Debiteur

Under Dutch law, a debtor is a natural person or legal entity that is obliged to pay a sum of money or to perform any other obligation to the creditor. This concept occupies a central position in the law of obligations and also arises in insolvency law.

The debtor’s position is relevant to the collection of receivables, the determination of payment arrears and proceedings concerning bankruptcy or suspension of payments. A debtor may be required to perform, whether voluntarily or by compulsion.

In practice, the term is employed in contracts, invoices and legal correspondence to identify the debtor with certainty and to record the parties’ respective rights and obligations.