{"id":70888,"date":"2017-07-17T09:04:51","date_gmt":"2017-07-17T07:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/debt-collection-law-belgium\/"},"modified":"2025-11-26T20:02:53","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T19:02:53","slug":"debt-collection-law-belgium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/debt-collection-law-belgium\/","title":{"rendered":"Debt collection law Belgium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1318\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tcm-law-debt.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" title=\"\">\n\n\n\n<p>Belgium had no\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong>specific law regarding debt collection<\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0until 2002 where two laws were published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>In\u00a0<strong>August 2002<\/strong>, an EU regulation was implemented in Belgian legislation addressing the issue of\u00a0<strong>unpaid commercial debts<\/strong>\u00a0(i.e. where the debtor is a company).\u00a0 It was revised in 2016, as a consequence of the EU legislative work. This legislation is essentially aimed at protecting the creditors.\u00a0 Creditors are granted a minimum interest rate (8 points of percentage above the EU Central Banks\u2019 main refinancing rate \u2013 currently 0 + 8 = 8%); and the debtor has to compensate the creditor for all collection costs (under certain conditions).<\/li>\n\n\n<li>In\u00a0<strong>December 2002<\/strong>, the Official Journal published a law regulating\u00a0<strong>amicable consumer debt collection<\/strong>.\u00a0 This latter one was quite unique in Europe in terms of limitations and sanctions.\u00a0 It was extended to attorneys at law and to bailiffs in 2009.\u00a0 This legislation actually protects consumers from unfair debt collection practice.\u00a0 Please read below for additional details.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>On\u00a0<strong>19th October 2015<\/strong>\u00a0the so called \u00ab Pot-Pourri I \u00bb act included a new procedure to enforce payment of\u00a0<strong>uncontested monetary claims<\/strong>.\u00a0 This legislation being quite new, its benefits or flaws have not been demonstrated yet.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 There is other\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong>minor legislation<\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>.\u00a0 This includes \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ejustice.just.fgov.be\/cgi_loi\/change_lg.pl?language=nl&amp;la=N&amp;cn=2013052319&amp;table_name=wet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the lawyer letter<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201d that extends the period within which a claim is time-barred by one year at most.\u00a0 This legislation has been forgotten the day after its publication because it is useless. \u00a0 The main issue on Belgian legislation are twofold:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>The legislator consults professional in most cases but sometimes omits to do so.\u00a0 We anticipate the\u00a0<strong>Pot-Pourri act<\/strong>\u00a0on uncontested claims to be quite damaging for business, hence the opposite of the result openly sought.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>The Public Administration is relatively inefficient at searching and stopping fraud.\u00a0 This is due to a lack of resources.\u00a0 It has a significant impact on the economy as unfair players benefit from their wrongdoings and can invest such benefits to grow; pushing fair actors out of the picture.<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Having said that, legislation is paramount to any business and to debt collection too.\u00a0 Belgian debt collection legislation is quite good.\u00a0 We hope to see an improvement in the coming years on cooperation between the legislator and the professionals as well as better controls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Debtor\u2019s privacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Belgium has a privacy protection legislation since 1992.\u00a0 It has been modified regularly since then and will experiment a significant change after 25 May 2018 when the\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/law\/law-topic\/data-protection\/reform\/what-does-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr-govern_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">latest EU Regulation<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0enters into force. Data protection laws do not aim specifically at debt collection, far from that.\u00a0 But this set of regulation ensures that personal data is treated with respect for the citizen\u2019s privacy; also when the citizen is a debtor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consumer debt collection act<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ejustice.just.fgov.be\/cgi_loi\/change_lg.pl?language=nl&amp;la=N&amp;cn=2002122062&amp;table_name=wet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 Dec 2002 law on amicable consumer debt collection<\/a><\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0is worth some more detailed explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>It applies to\u00a0<strong>amicable<\/strong>\u00a0(out of courts)\u00a0<strong>recovery<\/strong>\u00a0of consumer debts.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It applies to any\u00a0<strong>debt collection action<\/strong>\u00a0but has additional specific rules for third party debt collection.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Debt collection actors<\/strong>\u00a0have to be listed with the controlling authority.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It bans misinformation, the use of untrue legal threatening, claiming unjustified amounts, and a few other\u00a0<strong>unfair practice<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It demands to start the procedure with a<strong>\u00a0letter to the debtor<\/strong>\u00a0and to grant the debtor\u00a0<strong>15 days<\/strong>\u00a0before to make a new action.\u00a0 Such letter needs to include specific information comprising the address of the controlling authority.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It forbids to claim any\u00a0<strong>cost or interest<\/strong>\u00a0except if such costs and interests have been agreed in the underlying contract between the creditor and the debtor.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It specifies rules for to\u00a0<strong>visits to debtors<\/strong>\u00a0(which is a specific and quite unique\u00a0activity of TCM).<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Sanctions for parties who do not comply are heavy.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 This law has had a positive impact on the trade. The\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/economie.fgov.be\/fr\/themes\/services-financiers\/credit-la-consommation\/endettement\/recouvrement-de-dettes\/inscription-comme-recouvreur\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">controlling authority<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0registered only 420 complaints in 2015.\u00a0 And not every complaint is substantiated, far from that. Besides, the\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.abrbvi.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Belgian Collectors Association<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0reported over 1,700,000 new\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong>debt collection cases<\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0for the same year and many of the 420 complaints are about lawyers and bailiffs or on debt collectors that are not a member of the Association. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For further information about the<strong>debt collection law in Belgium<\/strong>you can consult our publications on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/new-debt-collection-bill-all-equal\/\">New Belgian debt collection bill<\/a>;<\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/belgian-law-consumer-debt-collection\/\">Belgian law consumer debt collection<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You wish more information, please contact us via our\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">website<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"mailto:sales@tcm.be\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">directly<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1318\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tcm-law-debt.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" title=\"\">\n\n\n\n<p>Belgium had no\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong>specific law regarding debt collection<\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0until 2002 where two laws were published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>In\u00a0<strong>August 2002<\/strong>, an EU regulation was implemented in Belgian legislation addressing the issue of\u00a0<strong>unpaid commercial debts<\/strong>\u00a0(i.e. where the debtor is a company).\u00a0 It was revised in 2016, as a consequence of the EU legislative work. This legislation is essentially aimed at protecting the creditors.\u00a0 Creditors are granted a minimum interest rate (8 points of percentage above the EU Central Banks\u2019 main refinancing rate \u2013 currently 0 + 8 = 8%); and the debtor has to compensate the creditor for all collection costs (under certain conditions).<\/li>\n\n\n<li>In\u00a0<strong>December 2002<\/strong>, the Official Journal published a law regulating\u00a0<strong>amicable consumer debt collection<\/strong>.\u00a0 This latter one was quite unique in Europe in terms of limitations and sanctions.\u00a0 It was extended to attorneys at law and to bailiffs in 2009.\u00a0 This legislation actually protects consumers from unfair debt collection practice.\u00a0 Please read below for additional details.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>On\u00a0<strong>19th October 2015<\/strong>\u00a0the so called \u00ab Pot-Pourri I \u00bb act included a new procedure to enforce payment of\u00a0<strong>uncontested monetary claims<\/strong>.\u00a0 This legislation being quite new, its benefits or flaws have not been demonstrated yet.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 There is other\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong>minor legislation<\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>.\u00a0 This includes \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ejustice.just.fgov.be\/cgi_loi\/change_lg.pl?language=nl&amp;la=N&amp;cn=2013052319&amp;table_name=wet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the lawyer letter<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201d that extends the period within which a claim is time-barred by one year at most.\u00a0 This legislation has been forgotten the day after its publication because it is useless. \u00a0 The main issue on Belgian legislation are twofold:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>The legislator consults professional in most cases but sometimes omits to do so.\u00a0 We anticipate the\u00a0<strong>Pot-Pourri act<\/strong>\u00a0on uncontested claims to be quite damaging for business, hence the opposite of the result openly sought.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>The Public Administration is relatively inefficient at searching and stopping fraud.\u00a0 This is due to a lack of resources.\u00a0 It has a significant impact on the economy as unfair players benefit from their wrongdoings and can invest such benefits to grow; pushing fair actors out of the picture.<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Having said that, legislation is paramount to any business and to debt collection too.\u00a0 Belgian debt collection legislation is quite good.\u00a0 We hope to see an improvement in the coming years on cooperation between the legislator and the professionals as well as better controls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Debtor\u2019s privacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Belgium has a privacy protection legislation since 1992.\u00a0 It has been modified regularly since then and will experiment a significant change after 25 May 2018 when the\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/law\/law-topic\/data-protection\/reform\/what-does-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr-govern_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">latest EU Regulation<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0enters into force. Data protection laws do not aim specifically at debt collection, far from that.\u00a0 But this set of regulation ensures that personal data is treated with respect for the citizen\u2019s privacy; also when the citizen is a debtor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consumer debt collection act<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ejustice.just.fgov.be\/cgi_loi\/change_lg.pl?language=nl&amp;la=N&amp;cn=2002122062&amp;table_name=wet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 Dec 2002 law on amicable consumer debt collection<\/a><\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0is worth some more detailed explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>It applies to\u00a0<strong>amicable<\/strong>\u00a0(out of courts)\u00a0<strong>recovery<\/strong>\u00a0of consumer debts.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It applies to any\u00a0<strong>debt collection action<\/strong>\u00a0but has additional specific rules for third party debt collection.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Debt collection actors<\/strong>\u00a0have to be listed with the controlling authority.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It bans misinformation, the use of untrue legal threatening, claiming unjustified amounts, and a few other\u00a0<strong>unfair practice<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It demands to start the procedure with a<strong>\u00a0letter to the debtor<\/strong>\u00a0and to grant the debtor\u00a0<strong>15 days<\/strong>\u00a0before to make a new action.\u00a0 Such letter needs to include specific information comprising the address of the controlling authority.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It forbids to claim any\u00a0<strong>cost or interest<\/strong>\u00a0except if such costs and interests have been agreed in the underlying contract between the creditor and the debtor.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>It specifies rules for to\u00a0<strong>visits to debtors<\/strong>\u00a0(which is a specific and quite unique\u00a0activity of TCM).<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Sanctions for parties who do not comply are heavy.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 This law has had a positive impact on the trade. The\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/economie.fgov.be\/fr\/themes\/services-financiers\/credit-la-consommation\/endettement\/recouvrement-de-dettes\/inscription-comme-recouvreur\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">controlling authority<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0registered only 420 complaints in 2015.\u00a0 And not every complaint is substantiated, far from that. Besides, the\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.abrbvi.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Belgian Collectors Association<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0reported over 1,700,000 new\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong>debt collection cases<\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0for the same year and many of the 420 complaints are about lawyers and bailiffs or on debt collectors that are not a member of the Association. For further information about the<\/p>\n\n\n\n<strong>debt collection law in Belgium<\/strong>\n\n\n\n<p>you can consult our publications on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/new-debt-collection-bill-all-equal\/\">New Belgian debt collection bill<\/a>;<\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/belgian-law-consumer-debt-collection\/\">Belgian law consumer debt collection<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 You wish more information, please contact us via our\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">website<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"mailto:sales@tcm.be\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">directly<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 Belgium had no\u00a0 specific law regarding debt collection \u00a0until 2002 where two laws were published. \u00a0 There is other\u00a0 minor legislation .\u00a0 This includes \u201c the lawyer letter \u201d that extends the period within which a claim is time-barred by one year at most.\u00a0 This legislation has been forgotten the day after its publication [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70888"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":72303,"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70888\/revisions\/72303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcm.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}