Lawyer in Molenbeek: debt, rent arrears and traffic cases

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Lawyer in Molenbeek: debt, rent arrears and traffic cases

Looking for a lawyer in Molenbeek? If you live in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (Sint-Jans-Molenbeek) or run a business there, Novex Advocaten can assist you from our office on Avenue Louise in Brussels. We work in English, French, Dutch and Arabic, so you can explain your situation in the language in which you express yourself best.

This article explains which courts have jurisdiction over Molenbeek and looks in more detail at the questions we are often asked: debts and debt collection, rent arrears and traffic cases.

Lawyer in Molenbeek: which courts have jurisdiction?

Molenbeek-Saint-Jean is part of the judicial district of Brussels. The municipality forms a single judicial canton with its own justice of the peace court (vredegerecht / justice de paix). The justice of the peace hears, among other things, all rental disputes regardless of the amount, disputes between neighbours and other monetary claims up to 5,000 euros. Read more about a rental dispute before the justice of the peace.

For other matters, you will deal with the Brussels courts: the police court (politierechtbank / tribunal de police) for traffic cases, the court of first instance, which includes the family court and the criminal court (correctionele rechtbank / tribunal correctionnel), the enterprise court (ondernemingsrechtbank / tribunal de l’entreprise) and the labour court (arbeidsrechtbank / tribunal du travail). Each of these courts exists in a Dutch-speaking and a French-speaking version. We plead in both languages.

You have debts: what are your rights?

Debts sometimes pile up faster than expected. The sooner you act, the more options you have.

Debt collection from consumers: a business chasing a consumer for payment must first send a free reminder and then give the consumer at least fourteen calendar days to pay. Only after that may it charge additional costs or a penalty clause, and even then only within the statutory limits. Read more about the rules on debt collection from consumers.
Seizure: to have your goods sold, the creditor needs an enforceable title, such as a court judgment, and the seizure must be carried out by a bailiff (gerechtsdeurwaarder / huissier de justice). A precautionary seizure, which merely freezes your assets, is possible in some cases even before a judgment. Certain goods cannot be seized, such as your bed, your clothing and essential household items. Read more about seizure by a bailiff.
Protected income: part of your wages or benefits cannot be seized, except for a maintenance debt, such as unpaid child maintenance. Some income, such as child benefit, is as a rule entirely exempt from seizure.
Collective debt settlement: if you are permanently unable to pay your debts, you can, as a private individual (a natural person who is not an enterprise), apply to the labour court for a collective debt settlement (collectieve schuldenregeling / règlement collectif de dettes). A debt mediator then deals with all your debts together through a repayment plan, and ongoing seizures are suspended. A former self-employed person must as a rule wait six months after ceasing their activity. Read more about collective debt settlement.

We check whether the amounts claimed are correct, whether the debt is time-barred and whether a payment plan is feasible. A well-reasoned proposal to the creditor is often the quickest solution. Whatever you do, do not wait for the seizure: the sooner we look at the case, the more options remain open.

You are a creditor: recovering invoices and loans

If you are owed money, you also have choices to make. A formal notice (ingebrekestelling / mise en demeure) sent by a lawyer is often enough to get payment moving. Read more about drafting a formal notice.

Between businesses, an undisputed invoice can be recovered through the procedure for undisputed monetary debts, via a bailiff and without the involvement of a judge. If the debt is disputed, proceedings before the competent court follow.

If you have lent money to an acquaintance or a family member, everything turns on proof of the loan. From 3,500 euros, the Civil Code in principle requires a signed document (Article 8.9 of the Civil Code). Read more about money that is not repaid.

Rent arrears in Molenbeek

For a home in Molenbeek, the Brussels Housing Code (Brusselse Huisvestingscode / Code bruxellois du Logement) applies. In the event of rent arrears, the landlord must first give the tenant formal written notice, with a clear statement of account, and allow at least one month to pay (Article 233quater of the Brussels Housing Code). Only then can the landlord ask the justice of the peace to terminate the lease and order the eviction.

When eviction is sought, at least forty days must elapse between the summons or notice to appear and the hearing (Article 233sexies), and the public social welfare centre (OCMW / CPAS) is as a rule informed from the outset so that it can support the tenant. In Brussels, a winter moratorium on court-ordered evictions also applies, subject to exceptions. After the judgment, at least one month must as a rule elapse from its service before the eviction can be carried out.

We assist both tenants and landlords. Read more about the step-by-step plan for rent arrears and about eviction.

Traffic cases before the police court

If you have been summoned before the Brussels police court, we analyse the criminal file and prepare your defence. Since 1 September 2026, the penalty levels of the new Criminal Code apply to new offences. Most traffic offences fall under level 1, without imprisonment.

Some examples for offences committed from 1 September 2026, with the actual amount of the fine (including the statutory surcharge, opdeciemen / décimes additionnels):

Speeding offence leading to a summons: level 1, from 100 to 5,000 euros, depending on the seriousness.
Alcohol from 0.22 mg/l and below 0.35 mg/l: level 1, from 250 to 5,000 euros.
Alcohol from 0.35 mg/l or refusal of the breath test: level 1, from 2,000 to 20,000 euros.
Driving without a valid driving licence: level 2, from 2,000 to 20,000 euros.
Repeat drink or drug driving within three years: level 2, from 4,000 to 50,000 euros.

At level 2, the court may also impose a prison sentence of six months to three years or electronic monitoring. For offences committed before 1 September 2026, the old penalties of the Road Traffic Act (Wegverkeerswet / loi relative à la police de la circulation routière) continue to apply, unless the new regime is more lenient. A driving ban (verval van het recht tot sturen / déchéance du droit de conduire) and reinstatement exams (herstelexamens / examens de réintégration) remain possible under both regimes. Read more about the new Criminal Code and road traffic.

In most cases we can represent you, so you do not have to appear in person, unless the court orders your personal appearance. You can also consent to community service (werkstraf / peine de travail) through your lawyer. Where possible, we ask for a suspension of the pronouncement of sentence (opschorting / suspension du prononcé), a suspended sentence (uitstel / sursis) or community service. Read more about avoiding a driving ban and about the more lenient penalties.

Other areas

We also assist clients from Molenbeek in criminal cases, from the first police interview to the hearing before the criminal court, in family matters before the Brussels family court, and in business matters such as contracts, debts to the National Social Security Office (RSZ / ONSS) or the tax authorities, and bankruptcy. We also assist clients from neighbouring municipalities, such as Anderlecht and Dilbeek.

How do we work?

You contact us by phone or email and briefly explain your situation. We immediately give you an initial assessment of the approach and the costs, and make clear arrangements about our fees. A meeting can take place at our office, by phone or by video call, in the language of your choice.

We check whether legal expenses insurance covers your costs. If your income is limited, we inform you about second-line legal aid (juridische tweedelijnsbijstand / aide juridique de deuxième ligne), granted by the Legal Aid Office (Bureau voor Juridische Bijstand / Bureau d’Aide Juridique).

Frequently asked questions

I received a letter from a debt collection agency. Do I have to pay straight away?

Not without checking. Check whether the debt exists, whether the costs claimed are lawful and whether the debt is time-barred. A debt collection agency must also be registered with the FPS Economy. If you dispute the debt, do so in writing and send us the letter: we will review it and respond on your behalf if necessary.

Can the bailiff simply take my belongings?

No. An enforcement seizure requires an enforceable title, such as a judgment, and is preceded by service of an order to pay (bevel tot betaling / commandement de payer). At the seizure, your goods are as a rule first listed, and any sale only takes place later. Goods that are exempt from seizure may not be seized.

Can my landlord change the locks if I do not pay my rent?

No. A landlord may not take the law into their own hands. An eviction requires a judgment of the justice of the peace and is carried out by a bailiff. If you are nevertheless locked out, contact us immediately.

Which police court deals with a traffic offence in Molenbeek?

For offences in Molenbeek, it is the Dutch-speaking or the French-speaking police court of Brussels. If the offence took place elsewhere, for example in Halle or Vilvoorde, your case is as a rule heard by the police court of that place. Under certain conditions, you can request a change of language.

Can you also explain in Arabic what is happening?

Yes, the meeting can take place in Arabic. The proceedings themselves are conducted in Dutch or French, and we explain every step to you in the language of your choice. In criminal cases you are also entitled to a free interpreter if you do not understand the language of the proceedings. Read more about our assistance in Arabic.