Information in English

Welcome to the website of the Dutch Foundation for Consumer Complaints Boards (De Geschillencommissie). The Dutch Foundation for Consumer Complaints Boards offers complainants, being consumer or business, alternative dispute schemes to help resolve their dispute out of court.

The Complaints Boards offer a quick and low-cost means of resolving a dispute. These alternative dispute schemes are acknowledged by both the Dutch Government and the European Commission. Do you want to know more about De Geschillencommissie? You can find our English leaflet here.

If you are a consumer

1. In case you are a citizen of the Netherlands, who does not speak Dutch and you want to file a complaint with one of the complaints boards, you could ask a friend or relative, who is able to speak and write in the Dutch language, to assist you with filing a complaint at the complaints board.

2. In case you are a citizen of the EU, Norway or Iceland and you live outside of the Netherlands and you would like to file a complaint with one of the complaints boards, please contact the European Consumer Centre (ECC) in your own country. The ECC in your country will communicate with you in your own language.

The ECC is not allowed to advocate on your behalf at the complaints board, they can only assist you. The ECC provides information on your consumer rights within the EU. For further information in English you can click here.

If you are an entrepreneur

Please contact the Dutch branch association for SMES (this link will send you to the website of the Dutch branch association for SMES) (small and medium-sized enterprises) for further information.

Or contact The Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (this link will send you to the website of The Confederation of the Netherlands Industry and Employers) (known as VNO-NCW), is the largest employers’ organisation in the Netherlands. VNO-NCW represents the common interests of Dutch business and provides a variety of services for its members.

General information

You can contact the following institutions for further assistance: 

1. Sociaal Raadslieden: You can contact the social counselors if you want information and advice on consumer affairs. They can help with filling out a form, the drafting of a letter or writing a notice of objection.Contact details can be found on the website www.sociaalraadslieden.nl (this link will send you to the website of the dutch social counselors).
2. Het Juridisch Loket: You can contact the Legal Counter for legal advice on consumer affairs.Call 0900 – 8020 or visit their website www.juridischloket.nl (this link will send you to the dutch legal counter).
3. Rechtsbijstandverzekering: You can contact your legal assistance insurance on consumer affairs. Contact details and insurance details can be found on your insurance paper or on the website of the insurance company.

IMPORTANT: Whatever person or institution assists you in the proceedings at the Complaints Boards, you need to be aware that you are responsible for the information and evidence provided and the timely payment of the complaints fee to the complaints board.

NOTE: Our procedure and most of the information on this website is in Dutch. You can read more information about our (process in English) here.