Peter
Lawyer · Budapest, Hungary
- 199 cases handled · 11 in this service
- 10+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, German, Hungarian
- Law, University of Pécs
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4.94(17 reviews)
Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract in Hungary
A contract dispute starts when one side does not do what it agreed: work done late or badly, goods not delivered, a refusal to pay or to complete. An English-speaking lawyer in Hungary reads the contract under the Hungarian Civil Code, writes the demand, negotiates and, where needed, takes the claim to court or arbitration.
About Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract in Hungary
A contract dispute, most often searched as breach of contract, arises when a party does not perform what the contract says, or performs late or badly. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Contractual Disputes”. The Hungarian words are szerződésszegés (breach of contract, typed szerzodesszeges), kártérítés (damages) and kötbér (a contractual penalty, a common clause in Hungarian contracts).
Who it is for
Foreign companies with Hungarian suppliers, distributors or customers; private people in conflict with a builder, a seller, a service provider or a business partner in Hungary; and Hungarians living abroad with a dispute at home. Leases, jobs and property sales have their own rules and their own pages.
How it works in Hungary
Contracts are governed by the Civil Code (Polgári Törvénykönyv, Ptk.). Depending on the breach, the other party can ask for performance, withdraw from or terminate the contract, ask for a lower price, claim damages or enforce an agreed penalty. The usual first step is a written demand with a deadline. If talks fail, the claim goes to a district court (járásbíróság) or a regional court (törvényszék), or to arbitration if the contract provides for it; mediation is possible at any stage. When the conflict comes down to an unpaid sum, creditors often start with an order for payment (fizetési meghagyás) issued by a notary, explained under debt collection.
What to watch for
- Hungarian court proceedings run in Hungarian; a contract written in English is translated for the court.
- A choice-of-law, jurisdiction or arbitration clause decides where the case is heard, so it is read first.
- Claims expire after a limitation period; waiting can cost the claim.
- In some courts and types of case, representation by a lawyer is compulsory.
- E-mails, delivery notes, photos and invoices are easier to secure early than in the middle of a lawsuit.
What a lawyer does
A lawyer assesses the contract and the breach, sets out realistic remedies, drafts the demand, negotiates or proposes mediation, represents the client in court or arbitration and, after a judgment, moves to enforcement, including enforcing a judgment from another country in Hungary. For future deals, contract review helps avoid the same gaps. Related matters sit under litigation in Hungary.
Questions and answers
What counts as breach of contract in Hungary?
Any failure to perform as agreed: not performing at all, performing late, delivering defective work or goods, or refusing to cooperate as the contract requires.
Can I sue a Hungarian company from abroad?
Yes, through a lawyer in Hungary acting under a power of attorney. Within the EU, some contracts can also be litigated in another member state; a lawyer checks which court has jurisdiction.
What is kötbér?
A penalty the parties agreed in advance for a breach. It is claimed under the contract's own terms, and further damages may also be possible.
Is mediation worth trying?
Often, especially when the parties want to keep working together; a settlement reached there can end the dispute faster than a lawsuit.
3 lawyers who provide Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract in Hungary
Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.
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Adam
Lawyer · Budapest, Hungary
- 68 cases handled · 1 in this service
- 13+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Hungarian
- Law, University of Pécs
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5.00(5 reviews)
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Gábor István
Lawyer · Budapest, Hungary
- 20 cases handled · 1 in this service
- 12+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, German, Hungarian
- Degree in law, University of Pécs
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5.00(1 review)
Contact form · a chat with a lawyer
Talk to a lawyer about Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract
3 registered lawyers provide this service in Hungary. Describe your situation in a short chat — what happened, where, and how to reach you. Your enquiry is reviewed and passed to a lawyer who handles exactly this kind of case, with no obligation.
We are not just a place to list a profile: we work with every lawyer individually. Each one is registered with a bar association, and their experience, languages and client reviews are shown openly on their card.
Enquiries are answered by lawyers of AdvocateAbroad. This site provides legal information, not legal advice.
What our clients say about our service in Hungary
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The lawyer was excellent and efficient in every way.
— Tracey04 Nov 2025Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
The lawyer is calm, savvy and highly skilled, with excellent English. She helped us settle a tricky legal problem involving a Portuguese-based removal company, guiding us through the legal, technical and cultural complexities of our claim. For us it was priceless to have such peace of mind in a stressful period. We recommend her to anyone dealing with an international or complex legal claim.
— Krista15 Jul 2025Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
The lawyer was very helpful, spoke good English and was there when needed. My small case was taken seriously.
— Jan19 Feb 2025Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
Working with the lawyer was a pleasure, and her professionalism showed throughout. We are very thankful for her expertise and for the clear, well-articulated plan of action she set out. She made the effort to understand our situation and was always on hand to answer questions. We needed her because our wedding venue had charged us extra "overage" fees after the wedding and was keeping our wedding photos as collateral. She got to the bottom of it and resolved our case.
— Panayota12 Dec 2024Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
I am very happy with the lawyer, who is personable and supportive, and I am still working with her.
— Claire08 Nov 2024Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
The lawyer gave us very helpful support on the company matter we approached him with. We will certainly use him for any future legal needs.
— Aimee07 Nov 2024Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
The lawyer was very committed and, most importantly, successful.
— Nathalie04 Nov 2024Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
The lawyer was a great help. He replied quickly, understood our problem and was easy to work with.
— Jonny27 May 2024Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
I needed a lawyer after trouble getting a refund for a car reservation I had cancelled because of fraudulent information the car dealer had posted online. I contacted the service and my case was handled by one of its lawyers. Thanks to her action I got a relevant part of the money back within a few days, which I consider an absolute success. Dealing with her, I became firmly convinced that she is smart, excellent and reliable, a professional who comes quickly to the point. I would absolutely recommend her and the service to friends who may need legal support in Spain, and I would contact them again myself if the need arose.
— Marco03 May 2023Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
This summer a client of mine had a problem with a Catalan bank, Caixa, which had blocked his mortgage account so that he could not pay his instalments. Being a lawyer from Russia, I was unable to resolve it myself and turned to the lawyers of this service. One of them answered first, and I signed an agreement with her for legal assistance to my client. Thanks to her outstanding perseverance and the highest professionalism, the problem was solved. My client and I are entirely satisfied with her work and deeply grateful. Should I need legal help in Spain again, I will certainly turn to her.
— Ruslan08 Nov 2022Contract Disputes & Breach of Contract -
The lawyer did a great job for us in dealing with a difficult service provider. Her approach was suitably forceful and got the result we needed. Communication was excellent and timely, and we are very grateful. Highly recommended.
— Paul20 Jul 2022 -
Our lawyer did a great job helping us resolve a purchase we made from a dishonest car dealer in Spain. She was honest with us from the beginning, always replied on time, and dealt with a very difficult person on the other side, closing the case successfully. We highly recommend this service!
— Anna27 Jun 2022