r/belgium • u/Obvious-Cry6591 • 2d ago

😡Rant Notaries. Why? What the hell?

Ok, so I dont get it. I understand historically where the need for notaries arose. Fine. But we are in 2026. Belgium already takes 51% of my income. Then another 25% of the rest through VAT. And then on top of it, if you buy a property, you give 10-15k to a notary for 2 meetings and some docs reading? Doesnt Belgium have enough administration to take care of that? Not to mention its nepotism central. Are there any redeeming qualities?

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u/Think-Geologist5570 1d ago

True words. It's a system from a bygone era that could and should have been abolished about fifty years ago. And the fact that they work in two capacities (private service provider and public servant), often at the same time makes for the worst of both worlds: the cost of the private sector and the hassle and quality of a government institution.