Last week, the new postal regulations came into force. This means that in some cases letters can take up to five working days to be received. This can cause problems during the holidays when many people are away and may not make temporary changes to their address, the Swedish Debt Collection Agency warns.
"Not everyone uses digital mailboxes and e-invoices. Therefore, it is important to pay extra attention to incoming mail and due dates during the holiday period," says Fredrik Engström, chairman of the Swedish Debt Collection Industry Association, in a press release.
Although the vast majority of debt collection claims, nine out of ten, are paid before the case goes to the Swedish Enforcement Authority, there is a negative trend, according to the Swedish Debt Collection Agency.
The number of new debt collection requests decreased by 6.7 percent in May compared to the same period in 2025. However, at the same time, the number of completed debt collection cases decreased by 10.4 percent, which means that the debt backlog of debt collection companies is continuing to grow. Above all, there is an increase among older debtors, that is, people over 65.
"At the beginning of 2024, one in seven debtors was over 65 years old. Today, it is about one in six. The elderly have traditionally been a group with a relatively low incidence of payment problems. Therefore, it is remarkable that their share of debt collection cases continues to increase," says Fredrik Engström.
