Terms and Conditions for Gardeners Shacklewell

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which our gardening services are provided to domestic and commercial customers. By making a booking, you agree that the work will be carried out under these terms. For clarity, references to Gardeners Shacklewell, we, us and our mean the service provider delivering the agreed gardening work, and references to you or the customer mean the person requesting or paying for the service. These terms apply to regular maintenance, one-off visits, seasonal work, clearance tasks, and other related gardening services unless a separate written agreement states otherwise.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects your statutory rights under UK law. Where any part of this document is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force. We may update these terms from time to time, and the version in force at the time of booking will normally apply to your order, unless a later written amendment has been agreed.

These terms are designed to be practical and fair. They explain how bookings are accepted, how payments are handled, when cancellations may apply, how liability is limited, how waste is managed, and which law governs any dispute. Please read them carefully before confirming any work.

Booking Process

A booking is usually made after an enquiry, followed by a discussion of the requested gardening work, the size and condition of the outdoor area, and any special requirements. Where necessary, we may arrange a site visit, request photographs, or ask for written details so that we can provide a more accurate estimate. Any quotation or estimate is based on the information supplied by you and may change if the actual conditions differ from those described.

Once we have agreed the service scope, date, and price or pricing method, your booking will be confirmed by written acceptance, including by email or message where applicable. A booking is only secured when we confirm it. We may refuse or postpone a booking at our discretion if access is unsuitable, if the work requested is unsafe, if weather conditions are likely to make the service impractical, or if we believe the requested task falls outside our normal service standards.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the information you provide is correct and complete. This includes the address, access arrangements, parking restrictions, gate codes, pet control, and any known hazards such as unstable structures, hidden cables, severe overgrowth, or restricted areas. If we arrive and cannot complete the work because access details are incomplete or incorrect, we may charge a call-out, waiting, or abortive visit fee, where reasonable.

Payments

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, payment is due on completion of the service, or in advance for deposits, recurring maintenance plans, or larger projects. We may request a deposit for substantial bookings, specialist work, or where materials must be purchased before the job begins. Any deposit amount will be stated at the time of booking and may be non-refundable except where required by law.

Accepted payment methods will be confirmed at booking or invoicing stage. If an invoice is issued, it must be paid within the period stated on the invoice, which will normally be a reasonable number of days from the invoice date. Failure to pay on time may result in suspended services, recovery action, and statutory interest or late payment charges where permitted under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 or other applicable law.

All prices, estimates, and quotations are stated in pounds sterling unless otherwise agreed. If the scope of work changes during the visit, for example due to additional clearance, extra waste, longer labour time, or unforeseen site conditions, we may revise the price before continuing. If you do not accept the revised charge, we may stop work and invoice for the part already completed.

Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Access Issues

You may cancel or reschedule a booking by giving us as much notice as possible. Where a cancellation is made at short notice, especially after materials have been ordered, staff have been scheduled, or travel has begun, we may charge a reasonable cancellation fee to cover losses and administrative costs. The exact fee may depend on the notice given and the nature of the service booked.

If we need to cancel or reschedule due to severe weather, illness, vehicle failure, safety concerns, or circumstances beyond our control, we will try to offer an alternative appointment. We are not responsible for indirect loss caused by such changes, but we will act reasonably and communicate any disruption promptly. Gardening work can be affected by weather, and in some cases it may be unsafe or impractical to continue, particularly where surfaces are slippery, storms are forecast, or soil conditions are unsuitable.

If our team is unable to gain access at the agreed time, or if the site is not ready for the service to begin, we may treat this as a late cancellation or failed appointment. Examples include locked gates, no safe entry, incorrect address details, aggressive animals, or an instruction not to proceed after arrival. In these cases, a fee may be charged where we have incurred costs or lost a reserved booking slot.

Service Standards and Customer Responsibilities

We will carry out the agreed work with reasonable skill and care, using suitable methods and equipment for the task. However, gardening is a living, seasonal service and results may vary depending on plant condition, weather, soil quality, prior maintenance, pest activity, and the overall condition of the garden. Services may include mowing, pruning, hedge cutting, weeding, planting, clearance, leaf collection, or similar tasks as agreed, but we do not guarantee the survival, recovery, or exact appearance of any plant unless specifically confirmed in writing.

You must tell us about any hidden risks before work starts, including buried pipes, cables, delicate irrigation systems, wildlife habitats, protected trees, or fragile surfaces. You must also remove or secure items that could be damaged by normal gardening activity, such as ornaments, furniture, tools, toys, and unsecured decorations. Where you ask us to work near such items, you accept that there is an increased risk of incidental damage unless we have expressly agreed to protect them.

If you or another person on site directs us to change the agreed tasks, we may accept the instruction only if it is safe and within our capability. Any new instructions may affect timing, price, and waste quantities. We are not obliged to continue if the new request would create a hazard, breach a legal obligation, or take the service substantially beyond what was originally agreed.

Waste Regulations and Disposal

Garden services often produce organic waste such as grass cuttings, branches, hedge trimmings, leaves, weeds, and soil. Unless otherwise stated, it is your responsibility to confirm whether waste should be removed from the property or left in a designated area for your own disposal. If waste removal is included in the service, it will be handled in accordance with applicable UK waste laws and local authority requirements.

We will take reasonable steps to separate garden waste from non-garden waste. We do not usually remove hazardous materials, including asbestos, chemicals, paint, oil, sharps, batteries, contaminated soil, or building rubble, unless a separate agreement specifically covers lawful handling and disposal. If such items are discovered during the work, we may suspend the job and ask for instructions. Any additional charges for specialist disposal, skips, or licensed carriers will be discussed where reasonably possible before the work proceeds.

By agreeing to our service, you confirm that any waste presented for removal from your property is lawful to collect and does not contain prohibited items. You also acknowledge that certain waste may need to be taken to a licensed facility and that we may ask for access arrangements to be completed in a way that allows lawful transport and disposal. We reserve the right to refuse to remove any material that would place us in breach of waste legislation or pose a risk to health and safety.

Liability and Limitations

We are responsible for direct loss or damage caused by our negligence or breach of contract, but our liability is limited to the reasonable cost of repair or replacement, or the amount paid for the affected service, whichever is lower, except where the law says otherwise. We do not exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

We will not be liable for damage arising from pre-existing defects, hidden faults, poor prior maintenance, structural instability, subsidence, underground services not disclosed by you, or conditions beyond our reasonable control. We are also not liable for indirect or consequential loss, including loss of profit, loss of opportunity, or loss of enjoyment, where such exclusion is permitted by law. In domestic settings, our liability is limited to the extent allowed under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and other applicable consumer protection legislation.

Where work involves cutting, trimming, clearing, or moving living material, some natural imperfections may remain. Minor bruising, temporary plant stress, or visible cut marks can be a normal consequence of proper garden maintenance. This does not of itself mean the service was defective. We are not responsible for unavoidable outcomes that arise from the nature of the work, provided we have acted with reasonable skill and care.

Complaints, Delays, and Force Majeure

If you believe a service has not been carried out in line with these terms, you should raise the matter within a reasonable time so that we can investigate. Where appropriate, we may offer to revisit the site, correct the issue, or provide another reasonable remedy. Any complaint must be made in good faith and with a clear explanation of the concern.

We are not in breach of contract if performance is delayed or prevented by events outside our reasonable control, including extreme weather, flooding, fire, accidents, strikes, supply chain disruption, public transport failure, illness, or legal restrictions. In such cases, we will take reasonable steps to resume or rearrange the service as soon as practicable. This provision does not affect any rights you may have under law where a service has not been provided with reasonable care and skill.

We may end or suspend a booking if you behave abusively, refuse to allow the work to proceed safely, or fail to meet payment obligations. If we terminate for a valid reason, we may invoice for work already completed, materials already purchased, and any reasonable costs incurred up to the point of termination.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with the service, these terms, or any related booking shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, unless mandatory consumer law provides otherwise. If a dispute can be resolved amicably, both parties should first attempt to do so in a fair and reasonable manner before starting formal proceedings.

Nothing in this document is intended to limit rights that cannot lawfully be waived or restricted. If you are a consumer, you retain your statutory rights in relation to services supplied with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time, and for a reasonable price where no price is fixed. If any court or competent authority decides that part of these terms is invalid, the remainder will still apply.

Gardeners Shacklewell provides services under a straightforward contract based on agreed scope, payment, safety, and lawful disposal. By confirming a booking, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms and Conditions in full.