What do debt collectors charge in Sydney?
Understand recovery commission, field visit fees, GST and additional costs. See the published fee research behind our indicative Sydney debt collection pricing.
The common structure: commission plus separate costs
Published Australian debt collection schedules commonly charge a percentage of money recovered. Many describe this as “no collection, no commission”. Field attendance, searches, legal services and other work may be charged separately, so no commission does not necessarily mean no cost.
Commission scales vary with the size and age of the debt, the type of work, the provider’s terms and sometimes an annual subscription. A percentage for a large, recent invoice is not directly comparable with a small or older debt.
Our indicative Sydney pricing
- Recovery commission: 21% + GST on money actually recovered.
- Sydney metro field fee: $192.50 + GST for the attendance scope in your quote.
- Additional services: travel outside the agreed area, extra visits, searches and legal work are quoted separately before approval.
The field fee is payable for the agreed work even if the debt is not recovered. Commission applies only to recoveries. These are indicative planning rates, not a binding offer or a guarantee. Your agreement confirms the scope and final charges.
How the commission benchmark was calculated
We compared seven publicly advertised schedules on 2 November 2026, using a $7,500 recent domestic commercial debt as a common example. This avoids mixing small-debt, large-debt and aged-debt rates into one misleading average. GST-inclusive rates were converted to their equivalent before GST.
| Published provider schedule | Rate for $7,500, before GST | Relevant qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Piranha Collect | 20% | Invoices up to 9 months old |
| CollectMORE | 22% | $6,000–$10,000 bracket |
| CDRS | 25% | $1,001–$10,000 bracket |
| EC Credit Control | 25% | First $10,000; separate $60 + GST debt-load fee |
| DebtForce | 15.91% | 17.5% including GST ÷ 1.1; debts under 365 days |
| Bluechip Collections | 20% | $5,001–$10,000 bracket; standard young debt |
| Professional Collections | 17.5% | $5,001–$10,000 bracket |
The simple, unweighted average is 20.77% before GST, rounded to a practical indicative rate of 21% + GST. Each provider has equal weight; the figure is a sample benchmark, not an estimate of the entire industry’s average fee. Separate loading, membership and field fees are excluded from this commission calculation.
How the field fee was calculated
Coastal Mercantile publishes $250 + GST for its metro field package, including a demand letter and up to three attendances. IRS Group publishes $135 + GST for a metro field call with a demand letter.
The midpoint is ($250 + $135) ÷ 2 = $192.50 + GST. The advertised scopes differ, so this is a planning benchmark rather than a claim that the packages are identical. Your quote must state how many attendances and what reporting are included.
Other schedules reviewed were not mixed into this calculation where tax or scope prevented a clean comparison: Nautilus lists $154 for Sydney without explicitly stating GST on that page; JMA offers standard and membership commission schedules without explicit GST treatment in that displayed table. Specialist litigation and construction-claim fees are a different service.
A worked example
If $7,500 is fully recovered, commission at 21% is $1,575. Add a $192.50 field fee and $176.75 GST on both fees. Total fees are $1,944.25 including GST, leaving $5,555.75 before any separately approved costs. This assumes all recovery attracts the quoted commission and the agreed field work has been performed.
If nothing is recovered, no recovery commission is payable. The agreed field fee of $211.75 including GST, plus any separately approved costs, remains payable. The fee estimator lets you explore other full-recovery amounts.
Can collection costs be added to the debtor’s account?
Not automatically. The contract, applicable law, type of debt and any court order determine whether collection costs can be recovered from the debtor. A creditor should not simply add an agency’s commission to an invoice. See the ACCC’s guidance and seek advice on the actual agreement.
Questions to ask before signing
- Is GST included, and is commission calculated on part payments?
- What happens if the customer pays directly to my business?
- Exactly how many visits and what travel are included?
- Which costs remain payable if nothing is recovered?
- What requires a separate quote and approval?
Published fees may change, and every provider’s terms and eligibility criteria apply. The comparisons above are research for our indicative pricing, not endorsements or competing quotes.
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