Collection agency
HK$4,500–15,000
Usually a commission on what is recovered (published market range 15–50%)
Being owed money doesn't have to mean hiring a collection agency. If the amount is HK$75,000 or less, you can bring the claim yourself at the Small Claims Tribunal — and from the forms and the evidence to the day of the hearing, we're beside you the whole way.
*Statistics based on past cases. Individual results vary and do not guarantee outcomes.Last updated

*Statistics and reviews based on past service records. Individual results vary.
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We help organise evidence and complete claim forms, ensuring accuracy and minimising errors.
We break down procedures, coach your responses, and help you go into the hearing prepared and confident.
Service fee
HK$499from
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Choose the situation closest to yours, answer one quick question, and get a practical route, next steps, and evidence checklist.
A collection agency and the Small Claims Tribunal are not two grades of the same thing. One is commercial chasing; the other is a court process. The table below sets them side by side on a HK$30,000 claim.
Collection agency
HK$4,500–15,000
Usually a commission on what is recovered (published market range 15–50%)
Small Claims Tribunal
Filing fee HK$70 service from HK$499
Illustrative calculation: assumes full recovery; service fee calculated at HK$499; the actual quote depends on the case.
| Collection agency | Small Claims Tribunal | |
|---|---|---|
| What recovering HK$30,000 actually costs | HK$4,500–15,000 (commission 15–50%) | Filing fee HK$70, service from HK$499 |
| How you pay | Usually a commission on what is recovered (published market range 15–50%) | Statutory filing fee HK$20–120, banded by claim amount |
| Judicial power | None | Yes — a judgment can be enforced |
| Claim ceiling | None | HK$75,000 |
| Can seize property | No | Yes, by applying for a writ through the bailiff |
| Attend a hearing | No | Yes — and lawyers may not represent you |
| If the debtor denies it | Can only keep chasing | An adjudicator decides after a hearing |
The Tribunal hears money claims of HK$75,000 or less. It does not hear employment disputes, claims to recover possession of land, maintenance or defamation.
The commission range is published information from Debt Hunter and LiKoo Enterprise Management, not official data; Hong Kong publishes no standard fee scale for collection agencies.
57,454 claims were filed at the Hong Kong Small Claims Tribunal in 2024; over the past five years the annual figure has ranged from roughly 40,000 to 57,000. Every number below is taken from the Judiciary's own annual reports — none of it is estimated.
Every answer below comes from Hong Kong legislation, the Judiciary's published material, or our own service terms. Filter by topic and open the one you need.
Sources checked:
No. We provide procedural guidance, document organisation, and form-filling assistance — not legal advice or legal representation. For legal advice, please consult a licensed solicitor.
Recovering money you are genuinely owed is lawful; the question is method. Hong Kong has no dedicated licensing regime for collection agencies — in a 2016 reply to the Legislative Council the Government expressly declined to create one. That is not the same as no law. Section 24 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200) makes intimidation an offence carrying up to 5 years; section 60 covers criminal damage such as thrown paint or a glued lock, up to 10 years; section 23 of the Theft Ordinance (Cap. 210) makes blackmail punishable by up to 14 years. The Investor and Financial Education Council states that an agency must not pursue anyone other than the debtor or the guarantor, must not humiliate or harass, and must not use violence or physical intimidation. If you are harassed, report it to the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre on 18222.
The filing fee is banded by claim amount (below). The other statutory fees: an inter-party summons HK$55 each, a witness summons HK$33 each, an application for review, for leave to appeal or to set aside an award HK$61 each, filing a writ of execution HK$55, and a bailiff possession fee of HK$83 per day. Bailiff transport and delivery are charged at actual expense plus a 20% administration fee, so there is no fixed figure. All of that is paid to the Tribunal. Our own service is separate — from HK$499, with a written quote after your free assessment.
| Claim amount | Filing fee (HK$) |
|---|---|
| Up to $5,000 | 20 |
| $5,000–$25,000 | 40 |
| $25,000–$50,000 | 70 |
| $50,000–$75,000 | 120 |
The Small Claims Tribunal handles money disputes up to HK$75,000. If your claim exceeds this, other legal avenues would need to be considered.
Form 1 is the heading page: the full names and Hong Kong addresses of the claimant and the defendant — the Tribunal accepts neither a PO box nor a care-of address. If the defendant is a limited company, run a Companies Registry search first. Form 2 is the substance: the amount claimed, the grounds, and the breakdown showing how each item is calculated, so separate principal, interest and actual loss and show the arithmetic. Both forms must be filed in person at the registry; post, fax and email are not accepted, though a representative may file for you. The registry then issues Form 3, the notice of the date and place of the hearing.
Yes. The Small Claims Tribunal does not allow lawyers to represent parties. We will fully prepare you before the hearing — walking through procedures and coaching your responses — so you're ready to speak confidently.
From filing to adjudication typically takes 2–4 months, depending on case complexity and Tribunal scheduling. We follow up throughout to ensure you don't miss any important deadlines.
The Tribunal will not enforce the judgment for you. You apply to the Bailiff's Office for a writ of fieri facias, at HK$55 to file plus a deposit. The bailiff seizes the debtor's goods; the debtor has a 5-working-day grace period to settle, after which the goods are auctioned and the balance, after necessary court fees, is paid over to you. Note that a bailiff has no power to force entry into residential premises. If you disagree with the outcome you have 7 days: Form 8C applies to the Tribunal for a review, Form 9 applies to the Court of First Instance for leave to appeal — and leave is granted only on a point of law.
View all sources
All links checked 2026-07-21. This site provides procedural assistance, document organisation and form-filling support. It is not legal advice or legal representation; for legal advice, consult a licensed solicitor.
"The consultant helped me organise all my documents and prepare throughout. In the end I successfully recovered my money. The whole process was much easier than I expected."
Mr Chan
Service fee recovery case
Illustrative scenario, not a record of an actual client
*Statistics based on past cases. Individual results vary and do not guarantee outcomes.

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EasyDebt breaks this down using public materials from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, a government press release, the Hong Kong Judiciary and 1823: why upstairs air-conditioner dripping is so common, how FEHD's fines differ from compensation for your own loss, what evidence actually matters, and how to file at the Small Claims Tribunal. General procedural information only, not legal advice.

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EasyDebt sets out, based on public information from the Hong Kong Judiciary and the Consumer Council: what to do when defects such as leaks, peeling paint or faulty switches appear after a renovation is signed off, how to tell a warranty defect from new damage, how to notify the contractor, and how to pursue a Small Claims Tribunal claim. For general procedural reference only; this is not legal advice.
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Free Case Assessment (WhatsApp)Recover debts ≤HK$75,000 · From HK$499 · Free initial assessment
57,454
2024 claims filed
41 days
Avg wait to 1st hearing
5
Years tracked
57,454
2024
Source: Judiciary Annual Report 2022 & 2024, Small Claims Tribunal caseload tables. Waiting time = filing to first hearing (target 60 days).