Terms and Conditions for Gardeners Ratcliff

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Gardeners Ratcliff provides domestic and commercial gardening services to clients in the United Kingdom. By making a booking, confirming a quotation, or allowing work to begin, the client agrees to these terms. The purpose of this page is to explain how bookings are arranged, how payments are handled, what happens if a job is cancelled or changed, and how liability, waste handling, and legal matters are managed. In these terms, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean the gardening service provider, and references to “you” and “your” mean the customer.

The agreement applies to all routine and one-off gardening work, including lawn care, hedge trimming, planting, border maintenance, clearance, pruning, and related outdoor services. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights under UK consumer law where they apply. If any part of these terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder will continue in full force. These terms should be read together with any written quotation, service note, or agreed job specification, as those documents may set out additional details for a particular visit.

We aim to keep our service terms clear and practical. Because gardening work can vary depending on weather, site conditions, plant health, access, and waste volume, some adjustments may be needed during the course of a job. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all services are provided on the basis of the latest quotation, the confirmed booking, and the information supplied by the client before work starts.

Booking Process

A booking is usually formed when you request a service, receive a quotation or estimate, and then confirm that you want the work to go ahead. A booking may be made by phone, email, message, or any other method we accept. However, no booking is guaranteed until we have confirmed availability and accepted the job. If a visit requires an assessment before work can begin, any estimate given before inspection may be subject to change once the site has been reviewed.

When arranging a visit, you must provide accurate and complete information about the property, access, the size and condition of the garden, any special requirements, and any hazards we should be aware of. This includes, where relevant, the presence of pets, broken paving, hidden debris, water features, protected plants, or areas that may be difficult to reach. If the information provided is incomplete or inaccurate, we may need to revise the quotation, reschedule the appointment, or decline the work.

We will normally confirm the service date, scope of work, and any agreed pricing in writing or by another recorded method. Gardeners Ratcliff may need to change a booking where staff, equipment, or weather conditions prevent work from being completed safely or effectively. In those circumstances, we will try to rearrange the visit within a reasonable time. While we will do our best to keep appointments, time slots are estimates rather than guaranteed fixed arrival times unless explicitly stated.

Payments and Charges

Prices are based on the type of service, the expected duration of the work, labour, materials, access conditions, and any additional disposal or specialist requirements. If a quotation has been provided, it will normally remain valid for the stated period, or if no period is stated, for a reasonable time in light of market conditions. Any price given before inspection is an estimate only unless we expressly confirm that it is fixed.

Payment is due in accordance with the invoice or confirmation issued for the booking. Unless otherwise agreed, payment must be made on completion of the work or within the period stated on the invoice. For larger jobs, staged payments, deposits, or part-payments may be requested in advance. We reserve the right to require cleared funds before starting work, especially where materials are ordered specifically for the job or where waste disposal costs are likely to be significant.

If additional work is requested during the visit, or if circumstances arise that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time of booking, we may charge extra. Examples include unexpectedly large volumes of green waste, hard-to-access areas, the removal of hidden rubbish, or the need for specialist equipment. Any extra charge should be agreed with you before the additional work is carried out where practical. Late payment may result in recovery action, suspension of further services, and any reasonable costs incurred in collecting overdue sums, as permitted by law.

All prices are stated in pounds sterling and may be subject to VAT if applicable. Where materials are supplied, such as compost, plants, fertiliser, or timber products, these may be charged separately from labour. You remain responsible for prompt payment even if a third party, insurer, or managing agent is involved, unless we have agreed otherwise in writing. Discounts or promotional offers, if any, are discretionary and may be withdrawn or amended at any time for future bookings.

Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Access

Either party may request to cancel or reschedule a booking. If you need to cancel, please give as much notice as possible so that the appointment can be released for other work. Where a deposit has been taken, its refundability will depend on the amount of notice given, the costs already incurred, and whether any materials or labour have been reserved specifically for your job. We may retain part or all of a deposit where we have suffered a genuine loss, subject to applicable consumer law.

If a cancellation is made at short notice, or if access is not available when our team arrives, a cancellation charge may apply. This may also happen where the property is inaccessible, unsafe, or materially different from the information provided at the time of booking. If you ask us to wait beyond a reasonable period, we may treat the visit as cancelled or charge for lost time. We will always aim to act reasonably and proportionately when applying any such charge.

We may cancel or postpone a booking for reasons beyond our control, including severe weather, staff illness, equipment failure, supply issues, or safety concerns. In such cases, we will try to rearrange the work as soon as reasonably possible. We are not responsible for any indirect loss caused by a delay or cancellation where the cause is outside our reasonable control. Any rescheduled booking will remain subject to these terms unless otherwise agreed.

Work Standards and Customer Responsibilities

Our team will carry out services with reasonable care and skill, using suitable methods and equipment for the job agreed. The exact outcome may depend on the condition of the garden, the season, prior maintenance, and the health of plants or turf. Some services, including pruning and lawn recovery, may take time to show visible results. Unless we have specifically agreed a maintenance programme, no guarantee is given that a garden will remain in a particular condition after work is completed.

You are responsible for ensuring that the area to be worked on is reasonably clear and accessible and that valuable, fragile, or hazardous items are removed or protected before we arrive. Please tell us in advance about underground services, hidden cables, irrigation systems, wildlife nests, or plants that should not be disturbed. If you ask us to work near items that could be damaged, you do so at your own risk unless we have agreed to take specific precautions.

Where you or another person on your behalf directs us to undertake a particular task, you accept responsibility for the instructions given unless those instructions are unlawful or unsafe. We may refuse any instruction that would breach legal requirements, damage protected species or habitats, or create a risk to people, property, or the environment. The final decision on safe working methods remains with us.

Liability and Insurance

We will take reasonable care to avoid damage, but gardening work involves natural and site-specific risks. Plants may respond unpredictably to pruning, relocation, feeding, drought, frost, disease, or previous neglect. Where work is carried out in accordance with your instructions or in line with accepted gardening practice, we will not be liable for ordinary wear, natural failure, or pre-existing weakness in plants, lawns, fences, paving, or structures.

Nothing in these terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under UK law. Subject to that, our liability for loss or damage arising from any one event or series of connected events will be limited to the amount paid or payable for the relevant service, except where a different limit is required by law. We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of enjoyment, or business interruption.

If you believe damage has been caused during a visit, you should notify us as soon as reasonably possible and provide clear details, including photographs where appropriate. We may need the opportunity to inspect the alleged damage before any repair or replacement takes place. Claims made after significant delay may be harder to assess fairly. If any item or surface is especially valuable or vulnerable, you should tell us before work starts so that reasonable precautions can be discussed.

Waste Regulations and Disposal

Garden waste produced during our services will normally be handled in line with applicable UK waste rules and environmental obligations. Green waste may be removed, recycled, composted, or taken to an authorised facility depending on the nature of the material and the arrangements agreed for the job. Where waste removal is included, it applies only to garden waste generated by the work we have agreed to carry out unless stated otherwise.

We do not accept responsibility for disposing of hazardous, controlled, or unusual waste unless this has been expressly agreed in advance and can be handled lawfully. This includes items such as chemicals, asbestos, needles, oil, contaminated soil, electrical waste, large building rubble, and materials that require specialist disposal. If such items are discovered during a visit, we may stop work in the affected area, request further instructions, or charge additional fees if lawful disposal is arranged.

When waste is left on site for collection by the client or a third party, you are responsible for ensuring that it is removed lawfully and in a timely manner. If we transport waste, we may use licensed carriers or authorised disposal routes as required. We may also keep records, such as transfer notes or receipts, where needed to demonstrate compliance with the relevant regulations. You must not ask us to dispose of waste in any way that would breach environmental law or local authority rules.

Complaints, Changes, and Termination

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service, please raise the issue promptly so that we can review the matter and, where appropriate, put things right. We may offer a repeat visit, partial refund, or other reasonable remedy depending on the circumstances. Any remedy will be considered in light of the work agreed, the condition of the site before and after the visit, and any contribution made by the client to the problem.

We may update these terms from time to time to reflect changes in law, operational practice, or service arrangements. The version in force at the time of your booking will usually apply to that booking unless a change is required by law or is beneficial to you. Continued use of our services after an update may constitute acceptance of the revised terms for future bookings.

We may end a booking or refuse further work where a client fails to pay, repeatedly provides inaccurate information, creates an unsafe environment, or behaves in a threatening, abusive, or unlawful manner. If termination occurs after work has begun, you must pay for services already completed and any reasonably incurred costs. Any property left behind following termination should be collected within a reasonable period, failing which storage or disposal arrangements may be made in accordance with law.

Governing Law

These terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where the law gives consumers the right to bring proceedings elsewhere. Nothing in this section affects any mandatory rights you may have under UK consumer protection legislation.

By booking with Gardeners Ratcliff, you confirm that you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions and that you agree to be bound by them for the relevant service. If any individual clause is found to be inconsistent with applicable law, that clause will be interpreted or removed only to the extent necessary, and the rest of the agreement will continue to apply. These terms form the full basis of the service relationship unless a written variation has been agreed by both parties.