Article 10 - Precluding the right of withdrawal
The trader can preclude the right of withdrawal for the following products and services, but only if the trader stated this clearly when making the offer, or at least in good time prior to conclusion of the contract:
- Products or services whose prices are subject to fluctuations on the financial market over which the trader has no influence and which can occur within the period of withdrawal;
- Contracts concluded during a public auction. A public auction is defined as a sales method whereby a trader offers products, digital content and/or services at an auction, under the directions of an auctioneer, and whereby the successful purchaser is obliged to purchase the products, digital content and/or services;
- Service contracts, after full completion of the service, but only if:
a. implementation started with the explicit prior agreement of the consumer; and
b. the consumer declared having lost his right or withdrawal as soon as the trader had completed the contract in full; - Package travels, package holidays and package tours as referred to in article 7:500 BW and contracts on passenger transport;
- Service contracts providing access to accommodation, if the contract already stipulates a certain date or period of implementation and other than for the purpose of accommodation, the transport of goods, car rental services and catering;
- Contracts relating to leisure activities, if the contract already stipulates a certain date or period of implementation;
- Products manufactured according to the consumer’s specifications, which were not prefabricated and were made based on a consumer’s specific choice or decision, or which are clearly intended for a specific person;
- Products subject to rapid decay or with a limited shelf-life;
- Sealed products that, for reasons relating to the protection of health or hygiene, are unsuited to returning and whose seal was broken subsequent to delivery;
- Products that, due to their nature, have been irretrievably mixed with other products;
- Alcoholic drinks whose price was agreed when concluding the contract, but the delivery of which can only take place after 30 days, and the actual value of which depends on market fluctuations over which the trader has no influence;
- Sealed audio/video-recordings and computer apparatus whose seal was broken after delivery;
- Papers or magazines, except for subscriptions;
- The delivery of digital content other than on a material medium, but only if:
a. the delivery commenced with the consumer’s explicit prior agreement, and
b. the consumer declared that this implied his having lost his right of withdrawal.
Article 11 - The price
- During the period of validity indicated in the offer, the prices of the products and/or services being offered will not be increased, except for price changes in VAT-tariffs.
- Contrary to the previous paragraph, the trader may offer products or services at variable prices, in cases where these prices are subject to fluctuations in the financial market over which the trader has no influence. The offer must refer to this link with fluctuations and the fact that any prices mentioned are recommended prices.
- Price increases within 3 months after the contract was concluded are only permitted if they are the result of statutory regulations or stipulations.
- Price increases more than 3 months after the contract was concluded are only permitted if the trader stipulated as much and:
a. they are the result of statutory regulations or stipulations; or
b. the consumer is authorized to terminate the contract on the day on which the price increase takes effect. - Prices stated in offers of products or services include VAT.
Article 12 - Contract fulfilment and extra guarantee
- The trader guarantees that the products and/or services fulfill the contract, the specifications stated in the offer, the reasonable requirements of reliability and/or serviceability and the statutory stipulations and/or government regulations that existed on the date that the contract was concluded. If agreed the trader also guarantees that the product is suited for other than normal designation.
- An extra guarantee arrangement offered by the trader, manufacturer or importer can never affect the statutory rights and claims that a consumer can enforce against the trader on the grounds of the contract if the trader failed to fulfil his part in the contract.
- An extra guarantee is defined as every commitment of a trader, his supplier, importer or manufacturer that grants a consumer rights or claims, in excess of those provided by law, for the event that he fails to fulfil his part in the contract.
Article 13 - Supply and implementation
- The trader will take the greatest possible care when receiving and implementing orders for products and when assessing applications for the provision of services.
- The place of delivery is deemed to be the address that the consumer makes known to the company.
- Taking into consideration that which is stated in article 4 of these general terms and conditions, the company will implement accepted orders with efficient expedition, though at the latest within 30 days, unless a different period of delivery has been agreed. If delivery suffers a delay, or if the delivery cannot be implemented, or only partially, the consumer will be informed about this at the latest 30 days after the order was placed. In this case, the consumer has a right to dissolve the contract free of charge and a right to possible damages.
- Following dissolution in accordance with the previous paragraph, the trader refunds the consumer immediately the sum he had paid.
- The risk of damage and/or loss of products rests upon the trader up to the moment of delivery to the consumer or a representative previous designated by the consumer and announced to the trader, unless this has explicitly been agreed otherwise.
Article 14 - Extended duration transactions: duration, termination and prolongation
Termination
- The consumer has a right at all times to terminate an open-ended contract that was concluded for the regular supply of products (including electricity) or services, subject to the agreed termination rules and a period of notice that does not exceed one month.
- The consumer has a right at all times to terminate a fixed-term contract that was concluded for the regular supply of products (including electricity) or services at the end of the fixed-term, subject to the agreed termination rules and a period of notice that does not exceed one month.
- With respect to contracts as described in the first two paragraphs, the consumer can:
- terminate them at all times and not be limited to termination at a specific time or during a specific period;
- terminate them in the same way as that in which they were concluded;
- always terminate them subject to the same period of notice as that stipulated for the trader.
Prolongation - A fixed-term contract that was concluded for the regular supply of products (including electricity) or services may not be automatically prolonged or renewed for a fixed period of time.
- In departure from that which is stated in the previous paragraph, a fixed-term contract that has been concluded for the regular supply of daily or weekly newspapers or magazines may be automatically prolonged for a fixed term that does not exceed three months, if the consumer is at liberty to terminate this prolonged contract towards the end of the prolongation, with a period of notice that does not exceed one month.
- A fixed-term contract that has been concluded for the regular supply of products or services may only be automatically prolonged for an indefinite period of time if the consumer has at all times the right to terminate, with a period of notice that does not exceed one month and, in the case of a contract to supply daily or weekly newspapers or magazines regularly but less than once per month, a period that does not exceed three months.
- A fixed term contract for the regular supply, by way of introduction, of daily or weekly newspapers and magazines (trial subscriptions or introductory subscriptions) will not be automatically prolonged and will automatically terminate at the end of the trial period or introductory period.
Duration - If the fixed-term of a contract exceeds one year, then after one year the consumer has at all times a right to terminate, with a period of notice that does not exceed one month, unless reasonableness and fairness dictate that premature termination of the contract would be unacceptable.
Article 15 - Payment
- As far as no other date is stipulated in the contract or supplementary conditions, sums payable by the consumer should be paid within 14 days after commencement of the withdrawal period, or in the absence of a withdrawal period within 14 days after the conclusion of the contract. In the case of a contract to provide a service, this 14-day period starts on the day after the consumer received confirmation of the contract.
- When selling products to consumers, the general terms and conditions may never stipulate an advance payment in excess of 50%. Where advance payment is stipulated, the consumer cannot invoke any rights whatsoever in relation to the implementation of the order or service(s) in question before the stipulated advance payment has been made.
- The consumer is obliged to report immediately to the trader any inaccuracies in payment data provided or stated.
- If a consumer fails to fulfil his payment obligation(s) in good time, after the trader has informed the consumer about the late payment, the consumer is allowed 14 days in which to fulfil the obligation to pay; if payment is not made within this 14-day period, statutory interest will be payable over the sum owed and the trader has the right to charge reasonable extrajudicial costs of collection he has incurred. These costs of collection amount to, at the most: 15% of unpaid sums up to €2,500; 10% over the next €2,500; and 5% over the next €5,000, with a minimum of €40. The trader can make departures from these sums and percentages that are favorable to the consumer.
Article 16 - Complaints procedure
- The trader provides for a complaints procedure, that has been given sufficient publicity, and will deal with a complaint in accordance with this complaints procedure.
- A consumer who has discovered shortcomings in the implementation of a contract must submit any complaints to the trader without delay, in full and with clear descriptions.
- A reply to complaints submitted to the trader will be provided within a period of 14 days, calculated from the date of receipt. If it is anticipated that a complaint will require a longer processing time, then the trader will reply within 14 days, confirming receipt and indicating when the consumer can expect a more elaborate reply.
- The consumer should give the trader a time period of at least 4 weeks to solve the complaint in joint consultation. After this period of time, the complaint becomes a dispute that is subject to the disputes settlement scheme.
Article 17 - Disputes
- Contracts entered into between a trader and a consumer and which are subject to these general terms and conditions are subject only to Dutch law.
Article 18 - Additional or different stipulations
Additional stipulations or stipulations that differ from these general terms and conditions, may not be detrimental to the consumer and should be recorded in writing, or in such a way that consumers can store them in a readily accessible manner on a durable medium.
Appendix I: Model form for right of withdrawal
Model form for right of withdrawal
(this form should only be completed and returned if you want to withdraw from the contract)
- To: [trader’s name]
[trader’s geographic address]
[trader’s fax number, if available]
[trader’s e-mail address or electronic address]
- I/we* herewith inform you that, in respect of our contract regarding
The sale of the following products: [description of the product}*
The delivery of the following digital content: [description of the digital content]*
The supply of the following service: [description of the service]*
I/we* exercise our right of withdrawal.
- Ordered on*/received on* [date of ordering services or receiving goods]
- [Consumer(s)’ name]
- [Consumer(s)’ address]
- [Consumer(s)’ signature] (only if this form is submitted on paper)
*Delete or provide supplementary information, as applicable.