I'm being asked to pay a very old debt
Personal debts with no special period expire after five years, but any claim or acknowledgement resets the clock.
Five years
The general period for personal claims, from when payment could be demanded.
«Las acciones personales que no tengan plazo especial prescriben a los cinco años desde que pueda exigirse el cumplimiento de la obligación.»
What interrupts it
A lawsuit, an out-of-court claim by the creditor or your acknowledging the debt.
«La prescripción de las acciones se interrumpe por su ejercicio ante los Tribunales, por reclamación extrajudicial del acreedor y por cualquier acto de reconocimiento de la deuda por el deudor.»
Is something different in your case?
Tell us in your own words and we will tell you what applies to you, with the law in hand.
General information, not advice on your specific case. Text prepared with the help of artificial intelligence; every quotation is a verbatim extract from the official text and is checked against the BOE every night. Other common letters.