Article 1: Definitions

Within these regulations, the definition of the terms below is as follows:

• Board: the director(s) of Van Ede & Partners;
• Complaint: the written notification of conduct that may be in conflict with laws and regulations, professional rules and code of conduct of Van Ede & Partners, or civil law obligations between the complainant and Van Ede & Partners;
• Complaints committee: the complaints committee as referred to in Article 2;
• Complainant: the legal person, not being an employee, who submits a complaint under these regulations;
• Employees: all those who, whether or not in employment or otherwise, perform work for Van Ede & Partners.

Article 2: Complaints committee

2.1 Van Ede & Partners has a complaints committee whose task is to investigate complaints or have them investigated and to ensure that the complaint gets dealt with. The complaints committee consists of one or more members, all of whom are appointed and dismissed by the board.

2.2 The complaints committee has advisory rights with regard to the handling of complaints.

Article 3: Procedure

First phase

3.1 The procedure is initiated with a written complaint about the conduct of Van Ede & Partners, its bodies and/or its employees.

3.2 A complaint must be addressed in writing to the branch director of the branch concerned and must state the known relevant facts and circumstances. It also must be signed and state the name and address of the complainant.

3.3 If the complaint concerns the site director himself, the complaint will be addressed or forwarded directly to the complaints committee as referred to in Article 3.7, stating this fact. The first phase of the complaints procedure will then be canceled.

3.4 A confirmation of receipt of the complaint will be sent within two weeks of receipt of the complaint.

3.5 A complaint that meets all the requirements will be handled with care and confidentially and will be settled within four weeks.

3.6 The complainant will be informed within six weeks of receipt of the complaint, how the complaint will be resolved.

Second phase

3.7 If the complaint during the first phase has not been handled to the satisfaction of the complainant, the complainant can submit his complaint to the complaints committee.

3.8 A complaint in the second phase must be addressed in writing to the complaints committee via klachtencie@vanede.nl and must contain the known relevant facts and circumstances, and must be signed and state the name and address details of the complainant.

3.9 A confirmation of receipt of the complaint will be sent within two weeks after receipt of the complaint.

3.10 If the description of the complaint is not complete or insufficiently clear, the complainant will be invited to supplement the complaint within one week with the necessary details.

3.11 Complaints that do not meet the set requirements will not be processed. A complaint can be referred back to the first phase if that phase has not been completed.

3.12 A complaint that meets all the requirements will be handled and dealt with carefully and in a confidential manner by the complaints committee within four weeks. The complaints committee will send the complainant the decision of Van Ede & Partners in response to the complaint, within six weeks of receipt of the complaint.

Article 4: Right of non-disclosure in the complaints procedure

Either the branch director in the first phase of the complaints procedure or a member of the complaints committee in the second phase of the complaints procedure is obliged to exclude himself if facts and circumstances exist, which could damage the objective assessment of a complaint. A member of the complaints committee who has excluded himself can be replaced by alternates. The provisions of Article 3.3 apply to the branch director.

Article 5: Applicable law and legal consequences

5.1 These regulations are governed by Dutch law.

5.2 The submission of a complaint and the handling thereof has no effect on the suspensive effect of prescription and/or expiration periods.

Article 6: Entry into force

These regulations have been adopted by the board and can be withdrawn or amended by the board. These regulations come into effect on December 1, 2014.