Checklist: This is how to choose a reliable collection agency

A collection agency is your organization's calling card at a time when your relationship with your customer is strained. Do you make the wrong choice? Then you risk not only your money, but also legal fines and lasting reputation damage.

In 2026, both consumers and businesses are looking critically at how debt is handled. An agency that is too aggressive or careless quickly pops up on social media and review platforms. That immediately hits your name.

You want your money back, but you also want a customer to come back to you later, if possible. That's why you need a collection partner that matches your values and deals professionally with your customers.

Since the introduction of the Wet kwaliteit incassodienstverlening (Wki), the collection landscape in the Netherlands has changed. You can no longer just be a collection agency in 2026. You have to meet strict quality requirements set by the Ministry of Justice and Security.

Always check these points before making your choice:

• Registration in the Collection Register: Every reliable agency must be findable in the Justis register. Credifin is registered in this under number 00023.
• Expertise: Employees must be demonstrably well trained. Feel free to ask how often lawyers are retrained on new legislation.
• Complaint Procedure: A professional agency has a clear complaint procedure. Not a vague phone number, but a clear and official protocol.

Do you doubt any of these points? If so, that's a signal to look further.

Many agencies send mostly standard letters. They send three reminders and stop as soon as the response fails. In 2026 that's not enough. You need a partner who can switch directly to the judicial phase if necessary.

At Credifin, our in-house lawyers build your file from day one so it's ready for court. Does a debtor come up with a legal defense? Then we know how to respond.

An agency without a solid legal foundation is like a car without an engine. It may look professional, but once the road winds up, you won't move forward.

Almost every agency mentions No Cure No Pay. But the practice varies greatly. In 2026 you want to know exactly where you stand financially, with no surprises afterwards.

Pay close attention to these points:

• File fees: Some agencies charge start-up or administrative fees per file, even if nothing is collected. At Credifin, 100% No Cure No Pay in the amicable phase is truly no upfront costs.
• Success fee: Do you have to surrender a portion of your own principal on success? A transparent agency gets its fee from the legal collection costs and interest paid by the debtor.
• Subscriptions: Beware of annual contracts or bundles you can't easily get out of. A good agency proves itself per file and doesn't need to lock you in with a long-term contract.

Always ask costs in advance and allow ambiguity about rates to factor into your choice.

You don't want to have to call or email in 2026 to ask how your money is doing. You want to be able to look at your files yourself, at your convenience.

A modern collection agency therefore offers an online portal where you can see, among other things:

• When letters and emails are sent
• Whether and when a debtor opened a message
• What responses were received
• What actions the agency subsequently took

We believe in glass doors. In our portal, you see the same information as our collection staff. That gives you peace of mind and forces us to stay sharp and careful with your file.

In a world full of AI and chatbots, a physical office still says a lot. There are plenty of attic offices working with a virtual address and a cell phone.

Why this matters to you:

• An office with a physical office is easier to address
• It shows that there is a real team working behind the scenes
• It increases the likelihood of continuity and reliability

Credifin works from an office on the Van Leijenberghlaan in Amsterdam. This gives you the assurance that you are dealing with a permanent organization and not a one-man company that can stop tomorrow.

Debt collection has long since ceased to be just about bringing in money. In 2026, it's about resolving. A reliable collection agency sees the difference between someone who cannot pay and someone who does not want to pay.

Socially responsible debt collection is all about the human touch:

• The attachment-free foot is taken into account
• Feasible payment arrangements will be considered
• The tone is firm where necessary, but always respectful

A debtor who is treated with respect often pays faster and with less resistance. This directly protects your reputation as a client and reduces the chance of escalation.

Online reviews are an important indicator, but just looking at the number of stars is not enough. The content really tells you how a collection agency works.

Among other things, note these:

• Red flag: Dozens of nearly identical reviews all posted in the same week. This often indicates purchased or steered reviews.
• Green flag: Reviews in which clients specifically mention legal knowledge, communication or speed of disbursement.
• Crucial: How does the agency respond to a negative review? A professional, calm response says more than a hundred standard five-star reviews.

Use reviews as an additional check before entering into a collaboration.

Do you see one or more of these signs? If so, it is often better to drop out immediately and continue your search.

• Guarantees are given such as: We always get 100 percent of your money back. There's no such thing. No agency has a 100 percent success rate.
• There is ambiguity about interest and additional charges. You don't get a clear answer on what happens to the interest.
• You will be pressured with aggressive sales calls or golden mountains. A good agency will calmly explain what is realistic and what is not.

In doubt? Ask questions, ask for examples and always compare at least two or three agencies before choosing.