How will the CAK handle your complaint?

What a complaint entails

When a client is dissatisfied with something and our customer service department is unable to solve the problem, we treat the matter as a complaint. If, for example, you are dissatisfied with one of our officers, you find a piece of text unclear, we have not called you back on time, or you feel an officer you spoke with did not listen to you properly, you can file a complaint.

We use the complaints we receive as a means by which to improve the service we provide to you and other clients.

The difference between a complaint and a request for review

Complaints have to do with how you feel about our service. You may feel dissatisfied. If you disagree with a decision or invoice from the CAK, this is not treated as a complaint, but as an objection. If you have an objection, you can submit a request for review.

How to submit a complaint

If you have a complaint, you can submit it either by telephone or in writing.

Our complaints procedure

First of all, we try to resolve the matter and restore your satisfaction with our services. Secondly, we look at ways to improve our services in the future for you and other clients.

Complaints handling time

When we have received your complaint, we will send you written confirmation as soon as possible—in any event, within 2 weeks.

We will try to respond to your complaint within 6 weeks. If we are unable to respond to a complaint within 6 weeks, we are entitled to extend the handling time by 4 weeks. We always inform our clients by letter if the handling time is extended.

If we need longer than the additional 4 weeks to finish handling your complaint, we will discuss this with you first. We are only allowed to take longer with your approval.

What you can expect from us

• We will send you confirmation of receipt and register your complaint in our system. This way, we can see what your complaint pertains to and what action has been taken.
• An officer (complaints handler) will handle your complaint. The officer will be someone who is in no way involved in the matter your complaint pertains to. This ensures that your complaint will be handled as objectively as possible. The officer will review your complaint as thoroughly as possible and call you, provided we have your telephone number.
• We often manage to settle complaints immediately. If you are satisfied with our explanation and/or proposed solution, we will close your complaint and inform you of this in writing.

If we are unable to settle your complaint immediately, the procedure will be as follows:

• If you wish, you can discuss your objections during a hearing. A hearing can be conducted either by telephone or during a formal appointment at our office. After we have spoken with you or received the information you have sent us, we may still need to investigate the matter further. The officer will ensure that this happens and will keep you informed.
• The officer will assess whether your complaint is founded and whether we need to adjust our records and/or processes. If you have not been treated properly by one of our employees, we will discuss it with the employee concerned. The outcome of our handling of your complaint will be registered in our system.
• We will complete the procedure by sending you a letter detailing your complaint, our proposed solution, the conclusion we have reached, and the consequences. If you are not satisfied with the way your complaint has been handled, you can contact the National Ombudsman.

If you are not satisfied with the way your complaint has been handled

You can ask the National Ombudsman to review your complaint and the way we have handled it if, when we have finished handling your complaint, you disagree with the outcome or our proposed solution.

You should always ask us for written confirmation of our handling of your complaint, because the National Ombudsman will request this. If you are calling the National Ombudsman from the Netherlands, you can call for free on 0800 335 5555 on working days between 8.30 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you are calling from outside the Netherlands, you must dial +31 70 356 3563. You can also contact the National Ombudsman through their website.

If we are unable to handle your complaint

In some situations, we may be unable to handle your complaint. This applies if you submit your complaint more than a year after the event to which the complaint pertains, or if your complaint does not pertain to the CAK. If we are unable to handle your complaint, we will inform you accordingly.

Sharing complaints-related information

Whenever we receive a complaint, we investigate it thoroughly. Where necessary, we make changes, amongst other things to improve the service we provide to our clients. We share this information in anonymised form with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS).