Complaints Procedure

Article 1 Definitions

1.1. In this complaints procedure:

• complaint: means any written expression of dissatisfaction made by or on behalf of the client in respect of the attorney or the persons working under the attorney’s responsibility, concerning the formation and performance of a contract of services, the quality of the services or the amount of the invoice, except a complaint within the meaning of Section 4 of the Dutch Act on Advocates (Advocatenwet);
• complainant: means the client or the client’s representative who expresses a complaint;
• complaints officer: means the attorney charged with handling the complaint.

Article 2 Scope of application

2.1. This complaints procedure applies to all contracts of services between DVDW Advocaten and the client.

2.2. Every attorney at DVDW Advocaten must ensure that complaints are handled in accordance with the complaints procedure.

Article 3 Purpose

3.1. The purpose of this complaints procedure is:

• to establish a procedure for constructively dealing with clients’ complaints within a reasonable amount of time;
• to establish a procedure for determining the causes of clients’ complaints;
• to maintain and improve existing relationships by handling complaint properly;
• to improve the quality of the services by using handling and analysing complaints.

Article 4 Information when the services commence

4.1. This complaints procedure has been made public by publication on the DVDW Advocaten website. The Standard Terms and Conditions also make reference to the complaints procedure.

4.2. Complaints as defined in Article 1 of this complaints procedure that remain unresolved after being handled in accordance with this complaints procedure may be referred to the competent court in Amsterdam.

Article 5 Internal complaints procedure

5.1. When a client contacts the firm with a complaint, the complaint is forwarded to M. Boender-Radder, who will act as the complaints officer. If that complaints officer has a conflict of interest, H.M.D. Bentfort van Valkenburg will act as the complaints officer.

5.2. The complaints officer notifies the complaint to the person who is the subject of the complaint, and gives the complainant and the subject of the complaint the opportunity to comment on the complaint.

5.3. The subject of the complaint seeks to find a solution together with the client, if necessary through the complaint officer’s intervention.

5.4. The complaints officer settles the complaint within four weeks after having first received the complaint, or else informs the complainant of another timeframe within which he or she will give a decision on the complaint, and explain the reasons for that non-standard timeframe.

5.5. The complaints officer informs the complainant and the subject of the complaint in writing of his or her decision regarding the complaint.

Article 6 Confidentiality, no charge for handling complaints

6.1. The complaints officer and the subject of the complaint will treat the complaint confidentially.

6.2. The person making the complaint does not owe any fee for the costs of handling the complaint.

Article 7 Responsibilities

7.1. The complaints officer is responsible for handling the complaint within a reasonable time period.

7.2. The complaints officer provides the person making the complaint with updates regarding the handling of the complaint.

7.3. The complaints officer keeps the complaint file up to date.

Article 8 Record of complaints

8.1. The complaints officer registers the complaint, with a description of its subject matter.

8.2. The complaints officer analyses the complaints once a year.

8.3. If necessary, the complaints officer makes recommendations to the board of DVDW for improving the services.