Our firm will make every effort to provide you with the best possible service. Nevertheless, you may be dissatisfied with some aspect of our service.
Here we explain what you can do then.
If you are dissatisfied with the quality of our services or with the invoice, we request that you first submit your objections to your own lawyer. However, you can also contact Ms V.C.C. Luijten, who acts as office complaints officer. If your complaint concerns Ms V.C.C. Luijten herself, Mr N. Soro will act as office complaints officer. In consultation with you, we will try to find a solution to the problem as soon as possible. We will always confirm this solution to you in writing. In the unlikely event that our consultation does not lead to a satisfactory result in your eyes, you can submit a complaint to the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession. This is only possible after you have first submitted your objections to our firm. This route is also open to you if our firm has not responded to your complaint in writing within four weeks of submitting your objections.
Our firm is a member of the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession. This dispute committee has existed since 1 June 1999 and falls under the Foundation for Disputes Committees for Consumer Cases (SGC) and that for Profession and Business (SGB) in The Hague.
You can submit the complaint to the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession up to 12 months from the date of our firm's written response.
The Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession rules in the form of an arbitral award for business clients or in the form of a binding opinion in case the dispute is brought by a private client.
The Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession is competent to adjudicate on complaints regarding the quality of the lawyer's services and the amount of the bill. You may also find that you are entitled to compensation.
The Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession is also authorised to adjudicate damages claims up to a maximum amount of 10,000 euros. Higher damage claims can only be submitted to the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession if you explicitly limit the amount of the claim to a maximum of 10,000 euros, waiving the excess in writing.
Our firm itself may submit unpaid claims for collection to the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession.
The Disputes Committee handles the case
according to the Legal Profession Disputes Committee Rules in force at the time the complaint is filed with the
Disputes Committee. No appeal is possible against the decision of the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession.
In this office complaint scheme, the following definitions shall apply:
- 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 execution of an agreement for services, the quality of services or the amount of, not being a complaint as referred to in section 4 of the Lawyers Act;
- Complainant: the client or client's representative making a complaint;
- complaints officer: the lawyer in charge of handling the complaint;
1. This office complaints procedure applies to any agreement for services between Luijten Advocaten and the client.
2. Each lawyer of Luijten Advocaten shall ensure that complaints are handled in accordance with
the office complaints procedure
The purpose of this office complaint scheme is to:
a. establishing a procedure to deal with client complaints within a reasonable timeframe in a
a constructive manner;
b. establishing a procedure to determine the causes of client complaints;
c. maintaining and improving existing relationships through proper complaint handling;
d. train staff in client-centred response to complaints;
e. improving service quality through complaint handling and complaint analysis.
1. This office complaint scheme has been made public. Before entering into the contract for services, the lawyer informs the client that the firm has an office complaints procedure and that it applies to the services provided.
2. Luijten Advocaten shall refer in the engagement letter to this office complaints procedure which also includes to which independent party or body a complaint that is not resolved after treatment may be submitted for obtaining a binding decision.
3. Complaints as referred to in Article 1 of these office complaints regulations that are not resolved after treatment shall be submitted to the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession.
1. If a client approaches the firm with a complaint, the complaint will be directed to
Ms V.C.C. Luijten, who thereby acts as complaints officer. If a complaint concerns the complaints officer himself, then Mr E.R.Th.A. Luijten will act as the designated complaints officer.
2. The complaints officer shall notify the person complained about of the filing of the complaint and give the complainant and the person complained about an opportunity to explain the complaint within a period of 2 weeks.
3. The person about whom a complaint has been made shall try to reach a solution together with the client, whether or not through the intervention of the complaints officer.
4. The complaints officer shall settle the complaint within four weeks of receiving the complaint, or at least after the complainant's explanation of it, or shall notify the complainant of any deviation from this time limit, stating the time limit within which an opinion on the complaint will be given.
5. The complaints officer shall inform the complainant and the person complained against in writing of the opinion on the merits of the complaint, whether or not accompanied by recommendations.
6. If the complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, the complainant, the complaints officer and the person complained about shall sign the judgment on the merits of the complaint.
1. The complaints officer and the person about whom a complaint has been made shall, in handling the complaint
confidentiality.
2. The complainant shall not be charged for the cost of handling the complaint.
1. The complaints officer is responsible for the timely resolution of the complaint.
2. The person complained about shall keep the complaints officer informed about any contact and possible resolution.
3. The complaints officer shall keep the complainant informed about the handling of the complaint.
4. The complaints officer shall maintain the complaint file.
1. The complaints officer shall register the complaint including the subject of the complaint.
2. A complaint may be divided into several topics.
3. The complaints officer shall report periodically on the handling of complaints and make recommendations to prevent new complaints, as well as to improve procedures.
4. At least once a year, reports and recommendations will be discussed at the office and submitted for decision.