Government takes first steps to reform notary sector and fees

Deputy prime minister and justice minister Vincent Van Quickenborne is proposing an in-depth reform of the notarial sector, he announced last week.

Notary fees for an average family home will decrease significantly, he promised, adding that rates will be updated, and clients will receive a transparent invoice detailing the notary fees.

The status of the notary will also be modernised so that the profession becomes more accessible to young people.

For the purchase of a family home, the administrative costs will be set on a flat-rate basis at €750 for the deed of purchase and €550 for the deed of credit. This measure is valid for all real estate deeds and replaces the costs that in total could sometimes climb up to €2,000.

In addition, fees will be reduced for the purchase of a family home. Depending on the purchase price, the reduction on the fees for the act of purchase may be up to 12%. For the deed of credit, a flat-rate reduction of 20% of the fees will apply to all transactions.

This reform will make 98% of housing purchases cheaper, promises the minister. In addition, for family cases, such as powers of attorney, deeds of succession, etc, a fixed rate of €195 will be set. Administrative costs can only be the subject of a lump sum of €550 instead of instalments that amounted to more than €1,000.

The notary's invoice will also need to be clearer and more detailed. It will have to clearly distinguish between fees, expenses for third parties and administrative fees.

The pricing reform will also allow a start-up entrepreneur who uses standard statuses to benefit from a preferential rate when setting up a business.

The last element of the reform is the modernisation of the status of notaries. A new status of assistant notary will be created. This will be an employed notary who nevertheless has the opportunity to fully assume the role of notary. The Notariat Fund mechanism will also be adjusted to take into account changes in fees and expenses.

The minister of justice also promises simplified disciplinary procedures and bodies, whose professionalism and objectivity will also be strengthened.