Tens of thousands of safe deposit boxes have been rented out to customers of Belgian banks, according to figures from three major banking institutions.
At KBC and CBC, 81,707 safes had been rented by the end of November. Belfius had 77,877 at the end of the year and BNP Paribas Fortis 68,676.
The figures have been falling for years, even though rental prices have also been falling, and many safe deposit boxes are empty. At BNP Paribas Fortis, for example, only 29% are in use, while ING no longer offers safes.
The safe deposit boxes available come in various sizes, with prices ranging from €80 to €720 per year.
"Customers rent a safe deposit box for various reasons. Security is one of the most important," a Belfius spokesperson explained. "A safe offers extra security for valuables such as jewellery or important documents."
According to the bank, there is no specific profile of customers who rent safe deposit boxes.
