Terms and Conditions for Gardeners Petersham

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which gardening services are supplied by Gardeners Petersham. They are designed to provide a clear and practical framework for customers arranging domestic or light commercial garden work. By booking any service, the customer agrees to be bound by these terms. The wording below should be read as a legal service page and not as a guide or advice article. For the purposes of these terms, references to "we", "us" and "our" mean the service provider, and references to "you" and "your" mean the person requesting the gardening work.

We aim to keep the booking process straightforward, transparent and efficient. A booking may be made following an initial enquiry, a site visit, a written estimate, or a service request confirmed by email or message. The exact scope of work will depend on the condition of the garden, access, seasonal factors and any specific instructions you provide. Gardeners Petersham may decline a request where the work is outside our usual service area, requires specialist machinery, or presents a health and safety concern.

Any quotation or estimate is based on the information available at the time it is issued. If the condition of the site changes, or if the actual work differs from the description provided, the price may be revised before or during the appointment. We will always try to communicate such changes clearly. The customer is responsible for ensuring that the details supplied at the time of booking are accurate, including access arrangements, parking restrictions, pets, hidden hazards, and any restrictions affecting the work.

Booking Process and Service Confirmation

A booking becomes confirmed only when both parties have agreed the date, scope and price, and we have accepted the request. In some cases, confirmation may be given in writing by email or text message. A booking request alone does not guarantee availability. We may schedule work on a single-visit basis, recurring maintenance basis, or as a one-off seasonal appointment, depending on the service agreed. If a deposit is required, the booking may not be secured until the deposit has been received in full.

It is your responsibility to make sure that someone is available if access to the property is required. If nobody is present, we may still carry out the work where access has been agreed in advance. You should also remove or secure items that could be damaged by routine gardening operations, including ornaments, garden furniture, toys, and delicate fixtures. We do not accept responsibility for items left in work areas unless loss or damage is caused by our negligence and falls within the liability provisions below.

We reserve the right to reschedule or cancel a booking due to unsafe weather conditions, staff illness, equipment failure, lack of access, or any event beyond our reasonable control. Where possible, we will offer an alternative date. If the work cannot be reasonably completed on the scheduled day, we may charge only for work already performed and any reasonable costs incurred in reaching the site.

Payments must be made in accordance with the invoice or quotation accepted at the time of booking. Unless otherwise stated, payment is due on completion of the work or within the payment period stated on the invoice. We may request part-payment, a deposit, or full prepayment for larger jobs, specialist treatments, repeated maintenance plans, or jobs involving the purchase of materials. Accepted payment methods may include bank transfer or other methods confirmed in advance. Cash payments, if accepted, should be made in the exact amount where practical.

All prices are stated in pounds sterling and may be subject to VAT where applicable. Any written estimate is based on the labour, materials, waste handling and access assumptions stated in that estimate. Additional charges may apply if the customer requests extra tasks not included in the original scope, if the site conditions differ materially from those described, or if the job takes substantially longer due to circumstances outside our control. We will normally seek approval before undertaking chargeable additional work, unless immediate action is needed to prevent damage or injury.

Late payment may result in the suspension of future services, additional administrative charges, or recovery action where permitted by law. If any invoice remains unpaid after the due date, we may charge interest and reasonable costs of collection in accordance with applicable UK law. We reserve the right to retain ownership of materials supplied by us until full payment has been received, to the extent permitted by law.

Cancellations, Changes and Waiting Time

We understand that plans can change, and we ask that you notify us as soon as possible if you need to amend or cancel a booking. Cancellations made with reasonable notice may not incur a charge, but short-notice cancellations may attract a fee where we have reserved time, prepared equipment, or allocated staff specifically for your appointment. The amount of any cancellation charge will depend on the notice given and the extent of preparations already made.

If you wish to reschedule, we will do our best to offer a new appointment subject to availability. Repeated changes, failure to provide access, or missed appointments may result in a deposit being retained or additional charges being applied. If we arrive at the property and cannot begin work because access is unavailable, the site is unsafe, or the agreed preparations have not been made, we may treat the visit as a late cancellation or charge a call-out fee.

Waiting time caused by delayed access, parking restrictions, or other site-related issues may be chargeable if it materially affects the planned schedule. Where the work is delayed for a short period, we may continue once access is available. If delay makes completion impractical, we may leave and arrange a further appointment, with any additional cost payable by the customer where the delay was not caused by us.

Liability and Service Standards

We will carry out the gardening services with reasonable care and skill, using suitable methods and equipment for the task agreed. However, gardening work is inherently variable, and results may be affected by plant health, weather, soil condition, previous maintenance, pest activity, and the age or structure of the garden. Unless we have expressly guaranteed a result in writing, we do not promise that plants will survive pruning, reshaping, transplanting or treatment, particularly where the condition of the plant has already declined.

Our liability is limited to losses that are directly caused by our negligence, breach of contract, or failure to use reasonable care and skill. We do not accept liability for indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of enjoyment, or damage arising from hidden defects, pre-existing conditions, or events beyond our control. Nothing in these terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under UK law.

If damage occurs and is notified promptly, we may inspect the issue and, where appropriate, offer repair, replacement, or a reasonable reduction in price. Our total liability for any claim connected with a particular booking will not exceed the amount paid or payable for that booking, except where law requires otherwise. You are expected to take reasonable steps to protect valuables, fragile items, and underground features, and to inform us of any known hazards before work begins.

We are not responsible for damage caused by items that were already defective, insecure, overloaded, rotten, rusted, or unsuitable for normal use. This includes fencing, paving, gates, fixtures, irrigation parts, decorative structures, and stored items left in working areas. Where we have been asked to move heavy objects, use mechanical access tools, or work near utilities, you must tell us about any known risks, including hidden cables, pipes, drains or soakaways. If such information is withheld, any resulting damage may be outside our responsibility.

Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer. If you are hiring us in a business capacity, you confirm that you have authority to enter into the contract and that any special requirements must be agreed in writing. Any variations to the agreed scope should be confirmed before the work proceeds. Verbal requests made on site may be treated as instructions if reasonably understood by our team, and may be charged as additional work.

We may suspend or end a service agreement immediately if you behave abusively, fail to pay sums due, repeatedly ignore agreed access arrangements, or ask us to carry out unsafe or unlawful work. In such circumstances, any completed work remains payable and any deposit may be used against costs already incurred. If we end the agreement for convenience or due to operational changes, we will give reasonable notice where practicable and refund any payment for work not yet performed, subject to lawful deductions.

Waste Regulations and Disposal

Any waste removal connected with gardening services will be handled in accordance with applicable UK waste regulations and duty of care requirements. Green waste, soil, branches, leaves, grass cuttings and similar organic materials may be removed only where this has been agreed in advance or is included in the quotation. We will decide the most appropriate and lawful disposal method, which may include transfer to a licensed facility, composting where suitable, or other permitted routes. We do not dispose of controlled, hazardous or clinical waste unless this has been expressly agreed and lawfully arranged.

If waste removal is included, the price may reflect loading time, transport, disposal charges and any facility fees. You must not place asbestos, solvents, oils, paint, sharps, chemicals, medical waste, or other hazardous materials among normal garden waste unless prior written agreement has been obtained. If prohibited material is discovered in a waste load, we may stop work, separate the material if safe to do so, and charge for the extra time and disposal costs involved. In some cases, we may refuse to remove the waste and leave it safely contained on site.

Title to waste passes to us only to the extent necessary for lawful collection and disposal. If you choose to retain ownership of any waste or reusable material, you must inform us before the work begins. We are not responsible for waste deposited by third parties, fly-tipped material, or waste that pre-existed our attendance unless we have expressly agreed to remove it. Any request for removal of large volumes of waste or repeated green waste clearance may be subject to a revised quote or separate booking.

Governing Law and General Provisions

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising from them, shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where mandatory consumer law provides otherwise. If any part of these terms is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

Any failure by us to enforce a right or provision under these terms will not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. We may update these terms from time to time to reflect operational changes, legal requirements, or improvements to our service structure. The version in force at the time of booking will normally apply to that booking unless a change is required by law. Customers are encouraged to retain a copy of the terms accepted at the time of order for their records.

These conditions form the full agreement between the parties in relation to the booked gardening service, unless otherwise confirmed in writing. No person other than the customer and the service provider shall have any rights to enforce the contract under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 unless explicitly stated. By proceeding with a booking for Gardeners Petersham, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to these terms.