Debt report, Privileges and Pledges - commercial financial situation

To check the health of a company, anyone may request from the registry office of the Commercial court the debt statement, which summarises any lien and pledge registrations, as well as the registrations made to prove the existence of a property right (leasing arrangements, rental agreements, title retention clauses) or an outstanding debt (example: protests for dishonour*).

This debt statement is key indicator of the company's financial health.

Registering a pledge (on the business assets or shares of a private company) also gives a creditor a preferential right on certain assets given priority in the payment of the debt.
• Registering a lien at the registry office of the Commercial Court gives a creditor the priority right with respect to other creditors, across all the debtor's assets (fixed or movable), or only some of them.

Non-possessory pledge registrations are not presented on the debt statement. If you would like to search for a non-possessory pledge for this company, please search using the national database.

NB: A pledge over a business does not imply that the debtor is dispossessed and does not remove the option of selling the business (the creditor has a preferential right and right of continuation).

To find out more about the formalities relating to liens and pledges, please go to the guide to formalities section (registration and de-registration of formalities).
> View the guide Liens and pledges section

* Protest (for dishonour). An authentic deed, drafted by a bailiff or notary public, and at the request of a bearer of a bill of exchange, in order to officially observe either non payment of a bill at the due date, or refused acceptance of a draft.