Terms, kept clear.

What these terms cover.

These Terms & Conditions apply when a customer requests and agrees to one of our published consultancy services or another defined service confirmed by us in writing.

The agreement is based on the service description, agreed scope, applicable price, delivery format, information supplied by the customer and these Terms & Conditions.

Defined consultancy services.

Our services are practical management consultancy activities focused on business operations, administrative organisation, planning, project coordination and organisational improvement.

The current published services are:

The exact service supplied is determined by the service description available when the requirement is agreed.

What is included.

Each service has a defined scope. Depending on the service selected, this may include a consultation, review of information supplied by the customer, planning discussion, coordination activity, written summary, action plan or defined planning document.

• Work described in the relevant service specification.
• Reasonable review of information supplied for the agreed scope.
• Communication reasonably required to clarify the agreed requirement.
• The stated written output where the service includes an output.
• Delivery in the format and normal working timeframe stated for the service.

Services do not include activities that have not been expressly described or agreed.

Information supplied by you.

To carry out a service effectively, we may require information, documents, instructions or background details relevant to the agreed scope.

• You are responsible for providing information that is accurate and relevant to the requirement.
• You should identify any material restrictions, deadlines or requirements that could affect the work.
• Documents supplied for review should be provided in a usable format.
• You should have the appropriate authority to provide documents or information belonging to your organisation or another party.
• Where information is incomplete, clarification may be requested before work continues.

We do not knowingly rely on information that has been identified as inaccurate or incomplete without discussing the issue where it is relevant to the agreed work.

How work is delivered.

Services are normally delivered remotely using email, telephone, online meetings and digital documents, depending on the service.

Published delivery timeframes are working targets based on receiving the information required to carry out the agreed work.

Practical advice and planning support.

Our work provides management consultancy, planning, organisational and coordination support based on the information and scope agreed with the customer.

• Consultancy does not replace the customer’s own management decisions.
• Planning documents are working tools rather than guarantees of a particular business or project result.
• Customers remain responsible for decisions, approvals and implementation within their own organisation.
• Where third parties are involved, we do not control their independent actions, decisions, availability or performance.
• We do not provide financial management, investment advice, regulated financial advice or other regulated professional services under these terms.

Where a requirement falls outside the agreed consultancy scope, we may explain what can and cannot reasonably be provided.

A shared working process.

Customers are expected to provide reasonable cooperation so that the agreed work can be completed efficiently.

• Provide requested information within a reasonable timeframe.
• Attend agreed consultation or coordination sessions where applicable.
• Review outputs and raise material questions promptly.
• Make internal decisions and obtain required approvals.
• Maintain responsibility for implementation of recommendations or plans.

When requirements change.

A customer may request a change to an agreed requirement. We will consider the requested change and confirm whether it can be included within the existing scope.

If a requested change materially increases the work involved, changes the service type or requires additional work, the revised scope and any additional amount will be agreed before that additional work is undertaken.

We will not treat an unrequested additional service as automatically included in the original scope.

Changing or ending a service.

Cancellation is handled in accordance with the applicable Service Cancellation Policy.

Where consumer cancellation rights apply to a qualifying contract made at a distance or away from business premises, those rights are not removed by these Terms & Conditions.

Where a customer asks us to begin supplying a service during an applicable cancellation period, the consequences of starting the service will be handled in accordance with applicable law and the agreed cancellation arrangements.

A customer wishing to cancel or change a service should contact us using the details at the end of this page.

Refunds are handled separately and clearly.

Refund eligibility and the applicable process are set out in our Service Refund Policy and, where relevant, the Service Cancellation Policy.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions is intended to remove or reduce a consumer’s statutory rights.

Reasonable care and skill.

We will provide agreed services with reasonable care and skill and in accordance with the service description and information that forms part of the agreement.

Where a service is not provided in accordance with applicable consumer rights, the customer may have rights and remedies provided by law. These rights are not excluded by these Terms & Conditions.

Using the work we provide.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, documents and written materials specifically prepared for the customer as part of a completed service may be used internally by that customer for the purpose for which the service was commissioned.

Our pre-existing methods, templates, working structures, general know-how and reusable materials remain our intellectual property unless expressly transferred in writing.

Customers should not represent our materials as their own consultancy service or commercially resell our proprietary materials without our prior written agreement.

Information handled with care.

Information supplied to us in connection with a service will be handled appropriately and in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection requirements.

Customers should avoid sending information that is not necessary for the agreed service. Where sensitive or confidential business material is required for the work, only information relevant to the agreed scope should be provided.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions requires either party to disclose information where disclosure would be unlawful or outside the agreed purpose.

Clear communication.

Formal service communications should normally be made by email or another agreed written method so that the relevant requirement, change or cancellation can be clearly identified.

We may contact customers using the details supplied during the enquiry or service arrangement.

Customers should notify us if their contact details or preferred communication method changes during an active service.

There is a clear route if something needs attention.

If a customer believes that an agreed service has not been handled as expected, they should contact us with the relevant details so that the matter can be reviewed.

Our Complaints Policy explains the information to provide, the review process and the normal response timeframe.

Nothing in the complaints process prevents a customer from exercising rights available under applicable law.

Responsibility within a fair framework.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or restricts any responsibility or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

In particular, these Terms do not exclude statutory consumer rights, responsibility for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other responsibility that applicable law does not permit a business to exclude.

Subject to applicable law, we are not responsible for outcomes that depend on decisions, actions, omissions or performance by the customer or an independent third party outside our agreed scope.

Unexpected disruption.

If circumstances outside reasonable control materially affect the delivery of a service, we will take reasonable steps to communicate the position and agree an appropriate way forward.

Examples may include significant technology disruption, widespread communications outages, serious operational disruption or other circumstances that could not reasonably have been avoided.

This section does not remove any rights or remedies that apply under law where a service cannot reasonably be provided.

Personal information.

Personal information collected through enquiries, service arrangements and communications is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

The Privacy Policy explains the categories of information we may collect, why we use it, the relevant legal basis, retention, individual rights and how to contact us about data protection matters.

Keeping published information clear.

We aim to keep descriptions of our services accurate and reasonably up to date. Published service descriptions, prices and availability may change for future enquiries.

A change to a future service description does not retrospectively change the scope or agreed terms of an existing service unless the customer and company expressly agree otherwise.

Website content is provided for general information about our services and does not itself create an obligation to supply work that has not been agreed.

Applicable law.

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the law of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory legal rights that apply to a customer in their particular circumstances.

Where a dispute cannot be resolved through direct communication, the parties may use any appropriate legal or alternative dispute resolution route available to them.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to prevent a consumer from exercising a legal right to bring a claim or use a court or dispute resolution route available under applicable law.

One term does not affect the rest.

If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, that provision will be treated to the extent required by law without affecting the remaining provisions.

Any provision that cannot lawfully apply to a particular customer or contract will not prevent the remaining provisions from applying where they are valid and appropriate.

The agreed scope comes first.

The service description, any written confirmation, the applicable policies and these Terms & Conditions should be read together.

If there is a specific written agreement that clearly applies to a particular service and conflicts with a general website description, the specific agreed service terms will apply to that service.

Any material variation to an agreed service should be confirmed in writing by the relevant parties.

Questions about these terms?

If you need clarification about a service, the scope of an agreed requirement or these Terms & Conditions, please contact BUCKNALL & BUCKNALL LIMITED before the relevant service begins where possible.