A complaint from a client: what the law asks of you as a financial administrator.

Tuesday morning. Your client’s washing machine has broken down. He messages your colleague for money. He hears nothing.
On Wednesday he calls. He gets the voicemail.
On Thursday there is a letter on your desk: “I want to file a complaint.”

The message arrived on your colleague’s own phone. She was off on Wednesday and Thursday. Nobody else knew about it.

This complaint started with a message that was left unanswered.

What your client experiences

Your client cannot just withdraw cash for something that has broken. He needs you. If he hears nothing, he does not feel heard.

A complaint is then the way he still sees to ask for help. He is not looking for a fight. He is looking for help.

What the law asks of you

Are you the financial administrator for three or more people, and not their partner or close family? Then the quality requirements in the Decree on quality requirements for guardians, protective administrators and mentors (Besluit kwaliteitseisen curatoren, beschermingsbewindvoerders en mentoren) apply to you. This is what they say about complaints.

1. You have a complaints procedure. You give it to your client when you are appointed, or straight afterwards.
2. Your procedure says with whom and how a complaint is filed. Not only your client may complain. So may, for example, family who could have applied for the administration.
3. You deal with a complaint within six weeks.
4. Is the complaint unfounded? Then you explain why. And your procedure says what the complainant can still do next.
5. Is the complaint well-founded? Then your procedure states whether you attach consequences to it, and which.
6. Someone else handles the complaint than the person it is about. Unless the complaint is about you yourself.
7. Every year you count your complaints. How many came in, how many you dealt with within six weeks and how many were well-founded. Did you change your way of working because of a complaint? Then you record that.

Your accountant examines whether you keep that count. That is set out in article 11 of the same decree.

What you run into

A complaint is by no means always about money. Sometimes it is about waiting.

The law asks you to update your file every week. Including your contacts with your client. A message on a colleague’s phone is not in that file. When a complaint comes in, you first have to find out what was said and when.

How to help your client before he complains

1. Confirm every message straight away. Your client then knows he has been heard. And when he will hear more.
2. Put your reachability in the plan. The law asks for this too: reachable by phone on at least four working days a week, and a reply within two working days. Read more in Reachability rules for Dutch financial administrators.
3. Let messages arrive in a place your team shares. Then a colleague picks it up when you are not there.
4. Call your client if a complaint comes in after all. Listen first. A conversation shows what he needs.
5. Record what you have done. What was asked, when, and what you answered. Then you answer the complaint with facts.
6. See what you can learn from it. If you change your way of working, record it. The law asks for that too.

It can work like this

Tuesday 9:12. Your client messages the office number: “My washing machine has broken down. I need €250.”
9:12: “Your message has arrived. You will hear from us tomorrow.”
Your colleague is off. The message is in the office email, with the file. You pick it up.
Wednesday 10:30: “The money will be in your account on Thursday.”
On Thursday the washing machine is running.

Your client did not have to call again. The file shows what he asked and what you agreed.

The client is heard. The financial administrator simply works in their own email. The office earns it. So it arrives.

How does your office score? Take the free Communication Scan for financial administrators. In one minute you see where you can gain in reachability, requests and record keeping. Your result arrives straight in WhatsApp.

Prefer to see how it works first? Book a demo.

Further reading

• Reachability rules for Dutch financial administrators
• Money requests from clients: how to assess them in one go
• A good financial administrator: what the quality requirements ask of you
• WhatsApp and email in debt guardianship
• RippleCom for financial administrators

Frequently asked questions

Does a financial administrator need a complaints procedure?

Yes, if they are the financial administrator for three or more people and not their partner or close family. Then they must have a complaints procedure. They give it to the client on appointment or straight afterwards. This is set out in article 6 of the Decree on quality requirements for guardians, protective administrators and mentors.

How quickly must a financial administrator deal with a complaint?

Within six weeks. If the complaint is unfounded, the financial administrator explains why. The complaints procedure says what the complainant can still do next.

Who may file a complaint about a financial administrator?

The client. Others who could have applied for the administration, such as family, may also file a complaint.

What must a financial administrator record about complaints?

Every year: how many complaints came in, how many were dealt with within six weeks and how many were well-founded. If a complaint led to a different way of working, they record that. The accountant examines whether they keep this record.