Exekúcia (enforcement) is the forced collection of a debt when you do not pay on time and the creditor has obtained a court decision. The collection is handled by a court bailiff (súdny exekútor), who can block a bank account, garnish part of your salary, or seize property.
What a bailiff can do
- Block funds in a bank account (a certain protected minimum is left).
- Garnish part of your salary directly through your employer (a part of your income also cannot be taken by law).
- Add you to the register of enforcement proceedings (register exekúcií).
The worst thing you can do is ignore it. If you receive a notification about an exekúcia, contact the bailiff: it is often possible to agree on a payment schedule (splátkový kalendár). You can check if there are proceedings against you in the Register of Enforcement Proceedings (Register exekúcií) online – it is worth doing this even before making large purchases or applying for a loan, as existing debts also affect your creditworthiness in the eyes of banks.
