Debt claim letter
A debt claim letter (pretenzija) is a creditor’s written demand that the debtor pay a specific debt by a set date before the creditor goes to court. The law does not prescribe its content, but it should state the basis of the debt (contract, invoices, act), the principal, the interest and costs claimed with reference to Civil Law Art. 1668.3, 1668.9 and 1765, the payment deadline and account, and what the creditor will do after the deadline.
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Filled-in example
Claim for payment of a debt
No. PR-2026/004
Creditor
SIA “Paraugs”
Reg. No. 40000000001
Parauga iela 1, Rīga, LV-1001, Latvia
Debtor
SIA “Pasūtītājs”
Reg. No. 40000000002
Klientu iela 2, Valmiera, LV-4201, Latvia
On 3 August 2026, SIA “Paraugs” and SIA “Pasūtītājs” concluded service agreement No. 5/2026 (the Agreement). SIA “Paraugs” performed its obligations, and the work was accepted under the acceptance act of 22 September 2026.
Clause 4.2 of the Agreement requires payment within 14 days of receiving the invoice. Invoice No. PA-2026/042 was due by 9 October 2026 and remains unpaid despite the reminder of 12 October 2026. SIA “Paraugs” claims payment of:
| No. | Claim | Basis | Amount, EUR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Principal: invoice No. PA-2026/042 of 25 September 2026, due 9 October 2026 | Clause 4.2 of the Agreement | 1,902.12 |
| 2 | Debt recovery costs | Civil Law Art. 1668.9 | 40.00 |
- Total, EUR
- 1,942.12
In addition, SIA “Paraugs” claims statutory interest for late payment from 10 October 2026 until the day of payment (Civil Law Art. 1668.3 and 1765).
Please pay EUR 1,942.12 plus the statutory interest by 6 November 2026 to account LV00BANK0000000000001, AS “Banka”, quoting the invoice number in the payment reference.
If the debt is not paid by that date, SIA “Paraugs” will apply to the court without further notice to recover it through the warning procedure for compulsory enforcement of obligations (Civil Procedure Law Art. 406.1), and the debtor may also have to bear the court costs.
If you consider the debt unfounded or already paid, please send your objections in writing by the same date, with proof of payment.
- Enclosures
- Copy of the Agreement, invoice No. PA-2026/042, acceptance act of 22 September 2026, reminder of 12 October 2026
Yours faithfully,
For the creditor
Jānis Bērziņš, board member, signature
The companies, numbers and accounts in the example are fictional.
The Civil Procedure Law does not require a creditor’s letter before an application under the warning procedure: the application states the obligation, the document behind it, the amount and its calculation (Art. 406.3). A clear claim letter still gives the debtor a chance to pay without court, and the reply shows whether the debt will be disputed.
A documented, overdue debt of up to EUR 15,000 can be recovered through the warning procedure: the application is filed online, the court sends the debtor a warning, and the debtor has 30 days to pay or object (Civil Procedure Law Art. 406.1, 406.3 and 406.5). The procedure is not available if, for example, the debtor’s legal address or residence is outside Latvia, the penalty claimed exceeds 10% of the principal, or the interest claimed exceeds the principal (Art. 406.1(2)).
Required details
A claim letter has no statutory form. The table lists what it should contain so the claim is clear and the same calculation can be used in court.
| Detail | Required | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Names, registration numbers and addresses of the creditor and the debtor | Required | Law on the Legal Force of Documents Art. 4(1) and (3) |
| Date | Required | Law on the Legal Force of Documents Art. 4(1)(2) |
| Basis of the debt: contract, invoices, acceptance act or delivery note | Recommended | Civil Procedure Law Art. 406.1(1): the obligation must be supported by a document |
| Principal and the missed payment date | Recommended | Civil Law Art. 1652(3) |
| Statutory or contractual interest | If it applies | Civil Law Art. 1668.3 and 1765 |
| Contractual penalty, if the contract provides one | If it applies | Civil Law Art. 1716 and 1717; for late payment at most 10% of the principal in total |
| EUR 40 debt recovery costs between businesses | If it applies | Civil Law Art. 1668.9 and 1668.11 |
| Payment deadline as a specific date, and the account | Recommended | Not set by law |
| The next step after the deadline | Recommended | Civil Procedure Law Art. 406.1, or a claim in court |
| Enclosures: contract, invoices, acts, earlier reminders | Recommended | Not set by law |
| Signature | Required | Law on the Legal Force of Documents Art. 4(1)(3) |
How to fill it in
- Gather the documents The contract, invoices, acceptance act or delivery note, correspondence and earlier reminders. In the warning procedure the payment obligation must be supported by a document (Civil Procedure Law Art. 406.1(1)).
- Calculate the claim Principal, interest from the day after the due date (Civil Law Art. 1668.3) and, between businesses, EUR 40 (Art. 1668.9). Claim a penalty only if the contract provides one, and a late-payment penalty only to the extent it exceeds the interest claimed (Art. 1722).
- Set a deadline Write a specific date, for example 10 days after the letter, not “immediately”.
- Say what happens after the deadline State a real next step, such as an application to the court under the warning procedure. Do not threaten anything you do not plan to do.
- Send it in a way you can prove By registered letter to the debtor’s legal address, or by email to the address in the contract. Keep proof of sending.
- Weigh the reply If the debtor files objections in time under the warning procedure, the proceedings end and the dispute moves to an ordinary claim (Civil Procedure Law Art. 406.7 and 406.8). So it pays to learn about objections now.
Common mistakes
- A penalty is claimed that the contract never provided for, or a late-payment penalty above 10% of the principal.
- Penalty and interest are added up in full, although a late-payment penalty can be claimed only to the extent it exceeds the interest claimed (Civil Law Art. 1722).
- EUR 40 costs and the business interest rate are claimed from a private individual, to whom they do not apply.
- The letter does not say which document the debt arises from.
- The deadline says “immediately” instead of giving a date.
- The letter went to an address that is neither the debtor’s legal address nor the one in the contract.
Catch an overdue invoice before it becomes a debt
Fakts shows which invoices are overdue and sends the client a reminder with the invoice PDF attached. Fakts does not draft claim letters, but the account that shows every unpaid invoice is free.
Create a free accountFrequently asked questions
Is a claim letter required before going to court?
Not for the warning procedure: the Civil Procedure Law asks the application to state the obligation, document, amount and calculation, not an earlier letter (Art. 406.3). If a payment term set in the contract has passed, the debtor is already in default (Civil Law Art. 1652(3)). A claim letter still gives you a chance to be paid without court costs and to learn of objections early.
What interest can I claim on a debt?
The interest agreed in the contract or, failing that, statutory interest. For a supply of goods, purchase or service it is eight percentage points a year above the ECB base rate, and six percent a year in dealings with a consumer (Civil Law Art. 1765). The base rate is the ECB main refinancing rate before the start of the half-year, applied for six months.
How large can a contractual penalty be?
The parties set it, and it must be proportionate (Civil Law Art. 1717). A penalty for late performance may grow, but in total by no more than 10% of the principal (Art. 1716), and a court reduces an excessive penalty (Art. 1724.1). If the contract has no penalty clause, none can be claimed.
What is the warning procedure?
A simplified court procedure for documented, overdue debts of up to EUR 15,000. The creditor applies online; without examining the merits, the court sends the debtor a warning, and if there is no payment or objection within 30 days it issues a decision that is enforceable like a judgment (Civil Procedure Law Art. 406.1 to 406.9).
What if the debtor disputes the debt?
If the debtor files objections in time under the warning procedure, the proceedings end, but you can still bring an ordinary claim in court and the state fee already paid is credited (Civil Procedure Law Art. 406.7 and 406.8).
Can I send a claim letter to a private individual?
Yes, but Civil Law Art. 1668.1 to 1668.11 then do not apply: no EUR 40 costs and no business interest rate (Art. 1668.11). Statutory interest for a consumer is six percent a year (Art. 1765).