Hey bunqers 🌈,

We understand that getting a garnishment can be confusing and unpleasant. We are here to help you understand what a garnishment is and navigate through this process, if it happens.

What's a Garnishment?

If you have an outstanding debt to an individual, institution, or entity (also known as a creditor), they may obtain a court order to recover the money you owe to them.

This court order document is called garnishment and allows the creditor to legally secure the money from your account(s). The creditor or a bailiff acting on the creditor’s behalf can use garnishment to retrieve the outstanding costs.

Currently, Dutch, French, Spanish and German accounts can get a garnishment.

Who can place a Garnishment on my account?

Each institution with the relevant court order in their favor can place a garnishment on your account.

Some of the most common ones in the Netherlands are the Tax Authority (Belastingdienst), the Unemployment Benefit Agency, and the Central Judicial Collection Agency. In Germany, some of the most common institutions include Municipalities, Local Tax offices and Courts. In France, only Government bodies can place a garnishment on your account – most commonly the French Ministry of Finance.

A bailiff can also place a garnishment on your account. A court order in favor of the creditor is needed so they can reach out to the bailiff. This court order is delivered to bunq by the bailiff via email or the post. If the judge rules that the money in your account must be used to pay off your debt, bunq is obliged to comply with their request through a garnishment process. Garnishments are lifted by the bailiff only and not by bunq.

Is there an administration fee for a garnishment?

Whether there is an administration fee for a garnishment depends on the country where you receive the garnishment from.

For more information about our fees, please check bunq’s Pricing sheet.

I paid the bailiff from another bank, what should I do?

We're able to act based on the instructions we receive from the bailiff. If your debt has been settled through another account, the bailiff should inform us about this update. To expedite the process, you might want to confirm with your bailiff that they've contacted us. Rest assured, once we receive this update we’ll process it as quickly as possible, though some additional processing time may be required.

I have another question about a garnishment placed on my account, who do I contact?

We've shared the available details about the garnishment, including the file number and the creditor's name, in the garnishment announcement. The announcement is available in your bunq app so you can easily access it. For more specific advice and assistance, it would be best to reach out to the bailiff directly. They'll be able to provide you with more detailed information.

How can I appeal?

As a third-party, we don't handle objections or other requests related to the garnishment. These matters are managed by the bailiff or the creditor's representative who placed the garnishment. If you have any further questions or need more information, it’s always best to contact them right away.