Terms and Conditions for Gardeners Manor House

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Gardeners Manor House provides gardening and grounds maintenance services for domestic and commercial customers in the UK. By making a booking, confirming a quotation, or allowing work to commence, you agree to be bound by these terms. They are designed to create a clear, fair understanding of the service relationship, including the booking process, payment obligations, cancellations, liability, waste handling, and the law that applies to this agreement.

In these terms, references to we, us, and our mean the service provider operating under the Gardeners Manor House name, and references to you or the customer mean the person or organisation requesting the service. These terms should be read alongside any quotation, schedule of works, or written agreement issued for a specific job. If there is any inconsistency, the specific written quotation or job confirmation will usually take priority for that appointment only.

The services covered may include regular garden maintenance, lawn care, hedge trimming, planting, clearance, pruning, border care, and other agreed outdoor works. However, these Terms and Conditions do not act as a guide to gardening methods, and they do not promise any particular result beyond the reasonable performance of the agreed service. We will carry out work with reasonable care and skill, using appropriate methods and equipment, but the outcome may depend on weather, season, plant condition, access, and other factors outside our control.

1. Booking Process

A booking is usually made after an enquiry, site review, or review of the customer’s instructions and photographs. A quotation may be provided verbally or in writing, and it will normally describe the scope of work, estimated time, and any assumptions made. A quotation is not automatically a binding offer unless we state otherwise. The booking becomes confirmed only when you accept the quotation, agree a date or schedule, and we acknowledge the appointment or issue confirmation.

We may ask for further information before confirming a booking, including access details, parking considerations, and whether there are pets, fragile items, buried utilities, uneven ground, or other conditions that could affect the work. If the site conditions differ materially from what was described, we may revise the quotation, alter the timing, or decline part of the work. Any change that affects price or scope will be discussed where reasonably possible before the work continues.

In some cases, a deposit or advance payment may be required to secure a booking, particularly for larger projects, specialist materials, or seasonal appointments. If a deposit is requested, this will be stated at the time of quotation or booking confirmation. The booking date is not guaranteed until any required deposit has cleared and any preconditions have been met. We reserve the right to reschedule where access is unavailable, weather makes the work unsafe, or materials have not been approved.

2. Services, Scope and Customer Responsibilities

The agreed service covers only the work expressly set out in the quotation or job confirmation. Any additional work requested on site may be treated as a variation and charged separately. We are not required to carry out tasks that were not agreed in advance, that are unsafe, or that are likely to cause damage to plants, structures, services, or surrounding property. If extra work is needed, we may provide a revised price before proceeding.

You are responsible for ensuring that the site is reasonably accessible and that we can work safely. This includes unlocking gates, providing safe entry where required, securing animals, and informing us about any hidden hazards, restricted areas, or health and safety concerns. You must also ensure that any power, water, or other utilities needed for the job are available unless the quotation says otherwise. If access is delayed or prevented, we may charge for wasted time or a return visit.

We may refuse or postpone work if we reasonably believe that conditions are unsafe, if there is severe weather, if essential information has been withheld, or if the property contains a serious hazard. In that event, we will try to rearrange the appointment at a mutually convenient time. Where we have already attended site and cannot complete the job for reasons outside our control, we may charge for the visit, any labour already carried out, and any non-returnable costs incurred.

3. Payments and Charges

Prices are normally quoted in pounds sterling and may be based on a fixed fee, hourly rate, or estimated project cost. Unless stated otherwise, quotations are valid for a limited period and may be revised if the scope changes, if the customer delays the booking, or if material costs alter significantly. All charges are exclusive of any VAT unless expressly stated as inclusive, and where VAT applies it will be shown on the invoice in accordance with current law.

Payment terms will be stated on the invoice or booking confirmation. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, payment is due on completion of the work or within the stated period after invoicing. We may ask for immediate payment on site, especially for smaller domestic jobs or one-off visits. For recurring services, invoices may be issued weekly, monthly, or at another agreed interval. Late or overdue payment may result in suspension of future services until the account is settled.

Where payment is not made by the due date, we reserve the right to charge statutory interest and compensation to the extent permitted by the Late Payment of Commercial Debts legislation, or to recover reasonable debt collection costs if applicable. You agree to pay any bank charges incurred because of a failed payment, reversed transaction, or dishonoured cheque. We may also withhold completion certificates, further appointments, or release of retained materials until outstanding sums are paid in full.

4. Cancellations, Rescheduling and Missed Appointments

If you need to cancel or rearrange a booking, you should give us as much notice as possible. For many routine appointments, at least 48 hours’ notice is expected, though some projects may require longer notice due to labour planning, specialist equipment, or materials ordering. If you cancel with insufficient notice, we may charge a cancellation fee to cover reserved time, admin costs, and any unavoidable expenses already incurred.

Where a deposit has been paid, it may be non-refundable in whole or in part if cancellation occurs after materials have been ordered, labour has been reserved, or the appointment has been held exclusively for you. Any refund will depend on the stage reached and the costs already incurred. If we have not yet committed resources, we will act reasonably in deciding whether any part of the deposit should be returned.

We may also need to reschedule due to weather, staff illness, equipment failure, supplier delays, or other circumstances outside our control. In such cases, we will aim to notify you promptly and offer an alternative date. We are not liable for any indirect loss arising from a necessary reschedule, provided the delay is reasonable. If you fail to provide access or are not present where attendance is required, the appointment may be treated as a missed visit and charged accordingly.

5. Liability, Damage and Insurance

We will use reasonable skill and care in performing the agreed service, but our liability is limited to the extent permitted by law. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded. Subject to that, we will not be responsible for losses that are indirect, consequential, or unrelated to the specific service we agreed to provide.

We are not liable for pre-existing damage, hidden defects, fragile surfaces, latent structural problems, underground services, or conditions that could not reasonably be identified before work began. This includes damage arising from the natural condition of trees, roots, paving, fencing, walls, or older garden structures where deterioration was already present. If we believe a feature is unstable or at risk, we may decline to work on it or limit the work to reduce the risk of harm.

Where property damage is alleged to have been caused by our negligence, you must notify us within a reasonable time and provide supporting details. We may inspect the alleged issue before accepting responsibility. If we are found liable, our obligation may be limited to repairing, replacing, or paying the reasonable cost of the affected item, subject to any insurance arrangements and the maximum extent permitted by law. We do not accept responsibility for loss caused by your failure to follow our instructions or by third-party interference after we have left site.

6. Waste, Green Waste and Regulatory Compliance

Garden work often produces green waste, soil, timber, packaging, and other materials. Unless the quotation states otherwise, we will decide whether waste is removed from site, composted, mulched, or left in a designated area for the customer to manage. If waste removal is included, this will normally relate only to the agreed service area and the volume described in the quotation. Additional waste may incur further charges, particularly where loading, transport, disposal fees, or extra time are required.

We will handle waste in accordance with applicable UK waste legislation and environmental duties. This means waste will be stored, transported, and transferred only to lawful facilities or authorised routes, as appropriate to the material type. You agree not to ask us to dispose of prohibited, hazardous, contaminated, or regulated waste without prior written agreement. If such items are discovered during the work, we may stop the relevant activity, reclassify the task, or charge separately for safe handling and disposal.

You remain responsible for declaring any unusual materials on site, including treated timber, asbestos-containing items, chemicals, fuel containers, or contaminated soil. We do not provide specialist hazardous waste services unless expressly agreed in writing. If waste produced by the service is left on your property, you are responsible for its lawful onward management once the job is complete. Where we remove waste, title and responsibility transfer only when permitted by law and only for the material we have agreed to take.

7. Variations, Complaints and Ending the Agreement

We may vary the service if required by safety, site conditions, or your written request. Any variation may affect the price, completion time, or materials required. If a variation is material, we will normally confirm the revised terms before continuing. We may also end or suspend the agreement if you fail to pay, provide unsafe access, behave abusively, or materially breach these Terms and Conditions. In such circumstances, you will remain responsible for payment for work already carried out and costs reasonably incurred.

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service, you should notify us promptly so that we may investigate and, where appropriate, offer a remedy. We ask that concerns are raised as soon as reasonably possible after the issue arises, because delay can make it harder to assess the position fairly. A complaint does not suspend your obligation to pay undisputed sums by the due date. We will deal with concerns in a proportionate and reasonable manner.

If any part of these terms is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force. No failure or delay by us in exercising any right under these Terms and Conditions shall operate as a waiver of that right. These terms, together with the quotation and any written variation, form the entire agreement between the parties for the relevant service unless expressly replaced by a later written contract.

8. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising from them or in connection with them, are governed by the law of England and Wales, unless mandatory law requires otherwise. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any claim, dispute, or proceedings arising from this agreement, subject to any rights that cannot be excluded by law. By engaging Gardeners Manor House, you accept that the service relationship is governed by this legal framework.