What is an Assignment of Debt?

Summary

• An assignment of debt transfers a creditor’s rights to recover a debt to a third party without requiring the debtor’s consent, with the assignee entitled to recover the full amount, including interest, as if they were the original creditor.
• In New South Wales, a valid assignment must be in writing, executed as a deed signed by both parties, and the debtor must be notified in writing at their last known address.
• Common enforcement problems include debtors disputing whether proper notice was given, offsetting claims arising from prior arrangements with the assignor, and limitation periods of six years for debt recovery proceedings and 12 years for enforcing a judgment.
• This article explains the legal requirements for assigning a debt and the common issues that arise when enforcing an assigned debt in New South Wales.
• LegalVision, a commercial law firm specialising in advising clients on debt recovery and commercial law, outlines what assignment involves, how to perfect it, and the risks to consider.

Tips for Businesses

Ensure the deed of assignment is properly executed and written notice is sent to the debtor’s last known address. Keep records of all notices issued. Before purchasing assigned debt, investigate any prior arrangements between the assignor and debtor that could give rise to an offsetting claim or reduce the recoverable amount.

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On this page

• What is an Assignment of Debt?
• Perfecting Assignment
• Enforcing an Assigned Debt 
• Recovery of an Assigned Debt
• Other Considerations 
• Key Takeaways
• Frequently Asked Questions

An assignment of debt is when a creditor transfers the right to recover a debt to a third party, without needing the debtor’s consent. Creditors commonly use this arrangement to reduce recovery costs when a debtor has been in default for some time. This article looks at what it means to ‘assign a debt’, the legal requirements to perfecting an assignment, and common problems with enforcing an assigned debt.

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What is an Assignment of Debt?

An assignment of debt, in simple terms, is an agreement that transfers a debt owed to one entity, to another. A creditor does not need the consent of the debtor to assign a debt.

Once a debt is properly assigned, all rights and responsibilities of the original creditor (the assignor) transfer to the new owner (the assignee). Once an assignment of debt has been perfected, the assignee can collect the full amount of the debt owed. This includes interest recoverable under the original contract, as if they were the original creditor. A debtor is still responsible for paying the outstanding debt after an assignment. However, now, the debtor must pay the debt to the assignee rather than the original creditor.

Perfecting Assignment

In New South Wales, the requirements for a legally binding assignment of debt are set out in the Conveyancing Act:

1. the assignment must be in writing. You do this in the form of a deed (deed of assignment) and both the assignor and assignee sign it; and
2. the assignor must provide notice to the debtor. The requirement for notice must be express and must be in writing. The assignor must notify the debtor advising them of the debt’s assignment and to who it has been assigned. The assignee will send a separate notice to the debtor, putting them on notice that the debt is due and payable. They will also provide them with the necessary information to make payment. 

Debtor as a Joined Party

In some circumstances, a debtor will be joined as a party to the deed of assignment. There can be a great benefit in this approach. This is because the debtor can provide warranties that the debt is owed and has clear notice of the assignment. However, it is not always practical to do so for a few reasons:

• a debtor may not be on speaking terms with the assignor; 
• a debtor may not be prepared to co-operate or provide appropriate warranties; and
• the assignor or the assignee may not want the debtor to be made aware of the sale price. This occurs particularly where the sale price is at a significant discount.

If the debtor is not a party to the deed of assignment, proper notice of the assignment must be provided.  

Enforcing an Assigned Debt 

After validly assigning a debt (in writing and notice has been provided to the debtor’s last known place of residence), the assignee is entitled to take any legal steps available to them to recover the outstanding debt. These recovery options include:

1. commencing court proceedings;
2. obtaining a judgment; and 
3. enforcement of that judgment.

Recovery of an Assigned Debt

In our experience, recovery of an assigned debt can be problematic because:  

• debtors often do not understand the concept of debt assignment and may not be aware that their credit contract contains an assignment of debt clause;
• disputes can arise as to whether a lawful assignment of debt has arisen. A debtor may claim that the assignor did not provide them with the requisite notice of the assignment, or in some cases, a contract will specifically exclude the creditor from legally assigning a debt;
• proper records of the notice of assignment provided to the debtor must be maintained. If proper records have not been kept, it may be difficult to prove that notice has been properly given, which may invalidate the legal assignment; and
• the debtor has the right to make an offsetting claim in defence to any recovery action taken by the assignee. A debtor may raise an offsetting claim which has arisen out of a previous arrangement with the assignor (which the assignee may not be aware of). For example, the debtor may have entered into an agreement with the assignor whereby the assignor agreed to accept a lesser amount of the debt owed by way of settlement. Because the assignee acquires the same rights and obligations of the assignor, the terms of that previous settlement agreement will bind the assignee. The court may find that there is no debt owing by the debtor. In this case, the assignee will have been assigned nothing of value. 

Other Considerations 

When assigning a debt, it is essential that the assignee, in particular, considers relevant statutory limitation periods for commencing proceedings or enforcing a judgment debt. In New South Wales, the time limit:

• to file legal proceedings to recover debts is six years from the date of last payment or when the debtor admitted in writing that they owed the debt; and
• for enforcing a judgment debt is 12 years from the date of judgment.

An assignment of a debt does not extend these limitation periods.  

Key Takeaways

While there can be benefits to both the assignor and the assignee, an assignment of debt will be unenforceable if done incorrectly. Therefore, if you are considering assigning or being assigned a debt, it is important to seek legal advice.

If you need help with drafting or reviewing a deed of assignment, LegalVision provides ongoing legal support for businesses through our fixed-fee legal membership. Our experienced debt recovery lawyers help businesses manage contracts, employment law, disputes, intellectual property, and more, with unlimited access to specialist lawyers for a fixed monthly fee. To learn more about LegalVision’s legal membership, call 1300 544 755 or visit our membership page.

Frequently Asked Questions