Commercial debt collection is the recovery of money owed by one business to another. It covers unpaid invoices, trade debt, progress claims and supply contracts between companies, partnerships and trusts. It's different from consumer collection, which involves personal debts owed by individuals for household or private purposes.
Commercial Debt Collection Australia
You're here because a business customer hasn't paid, and you want to know what actually happens if you place the file with us. Short version: we recover unpaid B2B invoices and trade debt owed to Australian and New Zealand businesses, and on most commercial work we operate on a no collection, no fee basis. Start with a free Debt Terminator appraisal on a specific unpaid invoice and we'll tell you what the debt is worth chasing and how we'd approach it.
This page is general information, not legal advice.
Why acting early on a commercial debt matters
Late payments remain common in B2B trade. The Payment Times Reporting Regulator’s January 2026 update found only 66.5% of small business invoices were paid on time, with 95th-percentile payment times reaching 64 days.
Company insolvencies are also rising. ASIC reported 14,722 companies entered external administration for the first time in 2024–25, up 33.2% year-on-year.
If a debtor enters external administration before recovery action begins, you may rank as an unsecured creditor, behind secured creditors, employees and administration costs. Any dividend recovered may be only a fraction of the debt owed.
Collections and legal handled in-house
Many agencies refer court matters to external solicitors, potentially adding costs and delays.
eCollect works with E C Legal, its in-house law firm, allowing the same team to continue matters from demand letters to statutory demands, litigation and judgment enforcement. Learn more about E C Legal, our in-house litigation team.
How we recover a commercial debt, step by step
Debtors read this page too. The tone stays calm and factual at every step, because a file that reads like a threat loses the recovery.
No collection, no fee on most commercial work
On most commercial placements, if we don't recover the debt you don't pay a collection fee. That covers the amicable phase and the demand work that resolves most matters before court.
Where a file moves into legal action, legal fees and disbursements apply. Filing fees, service costs and court fees are third-party expenses, while E C Legal charges separately for its legal work. We’ll quote the expected costs before you decide whether to proceed.
The model works for individual overdue invoices as well as ongoing ledger recovery.
The commercial creditors we work with
We recover for established B2B trade creditors across Australia and New Zealand. That includes construction progress claims and subcontractor debt, manufacturing and wholesale supply, service providers, real estate agencies and financiers.
Typical debt types include unpaid invoices, progress claims, supply contracts, service agreements, personal guarantees and dishonoured payment plans.
Sole traders and very small businesses will usually find our small business page more relevant. For large corporate ledgers and account portfolios, the corporate page is designed around that workflow. Both are linked below.
Our commercial debt recovery track record
We've operated since 2000 under the same ABN. In that time we've worked with over 10,000 clients and recovered more than $120 million.
We're ISO 9001 certified and an AFCA member. Our in-house law firm, E C Legal, handles the legal escalation work in the same office as the collections team. You can see the people who'll work your file rather than a call-centre queue.
What we offer
Customer-First Approach
You’ll work with a real person, not a portal. Our team treats your debts like their own.
Real-Time Cloud Tracking
Monitor progress 24/7 from your dashboard — no chasing, no waiting.
Expert Recovery Team
Our in-house specialists are trained to act fast, negotiate smart, and collect more.
Need Help with Small Business Debt Collection?
We make debt recovery simple, fast, and results-driven. Upload your files, track progress in real-time, and only pay when we collect.
Frequently asked questions
On most commercial placements with us, commission is charged on a no collection, no fee basis. If nothing is recovered you pay no collection fee. Where legal action is filed, legal fees and disbursements such as court filing and service fees apply and are quoted before they’re incurred.
We focus on established B2B trade debt rather than very small consumer-style matters. For company debtors, a creditor's statutory demand can only be used for undisputed debts of $4,000 or more. Send us the invoice value and we'll confirm whether it's commercial to pursue.
Many matters resolve within days or weeks in the amicable phase, once the debtor understands the file has moved to a collection agency and law firm. Contested files that require litigation, judgment and enforcement can run over several months. We'll give you a realistic timeframe when we appraise the debt.
A creditor's statutory demand is a formal demand under the Corporations Act for an undisputed company debt of $4,000 or more. If the company doesn't pay or apply to set it aside within 21 days, it's presumed insolvent, which supports a winding-up application. We use it where the debt is clear and the debtor is a company.
You usually rank as an unsecured creditor and lodge a proof of debt with the liquidator. ASIC Report 836 found that across voluntary administrations reviewed to 30 June 2025, wholly effectuated DOCAs paid unsecured creditors an average dividend of 21 cents in the dollar, with a median of 11.5 cents. Acting before insolvency almost always recovers more.
Often yes, if your terms of trade provide for interest on overdue accounts and recovery of collection or legal costs. Well-drafted credit application and trading terms are the single most useful document in a commercial recovery. If those terms are silent, statutory interest may still be claimable on a judgment.
Yes. In most Australian states and territories the limitation period for a simple contract debt is six years from the date the debt became due. After that, court action is generally out of time. Older debts can sometimes be revived by written acknowledgment or part payment, but don't rely on it. Speak to us early. For [large-account portfolio recovery](https://www.ecollect.com.au/corporate-debt-collection) the same rules apply.
Get a free appraisal on your commercial debt
Send us the invoice, the statement of account and the debtor's contact details. We'll review the file at no cost and tell you what we'd do, what it's likely to cost, and what the debt is realistically worth chasing.
Prefer to talk it through first? Speak to our team directly and we'll walk you through the options.
Trusted in Australia, New Zealand & Beyond
Melbourne
03 8611 2600
Level 9, 461 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Sydney
02 9191 9699
Level 6, 115 Pitt Street Sydney NSW 2000
Brisbane
07 3123 4031
Level 38/71 Eagle Street Brisbane QLD 4000
Auckland
+64 9 951 8000
Spaces, level 7, 50 Albert St, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010 NEW ZEALAND
UK - eRecoveries
erecoveries.co.ukOur eRecoveries service based in UK applying high-end technology to cover the full receivables management process for you
Your Partners in Recovery
eCollect
Our core debt recovery and collection service, operating across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland.
E C Legal
Specialist legal support for debt and credit matters, based in Australia.
eclegal.com.aueReceivables
Designed for Australian receivables management and credit operations, uniting intelligent software with real operational expertise.
ereceivables.com.aueRecoveries
Expanding our debt recovery expertise across the United Kingdom market, supported by advanced systems, industry trained specialists and a proven no-recovery, no-charge model.
erecoveries.co.uk