When an unredeemed pledge goes to public sale in Brussels

A minority outcome: 5% of pledges

According to the Mont-de-Piété of the City of Brussels, 95% of loans are repaid and only 5% of pledges end up at public sale, out of more than 15,000 loans granted each year. The sale remains the exception, governed by a precise timetable.

The warning letter, at least 30 days ahead

Before entering an item in a sale, the institution sends the borrower a free letter at least 30 days in advance. This is the last useful moment to repay, extend or renew and avoid the hammer.

Catching up on an expired loan before the sale

An extension can be settled remotely, by telephone or e-mail, against payment of interest and fees, with the rate raised to 10.5% a year. The timetable rules appear on the page on loan duration and extension in Belgium.

Thirty to thirty-five catalogued sales a year

Sales take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 1 pm at rue Saint-Ghislain. Lots are on view on Tuesdays from 9.30 to 11.30 am; for special sales, the viewing extends to Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings.

The surplus, the share due to the borrower

Once capital, interest and fees have been deducted from the hammer price, the sale surplus (boni) belongs entirely to the depositor. A notice is sent one month after the sale; the Mont-de-Piété pays out more than one million euros in surplus each year.

Two years to claim, then loss of the right

Where the institution has no bank account on file for the client, a surplus left unclaimed two years after the sale becomes the property of the Mont-de-Piété. Providing an account number when signing avoids this risk.

If the price does not cover the debt

In Brussels, when the sale is not enough to repay the loan, the borrower still owes the balance. The rule differs from France, where service-public states that nothing more is claimed: compare with the auction of pledged items in France.

Requesting the sale of your own pledge

A voluntary sale lets the client have the item sold at any time, no earlier than one month after the loan begins. Seller's fees then amount to 10% of the hammer price, and any surplus is paid to the client.

Buyer's premium and resale right

In the saleroom, the successful bidder pays a 20% buyer's premium per lot, plus the resale right for works of art from €2,000. These amounts are added to the hammer price and are paid by the buyer, not the depositor.

Payment and saleroom rules

The buyer has three working days to pay, and no bid can be cancelled after the hammer falls. To buy in France rather than Brussels, our guide to Crédit Municipal auctions presents the French sales.

Results and withdrawn lots

The list of lots finally withdrawn from the sale is published from 3.30 pm the day before by the Mont-de-Piété itself. Results are generally posted online the following Friday, which helps anticipate the amount of surplus.

A public framework from 1618 to the present

These sales form part of the workings of an institution opened on 28 September 1618 and governed by the law of 30 April 1848. All its rules are presented on our page on the Mont-de-Piété in Belgium.

Organiser of the pledge sales

• Mont-de-Piété de la Ville de Bruxelles: Holds 30 to 35 public sales a year at rue Saint-Ghislain and pays the surplus to depositors whose pledge is sold.

From expired loan to surplus payment

1. At the 180-day maturity, with no repayment or extension, late interest starts running from day 181.
2. The Mont-de-Piété sends a free letter at least 30 days before entering the item in a catalogued sale.
3. Settle as soon as possible after this letter; the list of lots withdrawn from the sale is published from 3.30 pm the day before.
4. The sale takes place on a Tuesday or Saturday from 1 pm, after public viewing of the lots.
5. A notice is sent to the depositor one month after the sale giving the auction result and any surplus.
6. The surplus is paid into the known account; without an account, it must be claimed within two years.

Amounts deducted at a sale

To claim a surplus or buy back a pledge

• Valid identity document of the depositor
• Pawn ticket or loan contract number
• Bank account number for payment of the surplus
• Certified power of attorney if a third party acts for the depositor

What not to overlook before a sale

• Ignoring the letter sent 30 days before the sale, when a remote extension is often enough to avoid the auction.
• Leaving no bank details: a surplus unclaimed two years after the sale becomes the property of the Mont-de-Piété.
• Believing, as in France, that an insufficient price extinguishes the debt: in Brussels, the uncovered balance remains owed.
• Forgetting to report a change of address, which exposes you to €4 search fees and a missed warning.
• Requesting a voluntary sale without factoring the 10% seller's fees into the expected amount.

General information, up to date as of October 2026 and non-contractual: always check the terms with the Crédit Municipal or the institution concerned.