Debt counseling (schuldhulpverlening)

Reminders, debt collectors, house clearance; it does not have to get that far.

Social workers of the municipality can help you with a (combination of) solution for your financial situation:

• Budget support; you receive a period of personal guidance and advice to catch up on your arrears;
• Stabilization; in a period of 3 to 6 months, you will be working on getting your financial situation in order so that debt settlement is possible. Think of arranging your papers (with help), working on the cause of the debts or, for example, applying for income support facilities;
• Debt mediation; your social worker calculates how much you can pay per month and negotiates this with the creditors with whom you pay off for up to three years;
• Credit; the Gemeentelijke Kredietbank Amsterdam (GKA) loans you a credit, under the guarantor of the municipality. With this credit the creditors are paid off. You pay this credit to the credit bank in three years;
• WSNP (Debt Management of Natural Persons Act); if a debt mediation or credit has not been successful, the municipality will request the court to permit you in this arrangement. You will be assigned an administrator (bewindvoerder Wsnp) who will supervise whether you comply with the conditions. This process also takes three years;
• Income management; if you are unable to manage your income and expenses independently, this can be taken over by the municipality or another specialized organization.

It is also possible that you are referred to Participe Amstelland for the budget course 'Omgaan met geld’ (How to handle money well).

Conditions

To request debt counseling, you must meet the following conditions:

• You are a resident of the municipality of Amstelveen;
• you are prepared to cooperate with the solution you are provided with a view on a clean slate.

How do you request debt counseling?

You can call the Amstelveenloket (social counter at town hall). The same day you discuss with a debt counselor your financial situation (debts, income and expenses) at the same time discuss how you can save costs and how you can provide additional income. If more guidance is required in resolving your debts, you can submit an application for debt counseling.

Term

The municipality will take a decision on your request within 8 weeks of receiving your application.

Objection and appeal

You can object to the decision on your application within 6 weeks. Do you then disagree with the statement on the notice of objection? Then you can lodge an appeal with the court.

Do you have any questions?

Then you can contact the Amstelveenloket.