On this page, you will find the Privacy Statement and Complaints Procedure of Vastmans Advocacy ("Vastmans Advocatuur"). To view the Complaints Procedure, simply scroll down.

 

PRIVACY STATEMENT VASTMANS ADVOCATUUR (GDPR)

This privacy statement applies to the processing of personal data and is prepared in accordance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The user of this privacy statement, also the data controller within the meaning of the GDPR, is Vastmans Advocatuur (sole proprietorship of Ramon Vastmans, attorney (advocaat)), located in Nieuwpoort, The Netherlands, registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under number 91631165 (hereinafter: Vastmans Advocatuur).

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Vastmans Advocatuur respects your personal data and ensures that the personal information provided to us or otherwise obtained is treated confidentially. Personal data includes all information about a person. Data that indirectly reveals something about someone is also considered personal data. The following provides implementation of the information obligation laid down in the GDPR to the data subject(s) whose personal data Vastmans Advocatuur processes.

Vastmans Advocatuur processes personal data to offer services, improve services, and communicate personally with you as the data subject. Processing of personal data is carried out by all employees of Vastmans Advocatuur, including individuals connected to Vastmans Advocatuur based on a student internship agreement.

Vastmans Advocatuur processes the following categories of personal data for the purposes mentioned below:

  • Full first and last names;
  • Date and place of birth;
  • Address details;
  • Contact details (phone numbers and email addresses, etc.);
  • Citizen Service Numbers (BSN) / V-numbers;
  • Identification document details (passport and driver's license numbers, etc.).

Vastmans Advocatuur processes the aforementioned personal data solely based on the grounds mentioned in Article 6 of the GDPR:

  • Legal obligation;
  • Execution of a contract for services;
  • Obtained consent from data subjects;
  • Legitimate interest.

Vastmans Advocatuur shares your personal data with third parties only to the extent necessary for the service provision, taking into account the aforementioned purposes. This may include observing the practice by another lawyer, (having) expert research carried out, or engaging another third party on behalf of and commissioned by Vastmans Advocatuur, such as an IT supplier, as well as providing your personal data in connection with (judicial) procedures or correspondence with the counterparty. Additionally, Vastmans Advocatuur may provide personal data to a third party, such as a supervisor or another authority, insofar as there is a legal obligation to do so. Third parties engaged by Vastmans Advocatuur, offering services as data controllers, are themselves responsible for complying with the GDPR. This may include an accountant, notary, or another third party engaged for a second opinion or expert report.

Vastmans Advocatuur attaches great importance to the security and protection of your personal data and ensures, taking into account the state of the art, adequate technical and organizational measures to ensure a security level tailored to the risk. In the event Vastmans Advocatuur uses services from third parties, such as an IT supplier, Vastmans Advocatuur will lay down agreements on adequate security measures in a data processing agreement.

Vastmans Advocatuur does not retain processed personal data longer than necessary for the aforementioned purposes of data processing or as required by law and regulations.

A request for access, correction, limitation, objection, data portability, deletion of your personal data, or withdrawal of previously given consent can be sent via the contact details below. You will receive further notice from us within four weeks after receiving your request.

There may be circumstances where Vastmans Advocatuur cannot (fully) comply with your request as a data subject. This includes the attorney-client privilege and legal retention periods.

You can address your requests as mentioned above to:

By post:

Vastmans Advocatuur

Schootsveld 18

2965CK Nieuwpoort

By email:

vastmans@vastmansadvocatuur.nl

To ensure that we provide the relevant personal data to the correct person based on your request, we may ask you to provide a copy of a valid passport, driver's license, or identity document with a covered passport photo and BSN number for verification. Vastmans Advocatuur only handles requests related to your own personal data.

Vastmans Advocatuur has the right to change the content of this privacy statement at any time without prior notice. Adjustments to the privacy statement will be published on the website of Vastmans Advocatuur: www.vastmansadvocatuur.nl.

 

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE VASTMANS ADVOCATUUR

  1. Complaint:

    • Complaint: Any written expression of dissatisfaction by or on behalf of the client towards the lawyer or any persons working under their responsibility, regarding the conclusion and execution of a contract for services, the quality of the service, or the amount of the invoice, excluding a complaint as referred to in section 4 of the Advocatenwet (Attorneys Act).
    • Complainant: The client or their representative who expresses a complaint.
    • Complaints officer: The lawyer responsible for handling the complaint.

  2. Scope:

    1. This complaints procedure applies to every contract for services between Vastmans Advocatuur, the sole proprietorship of Mr. R.H.H. Vastmans ("Vastmans Advocatuur"), and the client.
    2. Vastmans Advocatuur ensures complaints handling in accordance with this complaints procedure.

  3. Objectives:

    • a. Establishing a procedure to handle complaints from clients promptly and constructively.
    • b. Establishing a procedure to identify the causes of client complaints.
    • c. Maintaining and improving existing relationships through effective complaint handling.
    • d. Training any persons working at Vastmans Advocatuur in client-oriented response to complaints.
    • e. Improving the quality of services through complaint handling and analysis.

  4. Information at Commencement of Service Provision:

    1. This complaints procedure is made public on www.vastmans-advocatuur.nl. The lawyer informs the client before entering into the contract for services that the office has a complaints procedure and that it applies to the services.
    2. Complaints as referred to in Article 1 of this office complaints procedure that are not resolved after treatment will be submitted to the Rotterdam District Court.

  5. Complaints Procedure:

    1. If a client approaches the office with a complaint, the complaint will be forwarded to Mr. Vastmans, who acts as the complaints officer. In case of a conflict of interest or compelling reasons, Vastmans Advocatuur may appoint another complaints officer as needed.
    2. The complaints officer informs the person about whom the complaint is made of the complaint and gives the complainant and the person about whom the complaint is made the opportunity to provide an explanation of the complaint.
    3. The person about whom the complaint is made tries to reach a solution with the client, with or without the involvement of the complaints officer.
    4. The complaints officer handles the complaint within four weeks of receiving the complaint or informs the complainant, providing reasons for deviating from this period, along with the deadline for issuing a judgment on the complaint.
    5. The complaints officer informs the complainant and the person about whom the complaint is made in writing of the judgment on the validity of the complaint, with or without recommendations.
    6. If the complaint has been handled to the satisfaction of all parties, the complainant, the complaints officer, and the person about whom the complaint is made sign the judgment on the validity of the complaint.
    7. Only complaints formulated in the Dutch language will be processed. The handling of complaints also takes place exclusively in the Dutch language.

  6. Confidentiality and Free-of-Charge Handling:

    1. The complaints officer and the lawyer about whom the complaint is made observe confidentiality during the complaints process.
    2. The client is not required to pay a fee for the costs of handling the complaint.

  7. Responsibilities:

    1. The complaints officer is responsible for the handling and resolution of complaints.
    2. The person about whom the complaint is made keeps the complaints officer informed about any contact and a possible solution.
    3. The complaints officer keeps the client informed about the handling of the complaint.
    4. The complaints officer maintains the complaint file.

Complaints Registration:

  1. The complaints officer registers the complaint along with the subject of the complaint.
  2. A complaint can be classified into multiple subjects.
  3. The complaints officer periodically reports on the handling of complaints and makes recommendations to prevent new complaints and improve procedures.
  4. At least once a year, the reports and recommendations are discussed at the office and submitted for decision-making.