Debt Recovery & Payment Order Lawyer
If you hold clear written proof of the debt, there may be a route to an enforceable order without a full trial.
MBM recovers money owed to businesses and individuals in the UAE — unpaid invoices, returned cheques, defaulted loans and undelivered contracts. We also defend debt claims that are wrong, overstated or already paid.
The payment order: an enforceable order without a full trial
Court procedure across the UAE is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022, the Civil Procedure Law, in force since 2 January 2023. It includes the payment order — amr al-ada — a fast-track procedure that allows a creditor holding clear written proof of a debt to obtain an enforceable order without going through a full trial.
That single feature is why the first question we ask is not how much you are owed, but what you can prove in writing. A signed contract, matching invoices and an acknowledgement of the debt can put you on a materially faster route than the same amount supported only by conversations.
Objections to a payment order are handled under Article 147. Whether the procedure is available on your documents, and what an objection would be worth, depends on the facts and is subject to applicable UAE law.
UAE Legislation — uaelegislation.gov.ae · DIFC Courts — difccourts.ae
Are you chasing the money, or being chased?
Both are legitimate positions and both need a lawyer. Pick yours — the strategy is completely different.
You need it recovered, not just acknowledged
Most debts are not disputed. They are simply unpaid, and the debtor is waiting to see whether you will actually do something. A formal legal notice from counsel changes that calculation more often than clients expect.
- Invoices unpaid past their terms, with excuses but no payment
- A cheque returned unpaid
- A loan or advance not repaid as agreed
- Goods or services delivered and never paid for
- A judgment already obtained but no money recovered
Being sued for a debt is not the same as owing it
Claims are brought for sums already paid, for amounts inflated beyond the contract, for debts that were someone else’s, and on documents that do not establish what they are said to establish. Objection windows are short.
- A payment order has been served on you
- The amount claimed does not match the contract
- You have already paid, in whole or in part
- The claim is against you personally for a company debt
- You want to settle, but on terms you can actually meet
How MBM recovers money owed to you
Escalating steps, cheapest first. Most matters do not need all of them.
Assess the evidence, then the route
We review what you hold and tell you whether the payment-order fast track is realistically available or whether this is a civil claim. That decision drives everything downstream.
Serve a formal legal notice
A demand from counsel, properly drafted and served, resolves a significant share of undisputed debts without any filing. It also becomes part of the record if it does not.
Apply for a payment order
Where you hold clear written proof, we apply for the amr al-ada order — the route to enforceability without a full trial.
Bring a civil claim where the debt is disputed
Where the debtor genuinely contests the sum, we prepare and argue the claim in the appropriate forum, including the DIFC where the contract points there.
Enforce the judgment
Judgment is not payment. We pursue enforcement, including against assets, and we take on enforcement of judgments obtained elsewhere.
Negotiate a settlement worth taking
Sometimes a structured settlement now beats full judgment later. We will tell you which it is, with a number attached.
How MBM defends a debt claim
The objection window is the priority. Everything else follows from protecting it.
Protect the objection deadline
Objections to a payment order run under Article 147 and the window is short. Our first act is to make sure it is not missed while the merits are being assessed.
Test what the documents actually prove
A claim is only as good as its paperwork. We examine whether the documents establish the debt, the amount and your liability for it.
Raise payment, set-off and counterclaim
Sums already paid, amounts owed to you by the claimant, and defective performance on their side are all points that have to be pleaded to count.
Challenge personal liability
Where a company debt is being pursued against an individual, whether that is properly founded is a distinct question worth arguing.
Negotiate terms you can meet
Where something is genuinely owed, a negotiated schedule is usually better than an enforcement process. We negotiate it with the leverage the file gives you.
From first call to money recovered
You will know which route your documents support, and what it costs, before you instruct us.
Free consultation
Tell us the amount, the paperwork you hold and who the debtor is. We will tell you straight away whether the fast track is in play.
Evidence review
We assess whether your documents amount to clear written proof, and set out the route, the timeline and the likely cost in writing.
Notice or objection
We serve the legal notice, or file the objection. A large share of undisputed debts is settled at this point.
Order, claim, enforcement
We apply for the payment order or bring the claim, then enforce — because the judgment is the middle of the process, not the end.
What to have to hand
In debt matters the documents are the case. This list is in the order it usually matters — the first three often decide the route on their own.
If a payment order has been served on you, call before gathering anything. The objection window under Article 147 is short.
- The contract or purchase orderSigned, with any variation or extension
- The invoicesWith dates, terms and the running balance
- Any written acknowledgementAn email, message or letter admitting the debt or promising payment
- Proof of delivery or performanceDelivery notes, sign-offs, completion certificates or timesheets
- Cheques and bank recordsIncluding any returned cheque and the bank’s advice
- Debtor detailsTrade licence, registered address, and whether they are still in the UAE
Recovery is a procedural exercise before it is an argument
Debts are recovered by choosing the right route on the evidence you actually have, moving before the debtor reorganises, and treating enforcement as part of the job rather than an afterthought.
- Route selection first. Payment order, civil claim or DIFC — picking correctly at the outset is worth more than aggression later.
- Enforcement included. We do not stop at judgment, and we take on stalled enforcement from other firms.
- Both sides of the ledger. Running creditor and debtor matters means we know how a defence is built — and how it is broken.
- Commercial candour. If recovery prospects do not justify the spend, we will say so before you commit.
Debt recovery in the UAE, answered directly
General information on the current framework, not advice on your debt. How it applies depends on your documents and your counterparty.
How does a payment order work in the UAE?
A payment order, or amr al-ada, is a fast-track procedure under Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022, the Civil Procedure Law in force since 2 January 2023. It allows a creditor who holds clear written proof of a debt to obtain an enforceable order without going through a full trial.
Objections are handled under Article 147. Whether your documents amount to clear written proof is the threshold question, and it is worth answering before anything is filed.
How do I recover a debt in Dubai?
The usual sequence is a formal legal notice, then either a payment order where you hold clear written proof or a civil claim where the debt is disputed, and then enforcement of the judgment.
Which route is faster depends far more on the quality of your documents than on the size of the debt.
What documents do I need?
The strongest position is a written record showing the debt was owed, acknowledged and left unpaid: a signed contract or purchase order, the invoices, proof of delivery or performance, the payment record, and any written acknowledgement or promise to pay.
Because the payment-order route depends on clear written proof, the documents often determine which route is open to you.
A cheque I was given has bounced. What are my options?
A returned cheque is a documented event, which usually strengthens a recovery claim. The routes available depend on the instrument, the underlying transaction and the circumstances of the dishonour, and they can differ from an ordinary unpaid invoice.
We advise on which route applies to your cheque rather than assuming one. If the cheque was rent, see also recovering unpaid rent.
A payment order has been served on me and I dispute it.
Objections are dealt with under Article 147 of Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022, and the objection period is short. Do not wait.
If the debt is not owed, is overstated, has already been paid, or the documents do not establish it, those points must be raised properly and in time to count.
Can I recover from someone who has left the UAE?
It may be possible, but it is materially harder. It depends on where the debtor and any assets now are, on the terms of the underlying contract, and on whether a UAE judgment can be recognised in the relevant jurisdiction.
This is worth assessing before costs are committed rather than after.
What is the DIFC Small Claims Tribunal?
The DIFC Courts Small Claims Tribunal hears claims up to AED 500,000, and up to AED 1,000,000 where the parties agree, with no value cap for employment-related claims.
It is only available where DIFC jurisdiction applies, which usually turns on the contract. If your agreement points to the DIFC, that route is worth assessing.
I have a judgment but still no money.
Enforcement is a separate stage from obtaining judgment, and it is where many recoveries stall. It involves identifying and attaching assets through the enforcement process.
MBM takes on enforcement of existing judgments, including judgments obtained by other firms.
Tell us what you are owed
Tell us briefly about your matter. Our team will review your enquiry and advise you on the appropriate next step. Everything you send is treated as confidential.
If a payment order has been served on you, please call — the objection window is short and it is the fastest way to reach a lawyer.
- +971 4 570 0204Dubai office · Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00
- WhatsApp +971 54 596 1111Send the invoices or the order you have received
- info@mbm-co.comAttach the contract, invoices and payment record
Thank you — your enquiry is with our team.
A member of the MBM team will review what you have sent and come back to you with the appropriate next step.
If your matter is time-critical, please call +971 4 570 0204 rather than waiting.
Unpaid debts do not improve with time.
Bring us the paperwork and we will tell you which route it supports, what it is likely to cost, and whether it is worth pursuing. The first consultation is free.