IBKI complaints policy

How to file a complaint

IBKI carefully conducts the exams in accordance with the established procedures and with associated forms and protocols.

Despite this, it is possible that you may not be entirely satisfied. You may have a complaint, which we mean any question, remark, report, or response from a customer that indicates that his expectation has not been met by IBKI.

You can send your complaint via [email protected] or by post to:

IBKI
t.a.v. Klachtencommissie
Postbus 2360
3430 DV Nieuwegein

As soon as IBKI has received your complaint, you will receive a confirmation email from IBKI containing the following information: number under which your complaint is registered and the date by which you can expect to receive our response.

Complaints often require investigation, but you will receive a response within 6 weeks.

When submitting a complaint, please remember to include the following information:

• Your name, address and place of residence.

• The event about which you are dissatisfied (describe the event, mention the date and which exam it concerns).

• The reason why you are dissatisfied with it;

• What you would like to see as a solution.

Your complaint will be dealt with by an IBKI employee who was not involved in the IBKI exam you are complaining about. This provides a new and independent view on your complaint.

Stichting VAM Complaints Protocol

The Board of Stichting VAM (Training Institute for the Motor Vehicle, Two-Wheeler, and Related Industries) hereby adopts the Stichting VAM Complaints Protocol:

Article 1 General provisions

1. The ‘Stichting VAM Complaints Protocol’ sets out the procedure for handling complaints regarding Stichting VAM acting in its capacity as an administrative body. The protocol aims to ensure that, in principle, a complaint is handled diligently within six weeks of receipt of the written complaint.

2. The protocol elaborates on the complaint-handling procedures applicable to administrative bodies as set out in Chapter 9 of the General Administrative Law Act (Awb).

Article 2 Objective

1. The complaints protocol has the following objectives:

   1. - resolving individual grievances and alleviating the complainant's sense of injustice;

   2. - handling complaints in a structured and uniform manner;

   3. - improving the quality of service provided by Stichting VAM acting as an administrative body.

Article 3 Definitions, terms, and abbreviations

1. In this protocol, the following terms are defined as follows:

   1. Awb: General Administrative Law Act (*Algemene wet bestuursrecht*);

   2. complaint: an expression of dissatisfaction regarding the manner in which Stichting VAM, acting as an administrative body, has conducted itself in a specific matter vis-à-vis the complainant or another party;

   3. complaints handler: the contact person for the complainant, who is also responsible for handling the substance of the complaint, as designated in the acknowledgement of receipt;

   4. complainant: any person submitting a complaint to Stichting VAM acting as an administrative body, and/or their authorized representative;

   5. reporting point: the complaints reporting point designated by Stichting VAM, accessible via [email protected];

   6. National Ombudsman: the National Ombudsman referred to in Article 9:17 of the General Administrative Law Act (Awb), charged with handling and assessing complaints at the second stage of review;

   7. Stichting VAM: Stichting VAM (Training Institute for the Motor Vehicle, Two-Wheeler, and Related Sectors), hereinafter also referred to as 'the administrative body'.

Article 4 Submission of complaints

1. A complaint may be submitted to Stichting VAM regarding the manner in which the administrative body has conducted itself towards the complainant or another person.

2. Conduct by a person working under the responsibility of Stichting VAM is deemed to be conduct of Stichting VAM.

3. A complaint submitted in writing must be signed and contain at least:

   1. the name and address of the person submitting the complaint;

   2. the date;

   3. a description of the conduct to which the complaint relates.

4. By submitting the complaint, the complainant agrees to the conduct of an investigation in accordance with this protocol.

Article 5 Handling of complaints

1. Stichting VAM ensures the diligent handling of complaints received by it.

2. Handling takes place in accordance with the established complaints procedure as described in this protocol.

Article 6 Non-handling of the complaint

1. Stichting VAM will not proceed to handle a complaint if it relates to conduct:

   1. regarding which a complaint has previously been submitted and resolved in accordance with this complaints protocol;

   2. that occurred more than one year prior to the submission of the complaint;

   3. against which the complainant could have lodged, or may still lodge, a notice of objection;

   4. against which the complainant could have lodged, or may still lodge, an appeal;

   5. that is or has been subject to the judgment of a judicial body other than an administrative court as a result of legal proceedings having been initiated.

2. Stichting VAM is not obliged to process the complaint if the complainant's interest or the gravity of the conduct in question is manifestly insufficient.

3. Complaints may not be lodged against the substantive assessments made by examiners (regarding knowledge and skills), policy rules, policy implementation, or the execution of statutory duties.

4. General comments regarding the conduct or policy of the administrative body fall outside the scope of the obligation to process complaints.

5. The complainant shall be notified in writing of a decision not to process the complaint as soon as possible, but no later than four weeks after receipt of the written complaint.

Article 7 Intervention

1. Once Stichting VAM has addressed the complaint to the complainant's satisfaction, the obligation to continue applying these regulations lapses.

2. The complainant shall be informed in writing that Stichting VAM considers the complaint to have been resolved satisfactorily.

3. If the complainant is not satisfied with this resolution, the complaint shall subsequently be processed in accordance with this protocol.

Article 8 Handling of complaints

1. A complaint is submitted to Stichting VAM via the designated reporting point.

2. The complaints procedure then proceeds in accordance with the procedure set out in this protocol.

Article 9 Registration and impartial complaint handler

1. The complaint is registered by the reporting point and forwarded to Stichting VAM’s complaint handler.

Article 10 Acknowledgment of receipt

1. Receipt of the complaint shall be acknowledged in writing within five working days by (the reporting office of) Stichting VAM.

2. The acknowledgment of receipt shall contain at least a description of the procedure, the name of the person handling the complaint, and the expected duration of the complaint handling process.

Article 11 Investigation of the complaint

1. The person handling the complaint shall review the complaint and conduct an internal investigation into the matter.

2. Where applicable, the person handling the complaint shall contact the individuals within Stichting VAM against whom the complaint is directed during this investigation.

3. The person whose conduct is the subject of the complaint shall be sent a copy of the complaint as well as any accompanying documents.

Article 12 Hearing the complainant

1. The person handling the complaint shall contact the complainant by telephone to obtain a verbal explanation regarding the complaint.

2. If the complainant wishes to avail themselves of the opportunity for a (telephone) hearing, such a hearing shall be scheduled in consultation with the complainant. The person handling the complaint shall chair the hearing.

3. The person handling the complaint may dispense with the requirements of the first and second paragraphs if the complainant has stated that they do not wish to exercise the right to be heard (by telephone) or if the complaint is manifestly unfounded.

4. A report of the hearing shall be drawn up for the complaint file.

Article 13 Report by the person handling the complaint

1. The person handling the complaint shall record their findings in writing. The report by the person handling the complaint shall set out the findings of the investigation into the complaint.

2. The person handling the complaint shall submit the report of findings—accompanied by the advice and any recommendations resulting from the investigation—to Stichting VAM in a timely manner.

Article 14 Handling of the complaint

1. Stichting VAM aims to handle a complaint as soon as possible, but no later than within the statutory period of six weeks, or, where Section 9.1.3 of the General Administrative Law Act (Awb) applies, within the statutory period of ten weeks.

2. Stichting VAM may postpone the handling of the complaint for a maximum of four weeks, in accordance with Article 9.11, paragraph 2, of the Awb.

3. Stichting VAM shall notify the complainant in writing of the postponement, stating the reason for the postponement and the new timeframe within which the complaint is expected to be handled.

4. Stichting VAM shall inform the complainant in writing and with reasons of the findings of the investigation into the complaint, the judgment regarding the complaint, and any conclusions drawn therefrom.

5. In the notification, Stichting VAM shall—where required under the Awb—draw the complainant's attention to the possibility of lodging a complaint with the National Ombudsman within one year of the date on which the complaint was handled.

6. If and to the extent that Stichting VAM deviates from the advice of the complaint handler, the reasons for this deviation must be stated in the conclusions of the notification. Stichting VAM shall enclose a copy of the advice with the notification sent to the complainant upon completion of the complaint handling process.

7. During the handling of the complaint, the complaint handler is authorized to obtain any desired information directly from Stichting VAM.

8. Insofar as the information referred to in the seventh paragraph is obtained from the administrative body, the administrative body shall provide such information to the complaint handler.

9. No appeal may be lodged against a decision concerning the handling of a complaint regarding the conduct of an administrative body.

Article 15 Notification, registration, and publication

1. Stichting VAM is responsible for registering submitted complaints.

2. Stichting VAM publishes the number of registered complaints on an annual basis.

Article 16 Final provisions

1. Stichting VAM is responsible for making the 'Stichting VAM Complaints Protocol' known.

2. The complaints protocol is public and is published on the relevant Stichting VAM websites.

3. The complaints protocol enters into force upon adoption by the Board and takes effect on 1 June 2025.

Decided by the Board of Stichting VAM (Training Institute for the Motor Vehicle, Two-Wheeler, and Related Sectors), Nieuwegein, 1 June 2025.

The complaints policy has been translated from the Dutch original. No rights can be derived from this translation.