DOCUMENTATION PATRIMONIAL - Fiscus.fgov.be

The service of maintenance claims
Brussels - FINTO
Introduction
The service of maintenance claims (SECAL) was
created within the Patrimonial Documentation in
order to assure the recovery of unpaid maintenance
payments and, later on, in order to grant
advances on the alimony. It acts immediately in
favour of the citizens because the money is recuperated
or advanced for the benefit of the unpaid
creditor and not for the Tax Administration. ■
Expert in... psychology
The citizens who, presently, are better informed
and who expect the maximum availability of a
public service, particularly when there is question
of receiving money, more and more frequently
appeal to the staff members with SE-
CAL. When they are confronted with plaintiffs
who are in a very delicate material and emotional
situation, they must listen in order to advise appropriately
and to target at best the actions which
can be started; they must reassure their interlocutors,
or sometimes on the contrary, dare to refuse
their requests. Besides, towards a maintenance
debtor, they have to sift through the justifiable
or non justifiable reasons and through the arguments
mixed with distress and anger put forward
by the person concerned.
The staff members with SECAL must apply law
decisions, decisions which always must be legally
valid and enforceable. They themselves appoint
the bailiffs for the recovery of the debts and
practise the appropriate seizures with respect to
the amounts and to the natures of the distrainable
basis and to the privilege granted with respect to
their claims.
Five years after the start, SECAL is proud
of having fine negotiators, a solid basis of
knowledge and efficient know-how. The computer
progresses certainly are commendable,
but are still too rigid when the staff members
must carry out frequent changes in the family
situation and take successive judgments into
account. ■