The verdict in three sentences
For a bailiff office handling more than 8,000 deeds a year, vendor software remains essential for service of process and regulated deeds, but it handles amicable debt collection and creditor relations poorly. A custom module costing EUR 30,000 to 55,000 excl. VAT, connected to the existing tool, pays back in 18 to 26 months thanks to roughly 25% processing time saved. Fully replacing the vendor package is rarely profitable in Brussels in 2026: you extend it, you do not tear it down.
What the status quo really costs
The typical office we meet in Brussels has 2 partner bailiffs, 12 staff (clerks, accountants, collection officers) and around 9,000 deeds a year, nearly 40% of them amicable collection files for landlords, regional banks and service companies. Files often arrive in French and Dutch. The vendor software covers deeds, regulated accounting and statutory fees. Amicable collection lives in shared spreadsheets, manual email reminders and creditor calls asking "where is my file?".
| Annual cost item | 2026 range | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor licence (14 seats) | EUR 42,000 to 75,600 | EUR 250 to 450 per seat per month |
| Double entry spreadsheet and vendor tool | 1,200 to 1,600 h | about 6 min per amicable file |
| Creditor follow-up calls | 900 to 1,300 h | 15 to 25 calls per day |
| Manual debtor reminders | 600 to 900 h | letters, SMS, emails |
| Payment reconciliation errors | EUR 2,000 to 6,000 | accounting rework, disputes |
| Loaded hourly staff cost | EUR 36 to 46 | Brussels 2026 estimate |
Adding up lost hours gives roughly 2,700 to 3,800 hours a year, or EUR 100,000 to 170,000 of staff time absorbed by tasks the software should do on its own.
Vendor only, fully custom or hybrid
| Criterion | Vendor only | Fully custom | Hybrid (vendor + module) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial investment | EUR 0 to 8,000 (setup) | EUR 140,000 to 220,000 | EUR 30,000 to 55,000 |
| Annual recurring cost | EUR 42,000 to 75,600 | EUR 14,000 to 22,000 | licence + EUR 5,000 to 8,000 |
| Regulated deeds and fees | compliant | to rebuild, risky | compliant (vendor) |
| Amicable collection | limited | complete | complete |
| Creditor portal | none or basic | yes | yes |
| Go-live time | immediate | 10 to 14 months | 4 months |
| Project risk | low | high | moderate |
The hybrid option almost always wins. The custom module pulls files through the vendor's export or API, runs reminder scenarios (SMS, email, letter), payment plans, payment promises and payment reconciliation. The creditor portal lets each client track files in real time, download statements and submit new claims as CSV, in French or Dutch.
What a custom collection module includes
| Feature | Measured gain | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic file import from vendor tool | no more double entry | 15% |
| Multichannel reminder scenarios | 60% of reminders automated | 20% |
| Payment plans and promises | 18% more promises kept | 15% |
| Online debtor payment (card, Bancontact, transfer) | cash collected 9 days earlier | 10% |
| Creditor portal | 70% fewer follow-up calls | 25% |
| Dashboards and recovery rates | per-client steering | 15% |
On compliance, the module follows GDPR (EU hosting, access logs, retention periods) and the professional ethics rules for amicable collection, including the Belgian rules on amicable debt recovery from consumers. Typical schedule: 3 weeks of scoping, 10 weeks of development, 3 weeks of acceptance testing with two pilot officers.
Mini case study
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Maître Peeters, partner in a 14-person bailiff office in Brussels, invests EUR 46,000 in a collection module with a bilingual creditor portal. Before: 3,200 hours a year lost to double entry, reminders and calls, at EUR 40 loaded, i.e. EUR 128,000. After 6 months, processing time drops 25%, freeing 800 hours, about EUR 32,000 a year, plus EUR 4,000 of reconciliation errors avoided. With EUR 6,500 of annual maintenance, the net gain reaches EUR 29,500 a year: payback in 19 months, without changing the vendor software.
FAQ
Should we leave our vendor software to go custom?
No, in 9 cases out of 10. The vendor handles regulated deeds and fees, which are not worth rebuilding for EUR 140,000 or more. The custom module plugs in alongside for EUR 30,000 to 55,000.
How long does the project take?
Allow 4 months from scoping to production, including 3 weeks of acceptance testing. The creditor portal can open in month 3 for the 5 largest clients.
Is the creditor portal secure?
Yes: two-factor authentication, strict per-creditor isolation, EU hosting and access logs kept for 12 months. An external security audit costs about EUR 3,000 to 5,000 and is still recommended.
What if the vendor has no API?
We rely on scheduled exports (CSV or XML), synchronised every 15 minutes. This constraint adds about EUR 2,000 to 4,000 to the budget, without changing the timeline.
What amicable recovery rate can we expect?
Equipped offices see on average 5 to 8 more points of recovery rate, thanks to faster reminders and online payment. This is a 2026 estimate that depends on the portfolio.
Let's scope your project. Send us your deed volume, your tool list and your priority creditors: we will price a collection module between EUR 30,000 and 55,000, deliverable in 4 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
