Debt recovery lawyer in Barcelona
When a client, a tenant or a private individual does not pay what they owe you, there are several ways to claim it, from a formal demand to a trial, and not all of them suit every case. At Antonio Galiano Legal, a law firm in the Sant Andreu district of Barcelona, we help you choose the right route and see it through.
- Formal demand for payment and prior negotiation
- Payment order procedure (monitorio) and verbal or ordinary proceedings
- Enforcement of the judgment if the debtor still does not pay
How a debt is claimed
- Formal demand for payment. A demand that leaves a record, such as a burofax, makes clear what is being claimed and since when.
- Prior negotiation. Since 2025, before filing most civil claims, an attempt at negotiation or settlement must be made. We check whether your case requires it and how to prove it.
- Payment order procedure. If the debt is for money, is due, is payable and is documented, the monitorio procedure allows you to ask the court to require the debtor to pay. If the debtor neither pays nor opposes, you can move straight to enforcement.
- Trial. If the debtor opposes, or if the debt does not fit the monitorio procedure, the claim continues through verbal or ordinary proceedings, depending on the amount.
- Enforcement. With a final decision, you can ask for the seizure of the debtor's assets, accounts or salary.
Do I need a lawyer for a monitorio?
A lawyer is not compulsory to file the initial monitorio application. It can be advisable when the documents are not clear, when the debtor is likely to oppose or when the amount justifies securing every step. If the debtor opposes and the amount so requires, a lawyer and a court representative (procurador) become compulsory.
What we handle
- Debts between private individuals
- Unpaid invoices of self-employed professionals and SMEs
- Unpaid rent and utilities
- Owners' association fees
- Personal loans not repaid
- Opposition to a monitorio, if the claim is against you
- Enforcement of judgments and seizures
How we work
We review the debt. We check which documents prove it and whether it can still be claimed. In Catalonia, the general limitation period is ten years, but some debts become time-barred sooner.
We assess whether it is worth it. Before starting, we tell you which route is reasonable, what costs it may involve and what we know about the debtor's solvency.
Agreement first. A negotiated payment can come sooner than a judgment. If there is no agreement, we claim in court.
Who handles your case
Antonio Galiano Ortega, a lawyer registered with the Barcelona Bar Association (Il·lustre Col·legi de l'Advocacia de Barcelona) under number 48.015. The office is at Carrer de Portugal, 3, in the Sant Andreu district. We work in Barcelona, Badalona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and the metropolitan area.
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