporate collection that includes the threat of publication. Failure to pay may lead to a payment default entry.

V

Voluntary collection (vapaaehtoinen perintä)
Collection measures in which the debtor can negotiate a payment plan or pay the debt without legal action.

2 Service content

The service is intended for companies with a Finnish business ID (y-tunnus).

Only persons with the right to sign for the company may register for the service. As the service provider must comply with “Know Your Customer” obligations, registration requires responding to customer identification questions.

Once registered, the client’s representatives gain access to Svea’s online service, where they can enter details of overdue invoices.

Svea ensures lawful and efficient collection of receivables with the aim of finding the best possible solution for each customer. If the customer cannot pay the full amount at once, the service provider prepares and monitors payment plans or due date extensions.

Users can follow the progress of collection in real time in the online service, where they can also communicate with Svea’s professional service team.

The service cannot be used to collect:

• International receivables – considered international if the invoiced company is foreign or the invoiced address is outside Finland
• Disputed receivables
• Lease receivables
• Receivables related to recurring B2C or B2B invoicing
• Time-barred receivables – under the Limitation Act, a receivable generally becomes time-barred three years after the due date unless the limitation is interrupted

3 Overview of the Easy service

Easy is a comprehensive service package where measures are assessed professionally to achieve the best possible result. Once the client initiates the service by submitting an assignment, the service provider is fully responsible for the collection of the receivable. In accordance with good collection practice, collection measures may not be carried out simultaneously elsewhere.

3.1 Reminder service

By law, a reminder must be sent to the customer before voluntary collection or tratta collection for corporate receivables. If the client has not sent the reminder, the service provider may do so.

For consumer receivables, a payment reminder may be sent 14 days after the original due date; the payment term is also 14 days. For corporate receivables, the payment term is 10 days.

If the invoice remains unpaid despite the reminder, the receivable is automatically transferred to collection.

3.2 Voluntary collection of consumer receivables

Voluntary collection begins with a written payment demand sent by post, with a payment term of 14 days. A payment demand may also be sent electronically if the customer has provided consent. The purpose is to encourage payment or, if this is not possible, to prompt the customer to contact Svea’s customer service.

At its discretion, the service provider may also contact the customer via other communication channels.

Payment plans and due date extensions

If the customer cannot pay in full, a payment plan or due date extension is negotiated where possible. The customer’s payment capacity is taken into account, and details are agreed based on the service provider’s assessment.

The customer may agree on a payment plan through customer service or using the self-service channel. The service provider approves, prepares and monitors these arrangements.

3.3 Voluntary collection of corporate receivables

In corporate collection, the service provider uses tratta collection. In this process, a payment demand containing a threat of publication is sent to the customer with a 10-day payment term. A payment delay record may also be sent to the credit information register.

Failure to pay may lead to the tratta being protested (publicly or quietly), resulting in a payment default entry.

The service provider conducts an overall assessment before protesting and proceeds only if it is economically justified.

Negotiation is also used to attempt to reach a solution, such as a payment plan.

3.4 Legal collection

If voluntary collection is unsuccessful, the service provider may, after an overall assessment, initiate automatic follow-up measures, which are charged according to the applicable price list.

Legal collection may be initiated only if the client has provided the customer’s business ID / personal identity code and the receivable is undisputed.

Legal collection begins with a summary application for a summons filed electronically with the district court. The case is processed in written form, and obtaining a judgment may take from several months up to a year.

The service provider submits the judgment electronically to enforcement. The judgment results in a payment default entry in the customer’s credit information.

The service provider automatically notifies the credit register when payment is received.

3.5 Enforcement

The service provider submits the judgment to enforcement for execution. A power of attorney from the client is required for this. Collection continues in enforcement.

When a receivable is in enforcement, the customer must pay all amounts directly to the enforcement authority, which may charge a fee for payments made. The client is responsible for this fee.

If the judgment is returned from enforcement due to lack of assets, the service provider may renew the matter in enforcement at its discretion.

3.6 Post-collection

A receivable may be transferred to post-collection if the service provider considers that legal collection is not economically viable for the client. Post-collection may also begin if a judgment is returned from enforcement due to lack of assets.

Post-collection is charged according to the applicable price list.

The objectives are to recover the receivable and to prevent it from becoming time-barred. The service provider maintains the limitation period by contacting the customer (e.g. by letter) and regularly renewing the judgment in enforcement.

3.7 Termination of collection

The service provider evaluates further measures based on what is economically most beneficial for the client. If continued collection is not considered to be in the client’s interest, collection is terminated, and the client is notified. Fees are charged according to the price list.

Collection may be terminated, for example, due to:

• Final limitation of the receivable
• No valid address for the customer
• Death of the customer
• Customer residing abroad
• Customer’s prolonged poor financial situation
• Bankruptcy discontinued due to lack of assets (bankruptcy monitoring is not performed for receivables under EUR 1,000)

4 Remittance of payments

Payments are remitted weekly to the account specified by the client. A remittance report is sent to the client’s notified email address and can also be retrieved from the online service.

5 Disputes (Complaints)

A collection assignment is considered disputed when the customer challenges the basis of the invoice. Disputes should be resolved primarily through negotiation, and quick action is essential. Under the Debt Collection Act, voluntary collection must cease immediately when a dispute arises. Voluntary collection may continue only if the customer refers to grounds that do not affect the obligation to pay (e.g. unwillingness or lack of funds).

The client must notify the service provider of any dispute immediately via the online service.

The service provider handles one dispute per assignment. Handling includes receipt of the dispute, notification to the client and delivering the client’s response to the customer. If the matter remains disputed, the alternatives are legal collection or termination of collection. The service provider evaluates the most economical option for the client. Collection is suspended during the investigation.

The client is responsible for the response and must submit it via the online service within 14 days of receiving the request. If the response is not submitted within the deadline, the service provider may charge outstanding collection costs and a fee for unsuccessful collection.

If a dispute arises after legal collection has started, the options are withdrawing the application or transferring the matter to the legal department. If withdrawn from the district court, official fees remain payable by the client.

6 Cancelling or ending an assignment

The client may cancel or end an assignment via the online service. Fees are charged according to the price list. An assignment is ended as unfounded when collection is unjustified and cannot continue, for example if the invoice was paid before referral to collection or the original invoice was never delivered.
If the client wishes to end justified collection voluntarily (e.g. after reaching an agreement with the customer), the assignment must be cancelled.

7 Direct payments or credit notes

If the customer pays the full amount or makes a partial payment directly to the client during collection, this must be reported immediately via the online service. The service provider continues collection for any remaining amounts such as collection costs.

The client must also report any crediting of the invoice. If fully credited, the assignment is marked unfounded; if partially credited, collection continues for the remaining amount.

8 Requests for invoice copies

The service provider notifies the client of invoice copy requests via the online service. Collection is paused while the copy is being provided.

The client has 14 days to send the invoice copy to the customer and must also notify the service provider once this is done. If the copy is not provided within the deadline, the service provider may terminate collection and charge outstanding collection costs and a termination fee.

Once the invoice copy is delivered, the service provider waits seven days for payment. If payment is not received, collection resumes automatically.

9 Service channels for the client

Svea’s online service is available to the client without limitation. In the service, the client can view assignments in real time, notify direct payments and credit notes, communicate with the service provider, mark receivables as unfounded or cancel them, and download various reports.

9.1 Reports

The following reports can be downloaded from the online service or delivered by email:

• Remittance report – breakdown of payments remitted to the client
• Awaiting your response – summary of tasks awaiting the client’s input
• Open assignments – list of all open invoices in collection
• Closed assignments – summary and invoice-specific details
• Invoice events – assignments transferred to post-collection

Assignment-specific credit loss certificates can also be retrieved from the service.

10 Service channels for the customer

10.1 OmaSvea service

Customers can handle their matters at any time without restrictions. Via the service, they can make online payments, view open invoices, create payment plans, dispute an invoice, order invoice copies and contact customer service. Customers receive an email notification when they have a new message.

10.2 Telephone and email

Up-to-date contact details for customer service are available in reminder and collection letters, on Svea’s website and in the OmaSvea service. Experienced customer service professionals are ready to negotiate with customers and find payment arrangements that best suit their individual needs and circumstances.