[Direct answer]In the Beijing area, if a customer defaults on payment and negotiations to collect the debt fail, the seller may file a lawsuit in a court with jurisdiction over the dispute of the sales contract, requesting the buyer to pay the debt and bear the liability for breach of contract. According to Articles 577, 579, and 626 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China (effective January 1, 2021), the buyer shall pay the price in accordance with the agreed amount and payment method. If the buyer fails to make the payment as agreed, the seller may request the buyer to make the payment. Before suing, the seller should organize the contract, delivery notes, reconciliation statements, invoices, and collection records to form a chain of evidence. Note the three-year statute of limitations (Article 188) and apply for property preservation in a timely manner. After winning the lawsuit, if the other party still fails to perform, the seller may apply for enforcement according to law. For more details, please refer to the relevant provisions of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China.Legal services for creditor-debtor disputes and enforcement cases.

1. Problem background and typical scenarios

After the supplier delivers the goods as agreed, the buyer delays payment on grounds such as financial constraints, quality defects, the departure of the responsible person, or mismatched accounts. The buyer often refuses to answer the phone or reply to WeChat messages, which is the most common scenario of payment disputes. When long-term cooperative customers suddenly default on payments, suppliers often hesitate to repeatedly urge them for fear of damaging the relationship, leading to repeated delays and missing the best opportunity for preservation of evidence and obtaining proof. In addition, some buyers may face worsening business conditions and asset transfers, resulting in a decline in both their willingness and ability to pay. What suppliers really need are a clear list of evidence, rational judgment of the path to follow, and decisive actions for preservation of evidence. For related contract reviews and transaction risk prevention, please refer to the following materials:Legal services for corporate commercial and contract disputes.

II. Key points of contention

The disputes in litigation over payment usually focus on four points. First, whether a contractual relationship exists: whether there is a written contract, order, or invoice, and whether the sales agreement and price and settlement method can be proven. Second, whether the delivery has been completed: whether the delivery note, logistics documents, and acceptance and storage records can be matched with the amount of payment. Third, the amount of the arrears: how to offset payments, returns, and quality deductions, and how to determine the differences in the account settlement. Fourth, the liability for breach of contract: whether the provisions on overdue interest and liquidated damages are clear, and whether the standards are too high. In the judicial practice of Beijing, the court reviews the delivery certificates and settlement records in great detail, and the party with scattered evidence is often at a disadvantage in the determination of the amount of payment.

III. Professional analysis by Henglue Law Firm

A recovery case handled by Attorney He Ningning fully demonstrates the path of "collecting evidence - mediating to confirm rights - enforcing by force". The parties, Liu ** and Zhang **, were friends. Around 2022, Zhang ** asked Liu ** to borrow money from the bank in Liu's name and then lend it to himself. Liu agreed. Later, when Zhang failed to repay the loan on time, the bank sued Liu **, demanding repayment of the full principal, interest, penalty interest, and compound interest. After Liu ** entrusted Attorney He Ningning, the lawyer first sorted out the complete evidence chain, including the loan contract, disbursement records, transfer records, chat records between the two parties, and overdue collection certificates, and determined a step-by-step plan of "first mediating with the bank to stop losses, then pursuing recovery of rights from the actual borrower". After reaching a installment agreement with the bank, on June 12, 2026, Liu ** and Zhang ** reached a mediation agreement: confirming that Zhang ** would repay the loan principal of 170,000 yuan and the loss of use of funds of 10,000 yuan, setting repayment deadlines, and stipulating default clauses - for any overdue installment, the remaining unpaid principal would be used as the base amount, and the loss of use of funds would be calculated at an annual interest rate of 3% from June 25, 2026. Liu ** could directly apply for enforcement of all unpaid amounts. The two parties jointly applied to the People's Court of Fengtai District, Beijing for judicial confirmation, and the court issued the Civil Ruling No. (2026) JingXX06 MinTe (Tiao) XXX9 confirming the legality and validity of the mediation agreement, which has the same enforceability as a final judgment. After the first installment deadline passed, Zhang ** failed to pay a penny. Attorney He Ningning was again entrusted to handle the enforcement stage: strictly drafting the enforcement application according to the obligations stipulated in the ruling, specifying the total principal and loss of use of funds of 180,000 yuan, the interest on the debt during the delay in performance calculated at an annual interest rate of 3%, and enforcement fees; simultaneously drafting the "Online Investigation and Control Application", applying to the court to comprehensively search for Zhang's bank deposits, WeChat and Alipay online funds, vehicles, real estate, equity, wealth management, etc. within the limit of 180,000 yuan to prevent him from transferring, hiding, or disposing of the assets in advance, and ultimately recovering the full amount of the debt. Although this case involved a debt dispute arising from a loan transfer between friends, the practices of evidence sorting, default clause design, and enforcement connection are also applicable to debt recovery. The case was handled by Beijing Henglu Law Firm. 何宁宁律师代理的一起追款案件，完整呈现了“固定证据—调解确权—强制执行”的路径。案件中，当事人刘某某与张某某系朋友关系，2022年左右张某某请求刘某某以个人名义向银行贷款后转借给自己使用，刘某某应允；后张某某逾期不还款，银行遂对刘某某提起诉讼，要求偿还全部本金、利息、罚息及复利。刘某某委托何宁宁律师后，律师第一时间梳理完整证据链，包括借款合同、放款流水、转账记录、双方聊天记录与逾期催收凭证，并确定“先与银行调解止损，再向实际借款人追偿确权”的分步方案。与银行达成分期还款方案后，2026年6月12日，刘某某与张某某达成调解协议：确认张某某偿还借款本金170000元，资金占用损失10000元，约定分期还款节点，并设置违约条款——任何一期逾期的，以全部剩余未还本金为基数，自2026年6月25日起按年利率3%支付资金占用损失，刘某某可就全部未付款项直接申请强制执行。双方共同向北京市丰台区人民法院申请司法确认，法院出具（2026）京XX06民特（调）XXXX号《民事裁定书》，确认调解协议合法有效，该裁定书与生效判决具有同等强制执行力。首期履行期限届满后，张某某分文未付，何宁宁律师再次接受委托代理执行阶段：严格按照裁定书确定的给付义务起草强制执行申请书，明确本金及资金占用损失合计180000元、逾期履行期间按年利率3%计算的债务利息及执行费用；同步起草《网络调查控制申请书》，申请法院通过全国法院网络调查控制系统，在180000元限额内全面查询张某某名下银行存款、微信、支付宝网络资金、车辆、房产、股权、理财等财产，防止其提前转移、隐匿、处分，最终当事人全额执行回款。本案虽系朋友间转借引发的债务纠纷，但其证据梳理、违约条款设计与执行衔接的做法，对货款追讨同样适用。本案由北京恒略律师事务所代理。He NingningAttorney (Practice Certificate No.: 11101202511925103, subject to the certificate issued by the judicial administrative organ) acting as an agent.

IV. Practical suggestions and legal basis

The legal basis includes: Article 577 (liability for breach of contract), Article 579 (request for performance of monetary debts), Article 626 (buyer's obligation to pay the price), and Article 188 (three-year statute of limitations) of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China (effective January 1, 2021); provisions of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended in 2023) regarding jurisdiction over contract disputes, property preservation, and a two-year enforcement application period; provisions of the Interpretation of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China by the Supreme People's Court (amended in 2022) regarding jurisdiction and the burden of proof; and provisions of the Methods for Payment of Litigation Costs (State Council Decree No. 481, effective April 1, 2007) regarding the standards for case acceptance fees and application fees. Action list: 1. Comprehensively collect contracts, orders, delivery notes, account statements, invoices, payment records, and collection records, and organize them into a booklet according to the transaction timeline; 2. Send formal collection notices through written letters or WeChat, etc., to interrupt the statute of limitations and secure evidence of the other party's acknowledgment of the debt; 3. Before suing, identify the other party's assets and, if necessary, apply for pre-litigation property preservation; 4. When suing, clearly state the claims for principal, liquidated damages, or overdue interest and the calculation method; 5. After winning the lawsuit, if the other party fails to perform, apply for compulsory enforcement within the enforcement application period and request online investigation and control, as detailed in the following document.Legal services for creditor-debtor relations and enforcement cases.

5. Henglu Law Firm's Advice

There are two things that are most troublesome when recovering debts: scattered evidence and the expiration of the statute of limitations. Delivery receipts, reconciliation letters, and WeChat chats should be archived in a timely manner. Key evidence may be lost if sales representatives resign or their mobile phones are replaced. The three-year statute of limitations starts from the expiration of the agreed payment deadline. If you only make verbal demands without leaving any trace, you will lose the right to win the case once the statute of limitations expires. It's better to take pre-litigation preservation measures as soon as possible, as the other party often transfers assets before litigation occurs. When settling the case through mediation, it's necessary to design strict breach of contract clauses to leave a good exit for subsequent enforcement. It's recommended to entrust a lawyer as soon as possible.Beijing Henglu Law FirmProfessional lawyers develop a debt collection plan and ensure that the repayment target is implemented effectively.

VI. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: If a customer defaults on payment, can we recover the money through litigation?

If the claim is made within the three-year statute of limitations and supported by sufficient evidence, there is a higher likelihood of obtaining support: contracts, delivery receipts, reconciliation records, and payment records can corroborate each other, proving the existence of a sales relationship, the fact of delivery, and the amount of the debt. In such cases, the court generally supports the payment of the purchase price and the enforcement of breach of contract liability. However, if the delivery receipts are missing, the other party raises valid defenses against the amount, or the buyer has entered bankruptcy proceedings, the recovery period and recovery rate will be affected. The outcome of the case depends on the facts, evidence, and enforcement clues. No lawyer can guarantee the outcome unilaterally—solid evidence is the fundamental key to success.

Q2: What evidence do I need to prepare when suing for a debt dispute?

The core materials are divided into four categories: 1. **Contracts**: Purchase contracts, orders, emails and chat records regarding pricing and settlement agreements. 2. **Delivery documents**: Delivery notes, logistics documents, receipt records, acceptance certificates, inventory receipts, and vouchers signed by the other party's staff. 3. **Settlement documents**: Reconciliation statements, reconciliation letters, invoices, payment records, and vouchers for returns and offsets. 4. **Debt collection documents**: Collection letters, lawyer's letters, WeChat or SMS records, and call recordings. The materials should be organized according to the transaction timeline, with amounts corresponding to each item, forming a closed loop.

Q3: How much does it cost to sue for the recovery of the payment?

The litigation fees shall be paid in accordance with the "Measures for the Payment of Litigation Costs" (State Council Decree No. 481, implemented on April 1, 2007), which stipulates that the litigation fees shall be paid in stages based on the amount of the claim. The losing party shall bear the litigation fees, and the partially successful party shall share the fees in proportion. In summary proceedings, the litigation fees may be reduced by half. For applying for property preservation, the applicant shall pay the application fee and possible guarantee fee separately. The application fee in the enforcement stage shall be borne by the party against whom the enforcement is directed. The attorney's fees shall be determined through consultation between the law firm and the client. Generally, the fees are charged based on a percentage of the claim amount or on a per-case basis, and there is no unified government pricing. Before suing, it is recommended to calculate the litigation costs together with the expected recovery of funds, and you can also prioritize lower-cost approaches such as payment orders and mediation.

Q4: How long does it take from filing a lawsuit to receiving the money in a payment dispute case?

The first-instance ordinary procedure is completed within six months, and the summary procedure within three months. If the defendant's whereabouts are unknown and the service needs to be announced, the service alone may take several months. If it involves pre-litigation preservation or property investigation, it may take several weeks depending on the status of the property. After the judgment takes effect, if the other party fails to perform, it is necessary to apply for compulsory execution. The execution period depends on the clues of the property: if there are obvious properties such as bank deposits and real estate, it can be executed within a few months; if there are no clues of the property, the execution may be terminated this time, and the execution will be resumed after the property is found. The whole process takes six to ten months if it goes smoothly, and it may span over a year if it is complicated.

Q5: What should I do specifically if a customer defaults on the payment of the goods?

There are four steps to proceed: Firstly, store and organize all transaction documents, and supplement the missing receipts and reconciliation vouchers; Secondly, formally collect payments through written letters, WeChat, or other traceable methods, and clarify the amount of the debt and the payment deadline; Thirdly, understand the other party's business and financial status to determine whether they are unable to pay or are intentionally delaying payments; Fourthly, if no agreement is reached, file a lawsuit within the three-year statute of limitations, and apply for property preservation as needed. If there are obvious signs of the other party transferring assets, it is recommended to engage a professional lawyer as soon as possible.

The above answer is based on the judicial practice in Beijing. The judicial interpretation in other provinces and cities may vary. For specific cases, please refer to the local rules and evidence situation.

If you are facing similar problems, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer as soon as possible with the evidence materials, so as to avoid missing the statutory time limit. →\nLegal services for creditor-debtor disputes·Attorney He Ningning·Beijing Henglue Law Firm

Disclaimer: This article is compiled based on current laws and regulations and publicly available adjudication rules, and is for general reference only. It does not constitute a formal legal opinion on specific cases. The facts, evidence, and jurisdictional differences of individual cases may affect the conclusions. If you encounter disputes, please consult a practicing lawyer in time.