Complaints procedure

Definitions

Handling Lawyer: the lawyer or a person working under the responsibility of the Handling Lawyer, to whom the Complaint relates.
Complaint: a written statement of dissatisfaction, made known as such to bit.legal by the client or its representative
Complainant: the client or its representative that submits a Complaint
Complaints Officer: a lawyer appointed by bit.legal who is in charge of the registration, handling and analysis of the Complaint
Complaint Procedure: this procedure

Purpose of this Complaints Procedure

The purposes of this Complaints Procedure are to:

  1. Lay down a procedure to respond to Complaints as soon as possible in a constructive manner;
  2. Lay down a procedure to determine the cause of the Complaint;
  3. Maintain and improve existing relationships and proper complaint handling;
  4. Advise the bit.legal lawyers on how to respond to Complaints in a clientfriendly manner;
  5. Improve the quality of the services with the help of complaint handling and complaint analyses.

The Procedure

  1. On the website and in the bit.legal terms and conditions, reference is made to this Complaint Procedure. bit.legal as such notifies the client of the Complaints Procedure.
  2. A client can submit a Complaint about a bit.legal lawyer. This Complaints Procedure also applies to persons working under responsibility of the Handling Lawyer. Complaints may be submitted by sending these to the Handling Lawyer by email or in writing, or - at the client's discretion - to the Complaints Officer. The Handling Lawyer, respectively the Complaints Officer, confirms the receipt of the Complaint within five working days and provides the Complainant with information about the Complaints Procedure. If the Complaints Officer receives the Complaint, he or she informs the Handling Lawyer.
  3. The Handling Lawyer and the Complaints Officer jointly determine who will contact the Complainant and how the Complaint will be further discussed and handled with the Complainant. In handling the Complaint, the Handling Lawyer respectively the Complaints Officer will try to come to a solution that satisfies the Complainant. 
  4. If the Complaints Officer is the one who contacts the Complainant, he or she will, after having reviewed the file, allow the Complainant to substantiate the Complaint in writing or orally. Then, the Handling Lawyer will be requested to respond to the substantiation.
  5. If the Complaints officer and the Complainant have a meeting, the Handling Lawyer will also attend this meeting, at the Complaints Officer's or the Complainant's request, unless the Complainant objects to such attendance.
  6. De Complaints Officer responds to the Complaint ultimately 10 working days after receipt of the Complaint or, as applicable, 10 working days after the written substantiation or, as applicable, within 10 working days after the parties have consulted about the Complaint.
  7. The Complaint is handled in writing within a one month term, taking into account that seperate issues are responded to and motivated seperately. If this term is deviated from, the Complaints Officer shall inform the Complainant and the Handling Laywer thereby stating the reasons for the delay and the term within which a decision will be taken about the Complaint. 
  8. The Handling Lawyer or the Complaints Officer will document in detail any agreements reached with the Complaintant.
  9. Even if the Complaint is resolved to the Complainant's satisfaction, the agreements reached with the Complainant shall be documented as per the above. 
  10. The Complainant cannot be obliged to pay any amounts for the handling of the Complaint.
  11. If the handling of the Complaint does not lead to an agreement, the parties involved can submit their dispute to the court in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Registration of the Complaint

  1. The documentation with respect to the Complaint is retained for a period of one year.
  2. Within two months of each calendar year, the Complaints Officer reports to bit.legal about the Complaints that were submitted during that year. If appropriate, the Complaints Officer gives recommendations to the bit.legal laywers.

Appointment Complaint officer

  1. Ms. J.J. Braat is appointed as Complaints Officer.
  2. For Complaints against Ms. J.J. Braat a replacing officer is appointed.

 

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