Being recorded for a payment default in the Central Individual Credit Register of the National Bank of Belgium (BNB) does not stop you borrowing from someone close, but calls for a rigorous acknowledgement of debt and great caution towards online offers aimed at listed borrowers.
What the Central Individual Credit Register actually records
The Central Individual Credit Register, kept by the National Bank of Belgium, lists mortgage and consumer credit agreements as well as payment defaults. Calling it a blacklist is misleading: it is a statutory register that licensed lenders consult.
Why licensed lenders turn down a listed applicant
The Belgian Code of Economic Law obliges licensed lenders to check the Register before any consumer loan. A recorded default almost always leads to refusal, because the institution becomes liable if it lends to a consumer clearly unable to repay.
Checking your own NBB data for free
Anyone can view the information held about them at the National Bank free of charge, online with an electronic identity card or itsme, by post or at the counter. If there is a mistake, a correction request goes to the lender that reported it.
How long a default stays and what settling it changes
A payment default remains visible for a limited period set by regulation, even after the arrears are settled. Repaying the debt therefore does not erase the entry immediately; ask the BNB which removal date applies to your own file.
Family loans outside the consumer credit regime
A private person who lends occasionally, with no business purpose, is not a lender under Book VII of the Code of Economic Law. They cannot access the Register, but the loan must stay one-off and written: see our guide to peer-to-peer lending in Belgium.
Drafting an acknowledgement of debt under Belgian law
The Belgian Civil Code requires a unilateral promise to pay a sum to state the amount in words, written by the debtor or by an equivalent method. Add the rate, instalments, end date and signatures; a notary can authenticate the deed for large amounts.
Online ads offering loans to people listed with the BNB
Fraudsters deliberately use the phrase fiché BNB on Facebook and classified ad sites, promising credit with no register check. Once approved, they demand insurance or notary fees by international transfer. Several recurring aliases appear in our list of fake lenders.
Warnings published by the FSMA
The FSMA, the Belgian financial markets regulator, publishes warnings about firms offering credit or investments without authorisation in Belgium. Before replying to any intermediary, search for its name on the FSMA website and in the list of licensed lenders.
Debt mediation and collective debt settlement
Public social welfare centres (CPAS) and approved debt mediation services help negotiate with creditors free of charge. In cases of lasting over-indebtedness, collective debt settlement, filed with the labour court, offers protection that no private loan can replace.
Using the loan to clear arrears
If a relative agrees to help, they can pay the money straight to the creditor to clear the arrears, in exchange for a payment certificate. This approach limits the risk of funds being diverted and makes it easier to update the Register entry later.
Belgian maximum rates as a benchmark for relatives
For consumer credit, Belgium applies maximum annual percentage rates, published and revised periodically by the FPS Economy. Although this ceiling targets professional lenders, a family loan kept well below it avoids any suspicion of usury between the parties.
Reporting a loan scam in Belgium
A fraudulent offer is reported to the FPS Economy Contact Point, while a complaint is filed with the local police, for example in Brussels or elsewhere. Also alert your bank quickly to try to stop a recent transfer.
Steps for a private loan when you are on the register
- Check your data free of charge in the BNB Central Individual Credit Register to see the recorded default and its origin.
- Meet a debt mediation service or the CPAS to assess whether a new loan remains affordable.
- Approach a relative you know and explain your registration honestly, rather than answering an online advert.
- Draft an acknowledgement of debt with the amount in words, the rate, the schedule and both parties' signatures.
- Have the funds paid by transfer, ideally straight to the unpaid creditor, and keep the payment certificate.
- Repay by standing order and keep every bank statement until the loan is fully repaid.
Costs and ceilings in Belgium
| Item | Amount or rule | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Interest between private individuals | Free to agree, below the maximum APRs (indicative) | Ceilings published by the FPS Economy |
| Checking the Register | Free | Online, by post or at the BNB counter |
| Debt mediation | Free at the CPAS or an approved service | Possible fees in collective settlement |
| Notarial deed | Variable fees in euros | Useful for a large amount |
| Fees asked by an online lender | Probable total loss | Fraud to be reported |
Documents the borrower should prepare
- Belgian electronic identity card or residence permit
- Statement of your data in the Central Individual Credit Register
- Payslips, benefits or replacement income
- Creditor's letter detailing the arrears
- Signed acknowledgement of debt
- Repayment plan drawn up with a mediator, where applicable
- Proof of transfer of the funds and of repayments
Common traps for people on the credit register
- Paying registration or insurance fees to a lender who guarantees credit even if you are listed with the BNB, without any checks at all.
- Trusting a fake notary who demands a deposit to authenticate a loan granted by a stranger met on the internet.
- Paying an intermediary who promises to erase your Register entry: an accurate record cannot be removed for money, and only an error can be corrected.
- Borrowing from several relatives without anything in writing, which complicates any later collective debt settlement.
- Sending a photo of your identity card and bank card to a WhatsApp contact claiming to represent a bank.
Your questions about private loans when listed with the BNB
Does a relative have to check the Register before lending to me?
No, a private individual lending occasionally has no access to the Central Individual Credit Register, which is reserved for licensed lenders. You can still show them the statement you obtained free from the BNB, which builds trust and transparency.
Does repaying a private loan improve my BNB record?
No, loans between private individuals are not reported to the Register. However, using the funds to clear arrears allows the creditor concerned to report the settlement, the first step towards the entry disappearing within the set period.
Are there lenders specialising in people on the register?
Licensed lenders must consult the Register and cannot ignore a default. Any offer claiming otherwise, particularly on social media, should be treated as suspicious. Always check the name with the FSMA and the FPS Economy.
What should I do after paying fees to a bogus Belgian lender?
Stop all payments immediately, contact your bank to try to recall the transfer, file a complaint with the local police and report the fraud to the FPS Economy Contact Point. Keep all the evidence: messages, IBAN numbers and receipts.