Office Complaints Procedure
Article 1: Terminology
1.1 In these office complaints regulations the following terms are understood to mean:
a: complaint: any written expression of dissatisfaction by or on behalf of the client towards the lawyer or the persons working under his responsibility regarding the conclusion and performance of a contract of assignment, the quality of the services provided or the amount of the invoice, not being a complaint as referred to in section 4 of the Dutch Lawyers Act;
b: complainant: the client or his representative who makes a complaint known;
c: complaints committee: the chairman and the secretary who are responsible for handling the complaint;
Article 2: Applicability
2.1 This office complaints procedure applies to every contract of assignment between ASV Advocatenkantoor and the client.
2.2 Every lawyer at ASV Advocatenkantoor is responsible for handling complaints in accordance with the office complaints procedure.
Article 3: Objectives
3.1 The purpose of this office complaints procedure is:
a. establishing a procedure to handle client complaints within a reasonable period of time in a constructive manner;
b. establishing a procedure to determine the causes of client complaints;
c. maintaining and improving existing relationships through good complaint handling;
d. to train employees to respond to complaints in a client-oriented manner;
e. improving the quality of service provision through complaint handling and complaint analysis.
Article 4: Information at the start of service provision
4.1 This office complaints procedure has been made public. Before entering into the contract of assignment, the lawyer will point out to the client that the office has an office complaints procedure and that it applies to the services provided.
4.2 ASV Advocatenkantoor has included in its general terms and conditions the independent party or body to which a complaint that has not been resolved after handling can be submitted in order to obtain a binding decision and has made this known in the order confirmation.
4.3 Complaints as referred to in Article 1 of these office complaints regulations that have not been resolved after handling will be submitted to the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession if the complaint concerns the services provided by a lawyer.
Article 5: Internal complaints procedure
5.1 If a client files a complaint, this complaint must be sent to Ms. P. Celikkal.
5.2 Ms P. Celikkal will forward the complaint within five working days to Ms HP van Baalen, who will then act as chair of the complaints committee.
5.3 The Complaints Committee shall inform the person against whom the complaint has been made of the filing of the complaint and shall give the complainant and the person against whom the complaint has been made the opportunity to provide an explanation of the complaint.
5.4 The person against whom the complaint has been made will attempt to find a solution together with the client, with or without the intervention of the complaints committee.
5.5 The Complaints Committee will handle the complaint within four weeks of receipt of the complaint or will notify the complainant of any deviation from this term, stating reasons and indicating the term within which a decision on the complaint will be made.
5.6 The Complaints Committee shall inform the complainant and the person against whom the complaint has been made in writing of its decision on the validity of the complaint, with or without recommendations.
5.7 If the complaint has been handled satisfactorily, the complainant, the chairman of the complaints committee and the person against whom the complaint has been made shall sign the decision on the validity of the complaint.
Article 6: Confidentiality and free complaint handling
6.1 The complaints committee and the person against whom the complaint has been made shall maintain confidentiality during the handling of the complaint.
6.2 The complainant is not liable for any compensation for the costs of handling the complaint.
Article 7: Responsibilities
7.1 The complaints committee is responsible for the timely handling of the complaint.
7.2 The person against whom the complaint has been made shall keep the secretary of the complaints committee informed of any contact and a possible solution.
7.3 The secretary of the complaints committee will keep the complainant informed about the handling of the complaint.
7.4 The secretary of the complaints committee maintains the complaint file.
Article 8: Complaint registration
8.1 The secretary of the complaints committee registers the complaint, including the subject of the complaint.
8.2 A complaint can be divided into several topics.
8.3 The Complaints Committee shall periodically report on the handling of complaints and make recommendations to the Executive Board to prevent new complaints and to improve procedures.
8.4 At least once a year, the reports and recommendations will be discussed at the office and submitted to the Executive Board for decision-making.