Terms and Conditions for Gardeners Selsdon
These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which gardeners in Selsdon provide domestic and commercial gardening services. By making a booking, confirming an appointment, or allowing work to begin on site, you agree to these terms. They are designed to be clear, fair, and consistent with UK consumer and contract law.
Throughout this document, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean the gardening service provider, while “you” and “your” refer to the customer. These terms apply to routine garden maintenance, one-off work, seasonal tasks, and any related services supplied by Gardeners Selsdon unless we agree otherwise in writing.
We recommend that you read these terms carefully before confirming any order. If anything is unclear, it should be discussed before the booking is accepted. Once work has started, these terms will govern the relationship between both parties and help ensure that the services are delivered smoothly, safely, and lawfully.
1. Booking Process
A booking with our Selsdon gardeners is formed only when we have received your request, reviewed the requirements, and confirmed acceptance. A request for a quotation or estimate does not in itself create a binding agreement. Any quotation may be based on the information available at the time and may be revised if the actual work differs from the original description.
When you book, you must provide accurate and complete information about the site, access, the condition of the garden, pets, hazards, waste volume, and any special requirements. If the details supplied are incomplete or incorrect, we may need to amend the price, change the date, or refuse part of the work if it would be unsafe or impractical to proceed.
We may agree the scope of work in writing, by email, by message, or verbally where appropriate. For larger projects, we may issue a schedule or service description. If the specification changes after booking, any additional work may be charged separately and may require a new appointment. Gardeners Selsdon reserves the right to decline any job where the request is outside our normal service scope, where access is restricted, or where conditions on site create unreasonable risk.
Appointments are allocated according to availability and operational capacity. While we will try to attend on the agreed date and time, arrival windows may be affected by traffic, weather, staff illness, equipment issues, or emergency work. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any significant delay, but time is not guaranteed unless expressly stated in writing.
You must ensure that someone aged 18 or over is available if access, confirmation, or instructions are required. If no one is available and the work cannot proceed, a wasted journey charge or minimum call-out fee may apply. We may also need free access to water, electricity, and safe entry to relevant areas where these are necessary for the service.
If we identify issues that affect the agreed work, such as hidden roots, structural damage, nesting wildlife, contaminated waste, or unsafe surfaces, we may pause the service and discuss next steps. Any variation to the original booking should be agreed before further work continues wherever reasonably possible.
2. Prices, Payments, and Deposits
All prices are stated in pounds sterling unless otherwise agreed. Quotes may be fixed or estimated depending on the nature of the work. Where a quote is estimated, the final charge may vary if the time required, labour involved, material costs, or waste disposal needs differ from the assumptions on which the estimate was based. Gardeners Selsdon will act reasonably and transparently when applying any change to the price.
Unless otherwise agreed, payment is due on completion of the service or within the period stated on the invoice. For larger or scheduled work, we may request a deposit before the booking is secured. Deposits may be non-refundable where costs have already been incurred or where we have reserved time and resources specifically for your job, provided this is fair and lawful.
Accepted payment methods may include bank transfer, card payment, or other methods we make available from time to time. You are responsible for ensuring that payment is made in full and cleared funds. If payment is late, we may charge interest and recovery costs to the extent permitted by the Late Payment of Commercial Debts legislation or other applicable law, where relevant.
Gardeners in Selsdon do not have to release any reports, photos, waste receipts, or additional materials until outstanding sums are paid, unless doing so would be unlawful. If we agree to staged payments, each stage becomes due when the corresponding work is completed, not when the whole project ends.
3. Cancellations and Rescheduling
You may cancel or reschedule a booking by giving reasonable notice. Unless a different notice period is stated at the time of booking, cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice may be subject to a cancellation charge to cover lost time, travel, and administration. If materials, permits, or specialist waste arrangements have already been arranged, additional costs may also be chargeable.
If you are a consumer contracting at a distance or off-premises, statutory cancellation rights may apply in some circumstances under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. However, those rights may not apply to services that have been fully performed, or where you have expressly requested work to begin within the cancellation period and acknowledged that you may lose the right to cancel once the service is completed.
We may cancel or postpone a booking if weather, unsafe conditions, equipment failure, staff absence, or other events beyond our reasonable control make performance impractical or unsafe. In that case, we will usually offer an alternative date or, where appropriate, refund any prepaid amount for work not carried out. We will not be liable for indirect losses arising from a lawful cancellation or rescheduling.
4. Customer Responsibilities
You are responsible for ensuring that the site is reasonably accessible and that the work area is safe for our team to enter. This includes securing pets, removing fragile or valuable items from working areas, and warning us about underground services, hidden obstacles, contamination, or areas that should not be disturbed. If the property is occupied by tenants, you must confirm that you have the authority to arrange the work.
You must also tell us about any known hazards before the service begins, including thorns, slippery ground, asbestos, glass, syringes, Japanese knotweed, aggressive animals, or unstable structures. Where such hazards are discovered during the job, we may stop work immediately. Additional charges may apply if extra time or specialist handling is required.
It is your responsibility to ensure that any instructions you provide are lawful and do not breach lease conditions, planning restrictions, local regulations, or neighbourhood obligations. If the requested service could reasonably affect adjoining property, boundary features, drainage, or public areas, you should make appropriate checks before authorising the work.
Where you ask us to leave cuttings, timber, soil, or other material on site, you accept responsibility for the consequences of that choice, including any storage, staining, or odour issues. We may decline to leave certain waste behind if doing so would be unsafe or contrary to environmental or legal requirements.
5. Liability and Insurance
We will carry out services with reasonable care and skill, in line with the standards expected of professional gardeners in Selsdon. If we fail to do so, you may be entitled to a repeat performance or a price reduction where required by law. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability that cannot legally be excluded, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or for fraud.
We are not responsible for pre-existing defects, hidden damage, poor soil conditions, invasive roots, underground services, or deterioration that becomes apparent during normal garden work, unless the loss is caused by our negligence. Similarly, we are not liable for damage caused by circumstances outside our control, including severe weather, vandalism, trespass, or actions of third parties.
Where we move items, lift materials, or use tools near property features, you accept that minor scuffs, soil displacement, or incidental disturbance may occur as part of ordinary gardening operations. We will take reasonable care, but you should insure valuable or delicate items separately if you are concerned about risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total liability arising from any one event or series of related events will be limited to the price paid for the specific service giving rise to the claim, except where a higher limit is required by statute. We do not accept liability for loss of profit, loss of business, or other indirect or consequential losses.
We may use subcontractors or additional personnel where necessary, but we remain responsible for the services we have agreed to provide. Any person working on our behalf should be treated with respect and given safe access to do the task. Abusive behaviour, threats, or interference with the work may result in the service being stopped immediately.
If you believe damage has occurred, you must notify us within a reasonable time and provide relevant details, including the date, nature of the issue, and, where appropriate, photographs. Failure to give prompt notice may affect our ability to investigate the matter and may reduce the extent of any remedy available. This does not limit your statutory rights.
6. Waste Removal and Environmental Rules
Garden waste handling is governed by UK environmental law, including obligations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and related waste regulations. We will manage green waste, soil, rubble, and similar materials in a lawful and responsible manner. If we remove waste from site, it will be transported, stored, and disposed of only through appropriate and authorised channels.
Any waste transfer, skip use, or disposal arrangement may be subject to additional charges depending on volume, weight, classification, and location. If waste is contaminated, mixed with non-garden materials, or contains restricted items, it may require specialist handling and a revised quotation. We may refuse to move any material that we reasonably believe is hazardous, illegal to transport, or unsuitable for standard garden waste disposal.
If you ask us to dispose of waste on your behalf, you authorise us to classify it in good faith and to choose a lawful method of disposal. Where the law requires records, we may retain waste documentation, transfer notes, or disposal receipts. We are not responsible for waste that has been incorrectly described by you or concealed among other materials.
You must not ask us to burn waste, dump material, or leave waste in a manner that would breach environmental, local authority, or property regulations. If you direct us to do something that appears unlawful, we may refuse and may end the booking if necessary. Any extra costs incurred because of unlawful or inaccurate waste instructions may be charged to you.
7. Force Majeure
We are not liable for delay or failure to perform obligations caused by events outside our reasonable control, including but not limited to extreme weather, floods, storms, road closures, industrial action, pandemics, government restrictions, supply shortages, fire, or equipment breakdowns. In such circumstances, we may suspend services, rearrange the appointment, or cancel the booking if performance becomes impossible or unsafe.
If a force majeure event continues for an extended period, either party may be entitled to terminate the affected booking by written notice. Where payment has already been made for work not carried out, we will refund the relevant balance after deducting any non-recoverable costs lawfully incurred. We will always aim to act fairly and to minimise disruption.
8. Governing Law and Disputes
These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, although we will first attempt to resolve disagreements informally and in good faith where possible.
If any clause is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining clauses will continue in full force. A failure by us to enforce any provision immediately does not mean we have waived our right to do so later. Any variation to these terms must be agreed in writing by both parties.
Gardeners Selsdon may update these terms from time to time to reflect changes in law, service structure, or business practice. The version in force at the time your booking is accepted will normally apply to that booking unless a change in law requires a different approach. By proceeding with our services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and accepted these terms.