About our office and our services

Our approach
Clients choose MAES Civil-Law Notaries because they trust that MAES Civil-Law Notaries understands their social position and needs. They expect us to add value by serving them impeccably, diligently, and with integrity. We, in turn, strive for high customer satisfaction.

Project and risk management tools
By applying project and risk management tools, we can work efficiently and cost-effectively, and we pass this advantage on to our clients. We therefore conduct a significant amount of work online and have well-organized our file processes – the workflow.

My Notary File
Our online services demonstrate our ambition to stay one step ahead and embrace change. For example, we offer all our clients—also in accordance with applicable privacy regulations—a personal online My Notary File via our client portal, easily accessible from the homepage of our website. My Notary File is a secure digital vault, available anytime, anywhere, for file management, communication, and collaboration. This allows our clients to access their files 24/7, 365 days a year, online, from home, the office, or anywhere in the world. Just like us, they can download and upload documents within this digital environment.

Workflow
We provide real-time visibility into the progress of a file's work process for our clients, ourselves, and other stakeholders. To achieve this, we use a workflow, which can be monitored from My Notary File. Essentially, the workflow means that each file has a procedure list with the following six phases:

1. Client and case acceptance phase
2. File start-up phase
3. Questionnaire phase
4. Treatment phase
5. Passing phase
6. Post-work phase

The six stages of the workflow
Each phase has a list of procedural tasks. This makes it clear to everyone involved who is performing what in the file and when. Everyone can also see what is expected of them and when. This optimizes communication with each other and reduces the risk of errors and reputational damage.

Client and case acceptance phase
We'll first send you a detailed letter by email with information about the service you require. This is free of charge. This will allow you to be well-informed and gain a better understanding of the available options. You'll find several attachments with this letter, including our quote. If you agree to the terms of our service by clicking a link in the email, we'll be happy to process your application.

File start-up phase
After you accept our digital quote, we'll be happy to start the process for you. You'll then receive a link to log in to your My Notary File.

Questionnaire phase
We will provide you with a questionnaire via your My Notary File, asking you to complete it in full. Only after receiving this questionnaire will we begin processing the file's contents. This will only be different if the investigation pursuant to the Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing (Prevention) Act requires us to conduct further investigation.

Treatment phase
Based on the fully completed questionnaire(s) you provide, we can provide you with targeted advice and prepare the draft deed(s) and other documentation accurately, quickly, and efficiently. By using digital questionnaires, we also avoid having to call or email multiple times to gather information. For efficiency and your convenience, we prefer to do this correctly the first time. This also allows us to always find in the file what we asked you, investigated, and how you informed us.

Passing phase
Once you have approved the draft documentation, the documents can be signed by the parties and the notary at our office or another agreed-upon location—in person or under power of attorney. This is also called the execution of the deed(s).

Post-work phase
After the deed is executed, we'll finalize everything properly, and you'll receive a digital copy of the deed(s) in your My Notary File. It's entirely up to you whether or not you print the documents and store them in hard copies in a binder, or otherwise. Your My Notary File will remain fully accessible to you even after the deed(s) are executed. We don't lock your My Notary File. And that's convenient. This way, you'll never lose the documents, and they won't accidentally reach those they're not intended for.

Suggestions for improvement
If you encounter anything during the handling of your case that you think could be improved, could be different, or isn't working properly (for example, a bug or if uploading a document unexpectedly fails), please share it with us. This observation will help all our clients and our team. That's what we call "Good for each other"!

There are notary offices, and then there are MAES notaries. Our approach is distinctive. Not as a goal, but as a result. We counter all the shades of gray with color. We show who we are and what we stand for. With our energy, vision, and dedication. We are visible. Entrepreneurial. Social. We speak out. We take responsibility, including social responsibility. We are innovators, not followers. We are motivated to be the most client-focused notary office in the region. We want our clients to be proud of the personal relationship we have with them. And euphoric about what we offer them professionally.

Our IT is therefore state-of-the-art . We have a professional external IT manager who fully supports us in compliance with the legislation applicable to notaries, privacy, and data security. We also work constructively with DIRICT, the developer of our "Notarisdossier" software package, to optimize and maintain its use.

We use surfaces and a dual-screen setup. This gives our employees a better overview, allows them to switch gears more quickly, and work more efficiently.

For telephony, we work with the Xelion telephony platform, which is linked to Notarisdossier, our CRM package. This allows us to make calls, video calls, chat, and quickly follow up on tasks such as callback requests, all from the file via our screen, with a single click. Our employees have a headset so that they can optimally operate the keyboard, move around, or pace with ease, all while continuing to talk to you.

We work with software packages, apps, and systems from Microsoft Office 365, Azure, Notarisdossier, Twinfield, SDU, Kluwer, Nextens, and many more. We hold security certificates and can consult online registers and submit documents.

Our state-of-the-art automation allows us to serve our customers with high quality, quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.

We do a lot digitally. Every client has access to their own online My Notary File. This is a GDPR- compliant , secure digital environment where we exchange documents. My Notary File is accessible 24/7, 365 days a year for our clients and other parties who have access, wherever they are in the world. Within My Notary File, stakeholders can use a workflow to track the (procedural) progress of a file in real time . This way, you know exactly who is doing what and when in the file.

Your username is the email address you provided us and that we have on file for you. You can change your password yourself in the system using your username, without our intervention. Go to the online My Notary File. It's self-explanatory.

If, against all expectations, you can't manage it yourself, no man outbid. Email us at service@maesnotarissen.nl or call us during office hours (extension 4) and we'll be happy to help you get back on track.

Good for each other!

Peer review
Some time ago, a mandatory peer review of the quality and integrity of notary Mr. GHHJ (Geert) Janssen MRE MBA and the practice of MAES civil-law notaries was conducted by the Royal Dutch Association of Civil-Law Notaries (KNB).

About us
MAES Notarissen is an independent, full-service notary office serving individuals, businesses, and (semi-)public bodies in the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Area. We specialize in personal and family law, corporate law, and real estate. We guide our clients through the moments that truly matter in life—both professionally and personally. We offer peace of mind, reliability, and security. We are impeccable, dedicated, and honest.

Top notch
The auditors who conducted the peer review were extremely complimentary about notary Mr. GHHJ Janssen MRE MBA and the way our office operates. In their report, they wrote:

This office strives to practice notarial services as efficiently as possible, with a skilled team and effective digitalization of processes, focusing on and dedicating quality to its clients. The skilled team succeeds in achieving this goal. Legal obligations are met, the assignment process is well-organized, and there is a strong focus on professional training.

Encouragement
We consider the outcome of the peer review—along with all the client reviews we received last year—a boost, but above all, an encouragement to continue doing our utmost as a team this year to practice our profession to the best of our ability and to serve our clients impeccably, diligently, and with integrity. We remain fully committed to this.

Role of the Royal Dutch Notarial Association
The Royal Dutch Notary Association (KNB) is committed to a high-quality and ethical notarial profession, and thus to strong legal certainty in the Netherlands. The KNB provides advice and information to its members and offers training courses. All of this is done in close consultation with a professional group highly motivated to continuously improve.

As a public-law professional organization, the KNB has the authority to make binding regulations for its members regarding the practice of the profession. For example, the KNB has a "Quality Regulation" to promote the quality and integrity of the notarial profession. This regulation governs, among other things, peer review within the notarial profession.

The KNB is explicitly not a supervisory authority. For notaries, the supervisory authority is the Financial Supervision Office (BFT). However, there is close cooperation between the BFT and the KNB. For example, it has been agreed that the KNB will assess compliance with the Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing (Prevention) Act (Wwft). The KNB has incorporated these assessments into its peer review process. The BFT has complimented the KNB on its conscientious implementation of its supervision.

The peer review
Peer review is a peer-to-peer assessment process in which each notary's office is audited by an auditor every three years. Peer review represents a robust peer-to-peer assessment of the quality and integrity of the notary and their practice. The premise of peer review is that professionals are best placed to assess a firm's quality and integrity.

The peer review process is guided by nineteen criteria developed in consultation with the professional association. While the peer review is conducted among colleagues, it is certainly not without obligation. Each assessment results in a clear report with an overview of the findings and key points of attention. If shortcomings are identified, the firm is given time to implement improvements. Minor shortcomings are reviewed in writing, but major shortcomings are followed by a re-audit.
If conduct is suspected of being reprehensible, a comprehensive investigation will follow. The KNB may then file a complaint with the Supervisory Board.

A few years ago, we celebrated our 30th anniversary. We have a solid, extensive, and loyal team of highly experienced employees. We know each other inside and out. A single word is enough for everyone. Together, we have centuries of experience in the notarial profession. Together, we are MAES civil-law notaries.

You become a notary by appointment by Royal Decree. To be eligible for appointment, you must meet several conditions. These conditions are described in the Notary Act. The most important conditions are that:

• The person concerned is Dutch
• He has successfully completed the notarial examinations prescribed by law
• The person concerned has subsequently gained at least six years of practical experience as a candidate civil-law notary at one or more civil-law notary offices
• The candidate notary has successfully completed the Notarial Professional Training exams; and
• The person concerned is in possession of a business plan that meets the requirements set for this purpose

After being appointed by Royal Decree, the notary must take a three-part oath, of which the most important part for the public is the professional oath. In it, the notary swears or promises that he:

• Will perform the duties accepted by him honestly, conscientiously and impartially
• Will comply with the laws, regulations and ordinances relating to the notary's office
• Will maintain confidentiality with regard to everything of which he becomes aware through his office

By taking the oath, the notary is not only authorized but also obliged to provide his services to the public.

Yes, we do. We measure our customer satisfaction. Meticulously and continuously. We strive for a high customer satisfaction rating, and we're very successful at it. We have an NPO of 9.2 (1-10). We value this very highly. By measuring customer satisfaction, we have data that we can use to continuously improve our services. And that's exactly what we do.

We are (prospective) members of or have otherwise been involved with the following professional associations:

Association of Corporate Law Specialists and Notaries (VON)

There is no other notarial discipline where societal, economic, and technological developments impact the profession as quickly and profoundly as corporate law. Knowledge development and knowledge sharing are therefore essential, both for individual practitioners and for clients and other stakeholders. VON makes corporate law the jewel in the crown of the notarial profession. As an association for specialists, VON offers a knowledge platform for experienced and aspiring professionals. Scientific substantiation and practical applicability go hand in hand.

Notarial Property Specialists (NRS)

The purpose of this association is to promote knowledge and professional practice in the field of registered property law. It offers its members the opportunity to keep their knowledge up-to-date and to elevate it by offering lectures and seminars that delve deeper into specific topics than is customary. Furthermore, the NRS aims to provide a platform for the mutual exchange of knowledge and experience within the profession, thus contributing to the further expansion of this knowledge.

Association of Mediators in the Notary Profession (VMN)

The VMN is a specialist association of notaries specializing in mediation and divorce mediation. Its members are all civil-law notaries or candidate civil-law notaries working in notarial practice and are specially trained to mediate impartially in all kinds of conflicts. Moreover, most VMN members specialize in handling relationship terminations and can call themselves divorce mediators.

Institute for Construction Law (IBR)

The Institute for Construction Law is the independent knowledge center for public and private construction law. The IBR's mission is to independently promote the academic and practical application of construction law. It offers research, education, and publications.

Dutch Organisation for Executors (NOVEX)

NOVEX is an advocacy organization for executors, liquidators, and executors of estates. It also aims to promote the professional competence and performance of executors, liquidators, and executors of estates so that individuals can rely on professional services from its members.

Royal Dutch Association of Civil-Law Notaries (KNB)

The Royal Netherlands Notary Association (KNB) represents the interests of civil-law notaries (and candidate civil-law notaries) in the Netherlands and ensures they can perform their duties effectively. All civil-law notaries (and candidate civil-law notaries) in the Netherlands are required to be members of the KNB. The KNB monitors and promotes the quality of the notarial profession and represents the interests of its members.

The law often requires a notarial deed. Some agreements and declarations only become valid if they are recorded in a notarial deed. You must, in any case, go to a notary for:

• Making or amending prenuptial agreements or partnership agreements
• Making or changing a will
• Transferring real estate, such as a home
• Establishing property rights, such as a mortgage, on real estate
• Establishing a private limited company
• Transferring shares in a private limited company
• Establishing a foundation

We recognize the responsibility we bear for our clients, employees, suppliers, stakeholders , and the community we are part of, both professionally and socially. Our social responsibility focuses on four themes: governance , a sustainable living environment, social engagement, and a stimulating work environment. We hope to make an impact through these initiatives.

Governance

We provide services according to the highest ethical and professional standards. Honestly and sincerely. We do what we say, and we say what we do. We must be able to justify our actions and behavior at all times. Our integrity policy means that we:

• We behave in accordance with the law and professional and behavioral rules
• To behave in accordance with what is appropriate in social intercourse according to unwritten law
• Avoiding conflicts of interest
• Exercise due care with regard to personal and sensitive information entrusted to us
• Behaving as agreed is agreed
• Providing good information about the content and consequences of the deed ("the Belehrungspflicht")

Sustainable living environment

We are building a sustainable company that values not only customer care but also care for the environment. A healthy living environment—clean air, water, and soil—contributes to the quality of life. We are aware of the impact our activities can have on the environment. We are convinced that we can grow as a company without placing an additional burden on it. By growing sustainably. By using energy, our buildings, transport, and paper efficiently. By consciously managing consumption. By recycling waste. And that's what we do. We travel as much as possible by foot, (electric) bicycle, and clean car, have reduced meat consumption, and fly slightly less than before, but we are not climate pushers. We believe that climate ambitions can only be achieved if the burdens are distributed fairly, both globally and nationally, and are affordable for everyone. It is not easy being green.

Social involvement

Our social commitment means we support charities and social organizations. Want to know how? Visit: https://maesnotarissen.nl/sociale-betrokkenheid.

You can find our rates and discount schemes in the "Rates, discount schemes and money transfers" footer on our website.

At MAES Notaries, we strive to provide cost-conscious, high-quality services. We recognize the need to manage your budget for our services and that our charges should be value for money. We believe our fee structure is reasonable and commensurate with the value we add. Our goal is to maintain a lasting relationship with our clients based on the quality we provide and the corresponding fees. We do this impeccably, diligently, and with integrity. We offer our clients peace of mind, reliability, and security.

Of course. At MAES civil-law notaries, we are flexible in our billing approach. We determine the fee structure in advance in consultation with the client. Our fees are generally based on the actual time spent on the file and the time we administer (per 6-minute time unit) multiplied by the applicable hourly rates.

However, we're happy to offer a fixed fee for certain types of work, and we can generally estimate our time commitment fairly accurately. This way, you know in advance what to expect. It's reassuring. It's clear.

Unusual work will be charged additionally in accordance with the contract.

If you'd like a contract of service, please let us know via the request form on this website, email us (offerte@maesnotarissen.nl), or call us at +31 (0)10 44 5 3 777. We'll then send you a detailed, no-obligation email (with attachments)—the contract of service—with a detailed legal explanation of the requested service. Free of charge, so you can get a good overview. Attached to that email is our quote, among other things. If you agree to the terms and conditions under which we provide our services, you can click the link in the email. We'll then be happy to handle the matter for you.

Call us for an introductory meeting. These phone calls are always free and without obligation. We'll be happy to guide you through the process in a relaxed and relaxed atmosphere. Depending on the outcome of our conversation, we'll then email you a contract (with a quote) or an order confirmation.

In this agreement we describe the required service and our terms and conditions on the basis of which we carry out the assignment you give us.

After accepting the contract (with quote), you'll receive a digital questionnaire. Once you've completed it, we can properly assess your situation and provide you with tailored advice.

We then design the documents, present them to you in draft form for review, and explain them. Efficient and thorough.

This is followed by an appointment with the notary who will go over everything with you again before you sign.

Finally, we'll finalize your file and invite you to participate in our customer satisfaction survey. This keeps us on our toes.

We have general terms and conditions. These are filed with the Chamber of Commerce. They are available on our website. We can also send them to you upon request. These terms and conditions govern our execution of assignments and govern the relationship between the client and the contractor.

Oops. Did you request a contract with a quote by phone or online? Through a third-party website? Or directly through our own corporate website or email address? And haven't heard from us within 24 hours? Then please contact us directly at offerte@maesnotarissen.nl. We'll make sure you receive a contract with a quote that same day, which you can then accept with a click on a link. We'll be happy to get started on your project.

No.

What's expensive, and what do you want? If you want to eat out, you can go to McDonald's or Michelin-starred restaurant De Librije. If you want a car, you can choose a Skoda or a Rolls-Royce. You can get a cake at Hema or at master pastry chef Huize van Wely. For clothes, you can go to Primark or, as Queen Maxima does, to the studio of couturier Jan Taminiau. Between these extremes, there's a lot imaginable. There's something for everyone.

At MAES Notaries, we strive to provide cost-conscious, high-quality services. We recognize the need to manage your budget for our services and that our charges should represent value for money. We believe our fee structure is reasonable and commensurate with the value we add. Our goal is to maintain a lasting relationship with our clients based on the quality we provide and the corresponding fees. We do this impeccably, diligently, and with integrity. We offer our clients peace of mind, reliability, and security.

Peace of mind, reliability, and security don't have to be expensive. We believe our fee structure is reasonable and commensurate with the value we add. Because of our ambition to be entrepreneurial, socially responsible, and community-minded, we are pleased to offer our clients the "Goed voor elkaar" (Good for Each Other) discount program.

Click here for our rates and discount scheme.

Also consider the following.

Imagine. You're with your partner, you've bought a house, taken out a mortgage, made a cohabitation agreement, each made a will, and each a living will. Then you've got everything in order for, say, the first 20 years. Suppose all this—including the discounts—will cost you €2,500. Quite a substantial sum. Over a 20-year period, that amounts to €0.17 (seventeen cents) per person, per day. Factor in the fact that with the cohabitation agreement, two wills, and two living wills, you'll gain tax benefits, avoid future costs, and prevent family disputes or other disagreements. The price you pay to arrange things properly for yourself, your partner, your children, and your family is therefore considerably lower than that €0.17 (seventeen cents). Its value is many times greater than the price of €0.17 (seventeen cents). It even earns you money. Possibly a lot of it. A multiple of that €2,500. Think about that.

Want to become a millionaire?

A visit to MAES notaries can save you and your loved ones a great deal of money. For example, through the notary's intervention, you can adequately protect your assets and prevent others—such as the tax authorities, creditors, exes, business partners, or renegades—from stealing your money.

The cost comes before the benefit

Of course, you also incur notary fees, as the assignment must be carried out, but in most cases, you will actually benefit from it.

Notary fees and notary compensation are not the same

Fee

Incidentally, the lion's share of your notary fees goes to the Dutch government and third parties. The notary's fee—the compensation for the services they provide and the risk they assume—is often only a relatively small part of this.

VAT | Sales Tax

More than a fifth (21%) of what you (as a consumer) pay in notary fees goes to our Minister of Finance. This money disappears into the treasury as sales tax (VAT), in the hope and expectation that it will be spent wisely by our ministers for all of us. On education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social security, to name just a few.

Transfer tax

In real estate transactions, as the acquirer, you are generally also liable for transfer tax, often 0% (for first-time buyers), usually 2%, and sometimes as much as 10.4%, on the purchase price or value of the property. This tax also goes to the State. Incidentally, the notary, not the acquirer, is legally responsible for the correct and timely payment of this transfer tax. If the notary fails to pay on time, or has wrongly declared an exemption applicable, or has collected too little—for example, because the appraised value exceeds the purchase price—the tax authorities will file a claim with the notary, who will then have to foot the bill.

Advances

Third parties charge costs that the notary has advanced on your behalf. These are costs the notary must incur to carry out the client's instructions. These include costs charged by and for: the Land Registry, the Trade Register and the UBO Register of the Chamber of Commerce, the Central Register of (Living) Wills, the court, the Insolvency Register, the Guardianship and Trust Register, the Marital Property Register, the Personal Records Database (BRP), verification and identification, an interpreter, and more.

Settlement between seller and buyer of business expenses

In addition, in real estate transactions, the notary will settle the business expenses to be settled as a free service for the parties, so that the parties do not have to arrange this themselves (afterwards).

Payment office

And the notary often acts as a payment agent. They collect what's owed on behalf of third parties, such as the bank, real estate agent, mortgage advisor, appraiser, creditors, and attachments, and then transfer it to the rightful claimant(s).

Notary fees are deductible for income tax

All costs incurred for financing the home can be deducted from your income tax. This includes:

• Advice and brokerage costs for your mortgage advisor
• Commitment fee
• Notary costs for the mortgage deed
• Cadastral rights for the mortgage deed
• Valuation costs for obtaining the loan
• Costs for applying for the National Mortgage Guarantee
• Penalty interest
• Construction interest that you paid after signing the preliminary purchase contract, but before signing the mortgage deed
• Costs for your new construction deposit or renovation loan or renovation deposit

Cheap is expensive

We sometimes hear from clients who are surprised by the notary's low fees, for example, compared to what the real estate agent and/or mortgage advisor charges. We believe it's wise not to compare apples and oranges and not to underestimate the added value of an excellent real estate agent or sound mortgage advice, while poor advice or inadequate guidance can be very costly. And not just a matter of peace of mind. There are many advisors in our region with whom we have had excellent experiences and whom we can wholeheartedly recommend.

On to the next 500th act!

When you execute a deed at our office, you'll see a large champagne cooler on a sideboard in the notary's signing room, containing a few very nice bottles of champagne. Perhaps they're waiting there for you. Those bottles will go on ice as soon as we approach the execution of the next 500th deed. Because with every 500th deed executed at our office (signed by the parties and the notary), we express our gratitude and reflect extensively on the trust our clients have placed in our office. Then we have a small, spontaneous celebration together. This happens several times a year, although we never know exactly when that will be. The chilled champagne is then popped. We drink to life with that client and to everyone we hold dear. But we also remember those who have passed away (too soon). And we look ahead. To what is yet to come. To the happiness that awaits us somewhere.

Take a chance and you might become a millionaire

And to help them along, the customer whose 500th deed is being issued will also receive a free ticket. We'll then happily enter the next Care-a-lot lottery draw for them with that ticket. They'll then have a chance to win fantastic prizes, with a grand prize of €1,000,000. But that's not all. By participating, we're also doing a little good for the world. We've chosen Support Casper as our charity, to which 40% of our stake will be donated. A true win-win situation.

You could become a millionaire in one go with just one visit to the notary.

Fee

The lion's share of the notary fees you incur goes to the Dutch government and to third parties (tax authorities, seller, appraiser, real estate agent, mortgage advisor, Chamber of Commerce, land registry, court, etc.).

The notary's fee, i.e. compensation for the services he or she provides and for the risk he or she takes, is often only a relatively small part of the notary costs.

VAT | Sales Tax

About 20% of what you (as a consumer) pay goes to our Minister of Finance. This disappears into the treasury as sales tax (VAT), in the hope and expectation that it will be spent wisely by our ministers for all of us. On education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social security, to name just a few.

Transfer tax

In real estate transactions, as the acquirer, you are generally also liable for transfer tax, often 2% and sometimes as much as 10.4% of the purchase price or value of the property. This tax is also paid to the State.

Incidentally, the notary, not the acquirer, is held responsible by law for the correct and timely payment of this transfer tax. If the notary fails to pay on time, or incorrectly applies an exemption, or collects too little—for example, because the appraised value exceeds the purchase price—the tax authorities will file a claim with the notary, who will then have to foot the bill.

Advances

Third parties charge costs that the notary has advanced on your behalf. These are costs the notary must incur to carry out the client's instructions. These include costs charged by and for: the Land Registry, the Trade Register and the UBO Register of the Chamber of Commerce, the Central Register of (Living) Wills, the court, the Insolvency Register, the Guardianship and Trust Register, the Marital Property Register, the Personal Records Database (BRP), verification and identification, an interpreter, and more.

Settlement between seller and buyer of business expenses

In addition, in real estate transactions, the notary will settle the business expenses to be settled as a free service for the parties, so that the parties do not have to arrange this themselves (afterwards).

Payment office

And the notary often acts as a payment agent. They collect what's owed on behalf of third parties, such as the bank, real estate agent, mortgage advisor, appraiser, creditors, and attachments, and then transfer it to the rightful claimant(s).

Obvious.

We believe that our fee structure is fair and that our rates are in proportion to the value we add.

Because of our ambition to be enterprising, socially and socially involved, we are happy to offer our customers the "Good for each other" discount scheme.

Click here for our rates and discount scheme.

Since 1999, fees have been free. Notaries are free to set their own prices for their services. Before 1999, fixed, high fees applied. The image of the notary as a comfortable, high-earning, and overpriced cigar-smoking person stems from that era. Nowadays, notaries compete with other notaries and with other providers of notarial and related services. The idea behind this market mechanism is that it leads to better quality and competitive pricing. Prices can therefore vary considerably, by up to hundreds of euros. Therefore, check and compare carefully. Be careful not to compare apples and oranges, because a very cheap price can also turn out to be expensive.

Many price differences are caused by the notary's office's cost level. This can be related to quality and efficiency, but not necessarily. So, if you're looking for a price advantage, it's worth contacting multiple offices for quotes. If you're looking for quality, get a better understanding of the office and consult reviews, acquaintances, the Royal Dutch Bar Association (KNB), or others you believe can provide a good and honest assessment.

We explain our fee structure and system in the "Rates, discount schemes and monetary transactions" footer on this website. These are open and transparent. Our fees relate solely to the compensation we receive for the services provided. These fees exclude VAT and costs (disbursements) that we are expected to incur and reimburse to third parties in connection with our duties.

We will, of course, pass all these costs on to you. These include costs related to, for example, the BRP (Personal Records Database, formerly GBA-V), VIS (Verification Identification System), Handelzeker (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act), CTR (Central Register of Wills), CLTR (Central Register of Living Wills), CIR (Central Insolvency Register), CCBR (Central Register of Guardianships and Trustees), the Marital Property Register, the Chamber of Commerce (KvK) and the Land Registry.

We don't hide any costs during the quote phase. No surprises. If you request quotes elsewhere, and it's often worthwhile, be wary. There are providers in the market who lure you in at an extremely low price (well below cost), but then charge you non-transparently for various additional costs, so you end up paying much more. That's not our style.

Understanding your desire

You're wondering if it couldn't be cheaper. We understand your concerns. After all, we recognize the need to manage your budget for notarial services and that our charges should represent good value for your money.

Cost-conscious quality

What's expensive? What's cheap? What's the value of quality and service? And what price are you willing to pay for them? What's important to you? What do you value? Price, speed, accuracy, reliability, responsiveness, customer service, customer satisfaction, apple pie with whipped cream with coffee, or would you prefer a cheaper deed, easy accessibility, state-of-the-art automation?

Look, if you want to eat out, you can go to McDonald's or Michelin-starred restaurant De Librije. If you want a car, you can choose a Skoda or a Rolls-Royce. You can get a cake at Hema or at master pastry chef Huize van Wely. For clothes, you can go to Primark or, as Queen Maxima does, to the studio of couturier Jan Taminiau. Between these extremes, there's a lot imaginable. There's something for everyone. But we don't sell a product. We provide a service. We offer you peace of mind, reliability, and security.

We strive to provide cost-effective, high-quality services. We believe our fee structure is fair and competitive, and that our rates are commensurate with the value we add. Our goal is to maintain a lasting relationship with our clients based on the quality we deliver and the corresponding compensation.

Customer satisfaction

Every client is unique. Their interests are our top priority in everything we do. Our clients determine our success. We strive for continuity of service by carefully developing mutually beneficial, harmonious, and lasting relationships with our clients.

We strive to provide our clients with impeccable service. We value professionalism and quality. Every client receives our personal attention. We listen to everything they have to say. We strive to be caring, humble, and helpful.

In everything we do to deliver added value to our customers, we strive to earn their respect and trust every single day. Trust that we know all too well comes with foot traffic and is earned through reviews. Trust that hinges on honest and respectful conduct. Cherishing our integrity is vital to us in order to maintain our most valuable asset: our reputation.

We strive for a high customer satisfaction rating. We attach great importance to this. By measuring customer satisfaction, we have data that allows us to continuously improve our services. And that's exactly what we do. Customers give us a Net Promoter Score of 9 out of 10.

Remuneration system

At MAES civil-law notaries, we are flexible in our billing approach. We determine the fee structure in advance in consultation with the client. Our fees are generally based on the actual time spent on the case and the time we administer (per 6-minute time unit) multiplied by the applicable hourly rates.

We are prepared to use alternative fee structures such as a blended rate , a fixed fee , a capped fee , a retainer , the value-based fee structure or - for non-official work - the no cure no pay arrangement.

The fixed fee is a fixed fee for a specific type of work, which generally allows us to estimate our time commitment. The risk of exceeding the budget is then shifted from the client, the principal, to the notary, the contractor. This fixed fee also includes a risk premium because some files incur losses. If we were to charge based on actual time spent, you could end up being better off, but also worse off. We are willing to take that risk, provided the terms of the engagement between the client and contractor are properly documented.

For every assignment placed with us, we will first prepare a quote, send you an order confirmation, and/or refer you to our general terms and conditions and our website. These terms and conditions specify the terms and conditions under which we accept the assignment, including any costs and VAT we may incur on your behalf with third parties. The quote or order confirmation is authoritative.

In the notarial profession, the terms "customary work" and "non-customary work" are frequently used. You can expect us to perform the customary work for the quoted price. If, in our sole discretion, non-customary work is necessary in a specific case, we will charge for it additionally. However, we will generally charge for non-customary work if we were not reasonably aware of it at the time of issuing the quote or order confirmation, and if we could not reasonably have foreseen it. The non-customary work and its rates can be found on our website and are always included as appendices to the quote.

Discount schemes

Peace of mind, reliability, and security don't have to be expensive. We believe our fee structure is reasonable and commensurate with the value we add. Because of our ambition to be entrepreneurial, socially responsible, and community-minded, we are pleased to offer our clients the "Goed voor elkaar" (Good for Each Other) discount program.

Click here for our rates and discount scheme.

Service organizations

We also work with third parties, service organizations, under other labels, who independently prepare and process files, whereby we execute and complete the deed(s) under our own responsibility for a very modest fee - barely above the cost price.

These third parties—for example, the "Nationale Notaris" (National Notary) and "Doe Het Zelf Notaris" (Do-It-Yourself Notary)—are not subject to disciplinary law and are also not subject to the strict professional and behavioral rules that apply to civil-law notaries. For example, these third parties, unlike civil-law notaries, are permitted to make (return) commission agreements with declarants. Such declarants include, for example, the Vereniging Eigen Huis (Homeowners' Association) and de Hypotheker (Hypotheker). The risk lies with the civil-law notary, and the majority of the revenue and profit goes to the service organization and the declarant. Most civil-law notaries find this unsympathetic, and it doesn't create a level playing field, and for that reason, many civil-law notaries refuse to work with such service organizations and declarants. The Royal Dutch Association of Civil-Law Notaries and the Financial Supervision Office, based on their own responsibilities, are also critical of this form of collaboration.

Good understanding

We've noticed that not everyone has an equally good understanding of the role, legal duties, and responsibilities of a notary. They sometimes only see a few sheets of A4 paper and don't quite understand why they have to pay a few hundred euros for those few sheets. We can certainly understand that. Let us explain the notary's social role and duties here, so you can better understand how we arrive at our rates.

Social role and task of the notary

Legal specialist

Notary is an office. A profession. A position. The notary is a lawyer. He studied notarial law at a Dutch university and then successfully completed the Notary Professional Training program. The word "notary" comes from Latin and is derived from the word "notare," which means "to write." In Roman times, public scribes sat in the marketplace and recorded deeds for, often illiterate, private individuals. Over the centuries, the notary has evolved into a legally trained public official. He—and fortunately, increasingly, a she—is a legal advisor. A specialist in (one of) the practice areas of family law, corporate law, and real estate.

Public official and entrepreneur

The public office of notary entails the authority to execute authentic deeds in cases where the law requires them to do so or a party requires them to do so, as well as to perform other duties assigned to them by law. Although the notary is appointed by royal decree, they exercise their office at their own expense and risk. They are therefore both a public official and an entrepreneur and must therefore always navigate the dynamics of the free market and the legal framework, including the Notary Act and the professional and conduct rules. They simply have to make ends meet and can be dismissed or go bankrupt.

Confidential advisor

When you enter into (financial) obligations, you can't always fully anticipate the consequences. Consider a partner you'd like to live with who moves into your apartment. Or an entrepreneur taking over their parents' business. In such cases, it's wise—sometimes even mandatory—to seek the assistance of a civil-law notary, especially if you want to discuss matters confidentially. In such cases, we provide you with legal, notarial, tax, and, if necessary, business advice, but above all, practical and applicable advice aimed at managing your risks. And, of course, we incorporate the human aspect.

Ministerial duty

Notaries have a "ministerial duty." This means that a notary is not only authorized but also obligated to perform the legal duties assigned to them. This is only different in exceptional circumstances, as defined by law. They must refuse their services if, in carrying out the assignment, they would act contrary to law or public order, or if their cooperation is required in actions that clearly have an unlawful purpose or consequence. They must therefore be critical and vigilant, and at all times prioritize their responsibility over economic gain.

Instruction obligation

The notary has a so-called "Instruction Duty." This means that the notary must properly inform the parties about the consequences of the deed. They are obligated to do so to ensure that the parties fully understand the implications of the legal act they intend to perform. Therefore, they will always discuss and explain at least the essential content of the deed with the parties and must adequately inform them in advance, either verbally or in writing.

Official secrecy

Civil-law notaries are bound by professional secrecy. This applies to all confidential information received by civil-law notaries in the course of their professional practice. This secrecy extends to the entirety of the civil-law notary's services and their scope, and is independent of whether a notarial deed is executed in the context of these services. Civil-law notaries may also not disclose this confidential information in legal proceedings. They may refuse to testify before a judge if doing so would require them to disclose confidential information. This is their right to confidentiality.

Mandatory notarial intervention

The law often requires a notarial deed. Several agreements and declarations only become valid if they are recorded in a notarial deed. The most important are the following:

• Making or amending prenuptial agreements or partnership agreements
• Making or changing a will
• Transferring real estate, such as a home
• Establishing property rights, such as a mortgage, on real estate
• Establishing a private limited company
• Transferring shares in a private limited company
• Establishing a foundation

Legal certainty

If it turns out later that the situation was different than the notary anticipated, there's nothing they can do to change it. After all, they have to consider all possible scenarios before signing. There's no cooling-off period for their signature: once given, remains given. This is also known as legal certainty.

Authenticity

The notary advises, drafts, and executes notarial deeds. Notarial deeds are documents in which agreements and declarations are legally recorded. Several agreements or declarations must be included in a notarial deed. Only then are they valid. Once signed by the notary, the date of the deed is binding on everyone. And everyone can trust that the deed was signed by the listed signatories. The notarial deed is therefore an authentic document.

What actually happens with that deed?

The deed is not the property of the notary. Nor is it the property of the client or any party to the deed. The deed is the property of the Dutch state. The notary registers the deed in his register. The notary's register is a register that belongs to the notarial administration, the protocol.

The protocol is the notary's archive where they keep notarial documents—the original deeds, registers, directories, and card indexes. For example, the notary is required to keep the digital files for at least seven years. However, we will keep them for you for longer. Furthermore, every notary keeps the original deed, the minutes, and the documents attached to the deeds forever. This information is stored by the notary in a safe at the notary's office. If the notary retires, for example, because they retire, their protocol is taken over by another notary who succeeds them. This way, nothing is ever lost.

The location where the notary keeps his or her deeds is subject to many requirements, such as fire safety, humidity, and acidity, so that the paper of the deed doesn't deteriorate. We store older deeds in a secure off-site storage facility. The notary must pay for this. Each deed is registered in the Central Digital Register so that the tax authorities can access all deeds and levy taxes, such as transfer tax.

The notary is responsible for the transfer tax. They must collect, declare, and remit the tax (on time). If they fail to do so, or if they collect too little, for example, because a claimed exemption turns out to be inapplicable, the tax authorities will come knocking on the notary's door and they can take the money.

The notary's signature is therefore valuable. Without their signature, you, as a client, cannot perform a proposed legal act. If the notary signs too lightly, they may seem to help you at first, but ultimately, they don't help you, nor does society, because if it turns out to be wrong, you're still building on quicksand. The notary must therefore be impartial and independent. They can only act as an advisor to the parties if this has been made clear to the parties prior to providing services.

Risk and responsibility always lies with the notary

The above-mentioned "social role and duties of the notary" does not apply to service organizations, which often aggressively and tech-savvily try to sell notarial services to consumers through sales channels like department stores, drugstores, or online. They bear no responsibility whatsoever for the content and accuracy of the deed and the legal act or statement described therein.

Costs and fees

The costs you incur for the notarial services we provide to you are higher than the fee we receive from you for the services we perform on your behalf.

More than 20% of what you pay goes to the treasury. That's sales tax. While that's a cost to you, it's not a fee for us. Our fee is solely based on the compensation we receive for the services provided.

The fee excludes disbursements (costs) we must reimburse to third parties as part of our duties in carrying out the assignment, as well as settlements, payments to third parties, and taxes we must pay. We will, of course, pass all these costs on to you. These include costs related to, for example, the BRP (Personal Records Database), VIS (Verification Identification System), CTR (Central Register of Wills), CLTR (Central Register of Living Wills), CIR (Central Insolvency Register), CCBR (Central Register of Curatorships and Trustees), HGR (Marital Property Register), KvK (Chamber of Commerce registers), and the Land Registry.

We are transparent and open about our charges. All our rates are listed on our website. We don't play hide-and-seek and want to avoid surprises for you.

Keep in mind that most notary offices have an expense ratio of 80%, so 20% of the fee is profit. A portion of this profit goes to the tax authorities, and a portion goes back into the business as working capital or investment (for example, bonuses for highly performing employees or transition payments for employees who are (no longer) performing well, training, automation, software, model documentation, know-how, facilities, etc.) with the aim of offering better service to clients. The days of easy money and the ease of earning a lot for notaries in the Netherlands are long gone since the introduction of market forces with the new Notary Act in 1999. It's hard work for little. In neighboring countries, notary fees are much more expensive.

Requirements for the profession of notary

Providing legal certainty, a widely felt need for our society to function properly, is the reason why such stringent requirements are imposed on both the profession and the person of a notary. This includes requirements before they are permitted to practice, requirements for their appointment as a notary, and requirements that remain in effect throughout their practice and even after they have retired.

An overview of the requirements:

• 6 years of pre-university education
• 4 years of university studies
• 6 years of internship, long days for a modest salary in an up or out atmosphere
• A completed 3-year vocational training course, which requires a lot of self-study in the evenings, weekends and holidays
• An approved business plan and payment of many thousands of euros in assessment and accounting costs for that plan
• A mandatory and completed entry assessment costing thousands of euros
• Be subject to 20 mandatory continuing education points annually at €100 per point
• The mandatory quarterly reporting to the Financial Supervision Office, with regard to both the practice's household and the private household
• Be subject to periodic peer reviews
• A mandatory membership of the Royal Dutch Association of Civil-Law Notaries
• In each case he must take into account all the interests of all parties involved
• For each case he must give extensive warning to those involved (belehren)
• Unpaid collection agency for transfer tax
• Unpaid investigating officer for unusual transactions
• Payment office for third parties who submit their invoices to the notary for payment
• Subject to strict disciplinary law, where he usually has to pay his own costs
• Subject to an ever-expanding array of laws, regulations and implementing rules
• Many thousands of euros in professional liability insurance premiums every year
• Subject to a compulsory pension that is already being cut significantly
• A long-term obligation to keep files and documents
• To be held accountable for professional errors for 20 years
• Hundreds of non-billable hours per year on model management, acquisition, continuing education, Financial Supervision Office and peer review time commitments, strategy and office management
• Ban on (return) commission agreements with declarants
• Prohibition on having an office outside one's own place of business
• Ban on investing in real estate with borrowed capital

What other profession has such tough demands?

What is the value of the notary's signature for you as a client?

From your perspective, you, as the client, have every interest in paying as little as possible for your notary. After all, you have to pay, and people generally don't like paying. Keep in mind that cheap can be expensive. Consider everything a notary does before signing. Consider what they have done and will still have to do to be able to continue signing and to ensure that signatures, once signed, retain their value. Their signature represents legal certainty; even years later, their signature still has value and can serve as insurance.

Also think about this

Also consider the following. And try to focus on it so you can see it clearly. Imagine this: you're together with your partner, you've bought a house, taken out a mortgage, made a cohabitation agreement, each made a will, and each a living will. Then you have everything in order for, say, the first 20 years. Suppose all this—including the discounts—will cost you €2,500 in total. Quite a substantial sum. Over a period of 20 years, that amounts to €0.17 (seventeen cents) per person per day. Consider that with the cohabitation agreement, two wills, and two living wills, you will gain tax benefits, avoid future costs, and prevent family disputes or other disagreements. The price you pay to arrange things well for yourself, your partner, your children, and your family is therefore considerably lower than that €0.17 (seventeen cents). Its value is many times greater than its price of €0.17 (seventeen cents). It might even make you money. Possibly a lot of it. A multiple of that €2,500. Think about that.

Notary is an office. A profession. A position. The notary is a lawyer. The public office of notary entails the authority to execute authentic deeds in cases where the law requires them to do so or a party requires them to do so, and to perform other duties assigned to them by law. Over the centuries, the notary has evolved into a legally trained public official. He—and fortunately, increasingly also a she—is a legal advisor. A specialist in (one of) the practice areas of family law, corporate law, and real estate.

Although notaries are appointed by royal decree, they practice their profession at their own risk and expense. They are both a public servant and an entrepreneur, and must therefore always navigate the dynamics of the free market and the legal framework, including the Notary Act and the professional code of conduct.

We encourage it. Just as we want to help our customers with our complaints procedure if they unexpectedly have a complaint, we can then resolve it amicably with them.

We believe reviews are important because our customers' reviews help others make a decision. Many consumers look at online reviews before choosing a product or service. A large group of them value the reviews on these platforms. Reviews contribute to the quality of our services and foster interaction with our own customers. We're good for each other. We always check in with our customers after the service has been provided, and sometimes even during the service itself, to see if they are satisfied.

There is a downside to online reviews, however. There is little to no control over the quality of the review, the identity, and the reviewer's motivations. Consequently, there are many fake reviews. Good reviews can be purchased, and reviews can also be manipulated in other ways, for better or worse. Sometimes companies are even blackmailed with the threat of a bad review. We won't yield to this in such cases. Due to our legal confidentiality obligation, we are often unable to respond to a review online. For these reasons, we have also chosen to measure our customer satisfaction with integrity and on an ongoing basis, so we can act accordingly.

Of course. We'd be happy to welcome you. Would you like a meeting or a consultation?

Discussion

Before the meeting, we will send you a detailed email (a contract of engagement) with attachments detailing the requested service. This is free of charge, so you can prepare properly. Attached to this email will be a quote, among other things. If you agree to the terms and conditions under which we provide our services, you can click the link in the email.

After you accept the contract, we'll email you a questionnaire via My Notary File, asking you to complete it and upload all requested documents. Once we have all the information, we can get a good understanding of your specific situation and, if desired, schedule a meeting. The meeting can be held by phone, video call, or in person.

Call us to schedule an appointment. Please let us know who will be visiting us; will you be visiting alone or with someone else? We generally schedule a 30-minute consultation. If we anticipate needing more time, we will schedule a double appointment (60 minutes).

Passing appointment

Call us to schedule a meeting. Due to our high level of customer satisfaction, we have a busy practice. The further in advance we can schedule together, the better. If it doesn't work with our available time slots, we can discuss a time outside office hours. We will, of course, charge a surcharge for this, which you'll find in the appendix to the quote. To execute deeds of transfer and mortgage, the mortgage bank needs to have the funds with us in a timely manner. Therefore, we request these funds from the bank as soon as reasonably possible.

We generally schedule 15 minutes for each deed. For transfers of properties, we adhere as closely as possible to the delivery date specified in the purchase agreement. For this reason, the end and first of the month are often very busy days. We start a bit earlier and leave late. Many real estate agents schedule these days this way, and that's understandable. On these busy days, we can sometimes give you less attention than we'd like. We regret this, as we want to have more time for you. It's not essential for us to execute deeds on the last or first of the month. We can execute deeds on any day, and if desired, even by appointment in the evenings or on weekends.

The entire month of December is usually very busy, and for very good reasons. None of us go on vacation that month. We're here for you.

Mon 8.30 – 17.30
Tue 8.30 – 17.30
Wed 8.30 – 17.30
Thu 8.30 – 17.30
Fri 8.30 – 17.30
Sat closed
So closed

If you would like to contact a practitioner directly, click here for specific contact details.

Urgent emergency

In case of emergency, we can be reached outside office hours - but not between 10 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. - by telephone, WhatsApp and SMS on +31 (0)6 22 98 78 92 or by email at geert.janssen@maesnotarissen.nl.

Walk-in consultation hours

Wednesday from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

During our walk-in consultation, you can ask your questions to a (candidate) civil-law notary in a free, 10-minute consultation. We don't put the advice we provide in writing.

Evening and weekend opening

Tuesday from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM (by appointment)
Saturday from 9am - 12pm (by appointment)

On weekdays, we have a lunch break from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM. We remain available by phone during these hours.

We are closed on public holidays. In 2025, we will be closed on:

BANK HOLIDAY	DATE	DAY	WEEK NUMBER
New Year's Day	January 1, 2025	Wednesday	1
Good Friday	April 18, 2025	Friday	16
Easter Sunday	April 20, 2025	Sunday	16
Easter Monday	April 21, 2025	Monday	17
King's Day	April 26, 2025	Saturday	17
Liberation Day	May 5, 2025	Monday	19
Ascension	May 29, 2025	Thursday	22
1st Pentecost Day	June 8, 2025	Sunday	23
2nd day of Pentecost	June 9, 2025	Monday	24
Christmas Day	December 25, 2025	Thursday	52
Boxing Day	December 26, 2025	Friday	52

Coming from the direction of The Hague

Take the A4 motorway. Take the Vlaardingen-Oost exit: take the right exit towards Schiedam-West / Vlaardingen-Oost. Turn right onto Schiedamsedijk. Just past the MAES notary sign on your right, turn right onto Meester A. Kesperweg and follow that road to the roundabout. At the roundabout, go straight onto Westlandseweg and turn left at the traffic lights onto Julianasingel. Then continue straight until you approach Verploegh Chasséplein. Drive onto the square. We are located at number 1, where the flags and banners fly so proudly. The driveway to our parking lot is to the left of our office building. Parking is free for our clients on our lot.

The travel time from The Hague city centre is approximately 20 minutes.

Coming from the direction of Rotterdam

Schiedam exit: Take the left exit onto the E25 / A20. Keep right towards the Kethelplein interchange. Kethelplein interchange: Take the left exit onto the A4. Vlaardingen-Oost exit: Take the right exit towards Schiedam-West / Vlaardingen-Oost. Turn right onto Schiedamsedijk. Just past the MAES notary sign on your right, turn right onto Meester A. Kesperweg and follow this road to the roundabout. At the roundabout, go straight onto Westlandseweg and turn left at the traffic lights onto Julianasingel. Then continue straight until you approach Verploegh Chasséplein. Drive onto the square. We are located at number 1, where the flags and banners fly so proudly. The driveway to our parking lot is to the left of our office building. Parking is free for our clients on our lot.

The travel time from Rotterdam city center is approximately 20 minutes.

For support, see https://www.anwb.nl/verkeer/routeplanner .

Parking

There's plenty of free parking for our clients on our own premises next to and behind our office building. If you already drive an electric car, you can charge it here.

For over 125 years, there has been a rail connection between Rotterdam and Hoek van Holland: the Hoek Line. Trains ran on this line until April 1, 2017. Since then, the track and stations have been converted for a direct metro connection between Rotterdam city center and Hoek van Holland: the extended metro line B. This line stops 6 to 12 times an hour at the Vlaardingen West, Vlaardingen Centrum, and Vlaardingen Oost stations.

Regional buses 156 (towards Vlaardingen West Station and Holy-Noord), 126 (towards Schiedam Central Station and Maassluis) and 56 (towards Vlaardingen West Station and Holy-Noord) stop right outside our door.

To plan your journey, visit https://ov9292nl/ .

You're more than welcome. We focus on entrepreneurs and distinguish the following customer groups.

Companies

Sole proprietorships. Startups. Scaleups. Innovation hubs. Freelancers. Established companies. SMEs. Large. Local. Regional. National. Multinationals. Companies requiring (interim) high-quality support in corporate law, real estate, contract law, compliance, governance , and legalizations.

Family businesses

Families in which family members run a business together and continuity, business succession or sale are important issues.

Entrepreneurs/Managing Directors

Entrepreneurs who want to achieve their growth goals. Entrepreneurs who have built or expanded a business and are looking to transfer it, or have already done so. For example, entrepreneurs in greenhouse horticulture, agriculture, horticulture & food. Entrepreneurs who have successfully built a real estate portfolio. Independent professionals such as physicians, lawyers, notaries, and tax advisors. And of course: the young guns: the confident, self-made entrepreneurs under forty with boundless energy and ambition.

Asset managers

Banks and financial institutions that manage assets, structure them and seek notarial support for their clients.

Real estate investors and managers

Parties that invest in real estate or manage real estate for an investor.

Non-profit. Endowment funds, fundraising institutions, religious organizations

Institutions, charities, such as endowment funds, ANBIs, fundraising institutions and religious organisations, as well as companies (holding, pension or investment companies), which have the task of managing the assets entrusted to them in the best possible way and require reliable and sound notarial guidance.

You're more than welcome. We focus on private individuals and distinguish the following customer groups.

People like you and me

Ordinary people. People like you and me. Or like your father or mother. Your grandfather or grandmother. Your brother or sister. Your neighbor. Henk and Ingrid. Achmed and Fatima. People who work hard. Or have worked hard. For whom things haven't always been easy. Who perhaps haven't always been treated fairly by life. Who have sometimes already experienced life-changing events. Who have lost loved ones. Who have worries. Other worries. Perhaps they can no longer fully participate. Or are just starting out. The first-timers. Still have a new life, and hopefully a beautiful one, ahead of them. Looking forward to the he or she—or anything in between—who is so happily expected. Who know that everything of value is perhaps not defenseless, but certainly vulnerable. And that it's important to have things in order. The ordinary, everyday things. For themselves. And for others.

Singles

Men or women who have found themselves alone, through divorce or death, and who need support. Men or women who are pursuing or have pursued careers and who constantly have to juggle the conflicting priorities of work and family care, or who have completely dedicated themselves to caring for their family full-time. Elderly people who sometimes struggle to keep track of everything.

Migrant workers and expats

The Westland region is one of the Netherlands' economic engines. Just like the port of Rotterdam. Many people work there who have left their homes for extended periods to contribute to the Dutch economy. And in some cases, they also aim to improve the quality of their own lives. They want to have their affairs in order. Here in the Netherlands. And for those they left behind in their home countries: Poland, Syria, the Czech Republic, Turkey, and Morocco, to name just a few.

Wealthy individuals and their families

High Net Worth Individuals ; individuals with a high income and/or substantial wealth. The first and subsequent generations. The generation that built their wealth from scratch. The generation to whom the wealth was passed down through inheritance. The generation that has expectations, is prepared for them, and will take responsibility.

Media and entertainment personalities

Talented public figures with name recognition. Name recognition that sometimes requires sacrifice, but in return, translates into fame-related salaries and compensation.

(Former) top athletes

Athletes who have distinguished themselves or distinguished themselves with athletic achievements, often unprepared at a young age, are expected to be capable of handling significant responsibility and wealth, seeking solid guidance or an agent. Those who have a picture of their new love prominently tattooed on their backs, are considering marriage, and are unsure about the pros and cons of marrying with full community of property.

Dutch Belgians, retirees, winterers

Are you considering emigrating to countries like Curaçao, Spain, Switzerland, or Belgium? For the nice weather and/or the better tax climate? Or perhaps you want to go back? Back to your children. To the land of chocolate sprinkles, Sinterklaas, and Studio Sport on Sunday evenings. We're seeing many Dutch Belgians returning after a number of legal changes in Belgium. Many houses are for sale in Brasschaat, Kapellen, and Schilde. Yet, emigrating, even to Belgium, can still be worthwhile. We're adapting to the border crossings. There and back.

Certainly. Notaries have a "ministerial duty." This means that a notary is not only authorized but also obligated to perform assigned legal duties. However, the notary is obligated to refuse service if:

• He has the reasonable belief or suspicion that abuse is being made of legal ignorance or factual superiority.
• He has the reasonable belief or suspicion that the content of the deed for which his intervention has been requested is contrary to the truth.
• His cooperation is requested in establishing facts that he cannot verify.

Yes. We focus on a limited number of sectors. Because we understand the ins and outs of these sectors and know the players, we are better able to meet their demand and expectations. Our three focus sectors are Construction & Real Estate, Financial Services, and Horticulture | Agri, Horticulture & Food.

MAES Notaries is an independent, full-service notary office for private individuals, companies, and (semi-)government bodies in the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region.

Many of our clients, clients, and other contacts come from one of the 23 municipalities in the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region. First and foremost, of course, from Vlaardingen, Rotterdam, Schiedam, Maassluis, Midden-Delfland, Delft, and the Westland region, but also from Brielle, Albrandswaard, Capelle aan den IJssel, Barendrecht, Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Hague, Hellevoetsluis, Lansingerland, Leidschendam-Voorburg, Nissewaard, Rijswijk, Ridderkerk, Pijnacker-Nootdorp, Wassenaar, Westvoorne, and Zoetermeer. We are happy to serve everyone in our region.

We prove to be an alternative for private individuals, entrepreneurs and (semi) government bodies from Voorne-Putten, including Spijkenisse, Hellevoetsluis and Oostvoorne and for customers from Goeree-Overflakkee, such as Goedereede, Middelharnis, Achthuizen, Den Bommel, Dirksland, Herkingen, Melissant, Nieuwe-Tonge, Ooltgensplaat, Ouddorp, Oude-Tonge, Stad aan 't Haringvliet, Stellendam, Sommelsdijk and Havenhoofd.

But clients come to us from far beyond the region because of the customized services provided by MAES civil-law notaries and the competitive rates of Basic Civil-law Notaries. A slightly longer drive proves worthwhile. We regularly welcome clients from the regions of Amsterdam, Kennemerland, Het Gooi, Eindhoven, and Belgium (Knokke, Brasschaat, Schilde, Kapellen, and Lanaken), to name just a few.

Our core values are: independence, impartiality, impeccable, dedicated, and honest. Integrity plays a vital role in every notary's office. This is no exception for us. It is the very foundation of our professional existence. Therefore, we have established a "Code of Conduct and Integrity." We commit to acting accordingly. In doing so, we confirm our strong commitment to integrity. We perhaps go a bit further in this respect than many other notary's offices.

This Code of Conduct applies to everyone who acts on behalf of MAES Civil-Law Notaries. It is therefore the calling card of MAES Civil-Law Notaries. Everyone who acts on behalf of MAES Civil-Law Notaries is familiar with this Code of Conduct and acts in accordance with it.

By adhering to this code of conduct, we ensure that our clients, employees, suppliers, and stakeholders have confidence in us as an organization and in everyone who acts on behalf of MAES civil-law notaries. This way, we foster a corporate culture in which we all feel safe and comfortable, and within which we can serve our clients in the best possible way.

We offer services in our areas of practice

1. Notary
2. Guardianship | Asset Management | Execution
3. Corporate Housekeeping
4. Family Office
5. Mediation
6. Real Estate Consultancy

Our core business is traditional notarial services. We therefore provide all notarial services, anticipating the prevention and management of legal risks, including civil, tax, and notarial matters. Our notarial services include legal and notarial advice and deed-related files, often agreements and statements. We offer our services in all frequently interrelated notarial legal areas: personal and family law, corporate law, and real estate law.

Yes. Several municipalities in the region are our clients. We also serve (semi-)governmental organizations, such as housing corporations, water boards, utilities, and healthcare institutions.

Legal specialist

Notary is an office. A profession. A position. The notary is a lawyer. He studied notarial law at a Dutch university and then successfully completed the Notary Professional Training program. The word "notary" comes from Latin and is derived from the word " notare ," which means "to write." In Roman times, public scribes sat in the marketplace and recorded deeds for, often illiterate, private individuals. Over the centuries, the notary has evolved into a legally trained public official. He—and fortunately, increasingly, a she—is a legal advisor. A specialist in (one of) the practice areas of family law, corporate law, and real estate.

Public official and entrepreneur

The public office of notary entails the authority to execute authentic deeds in cases where the law requires them to do so or a party requires them to do so, as well as to perform other duties assigned to them by law. Although the notary is appointed by royal decree, they exercise their office at their own expense and risk. They are therefore both a public official and an entrepreneur and must therefore always navigate the dynamics of the free market and the legal framework, including the Notary Act and the professional and conduct rules. They simply have to make ends meet and can be dismissed or go bankrupt.

Confidential advisor

When you enter into (financial) obligations, you can't always fully anticipate the consequences. Consider a partner you'd like to live with who moves into your apartment. Or an entrepreneur taking over their parents' business. In such cases, it's wise—sometimes even mandatory—to seek the assistance of a civil-law notary, especially if you want to discuss matters confidentially. In such cases, we provide you with legal, notarial, tax, and, if necessary, business advice, but above all, practical and applicable advice aimed at managing your risks. And, of course, we incorporate the human aspect.

Ministerial duty

Notaries have a "ministerial duty." This means that a notary is not only authorized but also obligated to perform the legal duties assigned to them. This is only different in exceptional circumstances, as defined by law. They must refuse their services if, in carrying out the assignment, they would act contrary to law or public order, or if their cooperation is required in actions that clearly have an unlawful purpose or consequence. They must therefore be critical and vigilant, and at all times prioritize their responsibility over economic gain.

Instruction obligation

The notary has a duty of care . This means that the notary must properly inform the parties about the consequences of the deed. They are obligated to do so to ensure that the parties fully understand the implications of the legal act they intend to perform. Therefore, they will always discuss and explain at least the essential content of the deed with the parties and must adequately inform them in advance, either verbally or in writing.

Official secrecy

Civil-law notaries are bound by professional secrecy. This applies to all confidential information received by civil-law notaries in the course of their professional practice. This secrecy extends to the entirety of the civil-law notary's services and their scope, and is independent of whether a notarial deed is executed in the context of these services. Civil-law notaries may also not disclose this confidential information in legal proceedings. They may refuse to testify before a judge if doing so would require them to disclose confidential information. This is their right to confidentiality.

Mandatory notarial intervention

The law often requires a notarial deed. Several agreements and declarations only become valid if they are recorded in a notarial deed. The most important are the following:

• Making or amending prenuptial agreements or partnership agreements
• Making or changing a will
• Transferring real estate, such as a home
• Establishing property rights, such as a mortgage, on real estate
• Establishing a private limited company
• Transferring shares in a private limited company
• Establishing a foundation

Legal certainty

If it turns out later that the situation was different than the notary anticipated, there's nothing they can do to change it. After all, they have to consider all possible scenarios before signing. There's no cooling-off period for their signature: once given, remains given. This is also known as legal certainty.

Authenticity

The notary advises, drafts, and executes notarial deeds. Notarial deeds are documents in which agreements and declarations are legally recorded. Several agreements or declarations must be included in a notarial deed. Only then are they valid. Once signed by the notary, the date of the deed is binding on everyone. And everyone can trust that the deed was signed by the listed signatories. The notarial deed is therefore an authentic document.

You're not alone. But you're in good company. In the Netherlands, 2.5 million people aged 16 and older struggle with reading, writing, and/or arithmetic. They often also struggle with digital skills. This equates to 18%, or about 1 in 6 people in the Netherlands. Of these, nearly 1.8 million people between the ages of 16 and 65 struggle with language and/or arithmetic. More than half of this group are native Dutch.

Struggling with reading and writing has significant consequences. If you don't understand information well, you're likely to be less self-reliant. Low literacy often leads to shame, misunderstanding, and dependence on others.

We're happy to guide you. We have our own video channel on YouTube. With videos about our office, MAES Notarissen, our working methods, the notary profession and all its rules, but also about Family Law, Corporate Law, and Real Estate. Because we want to provide our clients and other interested parties with simple and understandable explanations. About notarial matters. At their convenience. Short and sweet. And sometimes a bit more detailed. Free of charge. Because many people prefer watching a video to reading long texts. And it's also much faster and easier than if we were to meet with everyone one-on-one at our office. That's also possible, of course. For those who prefer. With a nice cappuccino and a Tiny Tony Chocolonely. We're happy to be an equal partner in conversation. We're accessible and make complex things simple. Prefer to watch videos? Make it even easier for yourself. Subscribe. Then you'll be the first to know about new videos.

We identify four topics that we believe have a significant impact on the way our clients live and work, and which we anticipate accordingly. These topics are:

1. Digital transformation and Legal Tech
2. Healthy region and energy transition
3. Compliance, Governance and Claims Culture
4. Aging, care and housing

Civil-law notaries are bound by professional secrecy. This applies to all confidential information received by civil-law notaries in the course of their professional practice. This secrecy extends to the entirety of the civil-law notary's services and their scope, and is independent of whether a notarial deed is executed in the context of these services. Civil-law notaries may also not disclose this confidential information in legal proceedings. They may refuse to testify before a judge if doing so would require them to disclose confidential information. This is their right to confidentiality.

We have developed a Privacy Statement, which is posted on our website. This statement provides information about how our office handles personal data processed in the context of our work and services.

File progress

By applying project and risk management tools, we can work efficiently and cost-effectively. We're happy to share this advantage with our clients. We therefore conduct a significant amount of work online and have well-organized our case processes. We provide clear, real-time insight into case progress for our clients, ourselves, and other stakeholders. We use a workflow for this purpose, which you can follow from your My Notary File.

The six phases of your file

We provide real-time visibility into the progress of a file's work process for our clients, ourselves, and other stakeholders. To achieve this, we use a workflow, which can be monitored from My Notary File. Essentially, the workflow means that each file has a procedure list with the following six phases:

1. Client and case acceptance phase
2. File start-up phase
3. Questionnaire phase
4. Treatment phase
5. Passing phase
6. Post-work phase

Each phase has a list of procedural tasks. This makes it clear to everyone involved who is performing what in the file and when. Everyone can also see what is expected of them and when. This optimizes communication with each other and reduces the risk of errors and reputational damage.

Client and case acceptance phase
We'll first send you a detailed letter by email with information about the service you require. This is free of charge. This will allow you to be well-informed and gain a better understanding of the available options. You'll find several attachments with this letter, including our quote. If you agree to the terms of our service by clicking a link in the email, we'll be happy to process your application.

File start-up phase
After you accept our digital quote, we'll be happy to start the process for you. You'll then receive a link from us to log in to your My Notary File.

Questionnaire phase
We will provide you with a questionnaire via your My Notary File, asking you to complete it in full. Only after receiving this questionnaire will we begin processing the file's contents. This will only be different if the investigation pursuant to the Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing (Prevention) Act requires us to conduct further investigation.

Treatment phase
Based on the fully completed questionnaire(s) you provide, we can provide you with targeted advice and prepare the draft deed(s) and other documentation accurately, quickly, and efficiently. By using digital questionnaires, we also avoid having to call or email multiple times to gather information. For efficiency and your convenience, we prefer to do this correctly the first time. This also allows us to always find in the file what we asked you, investigated, and how you informed us.

Passing phase
Once you have approved the draft documentation, the documents can be signed by the parties and the notary at our office or another agreed-upon location—in person or under power of attorney. This is also called the execution of the deed(s).

Post-work phase
After the deed is executed, we'll finalize everything properly, and you'll receive a digital copy of the deed(s) in your My Notary File. It's entirely up to you whether or not you print the documents and store them in hard copies in a binder, or otherwise. Your My Notary File will remain fully accessible to you even after the deed(s) are executed. We don't lock your My Notary File. And that's convenient. This way, you'll never lose the documents, and they won't accidentally reach those they're not intended for.

The case handling

Our goal is always to produce the documentation expeditiously after receiving the completed questionnaire, within the framework of the case handling process, after which we can submit the draft documentation to the parties for review. We are very successful in this in our Real Estate practice (with many deadlines) and in our Corporate Law practice. Within our Family Law practice, we are currently not always able to achieve our desired fast turnaround time. We take this very seriously.

Many clients choose our firm for our high level of customer satisfaction, our dedicated service approach, the quality of our services, and our competitive rates. Because we place such high value on customer satisfaction, our staff's variable compensation is also linked to their customer satisfaction score. Therefore, it's also frustrating for our staff if they can't handle a case with the expediency we advocate.

What we don't want and what we won't do

Increase rates

We could shorten the turnaround time for our clients by substantially increasing our fees. After all, that would mean fewer cases. Many notaries have already done so. But we don't want that. We believe that everyone, including those with limited financial means, should always have access to a notary.

Ready-made instead of custom-made

We could also shorten the turnaround time by offering ready-made solutions instead of custom work. For example, with a one-size-fits-all document. That doesn't suit us. And so we won't do it. We want to give every client the attention they deserve, even if that means a file is labor-intensive and time-consuming.

No more urgent files

We could also shorten the processing time by no longer accepting urgent cases. But we don't do that either. Clients who are terminally ill, in a hospice or hospital, for example, in intensive care, often discover that, for example, a will or living will is missing or that they failed to amend it in a timely manner, with all the potentially unpleasant consequences that entails. In urgent cases, even in the evenings, at night, or on weekends, we make ourselves available to those who so urgently need our support.

Our solutions

Of course, in the current tight labor market, especially in the notary profession, there's a war for talent . Good professionals are scarce. Our people are approached almost weekly with offers from other employers. Graduates often find working in the notary profession less appealing these days. The workload is high. They have to constantly undergo further training in addition to their regular duties. Incomes within the notary profession are under pressure, and it's incredibly difficult to ultimately be appointed as a notary. They don't always receive the appreciation of clients for their dedication. Fuses can sometimes be short. Due to the increased claims culture, they experience a great deal of stress and worry about the risk of failure, which is exacerbated by the professional and behavioral rules and disciplinary procedures to which they are subject. They are increasingly being pressured by parties, or worse—and completely unacceptable—threatened and intimidated. Recently, one of our employees was even threatened with death by a client. In that case, it goes without saying, we immediately terminated the client relationship.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, we have taken the following measures to ensure a shorter turnaround time:

• We have, again recently, recruited good and experienced new employees.
• We actively and continuously recruit employees who are willing and able to join our team. We recruit through social media, our networks, search agencies, job fairs, and more.
• We offer our employees a training program that focuses not only on improving legal knowledge and notarial professional rules, but also on professional and social skills to continue to create a customer-focused and high-performing work environment.
• We have ergonomically tailored the workstations to the user and the work to be performed, so that comfort is maximized and the risk of failure is reduced.
• We promote the job satisfaction of our employees. Therefore, we offer them attractive and transparent employment conditions, with an eye to the future, personal development, and flexibility. A modern set of employment conditions that perfectly aligns with our identity as a notary office with the motto "Good for each other" and the market in which we operate.
• We maintain a human touch. We're not ruled by spreadsheet management, but demonstrate genuine commitment to each other. We support and assist each other whenever necessary or desired. We have low staff turnover. Our experienced employees are often long-term and demonstrate loyalty and dedication.
• We will automate tasks that can be automated as innovatively as possible. By optimally utilizing state-of-the-art digital information and communication technology, we can run our practice lean and efficient .
• We have a flexible pool of self-employed people from which we can draw during peak periods.
• We also work on our clients' cases outside of office hours. Some start as early as 7:00 AM, while others don't leave the office until after 10:00 PM. We also work on weekends. Some even have their email and phone active while on vacation.
• An employee with an 80% employment contract has extended her fixed-term employment contract to 100% (de facto (120%)) in order to be able to accommodate our customers in a more timely manner.
• In December – historically the busiest month of the year – no contractual leave can be taken.
• We make choices. We divest certain types of work or outsource them to third parties with whom we have or are entering into partnerships.
  We are attempting to prioritize more strictly. We prioritize cases with a deadline or an urgent nature.
• We inform clients in the quote that the processing time will be longer for a certain period than our usual and expected. If there is no deadline or urgency and the longer processing time is unacceptable to the client, we will not accept the order or return it before work begins.
• We may announce a temporary freeze on accepting new cases.

Our office is located in the MaesHuys, Verploegh Chasséplein 1 in Vlaardingen. It's the most beautiful and centrally located spot in the region. We can offer you excellent accommodations, including free on-site parking and charging stations for electric cars and e-bikes. We're within walking distance of the Vlaardingen Oost metro station. City and regional buses stop at the bus stop on the square. How convenient! You're very welcome.

If desired, we can also meet you by appointment at the business centers of NoMA House in Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, or at the World Trade Center Rotterdam or World Trade Center The Hague. We offer high-quality accommodations and the use of their facilities .

But we're not confined to our office. We're mobile. And flexible. Like true business nomads . We go where the business is . We're happy to visit you, upon request and in consultation. This applies to both business and private clients. And for private clients, especially in cases where you're not mobile, for example, due to advanced age, or admission to a hospital, nursing home, or hospice.

No. You don't always have to go to a notary in person to execute a deed. You can have a power of attorney drawn up and granted to any employee of MAES Notarissen. However, your signature must be legalized so we can be sure it's yours. We can legalize the signature you place on the power of attorney in our presence at our office, but you can also have this done by any other notary, anywhere in the Netherlands, of your choice.

For deeds in personal and family law practice, such as a will, living will, prenuptial agreement, partnership agreement, and cohabitation agreement, you must appear in person before a notary.

If you are the borrower/debtor/mortgagor/guarantor of a mortgage deed, you must appear before the notary in person, or a notary must draw up and execute a notarial power of attorney for you.

If the civil-law notary is convinced that all possibilities for personal, direct contact with the person appearing have been exhausted and that the use of a private power of attorney is insufficient, they may deem and declare in the deed that, in deviation from Article 4:102 of the Dutch Civil Code for the application of Article 43, paragraph 4, of the Civil-Law Notaries Act, they can execute the deed using two-way audiovisual communication, in accordance with Article 26 of the Temporary COVID-19 Justice and Security Act. They will then establish a video call with the person appearing via One Space or Teams, which is a two-way audiovisual communication tool.

We request that you bring a valid, original form of identification (passport, driver's license, or ID card) when visiting our office. No copies are permitted.

All clients wishing to have a transaction conducted by a notary must have their identity verified by the notary using a valid, original ID. The degree of risk posed by a particular client or transaction determines the extent of the investigation the notary is required to conduct.

He is required to conduct this investigation under the Civil-Law Notaries Act, the Code of Conduct and Professional Conduct, and the Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing (Prevention) Act ("Wwft"). The Wwft is intended to combat terrorist financing and money laundering. Money laundering involves legitimizing illegally acquired assets so that their illegal origin is no longer visible. Terrorist financing occurs when assets are used to facilitate terrorist activities.

The Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act (Wwft) obligates notaries to investigate their clients and to identify and report unusual transactions. In this way, notaries actively contribute to combating crime and terrorism.

For our research and services we use software and registers such as BRP (Personal Records Database, formerly GBA-V), VIS (Verification Identification System), CTR (Central Wills Register), CLTR (Central Living Wills Register), CIR (Insolvency Register), Curatorship and Administration Register (CCBR), Matrimonial Property Register, Chamber of Commerce (Chamber of Commerce registers) and the Land Registry.

If you appear in person at our office at any time, we kindly and urgently request that you bring the same identification document that appears in the draft deed(s) provided to you and that you uploaded to your My Notary File. We have already compared this identification document with data from the VIS (Visual Information System) we consulted, for reasons related to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act (Wwft). When you visit our office, please give this identification document to a member of our Hospitality Desk staff so they can scan it and receive electronic confirmation of its authenticity. They will then provide the identification document to the notary so they can identify you upon execution of the deed. They are legally required to do so.

If you don't have the same ID with you when you visit our office, or if you don't have the same one you previously uploaded to your My Notary File and which we included in the draft deed(s) we provided you, this will cause a delay and require additional steps from our office, which we will then have to charge you for. We want to avoid this with you.

Absolutely. Very good. Our office is wheelchair accessible.

Our office and visiting address is: MaesHuys, Verploegh Chasséplein 1, 3134 BZ Vlaardingen.

Absolutely. We have ample free parking for our clients on our own premises, next to and behind our office building. If you already drive an electric car, you can charge it here.

Are you a professional or a close associate of our office and would you prefer to visit us by appointment at NoMA House in Amsterdam's Zuidas, the WTC in Rotterdam, or the WTC in The Hague? We'd be happy to arrange this with you, and you'll receive an email invitation with directions in advance.

Of course, we can also arrange a visit to your office, home, hospital, hospice or anywhere else.

No. We are certainly accessible, and everyone is welcome. However, our door is opened electronically for security reasons. We have an advanced security and surveillance system to ensure the safety of our colleagues, visitors, and the information and documentation entrusted to us.

When you arrive at the office, please check in with the ladies at our hospitality desk and take a seat in the lounge. Our staff will be waiting for you and look forward to your arrival.

We understand how frustrating it is to have to wait long. We strive to keep your wait as short as possible. Sometimes, it can take a little longer than we'd like, for example, if meetings or appointments run over during the day. We ask for your understanding in such cases. To minimize delays, it would help us and our customers if you could arrive at our office five minutes before your scheduled time.

To make the wait more pleasant for our visitors, we have an iPad on the reading table in the lounge. You can read the following newspapers for free: the Financieel Dagblad, the Telegraaf, the NRC, the Volkskrant, and the AD.

Of course, visitors to the iPad can also consult our informative website for answers to questions they may have.

We have free WiFi in the lounge for our visitors and are happy to provide you with the WiFi code when you visit.

To make the wait more pleasant for our visitors, we have an iPad on the reading table in the lounge. You can read the following newspapers for free: the Financieel Dagblad, the Telegraaf, the NRC, the Volkskrant, and the AD.

Of course, visitors to the iPad can also consult our informative website for answers to questions they may have.

We advise against bringing very young children to our office. Their presence can distract you from important matters that require your full attention. However, all children are always welcome. Sometimes, finding a babysitter is simply not possible.

We love our four-legged friends. However, we kindly request that you do not bring any pets to our office. If you don't want to leave your dog home alone, consider our dog walking service or daycare. You can go to the notary and the dog can enjoy the outdoors.

Yes. That's perfectly possible. We even have our own video channel on YouTube. With videos about our office, MAES Notarissen, our working methods, the notary profession and all its rules, but also about Family Law, Corporate Law, and Real Estate. Because we want to provide our clients and other interested parties with simple and understandable explanations. About notarial matters. At their convenience. Short and sweet. And sometimes a bit more detailed. Free of charge. Because many people prefer watching a video to reading long texts. And it's also much faster and easier than if we were to meet with everyone one-on-one at our office. That's also possible, of course. For those who want it. With a nice cappuccino and a Tiny Tony Chocolonely. We're happy to be an equal partner in conversation. We're accessible and make complicated things simple. Prefer to watch videos? Make it even easier for yourself. Subscribe. Then you'll be the first to know about new videos.

After a notarial deed is executed by a notary, it is registered in the repertory. The repertory is a register containing all deeds signed by a notary. This allows a deed to be retrieved at any time. Each deed has its own unique number.

The original deed, the minute deed, with its appendices is placed in a safe immediately after execution. This safe is waterproof, fireproof, and has ventilation, allowing us to store the deeds there for 20 years. After 20 years, or sooner, the minute deeds are moved to a central repository.

Within two weeks of the execution of the deed, the parties to the deed will receive a digital copy in the secure online My Notary File. This My Notary File will remain accessible to you even after the deed has been executed using the login details we provide. This keeps costs low, prevents you from losing the copy, and allows you to view it 24/7, 365 days a year, wherever you are in the world. You can even print it yourself if desired. By storing the copy digitally and not in a filing cabinet at home, you prevent it from reaching someone unintended.

The copy only contains the notary's signature and an official seal. The notary thus certifies that the copy is a copy of the original deed. No attachments are included with the copy.

If you prefer, you can always receive a hard copy (i.e., on paper and neatly bound) by mail. We charge €45 for this, excluding VAT and disbursements.

We're sorry. Smoking is not permitted in our office because all visitors and employees are entitled to a smoke-free environment.

Safety first!

Our office is secured with an alarm system (with control room), security cameras, panic buttons, a group chat and more.

To guarantee the safety of our visitors and employees, we have a protocol in place for emergencies, such as fires or related life-threatening situations. In the event of an emergency or an alarm, you are expected to immediately follow the instructions of our emergency responders. They can be recognized by their yellow vests. They are trained in life-saving procedures and can perform CPR. We will immediately alert the emergency services. For first aid, we have an AED in the waiting area of our office.

In the event of aggression by an office visitor towards one or more of our employees, or in the event of vandalism or theft of our property, we will immediately call 112 and file a report. We have a zero-tolerance policy. We may terminate any relationship with clients or parties served by us who behave rudely, aggressively, threateningly, intimidatingly, or otherwise indecently towards one or more of our employees, after due process of law. The time spent on the case at that time will be charged to the client in accordance with our terms and conditions. If our invoice is not paid within the specified period, we will first send a reminder, then a formal notice, after which we will pass the claim – plus costs – on to collection agencies.

Persons not affiliated with MAES notaries only have access to the public areas of the office when visiting. These include the lobby, the hallway, the waiting room, the meeting rooms, and the restrooms. We would be happy to welcome you there. Due to our confidentiality obligations and for privacy reasons, we cannot grant our visitors free access to non-public workspaces where files or other confidential documents may be visible .

We do a lot online. Our online services are proof of our ambition to always stay one step ahead and embrace change. We offer our clients – also in compliance with current privacy legislation – a digital notary file, a client portal, and automated document assembly. The digital notary file is a secure service, available anytime, anywhere, for file management, communication, and collaboration. This allows clients to view their file online 24/7 from home, the office, or even their vacation address, and, just like us, they can download and upload documents in this digital environment. Automated document assembly provides clients with shorter, more cost-effective production times, as well as consistent documentation. Naturally, we do everything we can to make working with the portal as user-friendly as possible, ensuring your data is well-protected and easily accessible. If you have any questions or comments about its use, please let us know.

That depends. We receive a great many sponsorship requests. We are open to such requests and will assess them against our sponsorship criteria. Criteria include regional ties, contribution to society, increasing our visibility, strengthening our reputation, and the quality of the return. Sponsorship can consist of a monetary amount or the provision of notarial services at a moderate fee. For example, we quietly support various social organizations and vulnerable individuals or groups by offering them our knowledge and expertise without seeking a fee.

Working at MAES civil-law notaries is a healthy, safe, and pleasant work environment. We value mutual appreciation. We trust and respect each other, and are responsible for our own behavior. This means we do not treat someone differently based on, for example, their origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, or disability. Undesirable behavior is not tolerated. We respect each other's personal space.

We strive for continuity of our services by carefully developing a mutually fruitful, harmonious and sustainable relationship with our clients.

We strive to provide our clients with impeccable service. We value professionalism and quality. Every client receives our personal attention. We listen to everything they have to say. We strive to be caring, humble, and helpful.

In everything we do to deliver added value to our customers, we strive to earn their respect and trust every single day. Trust that we know all too well comes with foot traffic and is earned through reviews. Trust that hinges on honest and respectful conduct. Cherishing our integrity is vital to us in order to maintain our most valuable asset: our reputation.

We measure our customer satisfaction. We strive for a high customer satisfaction rating. We attach great importance to this. By measuring customer satisfaction, we have data that we can use to continuously improve our services. And that's exactly what we do.

Of course, we appreciate compliments when things are going well. That's very encouraging, because we do our utmost to serve you well. Sometimes, things don't quite go as planned. We always take that to heart. Without exception. We're happy to discuss these matters with the customer and listen carefully to their dissatisfaction. We also want to explore what we can do to improve customer satisfaction. Not just for that specific customer or case, but also with regard to our service to all our current and future customers.

If, for any reason, you are dissatisfied with our services, you can file a complaint. We have outlined our complaints procedure and can be found on our website.

What do you need to do to get legalization?

Absolutely. That's what we do. We often provide legalizations, apostilles, and subsequent legalizations for individuals, companies, and other organizations. We serve the corporate, real estate, and family law sectors. A legalization is a declaration from a notary stating that you signed a document in the presence of that notary or an employee of their office, and that you identified yourself with a valid ID. This confirms the authenticity of the signature. The declaration is often a sticker or stamp on the document or an attached statement.

Our hostesses are available at the Hospitality Desk during office hours and will be happy to assist you as soon as you arrive. Please call ahead to schedule your arrival so we can ensure we can assist you immediately upon arrival.

Bring the authorization or declaration you received to our office. Don't forget your valid ID, and only sign at our office in the presence of a member of our staff.

Once your signature has been signed at our office, you don't always have to wait for legalization. We can arrange for the original legalized document to be sent to the agency that requested your signature the same day or the next. You will receive a copy from us for your records.

Apostille and legalization

Legalization is often sufficient. However, if you want to use a document abroad, you must ensure that the document (for example, an extract from the population register) is recognized as an official document abroad. It's important to check whether the country where you intend to use the document is a signatory to the Apostille Convention. If so, the document must be apostilled. If the country is not a signatory to the Apostille Convention, you must have the document legalized. We can arrange the apostille or legalization for you. We will then present the document legalized by us to the court. The court can only apostille or legalize the document if there is an original signature on the document and this signature has been registered in the national signature database. To apply for an apostille or legalization at the court, you pay a court fee. Payment options vary by court. You will receive the apostille or legalization after paying the court fee.

Additional legalization

Sometimes a country requires additional legalization. Therefore, always inquire with the consulate or embassy of the country in question. We also collaborate with parties that handle the legalization process for us at the court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies, consulates, and other agencies. For example, we have had positive experiences with Kes legalizations in The Hague .