Natuurlijke verbintenis
Natural obligation
A natural obligation is a moral or conscientious obligation that cannot be enforced by law.
A natural obligation arises from considerations of morality or decency, without the existence of a legally enforceable relationship. Performance of such an obligation is valid and may not be reclaimed as payment not due.
In practice, this arises in the case of time-barred debts, informal family arrangements or moral obligations. The provision prevents a moral duty once fulfilled from subsequently being reversed.
“The mother paid her daughter’s student debt pursuant to a natural obligation, with the result that the daughter could not recover the amount.”
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