L1 — General Terms and Conditions
Article 1 — Definitions
1.1 Supplier: Leen Meerschaert, trading as L1, established at Meerhuizenstraat 12B, 1078TH Amsterdam, registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK) under number 88905349, VAT number NL004668451B49.
1.2 Client: the natural person or legal entity that requests a proposal from, or enters into an Agreement with, the Supplier.
1.3 Proposal: the written quotation, offer or project plan the Supplier sends to the Client, including its scope, deliverables, fee and timing.
1.4 Agreement: the agreement between Supplier and Client, consisting of the accepted Proposal and these general terms.
1.5 Deliverables: the final work the Supplier delivers under the Agreement, as described in the Proposal.
1.6 Work in progress: all concepts, drafts, notes, alternatives and versions created during the assignment that are not part of the final Deliverables.
1.7 In writing: on paper or by email.
Article 2 — Applicability
2.1 These terms apply to every Proposal, every Agreement and all work the Supplier carries out for the Client, including work carried out without a separate written Proposal. By requesting a Proposal, accepting a Proposal, instructing the Supplier to start work or paying an invoice, the Client accepts these terms.
2.2 The Client's own general terms or purchasing conditions do not apply and are expressly rejected, unless the Supplier accepts them in writing.
2.3 Deviations from these terms are valid only when agreed in writing. If the Proposal and these terms conflict, the Proposal prevails.
2.4 If any provision of these terms is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions stay in force. The parties will replace the invalid provision with one that comes as close as possible to its original intent.
2.5 These terms are published at www.leenmeerschaert.com/terms, are referenced in or attached to every Proposal, and are sent free of charge on request. The Supplier may amend them. The version in force when the Agreement is formed applies to that Agreement.
Article 3 — Proposals and acceptance
3.1 A Proposal is valid for 14 days from its date, unless stated otherwise.
3.2 A Proposal is based on the information the Client provided. If that information turns out to be incomplete or incorrect, the Supplier may adjust the scope, fee or timing.
3.3 The Agreement is formed when the Client accepts the Proposal in writing, signs it, pays the deposit invoice, or instructs the Supplier to start work, whichever happens first.
3.4 Accepting part of a Proposal does not oblige the Supplier to carry out that part for a proportional share of the fee.
3.5 Time or budget estimates are indicative. Only a fee stated as fixed is fixed.
Article 4 — Client cooperation
4.1 The Client provides on time all information, materials, access and decisions the Supplier reasonably needs to carry out the work.
4.2 The Client appoints one contact person who gathers internal input and gives the Supplier consolidated, final feedback per round.
4.3 The Client guarantees that it holds the necessary rights to all materials it supplies (texts, images, data, brand assets) and that their use does not infringe third-party rights.
4.4 If the Client does not meet these obligations, the Supplier may suspend the work and adjust the timeline. Any resulting extra time is charged at the Supplier's day rate, pro rata per half day.
Article 5 — Carrying out the work
5.1 The Supplier carries out the work with care, expertise and professional skill. The impact of communication also depends on factors outside her control, such as the market, timing and how the work is used. The Supplier therefore does not guarantee specific outcomes such as reach, conversions or sales, unless a specific result is expressly agreed in the Proposal.
5.2 The Supplier works as an independent professional. She determines her own working hours, place of work and methods. Nothing in the Agreement creates an employment relationship.
5.3 The Supplier may involve trusted collaborators (for example a designer, translator or editor) where that serves the work. She informs the Client beforehand and remains responsible for their contribution and for their confidentiality.
Article 6 — Feedback, revisions and approval
6.1 Each Deliverable includes two rounds of revisions, unless the Proposal states otherwise. A revision round is one set of consolidated feedback from the Client, followed by one revised version from the Supplier.
6.2 Revisions refine the agreed direction. A change of direction, brief or target audience after approval of an earlier phase counts as additional work (Article 8).
6.3 Additional revision rounds are charged at the Supplier's day rate, pro rata per half day.
6.4 A Deliverable or phase counts as approved when the Client approves it in writing, gives no feedback within 10 business days of delivery, or starts using or publishing it — whichever happens first.
6.5 Approval of a phase is the starting point for the next one. Reopening an approved phase is defined as additional work.
Article 7 — Timelines
7.1 Delivery dates in the Proposal are target dates, not strict deadlines, unless a date is expressly agreed as final. If a delay is expected, the Supplier informs the Client as soon as possible.
7.2 Timelines depend on timely feedback, materials and decisions from the Client. A delay on the Client's side moves the timeline by at least the same period, subject to the Supplier's availability.
7.3 If the Client puts the project on hold for more than 30 days, the Supplier may invoice all work done up to that point. Restarting is subject to the Supplier's availability and may require an updated timeline.
Article 8 — Changes and additional work
8.1 The scope of the work is what the Proposal describes. Anything outside it is additional work.
8.2 The Supplier carries out additional work only after the Client has approved it in writing, including its fee and impact on timing. Email is sufficient.
8.3 Unless agreed otherwise, additional work is charged at the Supplier's day rate, pro rata per half day.
Article 9 — Fees and expenses
9.1 All fees are in euros and exclude VAT, unless stated otherwise.
9.2 The Supplier works with a fixed project fee, a day rate or a monthly retainer, as set out in the Proposal.
9.3 Expenses such as travel outside the Supplier's place of business, printing, stock materials or third-party licences are charged separately, and only after the Client's prior approval.
9.4 For ongoing retainers, the Supplier may adjust her rates once per calendar year, with at least one month's written notice.
Article 10 — Invoicing and payment
10.1 On acceptance of the Proposal, the Supplier invoices a deposit as stated in the Proposal, or 40% of the project fee if the Proposal states none. Work starts once the deposit has been received.
10.2 For phased projects, each phase is invoiced separately, as set out in the Proposal. The remaining balance is invoiced on delivery of the final Deliverables — not on the Client's approval, publication or launch.
10.3 Retainers are invoiced monthly in advance. Unused retainer hours or days do not carry over to the next month, unless agreed otherwise.
10.4 Invoices are payable within 14 days of the invoice date, without deduction, discount or set-off.
10.5 Payment does not depend on the Client being paid by its own client.
10.6 Objections to an invoice must be raised in writing within 8 days of the invoice date. An objection does not suspend payment of the undisputed part.
Article 11 — Late payment
11.1 If an invoice is not paid on time, the Client is in default without further notice. From that moment, the Client owes statutory commercial interest (wettelijke handelsrente, art. 6:119a Dutch Civil Code) on the outstanding amount.
11.2 All reasonable extrajudicial collection costs are payable by the Client, calculated according to the statutory scale and at least €40.
11.3 While an invoice remains unpaid, the Supplier may suspend the work and withhold delivery of Deliverables and source files until payment has been received in full.
Article 12 — Cancellation
12.1 If the Client cancels after acceptance of the Proposal, the deposit is non-refundable. The Client also pays for all work done up to the cancellation date, insofar as that exceeds the deposit.
12.2 If the Client cancels within 10 business days before work was scheduled to start, the Client owes 50% of the total project fee, with the deposit already paid counting towards that amount. The Supplier will usually be unable to fill the reserved time on such short notice.
12.3 Retainers can be ended by either party with one calendar month's written notice, ending at the end of a month.
Article 13 — Intellectual property
13.1 All intellectual property rights in the work, including copyright, remain with the Supplier until the Client has paid all amounts due under the Agreement in full.
13.2 Upon full payment, the copyright in the final, approved Deliverables transfers to the Client. The parties agree that the Agreement, together with proof of full payment, constitutes the written deed of transfer required under the Dutch Copyright Act.
13.3 The following remain with the Supplier and are not transferred: Work in progress, including unused concepts, drafts and rejected alternatives; and the Supplier's own methods, frameworks, templates, tools and know-how, including those developed or refined during the assignment.
13.4 Where pre-existing material of the Supplier is part of a Deliverable, the Client receives a non-exclusive, perpetual licence to use it as part of that Deliverable.
13.5 The Client may edit and adapt the Deliverables after transfer. The Supplier is not responsible for content changed or added by the Client or third parties.
13.6 Where the Supplier writes content to be published under the Client's name (ghostwriting), the Client may publish it as its own. The Supplier will not publicly claim authorship, unless agreed otherwise.
Article 14 — Portfolio and credit
14.1 Once work is publicly released, the Supplier may show it in her portfolio, on her website and social channels, in proposals and as a case study, and may name the Client as a client.
14.2 Ghostwritten work and work the Client marks as confidential are excluded by default. The Supplier shows it only with the Client's written permission.
14.3 Where a credit line is customary (for example in a book or publication), the Supplier is credited as agreed in the Proposal.
Article 15 — Confidentiality
15.1 Both parties keep confidential all non-public information they receive from each other in connection with the Agreement, such as business plans, financial data, unpublished content and personal stories, and use it only to carry out the Agreement.
15.2 This does not apply to information that was already public, becomes public without breach of this article, was already lawfully known to the receiving party, or must be disclosed by law.
15.3 Where the Supplier processes personal data on the Client's behalf, she does so in line with the GDPR and the Client's reasonable instructions.
15.4 On request, and after completion of the work, the Supplier returns or deletes confidential materials, except where she must retain them by law or for her own administration.
15.5 These obligations continue for two years after the Agreement ends.
Article 16 — Use of tools and AI
16.1 The Supplier may use digital tools, including AI-assisted tools, for research, structuring and editing. All Deliverables are developed, reviewed and finalised by the Supplier herself.
16.2 The Supplier does not enter the Client's confidential information into tools that use input to train their models, without the Client's permission.
Article 17 — Liability
17.1 The Supplier's total liability is limited to the fee invoiced for the assignment concerned. For retainers, it is limited to the fees invoiced in the three months before the event that caused the damage.
17.2 The Supplier is not liable for indirect or consequential damage, including lost profit, lost revenue, reputational damage or missed opportunities.
17.3 The Client is responsible for checking Deliverables before use or publication, including factual accuracy, names and figures, and any legal or regulatory review (for example health, financial or advertising claims).
17.4 Complaints about a Deliverable must be reported in writing within 14 days of delivery. Any claim against the Supplier lapses 12 months after the Client became aware of it.
17.5 These limitations do not apply in case of intent or deliberate recklessness on the part of the Supplier.
17.6 The Client indemnifies the Supplier against third-party claims arising from materials supplied by the Client, or from the Client's use, alteration or publication of the Deliverables.
Article 18 — Force majeure
18.1 Neither party is liable for failure or delay caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, such as internet, power or system failures and government measures. For the Supplier, this also includes illness or a family emergency.
18.2 The affected party informs the other as soon as possible. Obligations are suspended for the duration of the force majeure.
18.3 If force majeure lasts longer than 60 days, either party may terminate the Agreement in writing. Work done up to that point is invoiced.
Article 19 — Termination
19.1 Either party may terminate the Agreement if the other party materially breaches it and does not remedy the breach within 14 days of written notice.
19.2 Either party may terminate the Agreement with immediate effect if the other party is declared bankrupt, applies for suspension of payments or ceases its business.
19.3 On termination, the Client pays for all work done up to the termination date. Article 13 (intellectual property) applies to that work in full.
19.4 Articles that by their nature continue after termination — including those on intellectual property, confidentiality, liability and payment — remain in force.
Article 20 — Governing law and disputes
20.1 The Agreement is governed by Dutch law.
20.2 The parties first try to resolve any dispute through good-faith discussion.
20.3 If that fails, disputes are submitted exclusively to the competent court in Amsterdam.
20.4 These terms are issued in Dutch and English. In case of a difference in interpretation, the Dutch version prevails.
Article 21 — Clients acting as consumers
21.1 Where the Client is a private individual not acting in the course of a profession or business, mandatory consumer law applies and prevails over these terms where they conflict. In particular:
Late payment: the statutory interest (wettelijke rente, art. 6:119 Dutch Civil Code) applies instead of commercial interest. Collection costs are charged only after a written reminder giving the Client 14 days to pay, according to the statutory scale.
Right of withdrawal: if the Agreement is formed at a distance (by email or online), the Client may withdraw within 14 days without giving a reason. If the Client expressly asks the Supplier to start within that period, the Client pays for work done up to the withdrawal. The right lapses once the work has been fully performed with the Client's prior consent.
Rate changes: if rates increase within three months of the Agreement being formed, the Client may terminate the Agreement.
Liability: the limitations in Article 17 apply only to the extent the law permits.
Disputes: the Client may bring a dispute before the court that has jurisdiction by law, instead of the court in Amsterdam.
L1 — General Terms and Conditions, version 1.0, October 2026 · Published at www.leenmeerschaert.com/terms and available free of charge on request