Debt collection register to end dishonest debt collection practices

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Martijn, Legal Advisor
Published on 12 August 2022

Debt collection agencies do not always abide by the rules. The mandatory register for debt collection agencies as of 1 January 2023 is intended to put an end to this.

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Register

Every debt collection agency in the Netherlands will soon have to register. If a debt collection agency does not register, the debt collection agency may no longer collect any debts. The register is public. That way, you can easily check whether the debt collection agency from which you have received a reminder is registered. Is the debt collection agency not registered? Then you need not pay the bill. 

Complaints

You will soon be able to report a debt collection agency that does not stick to the rules. Debt collection agencies can then be fined. Does a debt collection agency make frequent mistakes? Then the debt collection agency can be removed from the register. The register will provide greater oversight.  

Debt collection rules

You can read the most important debt collection rules below: 

  • The business must first have given you an opportunity to pay before a debt collection agency sends you a debt collection letter or reminder.
  • Have you been late with your payment? Then the business must send you a reminder. That reminder must state that your payment is overdue, that you still have 14 days to pay and that you will need to pay debt collection costs if you have still not paid after 14 days.
  • A debt collection agency may not threaten you or pressure you to pay.
  • A debt collection agency must explain how the sum arose.

Calculation tool and debt collection letter checker

Have you received a debt collection letter or reminder from a debt collection agency? Be sure to always use ACM ConsuWijzer's debt collection cost calculation tool or debt collection letter checker to check whether the debt collection letter is correct. Do not simply pay the bill if you receive a letter from a debt collection agency.  

Letter template

Is the debt collection letter or reminder incorrect because you have already paid the bill, for example? Or is it because the debt collection charges are far too high? Be sure to inform the debt collection agency of why do not agree with the bill. Use one of our letter templates for this. 

Report 

Do you think a debt collection agency is not adhering to the rules? Then report it to the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets. This is the supervisory authority that checks whether companies, like debt collection agencies, adhere to the rules.