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In the Netherlands, a "beslaglegging" is a legal procedure that allows creditors to recover debts by freezing and seizing a debtor's assets, including bank accounts. This can happen either before a court judgment (pre-judgment attachment) or after a judgment (executory attachment).

The procedure is outlined in the Dutch Code of Civil Procedure, which details the steps for initiating and executing an account seizure.

Seizure orders are typically served to banks by judicial bailiffs. However, digital channels are increasingly being used — particularly via SNG, the IT platform that facilitates secure communication between bailiffs and institutions. Orders can be initiated by:

• Tax authorities: the Belastingdienst (Dutch Tax and Customs Administration) can initiate seizures for unpaid taxes without prior court approval
• Courts: judicial bodies can order seizures as part of enforcement proceedings
• Private creditors: after obtaining a court judgment, private creditors can request seizures, enforced by a judicial bailiff (gerechtsdeurwaarder)

If your account has been frozen due to a seizure, we can only lift the restriction once we receive a formal instruction from the authority that initiated the order. This could be a judicial bailiff (gerechtsdeurwaarder), the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst), or a court.

In the email we sent you to notify you of the seizure order, check the contact details for the authority that issued the order and contact them directly. Once the authority confirms the unfreezing of your account, we’ll take the necessary steps to restore your access to the funds.

If your account is subject to a seizure and you receive income — such as a salary, pension, or social benefits into this account — into this account, a portion of your balance will remain available to you each month. This is a legally protected amount to cover essential living expenses.

In the Netherlands, this protection is known as the beslagvrije voet (seizure-free threshold). The exact amount depends on your personal situation, including income level, housing costs, and family composition.

A judicial bailiff calculates this amount using information from various institutions. This protection applies automatically, and there's no need to request it.