Pay afterwards with Klarna and Riverty: here's how to avoid extra fees

With online purchases, you increasingly see the option to pay afterwards through Klarna or Riverty (formerly Afterpay). This allows you to delay payment until 14 or 30 days after purchase. In addition, you can also choose to pay for the purchase in 3 installments.

Check out the 3 tips to avoid problems with Klarna

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3 Tips on how to protect yourself from Klarna

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What are the options for paying in arrears or installments?

Klarna:

• Pay later within 30 days
• Pay in 3 installments

Riverty:

• Pay later within 14 days

What fees will be charged if you don't pay on time?

If payment is not made by the due date, both Klarna and Riverty may charge different fees.

Klarna late payment

Pay in 30 days

If you have not paid Klarna by the payment deadline, you will receive a reminder with a new payment deadline of 14 days. With the second reminder Klarna will charge € 13.50 reminder fee. For purchases under € 20, - € 7.50 reminder fee will be charged. If the payment again fails then these costs increase to 15% of the outstanding amount, with a minimum of € 40, -.

Klarna: pay in 3 installments

If the installment payment cannot be debited on the due dates, Klarna will give you another 2 to 7 business days to make payment arrangements (via Klarna's app) or to replenish your bank balance. After 2 to 7 days Klarna will try again to debit the amount from your bank account. If this fails again, you will receive a reminder for the amount with an increase of € 7.50 or € 13.50. If Klarna has not received your payment within 14 days after the reminder, then the claim is handed over to a collection agency. Klarna will then charge 15% of the amount due with a minimum of € 40.

Riverty late payment

Riverty: pay within 14 days

If you do not pay the amount on time, the amount due is due immediately and you are immediately in default. Riverty will send you a reminder and demand payment within 14 days. If you still have not paid the outstanding amount on time, Riverty will send you a (second) written reminder and the amount payable will be increased by a minimum of € 9.50 and a maximum of € 21. If you still cannot pay, Riverty will send a reminder by mail (final reminder).

The total amount will be increased again; this reminder will also state the total amount and extrajudicial collection costs due. The total extrajudicial collection costs that Riverty may charge are 15% of the outstanding amount with a minimum of €40.

Klarna and BKR registration

Note: At Klarna, you can get a BKR registration. If you pay punctually, your limit at Klarna can be increased to a credit limit of €1000. This results in a positive BKR registration.

However, when you fall behind on payments, a "Particularity" is added to your registration. This indicates arrears and is a negative mark. Such a notice may make obtaining a mortgage or loan impossible in the future.

It is important to know that a negative BKR registration, even after full repayment, remains visible for 5 years. Below is an example of a BKR registration from Klarna.

Want to know when you may be registered with the BKR?

5 Tips to avoid problems and extra costs

Paying in arrears carries risks. Pay close attention to the following tips:

1. Be aware of financial obligations:
   Know that with Klarna or Riverty, you are making a financial commitment. If you're already tight on money, consider whether paying afterwards is the right choice to avoid financial stress.
2. Avoid post-payments for financial problems:
   If you already have debts or payment problems, do not use services such as Klarna to avoid further financial problems and high collection fees.
3. Monitor your e-mail and pay on time:
   Regularly check your e-mail, including the spam box, for payment requests and reminders. Create a reminder before the payment due date to avoid late payments.
4. Stay in communication when payment problems arise:
   If you cannot pay on time, stay in contact with Klarna or Riverty and respond to emails and letters in a timely manner. Try to make realistic payment arrangements to avoid transfer to a collection agency and additional fees.
5. Protect your credit rating:
   Remember that failure to pay or late payment can negatively impact your credit rating, and potentially lead to long-term registration of late payments with data processing organizations.

With these tips, you can make more conscious choices and be more informed about services like Klarna and Riverty.