Every year in Belgium, the Consumer Mediation Service records more than 4,200 complaints related to construction works, almost a third of which involve unregistered contractors or contractors in financial trouble. Good news: 5 free checks, taking less than 10 minutes, are enough to remove most of the risk.
1. Verify the BCE registration
The BCE (Crossroads Bank for Enterprises) is the official register of Belgian companies and self-employed workers. Any contractor invoicing legally must appear in it.
How to check
- Note the company number on the quote (format BE 0XXX.XXX.XXX).
- Go to kbopub.economie.fgov.be.
- Enter the number and run the search.
What to look at
- "Active" status: green. If "bankrupt" or "ceased", run away.
- Registered activities: the NACE list must include the trade being invoiced. A plumber with no plumbing activity declared is not covered by their professional insurance.
- Creation date: a company younger than 6 months is not necessarily a red flag, but ask for stronger references.
- Registered office address: must match what is on the quote.
Batizzy tip
On Batizzy, the BCE check is done automatically when pros sign up. Every pro displayed on the platform has already been validated.
2. Check the VAT number
Having a BCE does not mean being VAT-registered. For works above €25,000, the absence of an active VAT number should alert you.
How to check
Go to VIES of the European Commission and enter the VAT number (format BE0XXXXXXXXX, no dots).
If it returns "valid", the company is properly VAT-registered and can therefore:
- Apply the 6% rate to renovation work on a +10-year-old home
- Issue you a deductible invoice if you are self-employed yourself
- Issue valid Peppol invoices (mandatory B2B from 2026)
If "invalid", an invoice without VAT is only legal for very small franchised businesses (turnover below €25,000/year), but it grants no reduced rate and no deduction.
3. Ask for proof of insurance
In Belgium, certain construction trades have a legal obligation to hold ten-year insurance (mainly structural contractors). For the others, professional civil liability is strongly recommended.
Question to ask the pro
"Can you send me your professional insurance certificate, valid for the period of the works?"
A pro who hesitates, refuses, or promises to "send it later" should trigger an alert. All serious pros have their certificate at hand and send it within 24 hours.
What the certificate must contain
- Name of the insurance company
- Policy number
- Ten-year cover or professional civil liability (depending on the trade)
- Validity period (must cover the duration of the works)
- Cover ceiling (typically 1 to 5 million euros)
4. Read reviews and cross-check sources
Google or Facebook reviews are useful but easily manipulated. Cross several sources:
- Google Business Profile: review volume and evolution over time
- Specialised platforms (including Batizzy): reviews tied to a real job
- Search the manager's name on LinkedIn to check profile consistency
- The BCE number on Belgian forums to spot any public complaints
Positive signal
A company with 30 reviews averaging 4.5/5 and a reply rate to negative reviews above 80% is statistically more reliable than one with 200 reviews all at 5/5 with no negatives (likely manipulated).
5. Ask for 3 recent job references
Any serious pro can name 3 recent jobs (less than 12 months) with the customer's agreement to be contacted. Ask for:
- Approximate address (municipality)
- Type of works
- Customer contact details (with their consent)
Call 1 or 2 references. Questions to ask:
- Was the quote amount respected?
- Was the deadline respected?
- Was there any after-sales service after the works? How did it go?
- Would you recommend this pro?
A single negative answer to these 4 questions should make you reconsider.
The golden rule
In Belgium, a pro who refuses basic checks is almost always a pro to avoid. Good craftsmen are proud of their administrative file and send it within a few hours. If you are asked to "act fast" or to "pay a 30% deposit before the checks", do not sign.
How Batizzy automates all this
On Batizzy, every pro displayed has already gone through:
- ✓ Active BCE check (renewed annually)
- ✓ VAT status confirmed
- ✓ Consistency between declared NACE activities and trades offered
- ✓ Customer reviews tied to real jobs (no fake reviews)
- ✓ Average reply within 24 hours on reports
You save 30 minutes of checks on every quote request. Find a verified pro near you.
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