# Surety / Personal guarantee

Source: https://contracko.com/es/glosario/fianza

# Surety / Personal guarantee

A guarantor accessory promise to perform a debtor obligation if the debtor fails to do so.

## Definición

A surety (borgtocht) is a contract in which a guarantor undertakes to fulfil a debtor obligation towards a creditor if the debtor fails to perform. It is accessory to the principal debt, so the surety can invoke the debtor defences and is released if the main debt lapses. For a private individual standing surety outside the course of business, additional protective formalities and consent rules apply.

## Ejemplo

> A company director stands surety for a bank loan to the company, becoming personally liable if the company defaults.

## Por qué es un riesgo para la empresa

A surety exposes the guarantor to personal or group-level financial liability for obligations they do not directly control. The scope and duration of the surety commitment are frequently underestimated at the time of signing, particularly when the underlying obligation can grow or extend. For creditors, a surety is only as strong as the guarantor's balance sheet, which may deteriorate over the contract term.

## Cómo gestionarlo

- Define the maximum amount of the surety clearly; an unlimited surety is a significant risk and may be unenforceable in some circumstances.
- Specify the duration: does the surety terminate with the underlying contract, or does it continue for claims arising after termination?
- For a private individual surety, comply with the statutory formalities under BW 7:859, which require the surety to be established in writing and the amount to be stated in the guarantor's own hand.
- Obtain spousal or registered partner consent where required by law before accepting a personal surety from an individual.
- Monitor the financial health of the guarantor during the contract term and trigger a replacement security request if the guarantor's creditworthiness materially declines.

### Cómo ayuda Contracko

Contracko extracts security terms, including surety obligations and their duration, from uploaded contracts and tracks them in the contract repository. Reminders ahead of the surety expiry or the underlying contract renewal ensure teams review whether the security remains adequate before the protection window closes.

## Referencias legales

- [BW 7:850 Dutch Civil Code: surety (borgtocht) Derecho neerlandés](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005290)

Salvo indicación en contrario, las referencias remiten al derecho neerlandés (Burgerlijk Wetboek, el Código Civil neerlandés); los instrumentos de la UE como el RGPD se aplican en toda la UE. Se trata de información general, no de asesoramiento legal. Otras jurisdicciones tratan estos conceptos de forma distinta. Verifique el texto vigente y su situación con un abogado cualificado.

## Relevante para

[Servicios financieros](https://contracko.com/es/sectores/servicios-financieros)[Construcción](https://contracko.com/es/sectores/industria-construccion)[Bienes raíces comerciales](https://contracko.com/es/sectores/inmobiliario-comercial)

## Cláusulas relacionadas

- [Payment Terms Clause](https://contracko.com/es/biblioteca-de-clausulas/condiciones-de-pago)
- [Insurance Obligation Clause](https://contracko.com/es/biblioteca-de-clausulas/obligacion-de-seguro)

## Términos relacionados

- [Bank guarantee](https://contracko.com/es/glosario/garantia-bancaria)
- [Parent company guarantee](https://contracko.com/es/glosario/garantia-de-sociedad-matriz)
- [Pledge](https://contracko.com/es/glosario/prenda)
- [Payment default](https://contracko.com/es/glosario/impago)

### No vuelva a perder un plazo de contrato

- La IA encuentra las fechas de renovación y preaviso
- Los riesgos y obligaciones afloran automáticamente
- Los recordatorios le ayudan a actuar antes de que las fechas se escapen

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Conforme con el RGPD. Cifrado. Nunca se usa para entrenar la IA.

## Preguntas frecuentes

Preguntas comunes sobre este término.

- **Q:** What is the difference between a surety and a bank guarantee?
  **A:** A surety is accessory to the principal debt: the surety can raise the same defences as the debtor, and the obligation lapses if the main debt is extinguished. A bank guarantee is independent (abstract): the bank pays on a compliant demand regardless of the underlying dispute.

- **Q:** Can a surety be unlimited in amount?
  **A:** For a commercial surety, Dutch law does not prohibit an unlimited amount, but it is unusual and carries significant risk for the guarantor. For a private individual acting outside business, the amount must be stated in the guarantor's own writing under BW 7:859.

- **Q:** Is spousal consent always required for a personal surety?
  **A:** Under BW 1:88, a spouse or registered partner must consent to a surety given by the other partner if it does not form part of normal business activities. Without consent the surety can be annulled by the non-consenting spouse.

- **Q:** What rights does a surety have after paying the creditor?
  **A:** A surety who pays the creditor acquires a right of recourse (regres) against the principal debtor for the amount paid. The surety is also subrogated to the creditor's rights against the debtor to the extent of the payment made.

- **Q:** When is a parent company guarantee preferred over a bank guarantee?
  **A:** A parent company guarantee is preferred when the counterparty has a strong group balance sheet but the contracting entity is thinly capitalised, and when the cost of a bank guarantee (bank fees and credit facility usage) is a deterrent. However, a parent guarantee is only as strong as the parent, and it is not an on-demand instrument.

## Vea estos términos en sus propios contratos

Suba un contrato y Contracko extrae los términos, fechas y obligaciones clave, y luego le recuerda cada uno de ellos antes de que importe.

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