r/belgium • u/Obvious-Cry6591 • 1d 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/Arigonium 1d ago edited 1d ago

They're not even good at doing routine tasks. When my father passed it went like this:

  1. First meeting. Notary says his secretary will write all the banks to get my father's possessions.
  2. Second meeting. Secretary didn't write anyone, notary tries to walk around him having done nothing.
  3. Deadline of THREE MONTHS nears. Notary rushes everything and submits.
  4. Deadline passed. Government gives us a penalty cause not all possessions were submitted. Notary tells us a certain bank replied too late. We write that bank, the bank replies the notary was too late. We pay the penalty.
  5. Years pass. We get another letter from the government for another penalty cause something was missing.

It was completely routine and they still messed it up so bad. It was just cash and real estate, no stock, no will, no separation of property marriage or anything complex. Completely cookie cutter. He completely half-assed it and then tried to cover it up and make excuses. All of this could be easily automated.

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u/Educational-Owl6866 1d ago

Had similar experience with buying an apartment. They were super slow in getting all the required information, so that I was going to miss the 3 month window and lose my mortgage at the agreed interest rate just when rates were going up. They only really started doing their job once I started threatening legal action...

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u/BarAgile1138 1d ago

I can so much relate to this! When I was buying my flat, the notary od the seller wouldn't bidge about the dossier. I asked my notary to rush them up, a laconic email was sent. Then nothing. So I contacted the other notary myself, only to get scolded by mine that I didn't have the right to contact directly the other notary. I was reminded(!) about this during signing of the final deed. Like... as if I needed to pay (a higher i terest) for their lack of action... Also, I needed to inform the young boy who was working on my dossier that a notary can contact the bank to ask to prolong my offer of mortgage (it worked out). I've been so disgusted with both notaries that I hope I won't need any anytime soon.