When your account is seized, it means that a legal authority has issued an order allowing a creditor to withdraw funds directly from your bank account to satisfy an unpaid debt. Account seizure is a measure taken only after the creditor has obtained a favorable judgment from a court or the Agenzia delle Entrate. During the seizure period, you may not have access to the funds in your account, or you may only be able to access a portion of them, depending on your account's availability and the amount owed.
Specifically, the competent authorities may contact Qonto for two types of seizure:
- Seizure by third parties initiated by the Revenue Agency
- Seizure by third parties initiated by a Court.
How can I know if my account has been seized?
As soon as the competent authorities inform Qonto of the seizure procedure, we will send you a notification email. Depending on your business account situation, you might notice a temporary suspension of its operations.
In any case, you will receive a communication from Qonto with all the details of who issued the seizure, the amount, how the procedure will be carried out, and any instructions on how to proceed if you wish to contest the practice.
I received a seizure notice, what should I do?
- If the seizure is initiated by a private individual, and you want clarification, we recommend contacting a lawyer.
- If the seizure is initiated by the Revenue Agency and you wish to contest it, you must contact the Revenue Agency within 60 days of the notice.
Are there amounts that cannot be seized?
Yes, some amounts are exempt from seizure, such as sustenance, maternity, illness, or funeral subsidies, wage credits, and pension credits.
How long does the seizure last?
The duration of the seizure varies. In the communication sent to the email address linked to the account, you will find all the details of your specific case.
My account is suspended, when will it be unlocked?
- For seizures initiated by the Revenue Agency, Qonto, at the end of the 59 days, will proceed to transfer the seized amounts and will then reactivate your account on the next business day. If 60 days have already passed, contact our customer service.
- For seizures initiated by a private individual, if the registration has been completed correctly, Qonto proceeds according to the instructions of the competent Court: the seized amount will be transferred to the IBAN provided by the creditor and the account will be unlocked on the next business day.
I am expecting a transfer to the seized account, can I isolate the amount?
No, it is not possible. Since it is your account that is seized, and not a certain amount, any further credit arriving in your account will be subject to the same sum blocking constraint.
Can I close the account if there is a seizure in progress?
As long as the seizure is in progress, the business account cannot be closed. To proceed with the closure, it is necessary to wait for the end of the seizure procedure.