Certification

Quality certificate issuance: 06-07-2022

All members of NVI hold the Incasso Keurmerk certificate. The Incasso Keurmerk ensures that these collection agencies operate according to its criteria. These criteria establish rules and standards that the collection agency must adhere to, overseen by the independent Keurmerkinstituut in Zoetermeer.

Why an Incasso Keurmerk?
For clients, the Incasso Keurmerk signifies outsourcing collection activities to a reliable partner meeting high standards of Responsible Collection. For debtors, the Keurmerk ensures fair treatment and reasonable imposition of collection costs. An independent dispute resolution is available if needed.

Trust and Assurance
The Keurmerk's development has a significant purpose: NVI aims to instill trust and assurance in government, businesses, and consumer organizations that collection activities in the Netherlands are executed correctly and meticulously. The Keurmerk provides the utmost guarantee for this!

Periodic Assessment
An incasso company holding the Incasso Keurmerk must prove continued compliance. This is assessed by an independent external audit committee. The Keurmerk obligates the company to always abide by the rules.

Dispute Resolution
The Incasso Keurmerk includes a dispute resolution process. Complaints or disputes can be brought before an independent committee: the Board of Oversight. Additionally, every NVI member has an internal grievance procedure for early dispute resolution.

Keurmerk Criteria To obtain a Keurmerk certificate, a collection agency must demonstrate adherence to the Keurmerk Criteria, validated through a signed document by the management. The company is also audited by the independent Keurmerkinstituut.

Some collection agencies also employ debt visitors who visit debtors to explore payment arrangements. A code of conduct for debtor visits is established, known as the Debiteurenbezoek code.

Independent Keurmerkinstituut
The assessment of whether a company complies with Keurmerk Criteria is fully outsourced to the Keurmerkinstituut, preventing any potential conflicts of interest. The Keurmerkinstituut also manages ongoing compliance checks. Intensive audits occur biennially.

For more information, visit: www.keurmerk.nl

Incasso Keurmerk Initiation
In 1989, several reputable Dutch collection agencies formed the NVI, Nederlandse Vereniging van Incasso-ondernemingen (Dutch Association of Collection Agencies). NVI's objective then and now is to collaboratively enhance high-quality collection services and establish a reliable sector image. The cornerstone of NVI's establishment and operation is the code of conduct. Each NVI member is bound by this code, which outlines permissible practices for conducting collection activities. The code includes a clear, effective grievance procedure.

From Code of Conduct to Keurmerk
The code of conduct has functioned exceptionally well, albeit inconspicuously as only a few individuals, businesses, and institutions are aware of it. This prompted NVI to transform the code into a visible and transparent Incasso Keurmerk.

The Incasso Keurmerk was developed in collaboration with the Keurmerkinstituut. Extensive consultations were held with the government, various consumer organizations, VNO, and other stakeholders associated with NVI. Their insights and ideas were integrated into the Keurmerk. The Keurmerk comprises two aspects: the requirements and rules that a collection agency must fulfill to attain the Keurmerk, and the visible Keurmerk symbol. The Keurmerk emblem immediately communicates that a collection agency meets rigorous assessment criteria.