KNB: Notarial product must be more than a Kruidvat question-and-answer game

"Our deeds don't fit next to shampoo. After all, we're not just a paper or letter supplier, but a service," says Nick van Buitenen, chairman of the Royal Dutch Association of Civil-Law Notaries (KNB) for Kruidvat wills and cohabitation agreements. Since August 24th, you can have a will drawn up through the store chain for 199 euros. A cohabitation agreement costs the same amount, and a living will costs 50 euros more. Van Buitenen: "These deeds are far from suitable for everyone. Moreover, the process of drawing up a deed is more than just playing a digital question-and-answer game."

Kruidvat customers can order a voucher on the website. This voucher allows them to go to legal services provider Ligo for standard wills, living wills, and cohabitation agreements. Ligo has been offering notarial services since 2015. With the Kruidvat promotion, Ligo aims to make it easier to find a notary. According to Nick van Buitenen, the shortest route is the best route. The threshold for notary visits is low. "These kinds of advertisements suggest that the notary's service is always the same. That's not true. The deed is the record of everyone's personal wishes. As a customer, you also pay for the process leading up to it. If you ask for more (time, advice, service), you get more and pay more. Everyone has to decide that for themselves, but there is a minimum, because the notary is always required to provide information and instruction."

Not for everyone
Ligo's software generates a draft deed based on the customer's answers. This deed is reviewed and executed by one of the 12 civil-law notaries Ligo works with. Kruidvat and Ligo make it clear on their websites that their services are not suitable for everyone. If you don't speak Dutch, want to disinherit children, have a business, or are part of a blended family, you cannot use them and must go directly to a civil-law notary.

Temporary
Kruidvat's terms and conditions state that vouchers can be purchased until November 30, 2020, and redeemed until December 31, 2020. Therefore, this is a temporary promotion from Kruidvat for the time being. Kruidvat and Ligo will evaluate the partnership at the end of the year. Just as it did with the HEMA notary, the Royal Dutch Notary Association (KNB) will also critically monitor the working methods of Kruidvat notaries.

The Editie.nl program featured the topic on Wednesday, August 26, 2020. KNB chairman Nick van Buitenen was also interviewed.