Office complaints procedure RRA N.V. (trading as ‘RRA Advocaten’)

We endeavour to carry out instructions given to us as well as possible. However, it may still happen a client is dissatisfied with our services or our invoice in which case your complaint will be addressed following the procedure explained below.

Article 1 – Definitions of terms

In this office complaints procedure, the following terms are defined as stated below:

• Complaint: any written expression of dissatisfaction by or on behalf of the client towards the lawyer or the person(s) working under the responsibility of the lawyer regarding the conclusion and execution of the professional service agreement (“Opdrachtbevestiging”), the quality of the services provided or the amount of the invoice, not being a complaint within the meaning of section 4 of the Dutch Lawyers Act (“Advocatenwet”);
• Complainant: the client or client’s representative filing a complaint;
• Complaints officer: the lawyer charged with handling the complaint.

Article 2 – Scope

• This office complaints procedure applies to all professional service agreements between RRA Advocaten and the client.
• Each lawyer at RRA Advocaten addresses complaints in accordance with the office complaints procedure.

Article 3 – Purposes

This office complaints procedure serves the following purposes:

• to establish a procedure to handle client complaints constructively within a reasonable time frame;
• to establish a procedure to determine the cause of the client’s complaint;
• to maintain and improve existing business relationships by addressing complaints appropriately;
• to train employees to respond to complaints in a client orientated manner;
• to improve the quality of services through complaint handling and analysis.

Article 4 – Information at the start of our services

1. This office complaints procedure has been made public at our website. Before signing the professional service agreement (“Opdrachtbevestiging”), the lawyer informs the client that the firm uses an office complaints procedure and that this applies to the services provided.
2. RRA Advocaten has included in the professional service agreement and the general terms and conditions that all disputes (which have not been resolved after the complaint has been handled) can only be submitted exclusively to the District Court of Limburg, the Netherlands.

Article 5 – Internal complaints procedure

1. If a client approaches the firm with a complaint, the complaint will be forwarded to Robert Ruiter, who will act as complaints officer.
2. The complaints officer notifies the person to whom the complaint relates of the filing of the complaint and gives both the complainant and the person to whom the complaint relates the opportunity to explain their views in relation to the complaint.
3. The person to whom the complaint relates will attempt to find a resolution together with the client, whether or not after intervention of the complaints officer.
4. The complaints officer will handle the complaint within four weeks of receiving the complaint or will notify the complainant of any deviation from this time limit, with reasons and stating the period within which an assessment of the complaint will be given.
5. The complaints officer must inform the complainant and the person to whom the complaint relates in writing the judgement on the validity of the complaint, along with recommendations if applicable.
6. If the complaint has been handled satisfactorily, the complainant, the complaints officer and the person to whom the complaint relates will sign the judgement on the validity of the complaint.

Article 6 – Confidentiality and free complaints handling

1. The complaints officer and the person to whom a complaint relates shall retain confidentiality during the complaints handling process.
2. The complainant shall not be charged a fee for processing the complaint.

Article 7 – Responsibilities

1. The complaints officer is responsible for the prompt processing of the complaint.
2. The person to whom a complaint relates will keep the complaints officer informed about any contact with the complainant and a possible resolution.
3. The complaints officer will keep the complainant informed about the handling of the complaint.
4. The complaints officer maintains the complaint file.

Article 8 – Complaint registration

1. The complaints officer registers the complaint including the subject matter of the complaint.
2. A complaint can be divided into several subjects.
3. The complaints officer periodically reports on the handling of complaints, at least once a year, and makes recommendations in order to prevent new complaint as well as to improve procedures.
4. At least once a year the reports and recommendations are discussed within the firm and, as a result, any improvement proposals are subsequently submitted for decision-making.