Legal debt recovery in Montreal
The recovery process under Quebec law rewards creditors who act deliberately. It typically begins with a letter of demand, a formal notice that fixes the debtor's default and often produces payment on its own. If the debtor still refuses, proceedings follow before the Court of Quebec for claims under 75,000$ or the Superior Court for claims of 100,000$ and above, both at the Montreal courthouse on Notre-Dame Street East in Old Montreal. Judgment in hand, enforcement begins: seizure and garnishment carried out through bailiffs.
A debt collection law firm can run that entire sequence; a collection agency cannot go past the first step. We are a bilingual boutique litigation firm recovering commercial receivables, unpaid invoices, loans, and contractual debts for businesses across Montreal, from distributors in Anjou to professional firms downtown.
Every mandate starts with our "big picture" test. Me Adam Eidelmann has managed receivables as a business owner, and he applies that experience to your file: what is the debt worth, is the debtor solvent, and what will recovery realistically cost? Files that pass the test move fast. Files that do not are declined honestly, before you spend money on them. That discipline is how we keep recovery cost-effective and avoid unnecessary legal costs.
Our litigation practice gives every collection file weight from the first letter. A demand from counsel who will actually file proceedings reads very differently to a debtor than a form letter from an agency, and many accounts are paid at that stage for exactly that reason. When a debtor contests the claim or raises a counterclaim, the same team carries the file through trial, so momentum is never lost to a handoff.
What we handle:
- Letters of demand: formal notice that establishes default and frequently produces payment without proceedings.
- Court claims: proceedings before the Court of Quebec and the Superior Court to obtain judgment.
- Judgment enforcement: seizure of movable and immovable property, and garnishment of accounts and wages, through bailiffs.
- Settlement and payment plans: negotiated arrangements when a structured recovery beats a contested trial.
- Contested files: acting for creditors when the debtor disputes the debt or raises a counterclaim.
- Quebec-Ontario files: pursuing debtors with assets on either side of the provincial border.
- Receivables hygiene: contract terms, guarantees, and security that make your future invoices collectable.
Why hire Eidelmann Law to collect a debt in Montreal?
What creditors get when we take the file.
Judgment is not the finish line, payment is
Plenty of creditors win in court and never see a dollar. Our firm plans the enforcement stage from the start, coordinating bailiffs and, where useful, our wider network of accountants and financial advisors to locate assets and execute against them.
A businessman's read on the debtor
Me Adam Eidelmann evaluates a debtor the way an owner evaluates a counterparty: cash flow, assets, incentives. That read shapes whether we press for immediate seizure or negotiate a secured payment plan that actually gets performed.
Two provinces, both languages
Montreal debtors often have operations or assets in Ontario. Our licensing in Quebec and Ontario keeps the whole recovery under one roof, in English or French.
What to expect when you work with us
1. Consultation
We assess the debt, the documentation, and the debtor's capacity to pay, and we tell you plainly whether the file is worth pursuing.
2. Letter of demand
We send formal notice with a clear deadline, drafted to maximise the chance of payment at this stage. The letter also establishes the debtor's default formally, which strengthens the file if proceedings follow.
3. Proceedings
If the deadline passes, we file the claim and pursue judgment before the appropriate court.
4. Enforcement
We execute against the debtor's assets until the judgment is satisfied or every cost-effective recourse has been used. At each stage, we weigh the expected recovery against the cost of the next step, so the file never spends your money chasing a loss.
Stop financing your debtors
Every month an invoice goes unpaid, your business is lending money at zero interest to someone who did not ask permission. Our firm puts an end to that arrangement with a recovery process built for speed, discipline, and results.
Call (514) 538-6966. Bilingual service, confidential consultation.
The information on this page is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation is different. Consult a lawyer about the specific facts of your matter.
Common questions about debt collection in Montreal
When should I contact a Montreal debt collection lawyer?
Once your own reminders have failed, usually around 60 to 90 days past due. Waiting longer helps the debtor: assets move, businesses close, and the three-year prescription period keeps running. Creditors who escalate early also tend to sit higher in a struggling debtor's payment priorities, which matters when there is not enough money for everyone.
What is the cost of a consultation?
Our junior consultation rate is 275$, and a consultation with Me Eidelmann is 450$, plus taxes in both cases. You leave knowing whether the debt is realistically recoverable and what the recovery would cost.
How long do I have to sue for an unpaid debt in Quebec?
Generally three years under article 2925 of the Civil Code of Quebec. A written acknowledgment of the debt or a partial payment can interrupt prescription and restart the clock, which is why we review the full correspondence history at the consultation.
What can be seized after judgment?
Subject to the exemptions the law provides, enforcement can reach bank accounts, receivables, wages, movable property, and immovable property. Seizures are carried out through bailiffs under the supervision of the court. Part of our work before and during proceedings is identifying which of the debtor's assets are actually worth pursuing, so enforcement is aimed rather than scattered.
Is small claims court an option for my business?
If the claim is 15,000$ or less and your business had no more than 10 employees over the preceding year, the Small Claims Division is available. Parties represent themselves at the hearing, but we can prepare your file and evidence beforehand. For qualifying businesses this route keeps costs low, and thorough preparation is what usually decides these hearings, since the judge relies heavily on the documents you bring.
The debtor says the company has no money. Is the file dead?
Not necessarily. The picture a debtor paints is not always the picture a seizure reveals, and payment arrangements, security, or enforcement against specific assets may still produce recovery. That assessment is exactly what the consultation is for, and it is often where a written-off account turns back into money.
