Solving debts: the maatschap (professional partnership)

Liability for debts

A maatschap is a collaboration. However, any obligations you enter into are normally only for yourself, and not for the other partners. You are only jointly and separately liable for equal parts in the following cases:

• The partners have given each other power of attorney for certain actions in a partnership contract.
• The partners have decided upon an activity or transaction together. For example, to hire a receptionist or rent business space.

A partner is individually liable for the entirety of the obligations if the partnership does not execute an assignment it has undertaken adequately and delivers a non-preformance. If that happens, a creditor may claim each partner for the entire sum. Same as for a vof. The partner the claim has been made upon can settle the amount with the other partners afterwards. 

Do you have private debts? The private creditor cannot lay claim to the business assets of the professional partnership or to the private assets of the other partners.

Liability of your partner

Did you marry without a prenuptial agreement? In that case, your partner is also liable for debts. If you draw up a prenuptial agreement and divide the partners' assets, you may limit the risks. But despite prenuptial arrangements, a partner's separate capital may still become party to a bankruptcy. For example, if a house is put in the name of the partner who is not an entrepreneur, and they have an income that is too low to pay the mortgage. The partner's capital may also become part of a bankruptcy if you do not follow the rules of the prenuptial.

Did you have a business before 1 January 2018, and did you marry or enter into a partnership with limited community of property? In that case, the business is outside your communal property, and your partner is not liable. Are you starting a business while you are married or in a registered partnership with community of property? In that case, the business is inside the communal property, and your partner is liable.

Debt resolving

These are the options:

Payment agreement and conferring

Do you owe the government money? See if you can come to a payment agreement. If you cannot pay your taxes, contact the Dutch Tax Administration straightaway. Do you have loans or credits from a bank, other financiers, or suppliers? Confer with your creditors and discuss how to solve your debts.

Amicable settlement

You can apply for an amicable settlement to your municipality. An amicable settlement means that you look for a way out of your debts with support from municipal debt counselling. For example, by payment agreements, refinancing, or debt mediation. After the settlement trajectory, you will be free of debt.

Natural Persons Debt Restructuring Act (Wsnp)

If the amicable settlement fails, you can appeal to the district court for admission to the Natural Persons Debt Restructuring Act (Wet schuldsanering natuurlijke personen, Wsnp). In most cases, you will have to end your business. After debt restructuring, you will be free of debt.

Homologation private agreement in bankruptcy Act (WHOA)

Is your business in danger of going bankrupt? You can try to avoid bankruptcy using the homologation private agreement in bankruptcy Act (Wet Homologatie Onderhands Akkoord, WHOA). You come to an arrangement with your creditors and have it approved by the court. The WHOA allows you to come to an arrangement even if not all creditors agree.

Bankruptcy

Are you temporarily unable to pay your debts? You can file for a suspension of payment from the court. You will not have to pay your creditors for a period of time. In most cases, suspension of payment ends in bankruptcy.

If you can no longer come to a payment arrangement with your creditors, the court can declare you bankrupt. The court appoints a curator, who will take over all decisions and money matters. Before the court decides, a petition for bankruptcy must be made. You can do this yourself, but a creditor may also file for bankruptcy.

Note: if a creditor files for your bankruptcy, you may try to avoid it by using the Wsnp or a WHOA agreement. The advantage of the Wsnp and WHOA is that you are free of debt afterwards. If your business goes bankrupt, your debts remain and you remain liable for them.

Help

You do not have to solve your debts on your own. In the next step, we tell you where to turn for help. Use the dealing with debts step-by-step plan.