Terms

I retain ownership and copyright of all work, including the web site. Note also that third party copyright may exist for design elements and software used.
I specialise in measured surveys. I do not provide architectural services, legal services or structural engineering services. I do not provide reports on structure or condition of properties, nor do I provide valuations or financial services. Should I make comment infringing any of these disciplines it is simply as a casual lay observer, and not to be taken as professional guidance. However, I will try and signpost issues spotted.
I primarily provide our drawings as pdf files (scaled ready for direct printing). Printed copies may be available, but will be charged for (printing cost, post and package cost, and typically one hour of time). I can not take advance orders for printed copies, please order once plans have been proofed.
I am happy to collect keys where this involves only a minor detour and minimal parking issues. Where key collection is not trivial I will charge for time at £30/hour plus any parking / extra transport costs. I do not currently have facility to recieve keys by post. Keys can be returned at the clients risk at £10.00 for time p&p. (I will not post to the address for which the keys provide access. Please ensure other copies of keys exist - I have experienced theft from Royal Mail recorded post and do not wish to pay for lock replacements).
My drawings, reports and photographs are provided on a licence to use basis for a specific purpose. No other use is authorised, and no responsibility is accepted for any such use. To obtain additional usage rights please contact me; I may charge additional fees / place additional limitations on liability. (Plans designed and surveyed for one purpose may not always be suitable for another purpose, and by permitting additional uses I broaden my liabilities. Limitations of onward usage are also imposed upon me when I purchase third party mapping services.)
For estate agency my service are provided only for the purpose of assisting with marketing of properties for sale unless otherwise stated. I allow publishing by any means for marketing of a single sale of a single property. For use with further sales of a property a new license will be required. The license is not transferable. Personal private usage is permitted providing it is non-commercial and legal. I accept no responsibility for such usage.
For my professional drawings (licence, lease, developer etc) I can provide plans in a range of paper and digital formats, and I am happy for plans to be held in these and a range of other formats. Use of these plans are restricted to their original stated purpose, and limited to twelve months active use for submissions etc. After this time archive copies may be held and referred to as required. Personal private usage is permitted providing it is non-commercial and legal. I accept no responsibility for such usage.
All other reuse of my work requires further licensing.
Most Land Registry compliant mapping incorporates OS mapping. I licence this for 12 months, and can only edit plans during this period. After 12 months from ordering I archive drawings, and will charge for any additional editing and the relicensing required.
I will require evidence that suitable OS licensing exists before releasing CAD files containing OS mapping data, otherwise such data will be stripped from the drawing.
An additional fee of around 40% will be charged for release of CAD dwg files where this is requested subsequently.
Reverse engineering of my drawings is a copyright infringement and is not permitted.
Billing is by invoice to the commissioning individual or organisation. In accordance with RICS guidelines the liability for invoices remains with the commissioning agent. Liability will only pass to their client in the case that the commissioning agency ceases trading.
A deposit or staged payment may be requested prior to commencement on larger instructions. Outstanding balances typically will be billed upon preparation of the first draft of any work, with payment required by return (within 7 days), and before completed work is released.
Occasionally I find the scope of the work required significantly exceeds the original expectation. In such cases I will try to contact the client in a timely manner to discuss the matter and options available. This may occur where the area of the property is larger than quoted for (extra floors, cellars, grounds or access rights), or where the nature of the building is significantly different to that anticipated (medieval buildings behind modern facades), or where access is restricted requiring more time or additional visits to a site.
Generally additional work is charged at £60.00 / hr or part thereof, plus any costs incurred.
Commercial clients may be offered the option of an account. These are normally subject to 7 day payment terms, with final work only released prior to settlement for well maintained accounts.
Payment may be made by cheque or electronic transfer. Other means of payment may be accepted subject to negotiation but may incur additional charges.
Discount compounding method is at my discretion, and may not apply to parts covering external costs.
Any fee discounts offered are subject to full payment being made within the offered terms. After this time the billing will revert to our standard undiscounted rate.
Interest is charged on bills not settled within my offered terms. Interest is applied compound per month or part month from the invoice date.
Interest is charged at: 1.5% per month or part month beyond due date, compounded (19.56% APR).
On the rare occasions that payment is not forthcoming I will take steps to legally recover the debt and any costs incurred.
Cancellation fees are chargeable, and cover fees for any work done, time and expenses incurred, and opportunities lost. If a cancellation is unavoidable, please advise us at the earliest reasonable opportunity in order to keep cancellation fees to a minimum. I will bring any work in progress to a tidy conclusion at a natural breakpoint such that it could be later resumed with minimal cost. I will bill for time and costs already committed where these can not be recovered or redeployed.
In the event that an issue arises with one of my drawings, please contact me. If there is a clear error then I will require the opportunity to correct the matter. If the matter is subjective, indeterminate or outside the scope of the original brief then I will review the matter and suggest ways forward and potential fees. For boundary reports I am bound by a duty of care to the court, so may not change reports upon instructions, but I will review suggestions.
I only collect and retain a limited amount of personal data required for essential for contract administration, this is proportionate to our operational needs and record keeping obligations. I strive to keep data secure. I do not forward details to third parties except where essential in the direct provision of my service.
I carry public liability (£5,000,000) and professional indemnity insurance (£1,000,000). If this is inadequate then please discuss as I only accept work on condition of these being the accepted limits of liability and indemnity claimable against me.

By ordering my services these terms are considered accepted.

Updated 6 September 2023 PMM - E&OE