How can you tell if you’re subject to debt enforcement?

Quick Overview: How Can I Find Out If I’m Subject to Debt Enforcement?

• You can verify whethera debt collection proceeding is being conducted by a court-appointed debt collector in the Central Debt Collection Registry (CEE).
• The Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings allows for online searches, but access to the data is subject to a fee.
• From the registry, you can find out, for example, whether enforcement proceedings are being conducted against a person, who is conducting them, and what obligation is being enforced.
• There is no single database of all debts. Debts owed to the tax office, the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ), health insurance companies, or other institutions must therefore be verified through other means as well.
• The CEE does not capture all debts or all methods of debt collection. A negative result in the CEE therefore does not mean that a person has no other debts.

Have you discovered that enforcement proceedings have been initiated against you, but you’re unsure whether the enforcement officer is acting correctly or how to resolve the situation? Our attorneys will help you assess your specific situation and suggest the next steps.

Signing contracts online or over the phone, confirming an order or taking out a loan with just a few taps on a smartphone… in today’s digital age, it’s very easy for the average person to take on new financial obligations. And it’s just as easy to lose track of them. It really doesn’t take much. A few days or weeks of inattention, and you’ve lost track of your debts.

In this article, we’d therefore like to discuss how to regain control of your financial obligations.

First and foremost, we must realize that it’s impossible to verify all debts. Logically, you’ll only be able to track down debts that are recorded in some kind of registry—whether established by law or by private entities. Other debts can only be identified if you’re already aware of them. We know who our creditor is, and we can ask them about the existence of the debt and its amount.

The basic rule, therefore, is to stay organized: set up a folder in your email inbox for messages from banks and similar lending institutions, and another for online purchases. You can also keep your accounting records in digital form.

But let’s return to the original question: How can we find out how much we owe and whether we’re already months past due on any payments? Unfortunately , obtaining a comprehensive overview of debts in the Czech Republic is complicated by the fact that there is no unified database here that collects records on debtors in one place—only various, independently operating registries. Some of these registries only allow you to check your own information and require identity verification, while others charge a fee, and so on.

The enforcement registry serves as a key source of information on whether someone is subject to debt enforcement proceedings. When verifying debts, we recommend starting with the official debt enforcement registry. The debt enforcement registry is important not only for debtors but also for potential creditors and employers.

How can you check for a debt enforcement case in the Central Debt Enforcement Registry online?

If you’re wondering how to find out whether you’re subject to enforcement proceedings, the primary official source is the Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings (CEE), maintained by the Chamber of Bailiffs of the Czech Republic. It is a public list of enforcement proceedings conducted by court-appointed bailiffs. Although it is commonly referred to as the “enforcement registry,” the correct name of the official database is the Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings.

The easiest way to check for debt enforcement is to obtain an extract from this database. Although an extract from the Central Register of Debt Enforcement is subject to a fee under a decree issued by the Ministry of Justice, you can use it to check any person (both individuals and legal entities). The Central Registry of Enforcement Proceedings is also the most reliable tool for verification. An extract from the Central Registry of Enforcement Proceedings can be obtained online, at a post office, or directly at a branch of the Chamber of Enforcement Agents.

How do you search the Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings?

When searching online, you can access electronic data through the official CEE website. You can search for both natural persons and legal entities and then view the available information on individual enforcement proceedings. When searching for a person, it is important to provide sufficient identifying information to avoid confusion with someone else who shares the same name.

The CEE records information regarding the initiation of enforcement proceedings as well as other information required by law, such as details about a final decision to suspend or postpone enforcement. Here, we can determine whether enforcement proceedings are pending against a specific person, which court-appointed enforcement officer has been authorized to carry out the enforcement, and what obligation is being enforced.

An extract from the enforcement registry provides an overview of all currently pending enforcement proceedings registered against the person in question. An extract is therefore the simplest way to determine whether enforcement proceedings are pending against a specific person, which court-appointed enforcement officer is handling the case, details of the enforcement order, the obligation being enforced, and other information recorded in the registry. All information is entered directly into the database by the enforcement officers themselves, which guarantees its accuracy and that it is up-to-date as of the date of entry.

The Enforcement Register thus provides a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to check not only your own status but also, for example, that of a prospective tenant, business partner, car dealer, or employee. The Enforcement Registry contains information on all active enforcement proceedings. However, it includes only valid, i.e., currently ongoing, enforcement proceedings. So if you’re wondering where to check for enforcement proceedings against a person, the CEE is the primary official source for enforcement proceedings conducted by court-appointed enforcement officers. You can check not only yourself but also any other individual or legal entity. However, the result cannot be considered complete confirmation that the person in question has no debts.

Once enforcement proceedings have ended, the data is removed from the CEE; therefore, the deletion may not occur immediately after the debt is paid. The enforcement officer will delete the data without undue delay 15 days after learning of the termination of the enforcement proceedings. An entry in the enforcement registry can significantly affect your creditworthiness and your chances of obtaining a loan.

How much does an extract from the Central Enforcement Registry cost?

• An electronic search in the CEE costs 60 CZK. The fee is paid for accessing the data during an online search in the CEE.
• A certified paper extract or confirmation costs 50 Kč per page. You might choose this option, for example, if you need an officially certified paper document.

Can you check for enforcement proceedings for free?

If you’re looking for a way to check for enforcement proceedings for free, it’s important to distinguish between enforcement proceedings and other types of debt. An official search in the Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings (CEE) is subject to a fee, so a complete verification through the CEE is not free. However, you can check certain other information on your own for free —such as communications with creditors or the status of your obligations on the client portals of some institutions. These sources, however, do not replace an extract from the CEE.

How can you find out online about debts and debt enforcement cases that aren’t listed in the CEE?

If you want to get a broader overview of your debts, checking the CEE alone is not enough. The Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings does not include all methods of debt collection by public institutions ( such as the tax office, the Czech Social Security Administration, or health insurance companies). This category generally also includes municipal offices and obligations arising from failure to pay certain recurring fees (e.g., dog license fees or municipal waste collection fees).

To determine the status of debts with these institutions, it is necessary to contact them individually. In the case of service providers (utility companies, internet providers, etc.), the situation is usually simpler; you can usually identify most potential outstanding balances through electronic bills.

We knowfrom experience that a common mistake is to interpret a negative result from the Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings as confirmation that you have no outstanding debts. The Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings does not show all debts or all methods of debt collection. If you truly need to get a clear picture of your financial obligations, it is therefore advisable to also check with specific creditors and other relevant registries.

Courts

Every court is required to maintain a record of all proceedings that have been or are currently pending before it. The requester has the right to obtain information from the court regarding all enforcement proceedings in which they have been or are currently a party. An extract from the court case registry reveals not only all ongoing or concluded court proceedings in which the requester has been a party, but also details regarding the requester’s creditors and outstanding debts.

The following registries are not primarily intended for identifying enforcement proceedings, but they can help in identifying other debts and repayment issues.

SOLUS Registry

Another well-established registry is SOLUS, which maintains information on individuals who are in arrears on their payments. An extract can be obtained by submitting a request through the company’s website for a fee of up to 250 crowns, depending on the format and type. Alternatively, an electronic extract can be obtained using a mobile app.

The advantage is that, in addition to registry reports, SOLUS also provides access to the Central Enforcement Register and the Insolvency Register. The report is then sent directly to your email, and if the order is paid for by credit card, it arrives immediately.

You can also request an extract from the SOLUS registers remotely. This extract contains information on all of the requester’s current and past debts, their amounts, and any outstanding balances.

Other Registers

Data on loans—including those being repaid on time—are also recorded by the Banking Register of Client Information (BRKI) and the Non-Banking Register of Client Information (NRKI).

Lenders typically check these registries to determine whether loan applicants are repaying their obligations on time or whether they already have too many loans. The report therefore provides information on all loans and obligations of the individual in question that have been granted by banks, building societies, installment loan companies, credit institutions, leasing companies, and other financial institutions.

Lenders

In addition to checking various registries, it is, of course, possible to contact potential creditors directly—or at least those to whom you make regular payments. These include service providers—such as utilities, telephone, and internet providers—as well as the Czech Social Security Administration and your health insurance company. Of course, arrears and debts can also arise with the tax office. In practice, self-employed individuals are particularly common among those seeking information from these institutions.

Do you have multiple debts, or have you discovered several enforcement proceedings and don’t know which situation to address first? An attorney can help you navigate the individual proceedings, review their status, and propose a legally appropriate next course of action.

Summary

If you want to find out whether you are subject to enforcement proceedings, the primary official source is the Central Register of Enforcement Proceedings maintained by the Chamber of Bailiffs of the Czech Republic. You can search online or via a certified extract, but this service is not free. The CEE provides information on enforcement proceedings conducted by court-appointed enforcement officers; however, the registry does not constitute a complete list of all of a person’s debts. Therefore, it may be necessary to verify obligations to the tax office, the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ), health insurance companies, service providers, or financial institutions separately. The SOLUS, BRKI, and NRKI registries can also help in searching for all debts, but they are not enforcement registries. A negative result from the CEE therefore does not in itself mean that a person has no other debts.