Financial Lease and BKR: What are the consequences?

Business Leasing and the BKR Check

Financial lease is fundamentally a business financing method. The Bureau Krediet Registratie (BKR), or Credit Registration Bureau, primarily registers consumer credits of private individuals. Purely business financing arrangements are therefore generally not noted by the BKR.

Nevertheless, the legal structure of your company is of decisive importance for how the leasing company assesses and potentially registers the credit risk.

Difference per Legal Structure: Sole Proprietorship vs. BV

If you have a private limited company (Besloten Vennootschap or BV), the financing is in the name of the legal entity. In this case, no private BKR registration takes place in the name of the director.

With a sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak) or a general partnership (vof), you are personally liable for business debts. In such cases, credit providers often do perform a BKR check. Read more about the options for business financial lease if you want to know how this works for your legal structure.

Impact on applying for a mortgage

When a lease contract is registered with the BKR, this affects the maximum borrowing capacity for a private mortgage. Lenders deduct the monthly cost of the credit from the maximum housing expenses.

If there is no BKR registration, the mortgage provider looks purely at the net profit from your business to determine your financial capacity.

What type of registration results from financial lease at the BKR?

When you, as an entrepreneur, opt for a financial lease, this is generally registered with the Bureau Krediet Registratie (BKR) in Tiel. This registration falls under the category of 'business credit'. It is important to understand that this notification is a standard procedure and is not inherently negative. The BKR maintains an overview of credits and loans, both business and private, to provide credit providers with insight into applicants' financial obligations and to prevent over-indebtedness.

The nature of the registration can vary depending on the exact agreement and the credit provider. Usually, it concerns an A-registration, which stands for 'Active' and indicates that there is an ongoing financial obligation. This registration contains information about the type of credit, the start date, and the amount borrowed. It reflects your financial responsibilities and can influence future applications for both business and personal financing, such as a mortgage, for example.

Can a BKR registration affect new business financing?

Yes, a BKR registration resulting from a financial lease agreement can certainly affect the acquisition of new business financing. Credit providers consult the BKR register to get a complete picture of your existing debts and credit obligations. Although an active registration is not necessarily an impediment, they assess whether the sum of your obligations, including the lease, still leaves room for additional loans without increasing the risk of over-indebtedness. A thorough assessment is essential here.

The amount of the existing lease obligation and your repayment behaviour play a crucial role in this assessment. A positive registration, where all instalments have been paid on time, demonstrates that you meet your financial agreements. However, if there are payment arrears or other irregularities (a 'coding'), this can lead to a more negative assessment, making it more difficult to attract new financing. It is therefore important to always meet contractual obligations.

• Your financial capacity will be assessed.
• Payment behaviour weighs heavily on new applications.
• Over-indebtedness is prevented by the provider.

Frequently asked questions