Creditor’s agreement

Sometimes, businesses still encounter financial problems due to old debts.

But these businesses don’t always have to go bankrupt.

A good alternative

In these cases, a creditor’s agreement can offer a solution. A successful restructuring of the debts will enable the business to continue running and become profitable again. Although the creditors are only paid part of their claim, this method enables them to retain the client. Furthermore, in the case of a bankruptcy, creditors often end up with even less, since the liquidator must be paid first. Therefore these agreements can be a good solution for all parties involved.

How does this work?

In a creditor’s agreement, the debtor offers to pay all his creditors a certain percentage of the claim.

In principle a creditor’s agreement is no more than an agreement between the debtor and the creditors. If one or more creditors does not wish to cooperate it is not possible to create an agreement. The bill for the Continuity of Enterprises Act II is a bill which is aimed at providing a legal basis for these sorts of peremptory agreements.

How do you ensure a good chance of success?

Creditors will obviously never be happy when offered an agreement. It is often necessary to convince them to get them on board. In addition, it is important that the offer is better than bankruptcy.

Seeking advice is a good idea, both for the debtor who wants to offer an agreement and for a creditor who is asked to cooperate.

More information

GMW lawyers will be happy to help you with all your insolvency and restructuring issues. If you have any questions, please contact us directly using the enquiry form below or +31 (0)70 3615048. Our insolvency lawyers will be glad to support and advise you.

More insolvency and restructuring related topics >

Lawyers

Previous slide
Next slide
Christiaan Mensink

Christiaan Mensink

Company law, Insolvency law Read more about this lawyer
Lucie Burggraaff

Lucie Burggraaff

Company law, Insolvency law Read more about this lawyer
Mechteld van Veen - Oudenaarden

Mechteld van Veen-Oudenaarden

Company law, Insolvency law Read more about this lawyer
Stephanie de Wit

Stephanie de Wit

Company law, Insolvency law Read more about this lawyer
All lawyers

Are you looking for an insolvency lawyer in The Hague?

GMW lawyers will be happy to help you with all your insolvency and restructuring issues. Do you have a question? Feel free to contact us.

"*" indicates required fields

newsletter?

You might also like

14 May 2025

Directors’ Liability in a Start-up

There are more and more start-ups emerging, some of which unfortunately fail and go bankrupt. But how does directors’ liability apply to start-ups?

Read more

Read more about

9 April 2025

Understanding a contract

Every entrepreneur benefits from clear and enforceable agreements. But how should you assess a contract in general? Is there a step-by-step approach you can follow? In this blog, we share some tips to help you quickly understand and draft contracts.

Read more

Read more about

7 April 2025

Security rights in bankruptcy: the right of reclamation

It is common for a supplier to deliver goods to a customer without requiring immediate payment. In doing so, the supplier runs the risk that the customer will not pay or may even be declared bankrupt.

Read more

Read more about

31 March 2025

Security Rights in Bankruptcy: Retention of Title

It is common for a supplier to deliver goods to a customer without requiring immediate payment. In doing so, the supplier runs the risk that the customer will not pay or may even be declared bankrupt.

Read more

Read more about

24 March 2025

How to check if a company is bankrupt

When doing business with a (new) party, it is always wise to verify whether the company is solvent or possibly bankrupt. But how can you determine if a company has been declared bankrupt or if a bankruptcy petition has been filed?

Read more

Read more about

17 February 2025

WHOA also available for sole proprietorships and general partnerships

Since its introduction, the WHOA has proven to be a successful method for restructuring businesses in financial distress, preventing unnecessary bankruptcies

Read more

Read more about

29 January 2025

Strengthening Works Council Rights in Bankruptcy Cases

For the second time in five years, a proposed bill was open for public consultation, introducing new rules that automatically transfer employees to the acquiring company during a restart after bankruptcy.

Read more

Read more about

14 October 2024

Protection of staff in relaunch from bankruptcy

A bankruptcy trustee spends much of his time on a possible restart of part of the company. Naturally, his estate has an interest in this. But so does the relaunching party itself.

Read more

Read more about

23 September 2024

WHOA functions to prevent bankruptcy of viable companies, but is less effective in reaching SMEs

Three years after the entry into force of the Court Approval of a Private Composition (Prevention of Insolvency) Act (Wet homologatie onderhands akkoord, WHOA), it has been evaluated by a joint research team from the Universities of Groningen and Leiden on the instructions of the House of Representatives.

Read more

Read more about