Debt Recovery in Romania for UK Clients
UK creditors can no longer use EU payment orders. Pre-action letters, the Romanian payment order and recognition of English judgments are the usual tools.
Typical matters for UK clients
UK creditors can no longer use EU payment orders. Pre-action letters, the Romanian payment order and recognition of English judgments are the usual tools.
- Romanian payment order for undisputed claims
- Recognition of English judgments in Romania
- Hague 2005 choice-of-court clauses
- Arbitration as an alternative for future contracts
Rules for a non-EU party from the United Kingdom
Since 2021 the UK is outside Brussels I Recast. Judgments under exclusive choice-of-court agreements may benefit from the 2005 Hague Choice of Court Convention; otherwise recognition follows Book VII of the Romanian Code of Civil Procedure or, for judgments in proceedings started on or after 1 July 2025, the 2019 Hague Judgments Convention.
Documents and cross-border formalities
Companies House documents and board resolutions are apostilled by the FCDO and translated into Romanian by an authorised translator. Documents are served under the 1965 Hague Service Convention.
- Corporate documents of the UK limited company (Ltd) or PLC
- Power of attorney for remote signing
- Authorised Romanian translations
- Proof of claim: contract, invoices, delivery
People and staff
UK nationals arriving after 2020 need a Romanian residence and, as a rule, a work permit; social security coordination follows the Protocol to the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
What a debt-recovery file involves
Recovery starts with an honest assessment: is the claim documented, is the debtor solvent, and which procedure fits. Only then do we choose between a formal notice, a payment order, an EU instrument or ordinary proceedings.
- Claim assessment: contract, invoices, delivery and acceptance proof
- Formal demand letter and out-of-court negotiation
- Romanian payment order (ordonanța de plată) for undisputed claims
- European Payment Order and Small Claims Procedure for EU creditors
- Court proceedings and interim measures to secure assets
- Enforcement through a bailiff, including bank-account and asset attachment
Why cross-border claims fail
Most failed recoveries we review share the same root causes — all avoidable at contract stage.
- No written proof of delivery or acceptance of the goods or services
- Limitation period close to expiry when the file reaches a lawyer
- Debtor company already in insolvency, with the claim filed too late
- Contracts without a jurisdiction or applicable-law clause
How It Works
File review
Contract, invoices, delivery proof and correspondence.
Formal notice
A written demand to the debtor, often the prerequisite for court.
Proceedings
Payment order, ordinary claim, EU procedure or recognition.
Enforcement
Enforcement through a Romanian bailiff or insolvency claim.
How we work with UK clients
Scope, stages and documents are agreed in writing before work starts.
- Legal activity since 2008 — 18 years of experience
- Remote process for UK clients with power of attorney
Phone
+40 740 011 411Response Time
Mon–Fri 10:00–16:00
Schedule
Mon – Fri: 10:00 – 16:00
Frequently Asked Questions
Discuss your UK matter
Cabinet de Avocatură Pantilimon Rikhárd-Árpád, Târgu Mureș. Office hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00–16:00.