Debt recovery under a receipt note: how to get your money back

When a debtor does not return the money within the agreed period or refuses to repay it, the receipt note becomes your main piece of evidence in court.
A receipt note is an independent document proving that a loan agreement has been concluded and serves as the legal basis for debt recovery through the courts.

✅ First of all: is it possible to recover a debt under a receipt note?
A receipt note alone does not guarantee repayment if the debtor does not return the money voluntarily. To recover a debt under a receipt note, you must act step by step.

🔑 Steps for recovering a debt under a receipt note

1. Try an amicable settlement — send the debtor a written claim (demand letter) requesting repayment of the money. This can speed up repayment several times compared to going straight to court.
2. Apply to the court — if the debtor ignores the claim, file a statement of claim with the court at the debtor’s place of residence. Attach the receipt note to the claim as the main proof of indebtedness.
3. Secure the claim — together with filing the claim, submit an application to the court for securing the claim by freezing (arresting) the debtor’s property.
4. Apply to the enforcement service — after obtaining a court decision in your favour, apply to the State Enforcement Service or a private enforcement officer to recover the debt from the debtor’s funds or property.

⏰ Time limit for going to court
The limitation period for filing a claim for repayment of a debt under a receipt note is three years from the date on which the debt was due.

💰 What else can be recovered apart from the principal debt?
You may claim from the debtor not only:

• repayment of the principal amount stated in the receipt note
• interest for the use of the funds
• 3% per annum for late repayment
• the officially established inflation index

If the receipt note does not specify the repayment deadline and interest, the funds must be repaid upon the first demand, and the interest rate is determined based on the National Bank of Ukraine’s discount rate.

🛡 Two main ways to recover a debt
Civil‑law method — filing a statement of claim with the court for recovery of the debt under a loan agreement. If the receipt note is properly drafted, the creditor has a high likelihood of obtaining a court judgment in their favour.
Criminal‑law method — used when the debtor intentionally indicates false data in the receipt note, omits the repayment date, refuses to return the money or denies having received it. The debtor’s actions may constitute fraud (Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). In such cases, you should file a criminal complaint with law enforcement authorities.

⚠️ Important to remember

• The receipt note must be made in writing; it is not mandatory but may be certified by a notary
• Ukrainian law does not impose specific requirements on the form or content of a written receipt note
• A properly drafted debt receipt significantly increases your chances of recovering the money
• If the amount is large or the situation is complex, it is advisable to consult a debt‑recovery lawyer

🎯 Unable to recover a debt under a receipt note on your own?
We will help you recover your funds! Our debt‑recovery legal services include:

• Analysis of the receipt note and development of a legal strategy
• Drafting and sending a claim to the debtor
• Filing a statement of claim with the court
• Securing the claim (freezing the debtor’s property)
• Representation in court at all stages
• Submitting the court decision to the enforcement service
• Recovery of the debt from the debtor’s property and funds
• Criminal‑law protection in cases of fraud

Contact us today and do not lose time — the limitation period for going to court is only 3 years!

Author – Svitlana Krutorohova, attorney at the Law Firm “WINNER Legal Company”.