Netherlands Judiciary: Poorly regulated debt collection agencies in the Netherlands terrorizing indebted citizens

Dutch collection cgencies  terrorizing practices

Many Dutch consumers who find themselves in a debt collection process are harassed  by the debt collectors, who are poorly regulated by the Dutch judicial system, and they usually end-up deeper in debt.

This shocking finding has become evident from a recent analysis made by the Dutch Consumer Association (Nederlandse Consumentenbond) based on complaints they received at their "Debt Complain Center hotline", opened in the spring of this year 

On this Hotline more than 200 personal, often deeply disturbing and emotional stories, have disclosed how inhumane and threatening people are treated by these collection agencies

The Consumers Association says the situation has gone totally out of control, and Bart Combée, Director of the Dutch consumer association says: “the human dimension in this process is completely lost", says Bart Combée.

If consumers want to contact the collection agency, they often get no answer, or the door slammed in their face, even if you dispute a claim "Once the collection train starts running, it can not be stopped, other than by paying their usually inflated bill ”, says Bart Combée.

The most common complaints about the Dutch debt collection processes are about their rapidly increasing and not clearly specified billing costs.

Threatening letters about wage garnishment, foreclosure sales, or lawsuits. Even if the debt collection agencies are not empowered to do so, or when it only concerns a debt of  less than 100 euro's.

The Consumer Association wants the Judiciary to establish clear and precise regulations concerning the procedures to be followed by Dutch collection agencies and they want the Judiciary to firmly intervene when collection agencies violate these rules.

They also recommend that companies, collection agencies and bailiffs should be more accessible and willing to offer more customization to the process.

The Consumer Association also wants to see that the intimidating behavior of the collection agencies be addressed immediately.

Some claims are even based on debts made by deceased  parents, which are transferred to their children, under one of the many archaic and outdated laws still on the books in the Netherlands, labelled under hereditary responsibilities. 

 

The Dutch Consumer Agency has also requested the Netherlands Parliament to intervene in this matter, but not much has been done so far.

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