Terms and Conditions
DUTCH READY – GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Version: 11.1 (valid from 13th of June 2026)
1. DEFINITIONS
1.1 “Dutch Ready”, “we”, “us”, “our”: Dutch Ready, registered in the Netherlands.
1.2 “Client”, “you”: the contracting party purchasing services or digital products from Dutch Ready.
1.3 “Student”: the natural person receiving the lessons. The Student may be the Client or another person designated by the Client.
1.4 “Tutor”: the self-employed language trainer introduced by Dutch Ready to the Client / Student.
1.5 “Lesson Package”: a prepaid bundle of lesson hours (currently 12h, 38h or 78h, or as otherwise agreed), taken individually (1-on-1 or 2-on-1) or, for Corporate Clients, as Group Lessons, online or offline.
1.6 “Credit”: the lesson hours included in a Lesson Package.
1.7 “Digital Products”: all one-off purchases of digital learning materials via our webshop, including but not limited to e-learning modules, mock exams, reading stories, grammar tools and dialogue scripts.
1.8 “Subscriptions”: ongoing access to e-learning modules and/or Dutch Ready Academy (DRA) on a monthly, 3-monthly, 6-monthly or annual basis, renewed automatically unless cancelled (see clause 7).
1.9 “Agreement”: any contract between Dutch Ready and the Client for the purchase of Lesson Packages, Digital Products, Subscriptions or other services.
1.10 “Group Lesson”: a lesson delivered to two (2) or more Students simultaneously, whether online or offline.
1.11 “Corporate Client”: a Client that is a business, organisation or other legal entity (and not a consumer) purchasing Lesson Packages, Group Lessons or training programmes for its employees, contractors or designated participants.
1.12 “Corporate Package”: a Lesson Package consisting of private and/or Group Lesson hours purchased by a Corporate Client, as specified in the applicable proposal.
2. APPLICABILITY
2.1 These Terms apply to every offer by Dutch Ready and every Agreement with a Client, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
2.2 The Client’s general terms, if any, are expressly rejected.
2.3 This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Netherlands. The Dutch courts have exclusive jurisdiction, without prejudice to (i) any mandatory rule that entitles a consumer to bring proceedings before, or to be sued only before, the courts of their country of residence, and (ii) any other mandatory consumer rights.
3. ROLE OF DUTCH READY
3.1 For Lesson Packages, Dutch Ready acts as an intermediary introducing Tutors to Clients and administering payments (but see clause 18.3 for Corporate Packages and Group Lessons).
3.2 For Digital Products and Subscriptions, Dutch Ready is the contractual supplier.
3.3 Tutors are independent contractors and cannot bind Dutch Ready.
4. FORMATION OF THE AGREEMENT
4.1 An Agreement is formed when the Client accepts an offer from Dutch Ready (online checkout, signed proposal, explicit email confirmation or payment), or schedules and pays a test lesson or Lesson Package.
4.2 The Client must be at least 18 years old or have verifiable consent from a parent/guardian (see clause 13).
5. PRICES AND PAYMENT
5.1 All prices are stated in euros and include VAT where applicable, unless stated otherwise. Prices quoted to Corporate Clients are stated exclusive of VAT unless the proposal states otherwise.
5.2 Payment methods and schedules are presented during checkout or in the proposal.
5.3 For Lesson Packages, payment can be made:
- a. in full before the first lesson; or
- b. in instalments as shown in the offer.
5.4 If the Client selects instalments, this does not create separate contracts. After completion of the third lesson, the Client remains obliged to pay the full package price, including all scheduled instalments, irrespective of the pace at which the lessons are taken, unless Dutch Ready explicitly agrees in writing to an early termination arrangement as described in clause 8.10. This is without prejudice to clause 8.10 and to any mandatory rights you may have as a consumer.
5.5 Lessons and/or access to services may be suspended if any due payment is outstanding.
5.6 For B2B / in-company contracts, specific payment terms stated in the proposal take precedence (see also clause 18).
6. DIGITAL PRODUCTS (ONE-OFF WEBSHOP PURCHASES)
6.1 Nature of products
- a. Digital Products are delivered online only. No physical items are shipped.
- b. On successful payment, we provide access/download instructions to the email address or account specified by the Client.
6.2 Licence and use
- a. The Client receives a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence for private use only.
- b. Sharing, reselling, publishing or making Digital Products available to third parties is prohibited without our prior written consent.
6.3 Technical availability
- a. We aim for high availability of our digital platforms but cannot guarantee uninterrupted access.
- b. Short, temporary outages, bugs or brief interruptions do not entitle the Client to a refund.
- c. If our systems are unavailable for more than 48 consecutive hours due to reasons attributable to us or our suppliers (and not to the Client’s equipment, internet connection or third-party tools), we will extend access or provide equivalent compensation at our discretion.
- d. This is the Client’s sole contractual remedy for temporary unavailability of Digital Products, without prejudice to mandatory legal rights.
6.4 Statutory right of withdrawal (EU consumers)
- a. If you are a consumer resident in the EU/EEA and purchase Digital Products online, you generally have a 14-day right of withdrawal (“cooling-off period”) from the date of contract conclusion.
- b. Exception for digital content: once we start supplying Digital Products that are not on a physical medium (for example by enabling download or streaming) and you have expressly:
- i. requested immediate delivery during the cooling-off period; and
- ii. acknowledged that you lose your right of withdrawal once delivery starts; your statutory withdrawal right for that Digital Product ends when delivery begins.
- c. We obtain the consent and acknowledgment in (b) as a separate, specific statement that you actively confirm at checkout — distinct from your acceptance of these Terms and not pre-ticked. We will confirm that consent and acknowledgment to you on a durable medium (for example by email). If you do not provide this consent, we may delay access until the 14-day period has passed.
6.5 Contractual refund policy for Digital Products
- a. Beyond the statutory withdrawal rights above, all Digital Product sales are final and non-refundable, except where:
- i. the Digital Product is defective or cannot be accessed for reasons attributable to us and we cannot repair or replace within a reasonable time; or
- ii. we explicitly offer a different refund policy in writing for a specific product.
- b. In the cases above we will, at our discretion, repair, replace or refund the purchase price.
7. SUBSCRIPTIONS – E-LEARNING & DUTCH READY ACADEMY
7.1 Term and renewal
- a. Subscriptions are offered with an initial term of one (1) month, three (3) months, six (6) months or twelve (12) months, or as lifetime (one-off) access, depending on the option selected at checkout. DRA subscriptions have an initial term of twelve (12) months.
- b. For consumers: at the end of the initial term, the Subscription automatically continues for an indefinite period and may be cancelled at any time with effect from the end of the then-current billing month, subject to a notice period of no more than one (1) month, in accordance with mandatory Dutch law. A consumer Subscription does not tacitly renew for a further fixed term.
- c. For Corporate Clients: at the end of the initial term, the Subscription renews automatically for successive periods equal to the initial term unless cancelled before the renewal date. The consumer rule in 7.1b does not apply.
- d. Lifetime / one-off access does not renew and is not billed periodically.
7.2 Billing
- a. The subscription fee is charged at the start of each billing period using the selected payment method.
- b. If payment fails, we may suspend access until the amount is successfully collected.
7.3 Cancellation
- a. You may cancel via:
- i. the online account (where available); or
- ii. email to [info@dutchready.com] with clear identification of the Subscription.
- b. For consumers: during the initial fixed term, cancellation takes effect at the end of that term; after the initial term (clause 7.1b) you may cancel at any time, effective at the end of the current billing month.
- c. For Corporate Clients: to prevent automatic renewal, cancellation must reach us before the renewal date.
- d. We will confirm cancellation by email. If you do not receive a confirmation within 5 working days, it is your responsibility to contact us again.
7.4 Refunds on Subscriptions
- a. Statutory withdrawal: if you are an EU/EEA consumer purchasing a Subscription online, you have a 14-day cooling-off period from the date of first subscription, subject to the rules for digital content and digital services.
- b. If you requested immediate access and acknowledged (via the separate statement and confirmed on a durable medium, as in clause 6.4c) that starting the Subscription during the cooling-off period means (partly) losing your withdrawal right, we may:
- i. charge you a proportionate amount for the period already supplied; or
- ii. where the Subscription is treated as digital content supplied in full at once, treat the withdrawal right as lapsed once performance has begun, consistent with applicable law.
- c. After the cooling-off period, subscription fees already paid are non-refundable, even if you do not use the service, unless:
- i. we materially fail to supply the Subscription for an extended period for reasons attributable to us; or
- ii. mandatory consumer law grants you additional rights.
7.5 Changes to Subscription and price
- a. We may change Subscription content and pricing for future periods.
- b. We will notify you of any price increase at least 30 days before it takes effect. You may cancel before the change date; continued use after that date constitutes acceptance.
8. LESSON PACKAGES & LESSON CREDITS
8.1 Structure and validity
- a. Lesson Packages currently offered:
- i. 12 hours – must be used within 3 months; maximum total pause: 1 month.
- ii. 38 hours – must be used within 6 months; maximum total pause: 2 months.
- iii. 78 hours – must be used within 12 months; maximum total pause: 3 months.
- b. The “use-within” period starts on the date of the first lesson, or 30 days after invoice date, whichever comes first.
- c. After the relevant “use-within” period expires, all unused Credit lapses automatically, without refund, unless we decide otherwise as a gesture of goodwill (see also the reactivation option in clause 8.3c). This is without prejudice to clause 8.10 and to any mandatory rights you may have as a consumer.
- d. For custom Lesson Packages (for example a non-standard number of hours or a tailor-made plan), the applicable “use-within” period and maximum pause will be:
- i. stated in the individual offer or booking confirmation; or, where not expressly stated,
- ii. reasonably determined by Dutch Ready with reference to the nearest equivalent standard package (or a reasonable equivalent based on lesson volume and expected cadence).
8.2 Student responsibility for scheduling
- a. It is the Student’s and Client’s sole responsibility to schedule and attend lessons within the “use-within” period and pause limits.
- b. Dutch Ready and the Tutor will make reasonable efforts to offer slots, but cannot guarantee particular days, times or frequency beyond what is already agreed.
- c. Failure to plan lessons in time is not a ground for refund or extension, without prejudice to your mandatory consumer rights.
8.3 Pause and inactivity
- a. Within the maximum pause limits above, the Client may request a temporary pause in writing (email or WhatsApp), stating the reason and expected duration.
- b. Pauses are granted at our discretion and are counted against the maximum aggregated pause allowance for that package.
- c. If there is no lesson activity beyond the maximum pause limit, we may mark the package as inactive. In such cases all remaining Credit may expire without refund. We may, at our discretion, offer reactivation subject to an administration fee and/or shortened remaining validity.
8.4 Scheduling and rescheduling
- a. Lesson days/times are agreed at the start of the package based on Tutor availability.
- b. If the Student later wishes to change their recurring days/times, we will try to help but cannot guarantee availability of a Tutor for new times.
- c. The same applies to changes between online and offline lessons or changes of location; such changes are always subject to availability.
8.5 Switching between online/offline and recalculation
- a. Online and offline packages have different pricing.
- b. If you switch from online to offline, we will:
- i. recalculate the remaining Credit at offline rates and issue an additional invoice; or
- ii. invoice the difference per remaining hour.
- c. If you switch from offline to online, we may:
- i. convert any price difference to additional Credit or a voucher; or
- ii. keep the original price and conditions, at our discretion.
- d. Availability of Tutors for a changed format or location is not guaranteed.
8.6 Cancellation and lateness – Student
- a. Cancellations or rescheduling requests must be made at least 48 hours before the scheduled start of the lesson directly to the Tutor (and, where instructed, to Dutch Ready).
- b. If notice is given 48 hours or more in advance, no Credit is deducted.
- c. If notice is given less than 48 hours in advance, the full planned lesson duration is deducted from the Credit, unless both the Tutor and Dutch Ready, at their discretion, deem the reason unavoidable (for example sudden serious illness).
- d. If the Student is late, the Tutor may end the lesson at the original end time and the full planned duration will be deducted. If the Tutor agrees to continue beyond the original end time, extra time may be charged.
8.7 Cancellation and absence – Tutor
- a. If the Tutor cancels a lesson, they will inform the Student as soon as reasonably possible.
- b. The Student will not be charged for Tutor-initiated cancellations. A replacement lesson will be offered.
- c. If the Tutor is on holiday or otherwise absent for an extended period, we will:
- i. offer an alternative Tutor where reasonably possible if the holiday would cause delays in lessons deemed severe by Dutch Ready, at our discretion; or
- ii. extend the “use-within” period by the duration of the absence if there is insufficient capacity to reschedule within the original period.
8.8 Technical issues – online lessons
- a. If a lesson is materially disrupted by technical issues on the Student’s side (for example internet connection, device, software), the full planned lesson duration may be deducted.
- b. If a lesson is materially disrupted by technical issues on the Tutor’s side or due to Dutch Ready’s systems, the lost time will not be deducted and the Tutor and Student will reschedule the missing portion.
- c. Brief interruptions of less than ten (10) minutes do not give a right to a refund or rescheduling but may be rescheduled at the discretion of the Tutor or Dutch Ready.
8.9 Student holidays and travel
- a. Student holidays and travel must be planned within the “use-within” periods and pause limits.
- b. Student holidays and travel do not by themselves justify an extension of validity beyond the maximum pause allowance.
8.10 Money-back guarantee and early termination
Before the 3rd lesson
- a. If the Client wishes to terminate the Lesson Package before completion of the 3rd lesson, they may do so by written notice to Dutch Ready.
- b. In that case we will refund the value of the unused Credit, calculated at the package hourly rate, within a reasonable time.
After the 3rd lesson
- c. After completion of the 3rd lesson, Lesson Packages are in principle non-refundable and the full package price remains payable.
- d. In exceptional cases, and at Dutch Ready’s sole discretion, Dutch Ready may agree to early termination after the 3rd lesson. In that case:
- i. Dutch Ready will calculate the value of all lessons taken at the package hourly rate;
- ii. compare this amount with all payments already received;
- iii. if the value of lessons taken exceeds the payments received (for example where the Student has taken more lessons than they have paid instalments for), the Client must first pay the shortfall;
- iv. in addition, the Client will pay a fixed 250 EUR early termination and administration fee;
- v. once these amounts are paid, remaining instalments will be cancelled and, if payments received exceed the value of lessons taken plus the 250 EUR fee, the surplus will be refunded.
- e. In no case will the total amount charged exceed the original package price.
- f. Nothing in this clause limits any mandatory statutory rights you may have as a consumer.
8.11 Transfer of Lesson Credit to another Student
- a. Lesson Credit is personal to the Student and not transferable, except where we explicitly allow a transfer.
- b. At our discretion, we may permit a one-time transfer of remaining Credit to another Student, subject to:
- i. written approval by Dutch Ready; and
- ii. payment of a 75 EUR administration fee.
- c. The new Student must accept these Terms and understands that the existing schedule, Tutor and times cannot be guaranteed.
8.12 Switching Tutors
- a. The test lesson exists to assess Tutor–Student fit before committing to a full package.
- b. After the package has started, we cannot guarantee that a different Tutor will be available at the desired times.
- c. Where possible, we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate a request to change Tutors, but this is not a contractual right and is always subject to availability.
9. PROHIBITION OF PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS
9.1 The Client (and, for Corporate Clients, each of its participants) shall not enter into any direct paid arrangement with a Tutor introduced by Dutch Ready outside of Dutch Ready’s platform and invoicing.
9.2 All payments for lessons with such Tutors must be made via Dutch Ready.
9.3 Breach of this clause makes the Client liable to Dutch Ready for damages of EUR 450 per breach, reflecting Dutch Ready’s introduction and training costs, without prejudice to our right to claim higher actual damages and to seek injunctive relief.
9.4 These obligations survive termination of the Agreement.
10. LIABILITY
10.1 Dutch Ready is not liable for any act, omission or error of a Tutor, except where liability cannot be excluded by law.
10.2 To the maximum extent permitted by law, Dutch Ready’s aggregate liability towards the Client is limited to the amount paid by the Client to Dutch Ready under the relevant Agreement in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
10.3 We are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, including loss of profit, lost opportunities or exam results.
10.4 Nothing in these Terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
10.5 The Client shall indemnify and keep indemnified Dutch Ready against any costs, claims or liabilities incurred by Dutch Ready arising out of any Agreement or as a result of any breach of these Terms by the Client.
11. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & CONFIDENTIALITY
11.1 All lesson materials, Digital Products, platform content and brand assets remain the intellectual property of Dutch Ready or its licensors.
11.2 Clients and Students may use these materials solely for their own learning purposes and may not copy, share, translate, publish or commercialise them without our written consent.
11.3 The Client agrees not to disclose any confidential information concerning the Tutor or Dutch Ready to any third party for the duration of this Agreement and for a period of five (5) years after termination, save as required by law, court order or governmental authority.
12. DATA PROTECTION & PRIVACY (GDPR)
12.1 Dutch Ready is the controller of personal data processed in connection with our services.
12.2 We process personal data (such as name, contact details, level tests, lesson notes, payment data and communication) for:
- a. performance of the Agreement;
- b. compliance with legal obligations (for example tax law); and
- c. our legitimate interests (for example service improvement, internal reporting, limited direct marketing).
12.3 We may engage third-party processors (for example hosting, email, payment providers) who process data on our behalf under data-processing agreements.
12.4 Personal data is retained only as long as necessary for the purposes above or as required by law.
12.5 You have the rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability and objection, and the right to lodge a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).
12.6 More detailed information is provided in our separate Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms.
13. MINORS
13.1 Where the Student is under eighteen (18) years of age, the Agreement must be entered into by a parent or legal guardian.
13.2 The parent or legal guardian remains fully responsible for compliance with these Terms and for all payments.
13.3 Parents/guardians are responsible for the Student’s presence and conduct and for any necessary supervision during lessons.
14. RECORDINGS
14.1 Lessons may only be audio- or video-recorded if both Tutor and Student expressly agree in advance.
14.2 Any such recording is made under their sole responsibility and may only be used for private study purposes.
14.3 Dutch Ready is not a party to, nor responsible for, such recordings and does not grant any rights to record Tutors or Students beyond what is expressly agreed between them.
15. FORCE MAJEURE
15.1 We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance caused by events outside our reasonable control, including but not limited to: power failures, internet outages, strikes, government measures, pandemics, extreme weather or failures of third-party platforms.
15.2 In such cases we may suspend services for the duration of the force-majeure event and, where appropriate, extend validity periods.
16. AMENDMENTS
16.1 We may amend these Terms from time to time.
16.2 For existing Clients, material changes will be notified by email or via the website.
16.3 If you are a consumer and the change materially disadvantages you, you may terminate the Agreement within fourteen (14) days after notification. Continued use of our services after that period constitutes acceptance.
17. COMPLAINTS AND DISPUTES
17.1 Complaints can be sent to [info@dutchready.com] with a clear description of the issue. We aim to respond within ten (10) working days.
17.2 The EU Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform was discontinued on 20 July 2025 and is no longer available. [Where Dutch Ready participates in a recognised alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme, details will be provided on request and published on our website.] In all cases, consumers retain the right to submit a dispute to the competent Dutch court, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer rights.
18. CORPORATE CLIENTS AND GROUP LESSONS
18.1 Scope and precedence. This clause 18 applies where the Client is a Corporate Client and/or where lessons are delivered as Group Lessons. Where this clause conflicts with any other provision of these Terms, this clause prevails for Corporate Clients. The specific commercial terms of each engagement (number of participants, group size, dates, location, format, price and any service levels) are set out in the individual proposal or order confirmation, which prevails over these Terms in case of conflict.
18.2 No consumer protections. A Corporate Client is not a consumer. Statutory consumer rights referred to in these Terms — including the right of withdrawal (clauses 6.4 and 7.4a), consumer-specific termination rights, and the consumer auto-renewal limitation in clause 7.1b — do not apply to Corporate Clients. Prices for Corporate Clients are stated exclusive of VAT unless the proposal states otherwise.
18.3 Role of Dutch Ready. For Corporate Packages and Group Lessons, Dutch Ready acts as the contractual supplier of the training service (and not merely as intermediary as described in clause 3.1), unless the proposal expressly states an intermediary arrangement.
18.4 Credits, validity and pause. The Credit, “use-within” periods and maximum pause allowances in clause 8.1 apply to Corporate Packages, calculated on total contracted hours, unless the proposal sets different periods. For custom Corporate Packages the proposal governs; absent a stated period, clause 8.1d applies.
18.5 Group composition. A Group Lesson is booked for a defined slot and group, not per individual participant. The agreed lesson duration is deducted from the Corporate Package in full regardless of how many participants attend. Adding, removing or substituting participants is subject to Dutch Ready’s prior agreement and may affect pricing. The Corporate Client is responsible for ensuring participants are at a comparable level for effective group delivery.
18.6 Cancellation, rescheduling and no-shows (Group Lessons). The 48-hour notice rule in clause 8.6 applies to the Group Lesson as a whole: a cancellation or rescheduling request must come from the Corporate Client’s designated contact at least 48 hours before the scheduled start, failing which the full planned duration is deducted. The absence of individual participants does not entitle the Corporate Client to any credit, refund or rescheduling.
18.7 Termination. The money-back guarantee and early-termination mechanism in clause 8.10 (including the before/after third-lesson regime and the EUR 250 fee) do not apply to Corporate Clients unless expressly agreed in the proposal. Termination of a Corporate Package is governed by the proposal and, failing that, by these Terms on the basis that prepaid Corporate Package fees are non-refundable once the package has commenced, save for amounts attributable to hours not yet delivered where Dutch Ready terminates without cause.
18.8 Participant data and conduct. The Corporate Client warrants that it has a lawful basis to share participant personal data with Dutch Ready for the purpose of delivering the lessons, and that participants have been informed accordingly. The Corporate Client remains responsible for participants’ compliance with these Terms, including the prohibition on private arrangements in clause 9 and the intellectual-property restrictions in clause 11.
18.9 Payment. Clause 5.6 applies: payment terms in the proposal take precedence. In the absence of stated terms, invoices are payable within 30 days of the invoice date, and statutory commercial interest and reasonable collection costs apply to overdue amounts.
19. CONTACT DETAILS
Dutch Ready
Groene Hilledijk 177A01, 3073AB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Chamber of Commerce no: 69069344
VAT no: NL002257618B04
Email: info@dutchready.com
Website: www.dutchready.com
