Debt Recovery
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The Litigation Process for Debt Recovery
A debt collector should always try to consult with a debtor in order to negotiate an acceptable arrangement as to when the overdue amount will be paid.
However, as you may know, this is not always the case. The debt collector may then need to explore more drastic measures in its endeavour to recover any overdue amounts.
Should the debt collector not feel able or experienced enough to proceed further, then it may be in his/her best interest to handover the matter to a more experience person such as an attorney. This should only be done as a last resort if the debt collector has exhausted all reasonable attempts to recover the outstanding balance.
The National Credit Act indicates that a credit provider may begin with legal proceedings as early as twenty days of the consumer being in arrears. However, this may only be done via the correct channels. Section 129 of the Act places an obligation on a credit provider to notify the consumer of its intention to hand him/her over for the commencement of legal proceedings prior to doing so.
Simultaneously, the credit provider must advise the consumer of his/her right to visit a debt counsellor. Should the consumer after ten days not have applied for a debt review with a debt counsellor, the credit provider may then proceed with further legal action. In a case where the consumer has applied for a debt review no legal action may be taken until it has been found by a court or a debt counsellor that the person is not over - indebted.
The litigation process may become quite complicated when a debtor decides to defend the matter. However, this rarely happens in matters where credit was issued and not repaid.
In terms of section 56 of the Magistrates’ Court Act 32 of 1944, before issuing a summons, it is advisable to send a letter of demand to the debtor as an indication of the seriousness of the matter. However, this is not a compulsory requirement.
If you however wish to claim interest on the debt (at 15.5% per annum) as allowed for in the Magistrate’s Act as and legal fees it is advisable to send a letter of demand. The letter of demand must have a heading stating that it is a letter in terms of the Magistrates’ Court Act and must describe the nature and purpose of the claim.
In other words, there needs to be sufficient information for the debtor to identify what the claim is for and how much is being claimed. The letter should give the debtor a period of ten business days to pay the amount claimed or an opportunity to make a payment arrangement with the creditor. The letter can be sent by registered mail, served by the Sheriff of the court or delivered by hand (make sure to get an acknowledgement of receipt).
Should the claim not be settled by the debtor after receiving the letter of demand, it will be necessary to file a summons with and have it issued by the clerk of the Magistrates’ Court if the amount being claimed is less than R100 000 or the Registrar of the High Court if your claim is more than R100 000.
A summons is usually drafted in a standard format and has a pa rticulars of claim attached to it. The particulars of claim may be included in the summons itself if it contains less than 100 words. Alternatively it needs to be attached to the summons as an addendum and contains finer details about the claim.
The particulars of the claim are a detailed account of how the claim arose and what amount is being claimed. When the summons is drafted, the credit provider is listed as the Plaintiff and the debtor is listed as the Defendant.
The Plaintiff may draft the summons h im/herself and attach a copy of the initial loan agreement to it. The summons needs to be stamped by the clerk of the court and the Plaintiff may arrange to have it served on the Defendant by the sheriff operating in the jurisdiction of the Defendant.
A summons must be served by the sheriff of the court. Once the sheriff has served the summons he notifies the clerk of the court and the Plaintiff by handing over a return of service stating the time and manner of service.
A summons should contain the following information: name and address of the Plaintiff; the name and address of the Defendant; a form of notice of intention to defend; a notice advising the Defendant that s/he has ten days to enter a notice to defend; a form of consent to judgement; a notice drawing the Defendant’s attention to the consequences of his/her failure to obey the order of the court once judgement has been granted against him/her; and the particulars of the claim.
The particulars of the claim are a detailed account of how the claim arose and what amount is being claimed. When the summons is drafted, the credit provider is listed as the Plaintiff and the debtor is listed as the Defendant. The Plaintiff may draft the summons him/herself and attach a copy of the initial loan agreement to it. The summons needs to be stamped by the clerk of the court and the Plaintiff may arrange to have it served on the Defendant by the sheriff operating in the jurisdiction of the Defendant. A summons must be served by the sheriff of the court. Once the sheriff has served the summons he notifies the clerk of the court and the Plaintiff by handing over a return of service stating the time and manner of service. A summons should contain the following information: name and address of the Plaintiff; the name and address of the Defendant; a form of notice of intention to defend; a notice advising the Defendant that s/he has ten days to enter a notice to defend; a form of consent to judgement; a notice drawing the Defendant’s attention to the consequences of his/her failure to obey the order of the court once judgement has been granted against him/her; and the particulars of the claim.
The particulars of claim must contain the following information: citation - details of the Plaintiff and Defendant; jurisdiction: that the court has jurisdiction because either the action arouse in its area or that the defendant reside or works in the court’s jurisdiction; the cause of action: what is the basis of your case, e.g. loan agreement; statement that damages is being suffered by the Plaintiff and that the damages are caused by the Defendant, and prayer: what relief you are asking for (include legal fees and interest).
This application may only be filed once the prescribed period for entering a notice to defend has lapsed after the debtor has received the summons. The Plaintiff may then submit a request for default judgment to the clerk of the court.
This is a judgement granted in the absence of the Defendant due to his/her failure to enter a notice to defend the action after receiving a summons. Once the judgment has been granted, it is valid for thirty years and allows the Plaintiff to explore different methods of collection, one of which is the Emolument Attachment Order (EAO).
Even though the inclusion of ID numbers is not a legal requirement for a valid default judgement it is preferable to add in order to assist the credit bureaux to list the default judgement on their respective databases. This in turn will help you as a credit provider to minimize your risk.
These are instructions given by the court, usually instructing the employer of the debtor to deduct a specified amount from the salary of the debtor or an amount of money owed to the debtor by a third party. This deduction requires the consent of the debtor.
It is best to get the debtor to sign an acknowledgement of debt and consent to the emolument attachment order being placed on his/her salary before making an application for the EAO to the court. The deduction will run until the debt has been settled. This amount may be deducted as regularly as the debtor receives his/her salary and must be paid over to the creditor by the employer of the debtor periodically.
This method usually prolongs the repayment process but is effective in securing regular instalments. These orders of court have proven to be effective not only in credit related matters but also in other instances such as child maintenance claims. Should the debtor not consent to the application for an EAO then the next step would be to get the debtor to appear in court in terms of S65 financial enquiry.
For this enquiry you need to arrange a date with the clerk of the court and have an attorney representing you. The debtor may represent himself and is expected to give an account of his monthly income and expense. The court then decides how much s/he should pay monthly.
Once the Emolument Attachment Order has been granted by the court, a copy must be served on the debtor’s employer. It is best to attach an instruction letter explaining to the employer exactly what is required of the company. Such a letter and the court order should be delivered directly to the salaries department to avoid unnecessary delays.
An important factor to consider when approaching a court with this process is jurisdiction. As the Plaintiff instituting an action, you need to ask yourself whether the court you are approaching has the jurisdiction to deal with the matter.
A court has jurisdiction over anyone who lives or works in the magisterial district, anyone who owns fixed property in the magisterial district or who has agreed to the jurisdiction of the court. If the dispute arose in the magisterial district of a particular court it is likely that the matter would be instituted a t that court.
Date: 21st May 2014
Legislation: Magistrates’ Court Act 32 of 1944
