BKR Rabobank: all about registration and deletion

About BKR and Rabobank

Before we specifically address the issue surrounding BKR removal at Rabobank, it is first important to understand what a BKR registration actually is.

The BKR - Bureau Krediet Registratie - records loans and debts you have with a lender. This gives possible future lenders insight into your financial health so they can determine whether or not granting a (new) loan is responsible.

If you want to know more about how such a registration comes about and what variants there are, read our complete BKR registration explanation. For now, it is enough to realize that a registration with the BKR thus comes from a lender.

How does removing a BKR registration work?

How does a Rabobank BKR registration come about?

A registration with the BKR by Rabobank follows a specific process. Let's dig deeper into exactly how this works:

When you take out a credit product with Rabobank, you are automatically registered with the BKR. This is a neutral registration with no negative connotation. At that point, other lenders can already see that you have a current loan with Rabobank, but this need not be a problem for new loan applications.

If you are at least 60 days (two months) behind on payments, Rabobank will first send you several reminders. If you do not respond or make payment arrangements, Rabobank is obliged to report this to the BKR. An A code (arrears code) will then be added to your registration.

If your debt is fully repaid after arrears have accumulated, the A coding changes to an H coding (Recovery Coding). This indicates that the arrears have been resolved, but the coding remains visible.

In more serious cases, such as debt restructuring or if Rabobank has had to terminate credit due to default, a code 2, 3 or 4 may be added to your registration. These have even more serious implications for your credit rating.

Important to know: a BKR registration at Rabobank remains visible by default for five years after full repayment of the credit. This also applies to repaired arrears (H codes).

Removing BKR registration Rabobank: what are your options?

Would you like to have your BKR registration with Rabobank removed? There are several paths you can take, depending on your specific situation.

As a first step, it is wise to check exactly how you are registered with the BKR. You can do your own BKR check by requesting an overview from the BKR itself. This will give you insight into all the registrations registered in your name, including Rabobank's.

After that, you have several options to challenge your registration:

1. Submit your own request to Rabobank

You can submit a request for removal to the Rabobank BKR desk yourself. In doing so, it is important that you clearly substantiate why you think your registration should be removed. This could be because, for example:

• The registration is factually incorrect (for example, wrong amount or wrong date). 
• The registration is disproportionate (the consequences of the registration do not outweigh the importance of registration). 
• There were special circumstances that temporarily prevented you from meeting your payment obligations. You have fully recovered from financial difficulties and registration is now an unfair impediment.
• With your request, it is essential to include supporting documents that support your story. Consider bank statements, correspondence, or documentation of special circumstances such as illness or unemployment.

2. Get professional legal help

Given the complexity of BKR removal and the importance of good substantiation, many people choose to seek professional help. At Dynamite Netherlands, we have specific experience in removing BKR registrations with Rabobank.

The advantage of professional help is that we:

• Knowing exactly which legal arguments are most effective at Rabobank. 
• Be able to create a thorough dossier that maximizes the success rate. 
• Be able to take over all communication with Rabobank, which takes away a lot of stress. 
• Have direct lines of communication with decision makers within Rabobank's BKR desk. 
• If rejected, can move on to objection or even litigation if necessary.

In our experience, Rabobank is generally willing to cooperate on BKR removal, but strictly follows the legal frameworks. About 65% of the requests we submit to Rabobank are evaluated positively, which is a relatively high percentage compared to some other lenders.

3. Legal proceedings as a last resort

If Rabobank refuses your request and you disagree, there are further steps you can take. You can file an objection with Rabobank itself, submit a complaint with the Kifid (Financial Services Complaints Institute), or in extreme cases, take legal action.

For example, Dynamite Netherlands won an important court case against Rabobank in 2020, in which the judge ruled that a BKR registration had to be removed earlier than the standard five-year period. This ruling has precedent and may be relevant to your situation as well. Read here about a lawsuit we won from Rabobank in 2020.

Another option is to initiate summary proceedings, especially if you need a BKR registration removed urgently, for example, because you are about to buy a house.