Terms & Conditions

*In the event of discrepancies or ambiguity between the original Dutch version of these Terms and Conditions and this translation, the Dutch text shall prevail.

Article 1 – Applicability of the terms and conditions

1.1       These terms of business shall apply to all transactions and agreements between Vertaalbureau Louvenberg (hereinafter: Louvenberg) and the principal, in respect of which the translator has declared these terms and conditions to be applicable, to the exclusion of the principal’s terms of business unless Louvenberg has agreed in writing that they shall apply.

1.2       These terms and conditions shall also apply to all agreements with Louvenberg, the execution of which may require the involvement of third parties.

Article 2 – Quotations; entering into an agreement

2.1       All quotations and cost estimates shall be without obligation.

2.2       The contract shall take effect on the acceptance in writing by the principal of the quotation submitted by Louvenberg, or – should no quotation have been submitted – by the confirmation in writing by Louvenberg of a commission granted him by the principal. In the event of Louvenberg being unable to examine the complete text within five working days before submitting his quotation he may however retract the cost estimate and lead times he has quoted after the principal has accepted the quotation. All quotations and fees stated shall be excluding VAT (BTW) unless it has clearly been agreed to be otherwise.

2.3       Louvenberg may consider his principal to be the person who has commissioned the work, unless the said person has clearly stated that he is acting on behalf of, on the orders of and on the account of a third party and providing the name and address of the said third party are concurrently submitted to Louvenberg.

Article 3 – Alteration/withdrawal of commission

3.1       If, after the contract has been concluded, the principal makes any alteration other than  minor changes to the original commission, Louvenberg shall be entitled to adapt the lead time and/or remuneration or to reject the commission.

3.2       In the event of a commission being withdrawn by the principal he shall be liable for payment of that part of the commission that has already been executed and for payment on the basis of a fee per hour for research that has been undertaken with respect to the remainder of the commission.

3.3       Should Louvenberg have reserved time for the execution of the commission and not be able to use this time for other work, the principal shall pay Louvenberg 50% of fee covering the portion of the commission that has not been executed.

Article 4 – Execution of commissions, confidentiality

4.1       Louvenberg shall commit himself to executing the commission to the best of his  ability, thereby employing sound professional knowledge and skills, with due regard to the purpose specified by the principal.

4.2       Louvenberg shall treat all information entrusted to him by the principal with the strictest confidence. Louvenberg shall require his employees to observe the strictest confidence. Should an employee breach the said confidence, Louvenberg shall not, however, be held liable if he can demonstrate that it was not in his power to prevent such disclosure.

4.3       Unless it has been expressly stipulated to the contrary, Louvenberg shall be entitled to have the commission (partly) executed by a third party, without prejudice to his responsibility for the observance of confidentiality and for the quality of execution of the commission. Louvenberg shall require the said third party to observe the strictest confidence.

4.4       On request, the principal shall provide information regarding the contents of the text to be translated, including documentation, reference material and terminology. Dispatch of the documents concerned shall be at the principal’s risk and expense.

4.5       Louvenberg shall not be held responsible for the accuracy of information supplied to him by the principal  and shall on no account accept liability for damage of any kind if Louvenberg has operated from inaccurate or incomplete information supplied to him by the principal, even if such information was supplied to him in good faith.

Article 5 – Intellectual Property

5.1       Unless it is expressly stated in writing to the contrary, Louvenberg shall retain the copyright on translations and other texts executed by him.

5.2       The principal shall indemnify Louvenberg from any claim by a third party regarding alleged breach of rights of ownership, patent, authors’ copyright or other intellectual property in connection with the execution of the commission.

Article 6 – Rescission

In the event of the principal failing to honour his commitments, or in the case of bankruptcy, moratorium, receivership or liquidation of the principal’s business, Louvenberg shall be entitled wholly or partially to rescind the contract or to delay the execution of the commission, such action never rendering him liable for any claim for damages. He may then demand immediate payment of remuneration due to him.

Article 7 – Complaints and disputes

7.1       The principal shall report complaints concerning the work delivered by Louvenberg as soon as possible and inform him in writing of his dissatisfaction within ten days after acceptance. The reporting of a complaint shall in no way relieve the principal of his obligation to pay for the work delivered.

7.2       Should the complaint be well-founded, the translator shall improve or replace the delivered work within a reasonable period of time, or – if Louvenberg cannot reasonably comply with the request for improvement – agree to a reduction in the fee.

7.3       If the principal and Louvenberg cannot reach agreement concerning the complaint within a reasonable period of time, the two parties may lay the complaint before the Disputes and Disciplinary Committee of the NGTV within two months after such situation has arisen. Settlement of the dispute shall in that case take place in accordance with the arbitration code of the NGTV.

7.4       The principal’s right to make a claim shall cease if he has revised – or has caused to be revised – the work as delivered and has subsequently passed it on to a third party.

Article 8 -Lead time, delivery

8.1       The agreed lead time shall be an estimated time, unless expressly stipulated otherwise. As soon as it becomes apparent to Louvenberg that the agreed delivery time is not feasible, he shall be bound to inform the principal immediately.

8.2       Should Louvenberg be accountable for the delay in delivery, the principal shall be entitled – if it is unreasonable for him to wait any longer – to rescind the contract unilaterally. In this event Louvenberg shall not be entitled to any compensation.

8.3       Delivery shall be considered to have taken place at the moment of delivery by hand, dispatch by normal postal service, fax, telex, courier, modem.

8.4       Delivery of documents via electronic post shall be considered to have taken place when the medium has confirmed the dispatch.

Article 9 – Fees and payment

9.1       Louvenberg’s fee is in principle based on a word tariff. For work other than translation a fee based on an hourly rate will in principle be charged. Louvenberg may, in addition to his fee, declare the expenses incurred in executing the commission.

9.2       All sums shall be stated excluding value-added tax (BTW), unless it has been expressly stated to the contrary.

9.3       Accounts should be settled at the latest date 30 days after the date of the invoice in the currency in which the invoice is drawn up.

9.4       Should the payment not be made within the period specified, the principal shall immediately, without further notification, be in default, in which case the principal shall be liable for the statutory interest of 1% from the date of default to the moment of full settlement.

9.5       Should the payment not be made by the principal within the period specified Louvenberg is entitled to claim payment of all costs which he  needs to make, both in court and outside court, to reach full settlement of his claim(s), including in any case the fees of lawyers he engages, procurator, representatives, debt-collector agencies, or bailiffs.

9.6       In the event of extrajudicial collection, collecting rates of 15% over the capital sum plus interest shall be levied with a minimum collection charge of EUR 200,- per case. Should the actual costs that should be made, or the actual out of court costs exceed 15%, Louvenberg is entitled to claim, when appropriate to charge the actual out of court costs to the principal.

9.7       If the principal is a consumer, the collection charges are charged     according to the ‘Besluit Vergoeding voor Buitengerechtelijke             Incassokosten’,  as mentioned in subsection 4 section 6:69 Dutch civil       law. It stipulates that the case concerns a claim arising from an      obligation of a sum of money which has been converted in an         obligation to alternative compensation in the sense of section 6:87     Dutch Civil Law. If the principal is not BTW-registered, BTW will      automatically be added to the  debt-collector’s costs.

The current rates of debt-collector’s costs are

  • Minimum rate € 40,00
  • 14% on first € 2.500,00
  • 10% on next  € 2.500,00
  • 5% on next  € 5.000,00
  • 1% on next € 190.000,00
  • 0,5% on the remainder of the main sum met a maximum of
    € 6.775.00.

If the principal is a legal entity, or a natural person who exercises a            profession or  runs a company a claim is made for out of court debt-        collector’s costs of 15% of the owed main sum, with a minimum of € 75,00.

Article 10 – Liability and indemnity

10.1     Louvenberg shall be responsible solely for damage that is the direct and demonstrable result of a shortcoming for which Louvenberg can be held accountable. Louvenberg shall never be liable for any other form of damage such as consequential loss, loss due to delay or loss of income or profits. The liability shall in every case be limited to a sum equal to the invoice value excluding value-added tax (BTW) of the commission concerned.

10.2     Ambiguity in the text to be translated indemnifies Louvenberg from any liability.

10.3     Judgment as to whether the text to be translated, or the translated text, contains certain risks of bodily harm or injury shall be the sole responsibility and liability of the principal.

10.4     Louvenberg shall not be held responsible for damage to or the loss of documents, information or information carriers placed at his disposal for the purpose of executing the commission. Nor shall Louvenberg be held liable for damage arising from the use of information technology or modern means of telecommunication.

10.5     Louvenberg’s liability shall be limited to a maximum of EUR 45,389 in each case.

10.6     The principal shall be bound to indemnify the translator from all claims from third parties  arising from the utilization of the work delivered, excepting the liability of the translator that may exist on the grounds of the provisions of this article.

Article 11 – Force Majeure

11.1     In the present terms and conditions, force majeure shall be understood , in addition to the legal definition and interpretation of the term, to include all exterior causes, whether anticipated or not, over which Louvenberg cannot exercise any control, but which prevent Louvenberg from being able to meet his commitments. Such circumstances shall in any case include – but not exclusively – fire, accident, illness, industrial action, rebellion, war, governmental measures or hindrance or restriction of transport.

11.2     During the period covered by force majeure the translator’s commitments shall be

suspended. Should the period within which force majeure prevents the       translator from meeting his commitments exceed two months, either party         shall be empowered to rescind the agreement; no obligation of indemnity           shall in such case arise. If the principal is the consumer the empowerment to rescind shall only apply in so far as such empowerment is enforceable         by law.

11.3     If, at the time of the commencement of force majeure the translator has    partially met    his commitments, or can only partially meet his commitments, the translator shall be entitled to draw up a separate          invoice covering the work executed and the principal            shall be bound to         pay the said invoice as though it applied to a separate agreement.

Article 12 – Legal system applicable

12.1     The law of the Netherlands shall be applicable to all legally binding transactions between the principal and the translator.

12.2     Any dispute shall be subject to the judgment of the officially appointed Netherlands judge.