Payment Details & Terms & Conditions - Fix My Garden Group
01/2023
Settlement/payment of all works on completion on the day. BACS transfer, Standing Order, Debit or Credit card (fees apply) or cash accepted. Sorry we no longer take cheques. Please do not book any work if you do not have means to pay.
Payment-We operate a paperless system where we will send electronic invoices and would appreciate settlement by means of Standing Order for regular maintenance and BACS for one off works.
Materials-Minimum 80% of the material/hire costs upfront prior to commencement of any landscaping will be required followed by 10% at mid point of the project followed by the remaining 10% plus labour and additional costs at the end of the project. All materials remain the property of Fix My Garden Ltd Group of Companies until fully paid for. If staged payments are missed work will be stopped until payments resume. Materials are estimated and may change in price which is out of our control. Currently there is a global shortage of raw materials which is having an impact on availability and prices, we cannot be held responsible for material availability and sudden price increases beyond our control. Fuel and material prices are also increasing significantly which maybe reflected in the final invoice.
Mileage. Mileage will be charged at 40 pence per mile.
We can offer Standing Order, BACS system.
Standing Order and BACS details are:
Nat West Bank
Sort Code 53-61-47
Acct No 69153175
IBAN: GB97NWBK53614769153175
BIC: NWBKGB2L
Please note a default minimum charge of two basic hours labour @ £25.00ph plus mileage for any job will be applied irrespective of the time taken for attendance for a job which takes less than two hours.
Unpaid items over 7 Days will incur an admin fee of £25.00 plus 10% of the total invoice per month.
Vacant Property We require full payment in advance when work is required on vacant or sold properties including ‘under offer’ or at ‘exchange subject to contract.’
New Turf Please ensure you keep off newly laid turf for at least two weeks and keep it watered everyday until it establishes itself as a lawn.
New Concrete Please ensure you cover newly poured concrete to protect it during the curing process should the weather turn for the worse. Please do not walk on recently poured concrete until it has cured.
New Slabs/Paving Please keep off new slabs/paving until the mortar/cement has set thank you.
New Gravel Please note new gravel especially driveway gravel takes time to bed in, please allow at least three(depending on traffic) weeks to allow gravel to bed in.
Regular Maintenance contracts payable on monthly basis by standing order, three months notice required to terminate the contract. Regular maintenance contracts are for the full twelve months. During December, January and February there will only be one visit per month. Pre Christmas garden tidies can be arranged please ask for details.
Health & Safety/ machinery damage – please advise of any dangers/utilities on your property and any obstruction or item which may harm our staff or the machinery. Items left in grass which damage the operator or machinery may be subject to an additional charge. Cables in long grass/hedges- please advise of any electric/ TV, solar, Cable TV, Fairy Lights, Spa Bath or any other form or supply which could be damaged or cut by mowers/strimmers or hedge cutters, we cannot be held responsible for any damage if you do not protect and highlight such supplies. Please advise of any lawn irrigation system in lawns and any mole traps in lawns. METAL BARS IN HEDGES please note any metal bars in hedges which damage hedge cutters will be charged at a full hedge cutter head replacement. Should any of our machinery be damaged by unnecessary or unsuspected items which should not be in the grass, hedge, tree or shrubs a repair or replacement charge will be added to the invoice.
Gravel Driveways & Paths next to glass: It has become fashionable to put gravel/ornamental aggregates around gardens and patios, also glass doors, patios and conservatories/doors are now glazed to ground level. Please ensure no gravel is on the grassed areas where mowers and strimmers will be cutting the grass so gravel is not flicked into surrounding glazing. We cannot be held liable for any damage to glazing where gravel or stones are in, on or surround grassed areas near glazing.
Work Overrun: Please note work/projects may overrun due to unforeseen factors such as labour availability, materials availability, machine break down, weather, other project overruns which could not have reasonably been foreseen or access which are beyond our control and cannot be held liable.
Underground works are by there very nature difficult to predict and hidden factors such as services, sunken walls, tree stumps, roots, builders rubble etc may impede the digging and cause an overrun on labour and hire costs at the customers expense.
Digger\Earth Works– It is the customers responsibility to highlight any underground services to our staff prior to excavation. Any services not highlighted and subsequently damaged during ground works, repairs will be at the customers expense.
Snagging– A snagging list will be carried out in agreement with all parties as a “one visit” snag list resolution. On going snag lists will not be entertained.
Tree Preservation Orders (TPO)– please ensure no TPO is in force on any tree you require felling, it is the customers responsibility to ensure no TPO is in force. No responsibility will taken for any breach of a TPO where the customer have instructed us to fell a tree. We sub contract out our tree work.
Mole hills, Dog and Cat Poo-Please would you pick up all cat and dog poo prior to our visit, we will not cut the grass where poo is in situ, we will not work on flower beds where there is dog poo. We will cut around mole hills.
Lawn Clearance-Please ensure all items are removed from grassed areas that require cutting prior to our visit. Please ensure stones or similar items are removed from grassed areas, failure to remove items could lead to stones or similar items being flicked up and causing damage which we cannot be held liable.
Chemical Spray– Will be charged at £15.00 per application/measure of 5 litres or less.
Additional charges will be added to the invoice for labour, chemicals, additional fuel and oil where additional work is required for additional use of petrol machinery.
Customer Supplied Materials/Equipment /Measurements– projects where customers are supplying materials and/or machinery which is not available at the start or during the project the customer will be liable for the labour charges. We cannot be responsible for customer supplied incorrect measurements or calculations.
Quoted Work is for the work specified in the quote, any additional work requested will have to be re quoted or charged at an hourly/day rate. Quotes valid for 15 days. Customer driven short notice changes to previously agreed works to be carried out may incur additional charges. Please ensure you have read the quotation fully to ensure everything you require is written in before accepting. “ While you are here” requests for additional work will incur an additional charge. Should you request a quotation and then require the quotation to be split into various stages/visits the quotation will increase due to travel and set up costs.
Estimated Work Estimated work is an ‘estimate’ or ‘best idea’ of the price the work will cost and how long it will take at that time based on the information available, please be aware the price/time may vary either up or down based on many variable factors. We will ensure we try our best to come in line with the estimate at all times. Estimates valid for 21 days. Customer driven short notice changes to previously agreed works to be carried out will incur additional charges. Please ensure you read the Estimate fully to ensure everything you require is written in before accepting. Should you request an estimate and require the estimate to be split into various stages/visits the estimate will increase due to travel and set up costs.
Quotes and estimates will increase for green work not accepted within one week during the height of the growing season as by its very nature the level of work/green waste would have increased.
Additional Skips may be required on top of the original quote/estimate as estimating the correct level of waste leaving a job to fit the skip size or skip quantities is not easily calculated.
Neighbours and Third Parties Our contract does not extend to neighbours or third parties for payment of agreed works. Invoices will not be split unless expressly agreed in the contract of works and agreed by all parties in writing. Please advise us if you have a dispute with your neighbour regarding boundaries and/or access.
Planning Permission – Local Authorities. Where required please ensure you have planning permission in place for any work you require us to carry out. We are not responsible for seeking planning permission. Should you be unsure please contact your local authority planning office.
Sub contracting – we reserve the right to sub contract out any work.
Tree Surgery– We sub contract all our tree surgery to a qualified tree surgeon.
Bespoke Sheds, Decking, Fencing & Log Stores please ensure you are clear on the specification of the design of the fence, shed/log store or decking prior to ordering as amendments will incur an additional charge. Please also note wood is a natural product and may not be exactly straight, it can warp, (especially in extreme heat) expand or contract, change colour, fade or split. Every effort is made to supply good quality materials but we cannot be held responsible for the above features/traits of wood. Decking should be oiled/treated to maintain its colour with a reputable decking oil/treatment within one week of installation. Fencing and sheds are not guaranteed for ‘storm force’ weather conditions.
Decking Lights– please inform us prior to decking installation should you require decking lights installed as this will incur an additional cost.
Lawn Treatment Companies If you engage a lawn treatment company to treat your lawn please discuss this with us if you are on a regular maintenance contract as it can affect your regular call cycle. Also the quantity of grass your garden produces which will affect the agreement of our waste removal.
Pressure Washing– please note pressure washing by it’s very nature is high pressure water and will dislodge loose mortar, loose stonework, roughen wood and remove paintwork. Please advise us prior to starting of any concerns you may have of loose mortar. Every effort will be made to avoid such incidents but by the very nature of the work such events are sometimes unavoidable. Replacement of mortar will be the customers responsibility.
Good strong external water supply is required for the best results of our machinery, we cannot be held responsible for our machinery not operating at its optimum level due to poor water pressure or supply.
Please note pressure washing by it’s very nature will roughen the exterior of certain wooden products, remove paint, dislodge natural stone and dislodge mortar. Please advise of any area of concern prior to us starting work where you feel this may occur.
Please note pressure washing by it’s very nature will splash surrounding areas with dirty water, we will make every effort to avoid this and clean up after the work is completed however please remove any items you feel may be affected by this process. Please also advise of any areas you do not want washed down. Large quantities of dirty water will be flowing into drains so please ensure your drains are clear to allow the water to flow away.
Every effort will be made to reduce, dirt, splashes and disruption during the pressure washing.
Pressure Washing creates dirt, sand and debris, we will collect this and place it in your compost heap, flower beds (it’s good compost) or bag it and bin it in your bin.
Gutter & conservatory cleaning can dislodge guttering, air vents, upvc parts, silicone sealant and force water into conservatories, replacement of the above is at the customers expense. Please advise prior to cleaning any concerns.
The pressure washer machine is noisy.
Weather– due to changeable weather conditions throughout the year it may be necessary to change an agreed date to carry out works at short notice or change the way we operate on the day due to the weather which may include mulching grass instead of collection or cutting at a higher height than agreed.
During prolonged hot weather and the grass is not growing a minimum charge of 50% of the cutting price will be levied if cancelled or turned away.
Cancellations/Access– if we are turned away on arrival to carry out agreed works the cost of the agreed works will still be chargeable. If we attend to carry out agreed works and the work has already been carried out it will still be chargeable. If we cannot gain access to carry out the agreed works i.e.: gates locked, the cost of the agreed works will still be chargeable.
Green Waste/Grass– we would always as the first option recycle using your bins or compost process please advise us of your preference. We can remove green waste but there will be an additional charge of £25.00 per bulk bag for green waste (no soil) which will be recycled. Price per trailer load POA. Green skips are available from most skip companies. We will always in the first instance mulch lawn grass unless otherwise instructed to collect lawn cuttings.
Spring Cuts – Spring grass cuts coming out of winter grass can be long, wet and clumpy please note additional charge will apply to initial post winter cuts, in addition the grass will be mulched if the grass is so wet and clumpy it cannot be collected.
Photographs– We will use photographs of our work for marketing purposes such as social media, web sites and leaflets, please let us know if you do not want us to use photographs taken of your property. We will never name you or release your address on any of our marketing photographs. We will take before and after photographs.
Rudeness/Obstruction– We will not tolerate verbal or online/text rudeness to our staff or obstruction to our work. Please do not remove our tools or materials without notifying us.
Please ensure you understand these terms and conditions prior to booking the work.
Trevor Newbrook LLb Hons Law
Director
FMG Ltd Group.
