Gardeners St Margarets Service Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Gardeners St Margarets provides gardening and related services to residential and commercial clients in our service area. By booking or using any of our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. Please read them carefully before making a booking.

1. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following expressions have the meanings given below:

Client means the person or organisation requesting or receiving services from Gardeners St Margarets.

Company, we, us or our means Gardeners St Margarets.

Services means any gardening, garden maintenance, landscaping, clearance, lawn care or other related services provided by the Company.

Service Visit means a scheduled appointment or series of appointments during which the Services are carried out.

Site or Property means the garden, land or premises where the Services are to be provided.

2. Scope of Services

The Company provides a range of gardening services which may include, but are not limited to, lawn mowing, hedge trimming, pruning, planting, weeding, border maintenance, garden tidy ups, seasonal maintenance, soft landscaping and garden waste removal in accordance with applicable regulations.

The exact scope of the Services for each Client will be agreed at the time of booking and confirmed in writing where appropriate. Any sketches, descriptions or examples of work are indicative only and do not create any guarantee of a particular outcome unless expressly agreed.

3. Booking Process

3.1 Initial enquiry

Clients may contact the Company to request a quotation or to make a booking. The Client is responsible for providing accurate information about the Property, its condition and the required Services so that we can provide a fair estimate.

3.2 Quotations

Any quotation provided by the Company is based on the information supplied by the Client and, where applicable, a site visit. Quotations are normally valid for a limited period from the date of issue, as stated at the time they are provided, and may be subject to change if the scope of work alters or conditions on Site are materially different from those described.

3.3 Acceptance of booking

A booking is considered confirmed when the Client has accepted the quotation or agreed price and the Company has acknowledged the booking verbally or in writing. The Company may, at its discretion, require a deposit or advance payment before confirming a booking or commencing work.

3.4 Access and preparation

The Client must ensure that the Company has safe and adequate access to the Property on the agreed date and time. This includes access to any relevant garden areas, gates, communal spaces and utilities required for the Services, such as water and electricity where reasonably necessary.

The Client must remove or secure any personal items, garden ornaments, furniture, toys or other obstacles that might impede the safe and efficient performance of the Services. The Company is not responsible for delays or additional costs arising from inadequate access or preparation.

4. Service Area

The Company provides Services within its designated service area, which focuses on St Margarets and surrounding localities. Acceptance of a booking is at the Company’s discretion and may depend on the location of the Property, the availability of staff and the nature of the requested Services.

Where a Property lies outside our standard service area, the Company may offer Services subject to additional travel time or charges, which will be communicated to the Client prior to booking confirmation.

5. Pricing and Payment Terms

5.1 Pricing structure

Services may be priced on an hourly rate, a fixed fee, a per-visit charge or a project basis, as communicated to the Client before work commences. All prices will be quoted in pounds sterling and, unless clearly stated otherwise, are inclusive of labour and reasonable use of standard equipment.

Additional costs, such as the supply of plants, materials, disposal of large volumes of garden waste or specialist equipment, will be identified separately where possible and agreed with the Client.

5.2 Deposits

The Company reserves the right to require a deposit, particularly for large or multi-day projects, or where significant materials need to be purchased in advance. Deposits are payable by the date specified by the Company. Failure to pay a required deposit may result in the cancellation or postponement of the booking.

5.3 Payment methods

Accepted payment methods will be confirmed by the Company and may include bank transfer or other commonly used, lawful methods of payment. Cash may be accepted at the Company’s discretion. The Company does not accept payment by methods that have not been expressly agreed in advance.

5.4 Payment due dates

Unless otherwise agreed, payment for routine gardening Services is due on completion of each Service Visit. For larger projects, staged payments may be required as outlined in the quotation or work schedule.

If an invoice is issued, payment is due by the due date stated on the invoice. The Company reserves the right to charge interest on overdue amounts at the statutory rate allowable under UK law, along with any reasonable costs incurred in recovering the debt.

6. Cancellations and Rescheduling

6.1 Cancellation by the Client

For regular maintenance visits, the Client must provide reasonable notice if they wish to cancel or reschedule a booked Service Visit. Unless otherwise agreed, the minimum notice period is 24 hours before the scheduled start time.

If the Client fails to provide the required notice, the Company may charge a cancellation fee, which may be up to the full cost of the scheduled Service Visit, to cover staff time and loss of opportunity.

For larger one-off projects or installations, a longer notice period may apply and will be set out at the time of booking. Where materials have already been purchased or specific costs incurred, these may be charged to the Client in the event of late cancellation.

6.2 Cancellation by the Company

The Company may cancel or postpone a Service Visit due to adverse weather conditions, staff illness, safety concerns, unavailability of materials, access issues or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control. In such cases, the Company will aim to provide as much notice as possible and arrange an alternative date with the Client.

The Company is not liable for any loss or inconvenience caused by the need to cancel or reschedule, but any deposits or payments made for the cancelled visit will either be applied to a rescheduled date or refunded where appropriate.

7. Client Responsibilities

The Client must ensure that the Property is safe for the Company’s staff to work in, including keeping pets under control, informing us of any known hazards and complying with all relevant health and safety regulations.

The Client must inform the Company of any underground services such as cables, pipes or irrigation systems that might be affected by digging or planting. The Company will not be liable for damage to underground services that have not been identified in advance by the Client.

The Client shall not instruct the Company’s staff to carry out any work that is unsafe, illegal or outside the scope of gardening and related services agreed at the time of booking.

8. Waste Regulations and Garden Waste Disposal

The Company aims to manage garden waste responsibly and in compliance with applicable UK waste regulations. By default, where practical, garden waste will be collected and left in the Client’s designated green waste bin or compost area, if available.

If the Client requires the Company to remove garden waste from the Property, this service may incur additional charges based on volume, weight and disposal costs. The Company will advise the Client of any such charges prior to removal, where possible.

The Company will not remove hazardous, contaminated or prohibited materials. If such materials are discovered on Site, the Client will be informed and appropriate arrangements must be made by the Client for their lawful disposal.

9. Quality of Work and Complaints

The Company aims to perform the Services with reasonable care and skill, consistent with good horticultural practice and the agreed scope of work.

If the Client is dissatisfied with any aspect of the Services, they must notify the Company as soon as reasonably possible, providing details of the concern. The Company will investigate and, where appropriate, take reasonable steps to address the issue, which may include rectification of the work at no additional cost if the concern is justified.

Complaints raised more than a reasonable period after the relevant Service Visit may be more difficult to assess, especially where plants have grown or conditions have changed. In such cases, the Company will still consider the complaint but cannot guarantee that remedial work will be provided free of charge.

10. Liability and Limitations

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall limit or exclude the Company’s liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or any other liability that cannot be excluded under UK law.

Subject to the above, the Company’s total liability to the Client for any loss or damage arising out of or in connection with the Services, whether in contract, tort or otherwise, shall not exceed the total fees paid or payable by the Client for the specific Service Visit or project giving rise to the claim.

The Company is not liable for any indirect or consequential loss, loss of profit, loss of enjoyment, loss of use, or any loss arising from delays where such delays are due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to severe weather, public transport disruption, supply issues, accidents or emergencies.

The Company is not liable for natural processes such as plant disease, pest infestation, extreme weather damage, drought, flooding or other environmental factors beyond our control that may affect the appearance or survival of plants after the work has been completed.

11. Insurance

The Company maintains public liability insurance to cover its activities, subject to the policy terms and conditions. Details of insurance cover can be made available to Clients on reasonable request.

12. Intellectual Property

Any designs, plans, planting schemes, photographs or other materials created by the Company remain the intellectual property of the Company unless otherwise agreed in writing. The Client may use such materials only for the purposes of the agreed Services at the Property and may not reproduce or share them for commercial purposes without the Company’s consent.

13. Data Protection and Privacy

The Company will collect and use personal information about Clients only to the extent necessary to provide the Services, manage bookings, process payments and communicate regarding ongoing or future work.

The Company will take reasonable steps to keep personal data secure and will not sell or unlawfully disclose Client information to third parties, except where required by law or where necessary to provide the Services, such as engaging subcontractors under appropriate obligations of confidentiality.

14. Subcontractors

The Company may, at its discretion, engage carefully selected subcontractors or third parties to carry out some or all of the Services. The Company remains responsible for ensuring that any subcontracted work is performed with reasonable care and skill in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.

15. Variation of Terms

The Company may update or amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The version in force at the time of confirming a booking will apply to that particular booking. Updated terms may be made available to Clients before new bookings are accepted.

16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or the Services, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions or the Services provided by the Company.

17. Severability

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable by a court or competent authority, that provision shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, or, if this is not possible, it shall be deemed deleted. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

18. Entire Agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with any written quotation or work specification agreed between the Company and the Client, constitute the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the Services. They supersede any prior discussions, correspondence or understandings relating to the subject matter.