An A2 code at BKR usually means that a payment arrear has been reported and that the lender has called in the remaining debt. Removal may be possible if the registration is incorrect or if the adverse consequences are no longer proportionate in your personal situation. Repaying the debt in full helps in that assessment, but it does not automatically and immediately erase a correct A2 code.
Nederlands: Lees dit artikel in het Nederlands: A2-codering verwijderen bij BKR: welke mogelijkheden heeft u?
Türkçe: Bu makaleyi Türkçe okuyun: BKR’deki A2 kodunu sildirmek: hangi seçenekleriniz var?
Written by Onur Arslan, attorney at Arslan Advocaten. Registered in the specialisation register of the Netherlands Bar for employment law and personal injury. Last updated: 17 September 2026.
First check the A entry, code 2, the related dates and the actual end date separately. An error in the arrears report does not automatically mean that the call-in code must disappear as well. A targeted request makes clear which element you are disputing and on what grounds.
What exactly does an A2 code mean?
BKR (the Dutch Credit Registration Office) records credit data in the Central Credit Information System, the CKI. The letter A stands for a reported payment arrear. Special code 2 means that the lender has demanded payment of the remaining claim. In everyday language, these entries together are referred to as an A2.
The code does not in itself say how large your current debt is. The credit may since have been repaid in full, while the historical registration is still visible. That is why you need the amounts, special codes and end date on your overview to understand the situation properly.
An A2 is also not the same as a fraud registration. It concerns credit and payment behaviour. An EVR or IVR entry has a different cause and is assessed differently. If several registrations are involved, each system must be examined separately.
Why an A2 affects a mortgage
Lenders use BKR information to assess payment risks and affordability. A reported arrear and a call-in can make an application more difficult. Acceptance policies differ per provider and product; a BKR code is not in itself a statutory ban on ever obtaining a mortgage again.
If you are turned down, ask what role the registration played. It may be the decisive reason, but income, other debts or the loan amount you want can also stand in the way. A specific explanation from an adviser or lender helps substantiate your interest in removal.
Avoid entering into a purchase agreement on the assumption that removal will certainly succeed. Proceedings can take time and have no guaranteed outcome. Keep the mortgage application and the registration in view as related but separate matters.
Step one: request your current BKR overview
You can view your registration through the official Mijn Kredietregistratie portal. Use a current overview and keep a note of the date on which you obtained it. Write down the lender, the contract number, the A date, the date of code 2 and any actual end date.
Check other credit facilities as well. Removing one A2 does not automatically resolve an obstacle caused by a second registration. Sometimes the same debt is listed after an assignment in a way that calls for further explanation. In that case, ask which party is responsible for which item of data.
Your overview is the starting point of the investigation, not the complete file. To assess lawfulness you also need the credit agreement, the payment records and the letters about the arrears and the call-in. Request any missing documents from the lender that made the registration.
Step two: check the arrears report
A prior warning is important for an A entry. It must make clear that, if payment is not made, an arrear may be reported to BKR. Examine the content, the method of sending, the contact details used and the relevant time limits under the applicable CKI regulations.
A letter sent to an old address while the lender knew your correct address may be grounds for disputing the report. Keep change-of-address notices, confirmations and earlier correspondence sent to the new address. Merely stating that you do not remember the letter is usually weaker than specific information about sending and receipt.
The required warning for the A code must be distinguished from special code 2. According to the explanation by Kifid, the Dutch Financial Services Complaints Tribunal, no separate advance notice is required for that special code. A successful complaint about the A therefore does not automatically remove the 2.
Step three: examine whether the call-in is correct
Ask when and on what grounds the remaining credit was called in. A reminder for a single monthly instalment is not necessarily the same as calling in the entire claim. The contractual terms and the applicable statutory protection may be relevant to the validity of the call-in.
Compare the call-in letter with the payment records. Was there really an arrear? Were payments processed correctly? Had an arrangement already been agreed, and was it complied with? An incorrect amount or a missed payment can affect the substantiation of the registered event.
Where there is a separate dispute about the call-in, the article on a bank that suddenly calls in the loan is relevant. A registration procedure does not always replace an assessment of the debt itself. Sometimes both aspects need to be addressed at the same time.
What happens after full repayment?
After full repayment and termination of the credit, an actual end date is registered. In principle, the data then remain visible for another five years. Check that the correct end date has been reported; late administrative processing should not extend your registration period without investigation.
An H code relates to the recovery of an arrear where the credit continues to run. A terminated credit does not automatically receive the same treatment as a recovered running credit. Ask the lender to explain which situation applies to your agreement.
If you want the A2 removed sooner, a separate assessment is required. Repayment is relevant because it shows that the debt has been resolved, but the registration also serves to inform future lenders about past payment behaviour. Both interests must be weighed.
Even a technically correct registration can be disproportionate
In its judgment of 3 December 2021, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands (Hoge Raad) clarified that the processing of CKI data is based on legitimate interest. As a result, an objection and a balancing of interests under the GDPR are possible. “BKR is mandatory” is therefore not a complete answer to a specific request for removal.
In that balancing exercise, your personal circumstances are weighed against the interest in reliable credit information. Relevant factors may include the cause and duration of the arrear, your contact with the lender, the manner of repayment, your financial stability and the consequences of continued registration.
There is no fixed number of months after which every A2 must be removed. Nor is there a universal income threshold or savings balance that guarantees success. The assessment is determined by the facts taken together and by the remaining purpose of the registration.
Substantiating financial stability in concrete terms
Show that your current situation is sustainable. Think of income, fixed costs, debts, payment behaviour and a reasonable buffer. A single recent payslip can be useful, but it says less about stability than an overview covering a longer relevant period.
Explain why the original problems are unlikely to recur. A relationship that has since ended, recovery after a loss of income or a completed debt arrangement may be relevant here. Explain what has actually changed and support this with appropriate documents. Share sensitive data only to the extent necessary.
Be complete about remaining debts or new arrears as well. An objection that contains only favourable information can become vulnerable if other data surface later. A realistic financial overview supports both the legal balancing exercise and a responsible next step.
Demonstrating a housing interest and other consequences
A wish to buy a home is understandable, but a specific and compelling housing interest can carry more weight. Describe, for example, a necessary move, unsuitable accommodation or a demonstrable family situation. Link this to documents and to the obstacle the registration actually causes.
Where possible, ask for a statement in which a mortgage adviser describes that financing appears feasible on the basis of the other data, without the disputed registration. Such a statement is not a guarantee that credit will be granted, but it can clarify the causal link between the registration and the refusal.
A necessary business financing arrangement can also be relevant, but requires its own substantiation. A general plan to start a business one day is less concrete than a fully developed application with a demonstrable obstacle. The lender is not required to erase a correct registration on the basis of a future wish alone.
A fictitious example of two different objections
Two people both have an A2 and want to buy a home. The first has since paid off a short arrear in full, always stayed in contact and has had a stable income for quite some time. The second still has an outstanding debt and recent new arrears. The same code label does not mean that the balancing of interests will turn out the same.
For the first person, it must still be examined how weighty the specific housing interest is and what purpose the registration still serves. For the second, the interest in protection against irresponsible new lending may in fact be stronger. A success story from someone else is therefore not a reliable prediction for your file.
A third possibility is a technical error: the debt was paid before the recorded call-in and the records turn out not to have been updated. In that case, the accuracy of the registration comes first. That is a different ground from merely asking for leniency because of a wish to take out a new mortgage.
How to structure your request
| Element | What you record |
|---|---|
| Registration | Credit, codes, dates and the responsible lender |
| Accuracy | Arrear, warning, call-in and end date, with evidence |
| Current situation | Income, outgoings, debts and sustained payment behaviour |
| Personal interest | Specific obstacle and available alternatives |
| Request | Removal, correction or a reasoned reassessment |
In principle, address the request to the lender that registered the data. BKR can provide information about the overview, but the substantive assessment usually lies with the responsible provider. Ask for a written position on each disputed element.
A useful wording is: “I dispute the data listed below and, in addition, ask you to assess my objection to continued registration on the basis of my personal circumstances.” Supplement this with the specific facts. A standard letter without enclosures and without an individual interest is usually insufficiently developed.
Response times and a refusal
For GDPR requests, the controller in principle has one month to respond. Any necessary extension due to complexity must be communicated within that first month and may amount to no more than two additional months. Record the dates of receipt and response so that you can check which time limit applies.
For the special application procedure under Article 35 of the UAVG (the Dutch GDPR Implementation Act), the time limit is in principle six weeks after receipt of the response. If no timely response has been given, that provision contains a different rule. If your request is refused, have the appropriate route and time limit determined immediately, even if you are still negotiating with the lender.
The Supreme Court clarified in 2023 that the expiry of that time limit does not automatically rule out every route to interim relief proceedings. That is no reason to let time limits lapse. An urgent provisional measure still requires specific substantiation and an appropriate choice of procedure.
Kifid or urgent proceedings
A consumer can, subject to conditions, turn to Kifid regarding an affiliated lender. Check the internal complaints procedure, jurisdiction and time limits. Opting for a binding decision may have consequences for later review by the courts. A Kifid complaint does not automatically preserve every court time limit.
In a demonstrably urgent situation, interim relief proceedings may be considered. An approaching date in a purchase agreement is relevant, but does not guarantee that removal will be granted. The substantive claim, financial feasibility and the cause of the urgency remain part of the assessment.
Discuss costs and risks beforehand. A party that guarantees removal for a fee without assessing your file is not giving a reliable picture of the legal test. You do not have to pay a commercial removal service first in order to view your registration yourself and submit your own request.
Check whether the solution you seek removes the real obstacle
People who want to apply for a mortgage are sometimes told only that a BKR registration is in the way. Ask the mortgage adviser to specify which registration is involved and whether there are other financing problems as well. An income that is too low, an outstanding debt or insufficient own funds will not be solved by removing code 2 alone. That information helps you substantiate your interest correctly and avoid unrealistic expectations.
If you have several credit facilities, make one line per contract listing the lender, the special codes, the current debt and the end date. A removal decision for one contract does not automatically change the data of another contract. Also watch out for different trade names: the institution named on your old agreement may now operate under a different name or may have assigned the claim.
Ask for a written decision on each disputed entry. A reply that deals only with your personal circumstances may leave a separate objection about an incorrect date unanswered. Conversely, an administrative date correction is not a substantive finding that continued retention is proportionate. Keep both questions clearly identifiable side by side in the correspondence.
If the lender agrees to make an amendment, ask which data will change and when they will be passed on. Then check a new overview. Keep both the commitment and the result. If a mortgage adviser asks for proof while processing is still ongoing, pass on the written decision without claiming that the entire register is already clean. Moreover, a removal or correction offers no guarantee that a lender will accept your new financing application. That application is assessed on its own merits.
Frequently asked questions about A2 codes
Does an A2 disappear as soon as I have paid everything?
No. On termination, the actual end date is processed and the data in principle remain visible for five years. Earlier removal may be possible in the event of inaccuracy or a successful individual objection. First check whether the end date is correct.
Does the bank have to warn me about code 2?
The advance notice for an A entry must be distinguished from special code 2. The same separate duty to warn does not apply to that special code. The call-in and the registration must, of course, be substantively correct.
Can only the A be removed while the 2 remains?
Yes, the elements can be assessed separately. A defect in the warning about the arrear does not automatically decide the question of the call-in. In your request, clearly ask for an assessment of each code and of the consequences of the remaining data.
Is a mortgage impossible with an A2?
An A2 can be a major obstacle, but it is not a general statutory ban on mortgages. The provider’s policy and the rest of your situation play a role. Ask for a specific assessment instead of relying on general claims about acceptance.
Does it help if the debt was caused by my ex?
That can be relevant to your personal circumstances, but it does not automatically remove your own contractual responsibility. Examine who the debtor was, what arrangements existed and what you did to resolve the arrear. See also BKR after problems with an ex-partner.
Can Arslan Advocaten have my A2 removed?
Arslan Advocaten can examine whether correction or removal can be legally substantiated and which procedure is appropriate. Send your current overview, correspondence and proof of repayment. The outcome cannot be guaranteed in advance; the approach and costs are discussed beforehand.
Sources and legal basis
- Mijn Kredietregistratie, the portal of Stichting BKR.
- Kifid on negative BKR registrations and special codes.
- Supreme Court, 3 December 2021, on the GDPR legal basis.
- Supreme Court, 15 September 2023, on time limits and interim relief proceedings.
Sources checked on 16 September 2026. In an individual case, also check which version of the General CKI Regulations (Algemeen Reglement CKI) applies to the processing concerned.
