What is a BKR registration?

The Bureau of Credit Registration (better known as BKR) creates a record of the loans you have taken out. This makes your credit history transparent to future lenders. They can then determine whether it is responsible to give you a new loan. Do you have a BKR registration? Then you are certainly not alone. About 11 million Dutch people have a BKR registration.

When do you get a BKR registration?

You get registration if you:
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• Uses deferred payments
• Have a credit card 
• Have a revolving credit or personal loan 
• Being able to stand in the red on your checking account
• Have a subscription with cell phone worth more than 250 euros. 
• Uses private lease 

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And your mortgage? That is only registered with BKR when it is three installments in arrears. Study debt is not registered. 

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But don't panic. In all these cases, we are talking about a positive registration. A positive registration does not have that many adverse consequences. If you fall behind on payments, that positive registration can be turned into a negative registration. To clarify, here we have a few examples when a positive registration converts to a negative registration. 

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• You have a bank account that you are allowed to be in the red but do not replenish it (on time);
• You have a credit card but don't pay it off (on time); 
• You have a personal loan or revolving credit, but do not repay it (on time);
• You have a deferred payment but don't pay; 
• You have a private lease contract, but don't pay the monthly amount (on time)
• On a mortgage, but you miss more than three payment terms
• With a mobile subscription, but does not pay the monthly fee (on time). 

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You get a negative registration if you fall behind on your payments. And these do have unpleasant consequences. What those consequences are, you can read below.

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What are the consequences of a BKR registration?

A BKR registration has consequences. For example, a positive BKR registration affects the amount of your mortgage. Your mortgage lender looks at the amount you (may) already have to repay each month and takes that into account in your mortgage application. You can then get a less high mortgage.

If you have a negative BKR registration, it will be harder for you to take out a new loan in the future. And the chances of being able to secure a mortgage are very slim.

How do I get rid of my registration?

Bad news: if you have a negative BKR registration, and it is justified, you won't get rid of it. All you can do is try to catch up as soon as possible.

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If you think the registration is not justified, you can try to get rid of it. Contact the lender who registered you with BKR. If you do not succeed, you can go to the arbitration committee committee. That costs 50 euros, but if you are found to be in the right, you will get that amount back.

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Getting rid of a positive registration is a lot easier. A positive registration also basically stays visible for five years, but when you have paid off the loan, an end date appears after the registration and it no longer counts.

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Wondering if you have a registration? You can find out via the website of the BKR and will cost you five euros. There are parties that help remove your BKR registration. But beware, they often cost a lot of money and it is not always certain that your registration will actually be removed! 

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Everyone is sometimes in tension towards the end of the month, now in these times of inflation and high energy costs even more so. A loan from Salarise can offer a solution. Salarise works with the lowest interest rates, so you can avoid arrears and a negative BKR registration!