General terms and conditions

General terms and conditions regarding the agreement for an order between the client and Duo vertaalburo, as registered with the Maastricht Chamber of Commerce.

1. The “client” is defined as the person or company issuing the order for translation. The “provider” is the translation agency Duo vertaalburo. The “translator” is a staff member of Duo vertaalburo or a third party sub-contracted by Duo vertaalburo to carry out the translation. The “translation” is a text that has been or is to be translated, corrected or written.

2. Where agreements are reached between the provider and the client regarding a “day” or “days”, this refers to a day or days other than a Saturday, Sunday, bank holiday/public holiday or “interim day”, unless otherwise agreed. An “interim day” is a day between bank holidays/public holidays that are close together or between a bank holiday/public holiday and a weekend.

3. Agreements between the client and the provider concerning an “hour” or “hours” refer to an hour or hours during the normal business day.

4. Unless the client arranges an explicit date for delivery of the translation, the provider shall be entitled to determine the term within which he shall fulfil the agreement, as reasonable.

5. Any agreements between the client and the provider concerning a “rate per word” refer to the number of words, figures etc. in the broadest sense in the target language text.

6. The provider shall be entitled to assign the translation to a translator to be selected by the provider unless agreed otherwise.

7. If the client considers a translation unacceptable due to shortcomings in the format or the text, client shall grant the provider the opportunity to make the necessary improvements within a reasonable period.

8. The client shall be entitled to revoke a translation assignment but shall be required to pay the costs already incurred in the broadest sense.

9. Ownership and copyright of the translation done shall be transferred to the client only once the client has paid the invoice in full.

10. Except when due to deliberate action or gross negligence, the provider shall not be responsible for losses suffered by the client as a consequence of any deficiency in the translation. Illness of the translator exempts the provider and the translator from all liability. Any liability of the provider lapses three months after the translation has been delivered.

11. The provider shall never be liable for damages arising from loss or destruction of or damage to manuscripts, documents, papers, books etc. that have been provided. All dispatches shall be at the client’s expense and risk.

12. Invoices shall be submitted following completion and delivery of the assignment or translation and are payable within 30 days of the date indicated. Objections to an invoice, without diminishing the obligation to pay on time, are to be lodged within 30 days after the invoice is submitted. The objections are to be submitted in writing and properly substantiated.

13. Failure to pay within the term stated in Article 12 shall render the client in default by operation of the law without further warning or notice of default being required. The provider shall be entitled to charge client the statutory interest on the amount of the invoice from the moment of default until the moment of payment. The provider shall also be entitled to pass on all legal and extra-judicial collection charges. Such costs shall be set in advance at 15% of the amount of the invoice, with a minimum of €40.00, provided the actual costs do not exceed this amount.

14. The provider shall handle all documents provided with the utmost discretion and shall keep their content strictly confidential.

15. The provider shall in no way derive benefit for himself or third parties by using knowledge obtained by himself or his staff while carrying out the work.