Customer terms and conditions.

1. About These Terms

These terms apply when a customer books services from ScapeClear Property Clearance (“ScapeClear”, “we”, “us” or “our”).

By accepting a quotation, paying a deposit, confirming a booking in writing or instructing us to begin work, the customer confirms that they have read and accepted these terms.

2. Our Services

Our services may include:

House and partial property clearances

Probate and estate clearances

End-of-tenancy clearances

Garage, loft and shed clearances

Garden clearances and tidy-ups

Hedge trimming

Green-waste removal

Pressure washing where agreed

Furniture and single-item collections

Small removals and transport

Storage-unit clearances

Loading and labour support

Void-property and property-reset services

Office, shop and commercial clearances

Recurring collections and

Other agreed property or business-support services.

Only services expressly listed in the written quotation are included in the booking.

3. Quotations

Quotations are provided free of charge unless we tell the customer otherwise beforehand.

Unless otherwise stated, a quotation remains valid for 30 days. Quotations are based on the information, descriptions, measurements, photographs and access details supplied by the customer.

The final price may depend on:

The amount, type and weight of material

The number of workers required

Loading time and labour

Vehicle capacity

Access, stairs and parking restrictions

Waste classification and disposal charges

Materials or specialist equipment and

Any other relevant circumstances.

If the amount or nature of the work is materially different from what was disclosed, ScapeClear may pause before starting or continuing and issue a revised quotation.

We will obtain the customer’s agreement before undertaking additional chargeable work.

4. Booking Confirmation

A booking is confirmed only when:

The customer accepts the quotation

The required deposit has cleared

All required information has been supplied and

ScapeClear issues written confirmation.

A requested date remains provisional until these requirements have been met.

5. Deposits

A deposit of between 25% and 50% of the total quoted price is required to confirm and secure the booking.

The exact deposit percentage will depend on:

The type of service

The size and complexity of the job

The labour and vehicle capacity reserved

Expected disposal charges

Materials or equipment required and

Any non-recoverable upfront costs.

The quotation and deposit invoice will clearly state:

The total quoted price

The deposit percentage

The deposit amount and

The estimated remaining balance.

The deposit forms part of the total price and is deducted from the final balance. It is not an additional charge.

A deposit is not automatically non-refundable in every circumstance. Any amount retained following cancellation must be fair and connected to work already performed or losses directly caused by the cancellation.

6. Final Payment

The remaining balance becomes due immediately upon completion of the agreed service and must be paid in full on the same day.

A different payment deadline or instalment arrangement will apply only where:

It is requested before the day of the service and

ScapeClear agrees to it in writing.

A request made on or after the service date does not change the same-day payment requirement unless ScapeClear expressly agrees otherwise in writing.

Payment must be made using one of the methods shown on the invoice or agreed with ScapeClear.

7. Invoices and Receipts

ScapeClear will normally issue:

A deposit invoice for the agreed deposit

A receipt or payment confirmation when the deposit is received

A final invoice showing the total price, deposit paid and remaining balance and

A receipt or paid-in-full confirmation after receiving the final balance.

If the customer disputes an invoice, they must contact us promptly and explain the issue. Any amount that is not genuinely disputed remains payable by its original deadline.

8. Customer Cancellation

Customers must notify ScapeClear as soon as possible if they wish to cancel. Notice may be given by email, telephone, text message or WhatsApp.

The cancellation notice should include:

The customer’s name

The service address

The booking date

The booking reference, if available and

A clear statement that the booking is being cancelled.

Where no statutory cooling-off right applies, or after that period has ended, ScapeClear may deduct reasonable losses directly caused by the cancellation, including:

Work already completed

Materials purchased specifically for the booking

Non-refundable third-party charges

Disposal, equipment or administrative costs already incurred

Labour or vehicle capacity reserved and

Reasonable loss of profit where the appointment could not be refilled.

ScapeClear will take reasonable steps to reduce its losses, including attempting to refill the appointment where practical. We will not recover the same loss twice.

If our reasonable loss is less than the deposit, we will refund the difference.

If our reasonable loss exceeds the deposit, we may seek the additional amount, but only where it represents a reasonable and lawful loss caused by the cancellation.

9. Exceptional and Unforeseen Circumstances

ScapeClear understands that unexpected circumstances may prevent a customer from proceeding with a booking.

Examples may include:

A medical emergency, serious illness or hospital admission

A bereavement

A serious family emergency

An accident

Sudden loss of access to the property

Severe weather or significant travel disruption; or

Another substantial event outside the customer’s reasonable control.

Customers should notify ScapeClear as soon as reasonably possible and explain what has happened.

Every request will be considered fairly, sensitively and individually. Depending on the circumstances, work already completed and costs already incurred, ScapeClear may:

Refund the deposit in full

Provide a partial deposit refund

Transfer the deposit to a replacement booking date; or

Retain a fair amount to cover reasonable and unavoidable losses.

A refund under this section is not guaranteed solely because an unforeseen event has occurred. However, ScapeClear will act reasonably, consider the explanation provided and take reasonable steps to reduce its loss.

Nothing in this section limits a customer’s statutory cancellation or refund rights.

10. Evidence of Exceptional Circumstances

Where a customer requests a discretionary refund or deposit transfer because of an exceptional circumstance, ScapeClear may ask for reasonable supporting evidence.

For a medical emergency, we will not normally require a diagnosis, complete medical record or detailed private medical information.

Evidence need only confirm, where reasonably possible, that an emergency or medical event occurred and affected the customer’s ability to proceed with the booking.

Suitable evidence may include:

A hospital attendance or discharge document

A dated appointment confirmation

A brief confirmation from a medical provider

Evidence of an emergency appointment; or

Another reasonable document confirming that the customer could not proceed.

Customers may remove or conceal diagnoses, medical details and other information that is not relevant to the request.

Any information provided will:

Be used only to assess the refund or rescheduling request

Be accessed only by people who need it

Be stored securely

Not be used for marketing or unrelated purposes and

Be deleted when it is no longer reasonably required.

If obtaining evidence would be impractical, excessively intrusive or unreasonable, the customer should explain this. ScapeClear may consider alternative evidence or the circumstances themselves.

Failure to provide reasonable evidence may affect a discretionary refund or deposit transfer. It will not remove any cancellation or refund right provided by law.

11. Consumer Cooling-Off Period

A consumer who books online, by telephone, by email or somewhere other than ScapeClear’s business premises will normally have a legal right to cancel within 14 days after entering the contract, subject to statutory exceptions.

If the customer cancels during that period before work begins, payments will normally be refunded in full.

ScapeClear will not begin work during the cooling-off period unless the customer expressly requests an early start.

If the customer asks us to begin during the cooling-off period and then cancels before completion, the customer may have to pay a proportionate amount for the service already provided.

If the service is fully completed during the cooling-off period following the customer’s express request and acknowledgement, the customer may lose their statutory right to cancel once the service has been completely performed.

Early-Start Request

CUSTOMER DECLARATION: I expressly request that ScapeClear Property Clearance begin providing the booked service before my 14-day cancellation period ends. I understand that if I cancel after work begins, I may have to pay a reasonable and proportionate amount for the service already provided. I understand that I may lose my statutory cancellation right once the service has been fully completed.

Customer name: ______________________________________________________________

Service address: ______________________________________________________________

Booking date: ______________________________________________________________

Signature or electronic confirmation: ______________________________________________________________

Date: ______________________________________________________________

12. Rescheduling

A customer may request to move a booking by contacting us as soon as possible.

Rescheduling is subject to availability and is not guaranteed. Where reasonably possible, ScapeClear may transfer the deposit to a replacement date.

If changing the date causes a direct and unavoidable loss, ScapeClear may deduct that reasonable loss from the deposit or request payment for it.

Repeated rescheduling, failure to agree on a reasonable replacement date or a request made too late for us to refill the original appointment may be treated as a cancellation.

13. Cancellation or Changes by ScapeClear

ScapeClear may need to change or cancel a booking because of:

Illness or staff unavailability

Vehicle or equipment failure

Unsafe working conditions

Severe weather

Access problems

Suspected hazardous or unlawful waste

Events beyond our reasonable control; or

Another substantial reason preventing safe or lawful completion.

We will notify the customer as soon as reasonably possible.

If ScapeClear cancels and cannot agree on a suitable replacement date, payments for services not provided will be refunded. We will not retain the deposit where the cancellation is our responsibility and the customer has received no service or benefit.

14. Customer Responsibilities

The customer must:

Provide complete and accurate information about the work

Disclose the nature and approximate quantity of all items and waste

Tell us about stairs, restricted access, parking or loading restrictions

Arrange any necessary parking permissions

Provide safe and reasonable access

Ensure they have authority to instruct us to remove the items

Clearly identify anything that must not be removed

Secure valuables, money, documents and personal possessions

Keep children and animals away from the work area

Tell us about known hazards and

Obtain any required owner, landlord or managing-agent permission.

The customer must inspect the relevant areas before work begins and remove or clearly identify anything they wish to retain.

Provided we have followed the customer’s instructions and acted reasonably, ScapeClear will not be responsible for removing an item that was not identified as excluded from the clearance.

15. Waste and Prohibited Materials

Customers must disclose materials requiring specialist handling or disposal.

Unless expressly agreed in writing, ScapeClear may refuse to handle:

Asbestos or suspected asbestos

Medical or clinical waste

Chemicals, solvents or unidentified liquids

Gas cylinders

Explosives, ammunition or firearms

Human or animal remains

Biological hazards

Fuel, oil or contaminated materials

Specialist electrical items requiring separate disposal

Paint or hazardous building materials and

Anything unsafe or unlawful to transport or dispose of.

Discovering undisclosed hazardous or specialist material may result in the work being paused, cancelled or repriced.

ScapeClear will use lawful and appropriate waste-disposal arrangements. Reuse and donation options may be considered where suitable but cannot be guaranteed.

16. Access, Parking and Delays

The customer must ensure suitable access at the agreed time.

Reasonable additional charges may apply where delays or extra costs arise because:

Access is unavailable

Keys have not been provided

Parking has not been arranged

The customer or their representative is late

Items are not ready

Information supplied was inaccurate; or

Circumstances at the property are materially different from those described.

Any additional charge will be explained and agreed before avoidable additional work is undertaken.

17. Items Suitable for Reuse or Sale

Items removed during a clearance will ordinarily be treated as items the customer has authorised ScapeClear to dispose of, recycle, donate or otherwise handle appropriately.

If a customer wishes to retain, sell or donate an item, they must clearly identify and remove it from the clearance before work begins.

18. Completion of the Service

The service will be treated as completed when the work listed in the quotation has been performed.

Where reasonably possible, the customer should inspect the work upon completion and raise any immediate concerns before the team leaves.

Completion does not prevent a consumer from raising a legitimate issue later or exercising statutory rights.

19. Complaints

Customers should report concerns promptly by emailing contact@scapeclear.co.uk.

A complaint should include:

The customer’s name and contact details

The booking or invoice reference

The service address and date

An explanation of the issue and

Photographs or other supporting evidence where relevant.

We aim to acknowledge complaints promptly and provide a substantive response within 10 working days.

Where a service has not been provided with reasonable care and skill, the customer may be entitled to repeat performance or an appropriate price reduction under applicable consumer law.

This complaints procedure does not limit statutory rights.

20. Refunds

Refunds will be calculated according to:

The customer’s statutory rights

Work already completed

Materials or external costs already incurred

Direct losses caused by cancellation

Any service already received and

ScapeClear’s ability to reduce its loss.

Any refund due will normally be returned through the original payment method within 14 days after it is agreed, or sooner where required by law.

Nothing in these terms permits ScapeClear to withhold money unlawfully or impose an excessive cancellation charge.

21. Late Payment

If the final balance is not paid on the day of completion and no alternative arrangement was agreed in writing before the service date, the amount will be overdue.

ScapeClear may:

Send payment reminders

Suspend or refuse additional services and

Take reasonable steps to recover the overdue amount.

Interest, administration charges or debt-recovery costs will only be charged to consumers where they are fair, reasonable, clearly communicated and permitted by law.

For business customers, ScapeClear may claim statutory interest and recovery costs where legally applicable.

22. Discounts

Discounts are subject to their stated eligibility requirements.

Available discounts may include:

OAP discount: 10% for qualifying customers aged 60 or over

Multi-job discount: 5% for qualifying non-trade customers

Discounts cannot be combined unless agreed in writing beforehand.

ScapeClear may request reasonable evidence of eligibility. A discount must be agreed and shown on the quotation before the booking is confirmed.

23. Care and Damage

ScapeClear will perform the service with reasonable care and skill.

The customer must disclose fragile surfaces, hidden pipes or cables, structural weaknesses, valuable fixtures and other risks that may not be reasonably apparent.

The customer should report alleged damage promptly and provide reasonable evidence and access for inspection.

Nothing in these terms excludes or restricts liability for:

Death or personal injury caused by negligence

Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation

Breach of statutory consumer rights; or

Any liability that cannot legally be excluded.

24. Events Beyond Reasonable Control

Neither party will be responsible for a delay or failure caused by circumstances they could not reasonably control.

The affected party must notify the other as soon as reasonably possible. Both parties will try to rearrange the service or find another reasonable solution.

If a substantial delay means the service can no longer reasonably be provided, the customer may cancel and receive a refund for the part not supplied, less any fair payment for work already completed at their request.

25. Personal Information

ScapeClear may use customer information to:

Prepare quotations

Administer bookings

Provide services

Process and record payments

Communicate with customers

Handle complaints and refunds

Meet accounting, tax and legal obligations and

Protect legitimate business interests.

Personal information will be handled in accordance with applicable UK data-protection law and ScapeClear’s privacy notice.

Identifiable customer photographs or personal information will not be used for marketing without appropriate permission.

26. Photographs and Marketing

ScapeClear may take before-and-after or completion photographs for operational and record-keeping purposes where appropriate.

We will request permission before using identifiable photographs of a customer’s property, possessions or personal information for advertising, social media or promotional purposes.

Refusing marketing permission will not affect the service.

27. Business Customers

A customer booking wholly or mainly for business purposes will be treated as a business customer.

Business customers confirm that the individual accepting the quotation has authority to bind the relevant organisation.

Trade-account terms, recurring-service arrangements, credit periods or other business conditions may be contained in a separate written agreement. Where that agreement conflicts with these terms, the separately agreed business terms will apply to the relevant booking.

Consumer protections apply where a customer is acting wholly or mainly outside their trade, business, craft or profession.

28. Changes to These Terms

The version accepted when the booking is confirmed will apply to that booking.

ScapeClear will not make a material change to an existing booking without the customer’s agreement unless the change is required by law or necessary to address an immediate safety issue.

29. Severability

If a court or other competent authority finds part of these terms unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply.

30. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.

A consumer may bring proceedings in any court that has jurisdiction under applicable consumer law.

Booking and Acceptance Record

Complete this record and retain it with the accepted quotation and payment records.

FIELD

BOOKING DETAILS

Customer name

__________________________________________

Customer address

__________________________________________

Service address

__________________________________________

Telephone

__________________________________________

Email

__________________________________________

Quotation number

__________________________________________

Description of service

__________________________________________

Service date

__________________________________________

Total quoted price

£

Deposit percentage

☐ 25% ☐ 30% ☐ 40% ☐ 50% ☐ Other: ______

Deposit amount

£

Remaining balance

£

Alternative payment terms agreed before the service date, if any

__________________________________________

CUSTOMER ACCEPTANCE: I confirm that I have received and accepted the quotation and these terms and conditions. I authorise ScapeClear Property Clearance to undertake the listed service.

Customer signature or electronic acceptance: ____________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________

Early-Start Confirmation (if applicable)

Use this only where the customer asks ScapeClear to begin during an applicable 14-day cancellation period.

CUSTOMER DECLARATION: I expressly request that ScapeClear Property Clearance begin providing the booked service before my 14-day cancellation period ends. I understand that if I cancel after work begins, I may have to pay a reasonable and proportionate amount for the service already provided. I understand that I may lose my statutory cancellation right once the service has been fully completed.

Customer signature or electronic confirmation: ____________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________