General Terms and Conditions

Full version of our general terms and conditions

Article 1 – Definitions 

1.1 RBNL: Rioolbeheer Nederland B.V., located at Willem de Zwijgerlaan 350, 1055RD, Amsterdam. Chamber of Commerce: 87133989.

1.2 Client: The natural person or legal entity who commissions RBNL to perform services and/or work.

1.3 Agreement: The agreement between the client and RBNL for the performance of services and/or work to which these general terms and conditions are declared applicable.

1.4 Work: The totality of the activities agreed upon between the client and RBNL and the materials or parts supplied by RBNL in connection therewith.  

Article 2 – Applicability

2.1 These general terms and conditions apply to all services and work offered by RBNL, and to all agreements made between the client and RBNL.

2.2 Deviating conditions shall only apply insofar as this has been expressly and in writing agreed upon between the client and RBNL in advance.

2.3 These terms also apply if RBNL engages a third party to perform the work.

Article 3 – Formation of Agreements and Quotes

3.1 All quotes sent by RBNL, regardless of their name or form, are non-binding and are valid for a maximum of 1 month, unless otherwise stated on the quote.

3.2 If a quote contains a non-binding offer, RBNL has the right to withdraw the offer within 5 working days after receiving its acceptance.

3.3 RBNL's quotes are based on the information, drawings, etc., provided by the client, and RBNL may assume these are accurate.

3.4 An agreement entered into on behalf of RBNL is only binding if it has been signed by RBNL's management or by an employee authorized by them for that purpose.

3.5 Although we have extensive experience and expertise in paving work, we only carry this out if it has been specifically discussed with the client and explicitly stated in the issued quote.

Article 4 – General Obligations of the Client

4.1 The client must ensure that RBNL receives a complete overview of all necessary information for the agreement in a timely manner.

4.2 If RBNL's work cannot proceed as planned due to circumstances beyond its control, all related costs will be charged to the client.

Article 5 – Prices

5.1 All prices quoted include sales tax (VAT), unless RBNL expressly states otherwise.

5.2 Any government levies, as well as costs incurred by RBNL to comply with regulations under the Environmental Management Act, will be charged separately by RBNL.

5.3 If an hourly rate is agreed upon, the total amount due will be calculated based on the actual time spent on the work, using RBNL's agreed-upon hourly rate or, if no specific rate was agreed, the standard hourly rate. This standard rate will be provided to the client by RBNL upon request.

Article 6 – Changes to Work (Additional or Reduced)

6.1 Sometimes, our work might involve more than initially expected. For example, we could encounter thick tree roots, unexpected concrete or asphalt while digging, or a large, old tree that requires us to work around its roots, or even an unforeseen well. In such situations, additional work may be needed – for instance, a 10-meter replacement job could extend to 15 meters if we find a well. In these cases, we would need to charge you for the extra work. However, please be assured that we will always discuss this with you before proceeding.

Article 7 – Completion Times

7.1 The estimated completion or delivery times provided by RBNL should never be considered strict deadlines. In the event of a delay, RBNL must inform the client.

7.2 The agreed (delivery) term commences from the date on which the agreement has been concluded, or has been further determined, but not earlier than the date on which RBNL possesses all necessary documents, data, permits, etc.

Article 8 – Force Majeure

8.1 In addition to what is defined as force majeure under Dutch law, this also includes any form of strike or work stoppage, as well as situations where performing the work would pose unacceptable risks to RBNL's personnel.

Article 9 – Warranty

9.1 For cleaning and inspection work, RBNL commits to performing the tasks professionally. Any complaints will not be processed after three months from completion.

9.2 The warranty for materials supplied by RBNL is limited to any warranty provided by RBNL's supplier. If the materials supplied by RBNL were specified by third parties, RBNL provides no warranty.

9.3 The warranty period provided by RBNL becomes void if third parties carry out work on the original problem after RBNL's visit.

9.4 RBNL will not perform warranty work if there is an outstanding/overdue invoice.

Article 10 – Liability

10.1 RBNL accepts no liability towards the client and/or third parties for damage suffered by the client and/or third parties as a result of the application of RBNL's cleaning method and/or its subordinates and/or its assistants, and which damage is not due to intent or gross negligence on the part of RBNL and/or its subordinates and/or its assistants, whereby the client indemnifies RBNL against all possible third-party claims in this regard.

10.2 In all cases, any liability on the part of RBNL is limited to the amount of the invoice charged by RBNL, or if that amount is higher, the amount of the payout RBNL has received from its insurer in this regard.

10.3 The client indemnifies RBNL at all times against any claims from third parties due to or related to the execution of work within the framework of the existing or past agreement between RBNL and the client.

10.4 RBNL is never liable for damage that results from the absence of asbestos or other harmful toxic substances, if this presence only becomes apparent during the execution of the agreement and the client did not inform RBNL of the presence of asbestos or other harmful substances at the latest when the agreement was concluded.

Article 11 – Payment and Security

11.1 Unless otherwise agreed, payment of RBNL invoices must be made within 1 day after the invoice date or after the completion of the assignment, whichever comes first.

11.2 RBNL is at all times entitled to demand advance payment or sufficient security from the client.

11.3 In case of late payment of an RBNL invoice by the client, RBNL is entitled to immediately suspend further work. If RBNL suspends work, all RBNL invoices to the client become immediately and fully due.

Article 12 – Collection Costs

12.1 All costs for collecting overdue payments from the client, including all judicial and extrajudicial costs, such as legal assistance fees, shall be borne by the client. The law on standardization of collection costs will be observed, whereby collection costs, depending on the principal sum, amount to a minimum of €40 and a maximum of €6775.

Article 13 – Cancellation/Amendment of the Agreement

13.1 If the client cancels the order and/or refuses to accept the goods, the client is obliged to accept and pay for the materials and raw materials already purchased by RBNL, whether processed or not, at cost price, including wages and social charges, and is furthermore liable to RBNL for full compensation for the work already performed. 

13.2 The granting or refusal of subsidies, financing, or other unforeseen circumstances can never be a reason to cancel an accepted assignment, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing between the client and RBNL.

13.3 For efficient scheduling and to prevent disappointment, we ask our customers to be present at the agreed time for the services. Should you be unable to be present at the agreed time for any reason, we will first attempt to contact you by phone. If we cannot reach you or you do not answer, we will charge the full amount of the pre-agreed costs.

Additionally, we ask our customers to cancel appointments at least 24 hours in advance if necessary. Failure to meet this deadline will also result in the full amount of the pre-agreed costs being charged.

To cancel an appointment, we ask you to do so in a timely manner via email (info@rbnl.nl) or phone (085 303 9999). This ensures that we can adjust our schedule and potentially serve other customers.

13.4 The 2-hour time windows we communicate refer to our estimated arrival time. Due to the variable nature of our work and unforeseen circumstances at previous locations, we cannot guarantee an exact arrival time. We kindly ask customers to take this into account and allow for some flexibility.

Article 14 – Termination

14.1 If the client defaults on any of their obligations or in the event of the client's bankruptcy or suspension of payments, RBNL has the right to terminate the agreement to which these terms apply, either wholly or partially, without judicial intervention, and without prejudice to its right to compensation.

14.2 Dutch law applies to all agreements concluded with RBNL to which these terms and conditions apply.

Article 15: Use of Chemical Products

15.1 The client is obligated to inform RBNL immediately about any recent use of chemical drain cleaners, including, but not limited to, products containing sulfuric acid, prior to RBNL's scheduled intervention on site. This information is crucial to ensure the safety of our personnel.

15.2 If it is found that, contrary to the obligation stated in paragraph 1, chemical products have been used prior to our personnel's visit and this was not communicated to RBNL in advance, RBNL reserves the right to cancel the appointment in the interest of our personnel's safety.

15.3 In the event of an appointment cancellation under the circumstances mentioned in paragraph 2, the client will be liable for cancellation fees to compensate for planning, reserved time, and other related costs. The specific costs will be communicated in the cancellation confirmation and are immediately payable.