What Zuidweg & Partners does

Zuidweg & Partners is a privately held Dutch professional services firm headquartered in Hilversum, Netherlands, with a secondary office in Capelle aan den IJssel (Rotterdam area). Founded in 1994 by Jacqueline Zuidweg, the firm specializes exclusively in debt counseling, insolvency mediation, and business recovery services for Dutch entrepreneurs, freelancers, self-employed professionals (zzp'ers), and small business owners facing financial distress. Its core offering, branded Zuidweg Schuldhulp, follows a structured four-step methodology covering intake, debt resolution planning, creditor communication and deferral requests, and negotiated restructuring proposals, typically running 3-5 years. Supporting sub-products include amicable settlement (Minnelijke Regeling), legal restructuring via the WSNP (Natural Persons Debt Rescheduling Act), and bankruptcy assistance (Faillissement). A subsidiary brand, Zuidweg Help With Accounting (formerly Stichting Hulp bij Boekhouding), delivers bookkeeping, tax filing, and budget management services to in-house debt-counseling clients.

The firm operates an independent and impartial mediation model between debtors and creditors and is a member of NVVK (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Kredietverlening en Schuldhulpverlening), adhering to its professional code of conduct and registered with the Dutch Data Protection Authority. It holds referral partnerships with more than 170 Dutch municipalities that direct entrepreneurs to its services under the Municipal Debt Assistance Act (Wgs), with services reimbursed by municipalities so entrepreneurs typically incur no direct cost. Additional partner relationships span NIBUD (National Instituut voor Budgetvoorlichting), KVK (Kamer van Koophandel), Gemeentelijke Kredietbank (GKB), and cooperating administrative/accounting offices. Cumulative cases handled since founding number approximately 40,000.

The business model is a professional services reimbursement structure: core revenue flows from Wgs per-case fees paid by participating municipalities, supplemented by lower-margin bookkeeping and tax services sold to existing debt-counseling clients. The firm employs between 101 and 250 staff, including specialized insolvency advisors, a Quality Manager, HR Manager, Senior Finance Officer, and a Relationship Manager for Municipalities, with staff primarily developed through an internal pipeline from Hogeschool Utrecht and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Distribution combines direct channels (offices, phone, website help-request forms) with municipality referrals, supported by content marketing via LinkedIn, X (Twitter), a monthly newsletter (Zuidweg Nieuws dated to 2016), location-specific SEO pages, and industry-specific guides. No external funding rounds, M&A activity, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed in the available data.

Name

Zuidweg & Partners

Legal name

Zuidweg & Partners

Website

https://zuidweg-partners.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Zuidweg & Partners is a Dutch professional services firm providing debt counseling, insolvency mediation, and business recovery for entrepreneurs in the Netherlands, working with more than 170 municipalities under the Wgs framework and supported by an in-house accounting subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Debt Counseling Services

NAICS

Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)

akta.pro primary industry

Insolvency & Turnaround Advisory (SME/Mid-Market Debtor-Side) (FSAEAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Collections & Creditor Negotiation Support (Debtor-Side) (FSAEAFAI), Financial Hardship & Forbearance Assistance (FSAEAFAJ), Credit Counseling & Debt Management Plans (DMP) (FSAKAJAH)

Keywords

• Debt counseling services
• Business debt assistance
• Insolvency mediation
• Entrepreneur financial recovery
• Municipal debt programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilversum

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Municipality-reimbursed debt counseling: Services are primarily reimbursed by municipalities under the Municipal Debt Assistance Act (Wgs). Zuidweg & Partners works with over 170 Dutch municipalities to provide debt assistance to entrepreneurs at no cost to the entrepreneur.
2. Low-cost accounting assistance: Zuidweg Help With Accounting provides bookkeeping, tax filing, budget support and budget management services at low costs to clients of Zuidweg & Partners who need help organizing their accounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Zuidweg & Partners provides professional debt counseling and business recovery services for Dutch entrepreneurs, freelancers and self-employed professionals. Core services include financial problem analysis, creditor communication and negotiation, amicable settlement (minnelijke regeling) with 3-5 year restructuring plans, WSNP legal debt restructuring, and bankruptcy assistance. Complementary bookkeeping and tax-filing support is offered to debt-counseling clients through the Zuidweg Help With Accounting subsidiary.

Product overview

Zuidweg & Partners operates as a debt counseling and business recovery organization offering a unified service portfolio centered on Zuidweg Schuldhulp (Zuidweg Debt Assistance). The core offering is professional debt mediation and counseling for Dutch entrepreneurs facing financial difficulties. Supporting services include Zuidweg Help With Bookkeeping for accounting assistance, amicable settlement procedures (both for continuing and former entrepreneurs), WSNP legal debt restructuring, and bankruptcy assistance. The company works in partnership with over 170 Dutch municipalities to provide accessible debt counseling services that are often government-reimbursed. Services are delivered through physical offices in Hilversum and Rotterdam, with additional support resources including a knowledge centre with educational content, FAQ glossary, videos, and podcasts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zuidweg Schuldhulp: Debt assistance and counseling services for entrepreneurs facing financial difficulties
• Zuidweg Help With Accounting

Products and services

• Zuidweg Schuldhulp (Zuidweg Debt Assistance) Core debt counseling and mediation service for entrepreneurs with financial difficulties. Provides insight into financial problems, negotiates with creditors, and creates customized debt restructuring plans to achieve the best outcome for all parties involved.
• Zuidweg Help With Bookkeeping (ZHBB) Accounting and budgeting assistance service for entrepreneurs with problematic debt situations who are customers of Zuidweg & Partners. Helps organize accounts, file tax returns, and provide financial insight and budget management.
• Amicable Settlement (Minnelijke Regeling) Out-of-court debt settlement process for entrepreneurs. For continuing businesses, involves BBZ credit (Self-Help Assistance Decree from municipality) to repay debts. For former entrepreneurs, a three-year repayment plan with creditors with final discharge of remaining debts.
• WSNP (Natural Persons Debt Rescheduling Act) Legal debt restructuring process through the court system, initiated when amicable settlement is not possible. Requires strict conditions and court supervision for final debt discharge.
• Bankruptcy Assistance (Faillissement) Assistance with filing for bankruptcy and understanding legal implications. Includes guidance on trustee appointment and asset management during bankruptcy proceedings.
• Municipality Collaboration Services Debt counseling services provided in partnership with over 170 Dutch municipalities. Services are often reimbursed by municipalities under the Municipal Debt Assistance Act (Wgs).
• Employee Debt Counseling Debt counseling services for employees of companies who experience financial problems due to private circumstances, helping employers manage wage garnishments and productivity issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 40,000 entrepreneurs assisted since 1994
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NVVK (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Kredietverlening en Schuldhulpverlening)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of NVVK, the branch organization for debt counseling and social banking. Zuidweg & Partners follows the NVVK code of conduct as part of their professional standards.
• Dutch municipalitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with over 170 Dutch municipalities to provide debt counseling services to entrepreneurs under the Municipal Debt Assistance Act (Wgs). Municipalities reimburse services for eligible entrepreneurs.
• Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens)minorOthersRegistered with the Dutch Data Protection Authority, indicating compliance with data protection regulations for handling sensitive financial information.
• NIBUD (National Instituut voor Budgetvoorlichting)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch knowledge institute for budget information. Listed as a cooperating organization providing budget-related expertise.
• KVK (Kamer van Koophandel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetherlands Chamber of Commerce. Listed as a cooperating organization for business registration and entrepreneur support.
• Independent administrative and accounting officesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerZuidweg Help With Accounting works with independent administrative and accounting offices and budget coaches to provide bookkeeping and tax services to debt counseling clients.
• Gemeentelijke Kredietbank (GKB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial bank within municipalities offering debt resolution assistance and loans for entrepreneurs who cannot obtain credit through regular banks.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stichting Schuldhulpmaatje: Dutch volunteer-based debt counseling organization providing free debt assistance to residents. Direct peer in mission, regulatory positioning, and Dutch market focus; the primary difference is Zuidweg's entrepreneur focus versus Schuldhulpmaatje's consumer focus.
• Stichting De Nationale Schuldhulproute: National intake and routing platform for Dutch residents seeking debt counseling. Directly comparable as a debt-counseling services provider in the Netherlands with similar regulatory and municipality-channel dynamics.
• Kredietbank Nederland (GKB): Social bank of Dutch municipalities providing debt resolution loans and credit to residents and entrepreneurs. Directly comparable as a government-affiliated debt-resolution partner and listed cooperating organization of Zuidweg.

Others

• Nibud (Nationaal Instituut voor Budgetvoorlichting): Dutch national institute for budget information and financial education. Comparable as a knowledge partner in the debt-counseling space and a listed cooperating organization that supports Zuidweg's educational content.
• BKR (Stichting Bureau Krediet Registratie): Dutch national credit registration bureau that maintains consumer credit data. Comparable as a core participant in the Dutch credit and financial-health ecosystem and an indirect data partner for lenders and debt counselors.

Broad incumbents

• Intrum: Large European credit management and debt services company with significant Dutch operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent in debt services, though much larger and more diversified than Zuidweg's SME-focused counseling niche.
• PwC Nederland: Major professional services firm offering restructuring and insolvency advisory in the Netherlands. Comparable in providing SME restructuring and insolvency advisory, though operating at much larger scale and across a broader service portfolio.

Emerging players

• Flanderijn: Dutch debt collection and restructuring firm operating in the Netherlands. Comparable as a debt-resolution services provider with overlap on the restructuring and creditor-negotiation side of Zuidweg's business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ZuidwegPartners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1477274

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zuidweg & Partners