Terms and Conditions for Gardeners East Dulwich

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which gardeners in East Dulwich provide domestic and commercial garden services. By requesting a booking, accepting a quotation, or allowing work to begin, you agree to these terms. They are intended to create a clear, fair, and practical agreement between you and the service provider, covering the booking process, payment terms, cancellations, liability, waste handling, and the law that applies to the contract.

For the purposes of these terms, references to “we,” “us,” and “our” mean the gardening service provider, and references to “you” and “your” mean the customer or person responsible for the property. These terms apply to all common forms of garden maintenance and related work, including but not limited to lawn care, hedge trimming, pruning, planting, seasonal tidy-ups, clearance, and general outdoor maintenance.

The phrase Gardeners East Dulwich is used here as a service description only and does not create any guarantee of availability, same-day attendance, or specific local staffing. We reserve the right to update these terms from time to time, and the version in force at the time of booking will apply to your service, unless a different written agreement has been made.

1. Booking Process

All bookings are subject to availability, suitability of the requested work, and confirmation by us. A booking may be made through the channels we make available from time to time, and it becomes binding only when we have accepted it. Any estimate or quotation provided before acceptance is not, by itself, a confirmed booking. Where the scope of work is uncertain, we may need to inspect the garden or request further information before confirming the appointment.

You must provide accurate and complete details when making a booking, including the address, access arrangements, parking restrictions, known hazards, and any relevant instructions about pets, neighbours, security gates, or fragile features. If the information supplied is incomplete or inaccurate, we may revise the quotation, delay the booking, or withdraw the service if the work cannot reasonably be completed as originally discussed.

Appointments are booked for specific dates or time windows, but arrival times may vary due to travel, weather, workload, or operational issues. While we aim to attend on time, any stated times are estimates only unless we have expressly agreed otherwise in writing. If access is not available at the agreed time, or if the property cannot be reached safely, we may charge a call-out fee or cancellation fee where appropriate.

Scope of the Work

Before work begins, it is your responsibility to ensure that the requested service corresponds to the quotation or booking description. If additional work is identified on arrival, we may offer a revised price and timetable. We are not required to proceed with extra tasks until you have approved the change. A quotation may be based on photographs, measurements, or a brief description, and therefore may be adjusted if the actual site conditions differ materially from what was described.

2. Prices and Payment

Unless otherwise agreed, all prices are quoted in pounds sterling and may be stated inclusive or exclusive of tax depending on the nature of the work and the invoicing arrangement. The final amount payable will reflect the agreed scope, any approved extras, and any applicable charges for waste removal, specialist equipment, or difficult access. We may amend a quotation if the work becomes more extensive because of hidden conditions, severe overgrowth, unsafe debris, or other factors not reasonably visible at the time of pricing.

Payment terms will be confirmed at the time of booking or on the invoice. We may request full payment in advance, payment on completion, or part payment where the job is large or requires materials to be purchased beforehand. Invoices are payable by the deadline shown on the invoice. If payment is late, we reserve the right to charge reasonable interest and administrative costs to the extent permitted by law.

We accept that garden services can involve variable labour time, but any hourly rate, minimum charge, or half-day/full-day rate will be made clear before work starts. If the work takes less time than anticipated, the minimum charge may still apply. If the work takes longer because of factors outside our control, including excessive root growth, hidden rubbish, or weather-related interruption, then additional time may be chargeable with your prior approval where practical.

Deposits and Materials

For larger projects, recurring services, or bookings requiring specialist supplies, we may ask for a deposit. Deposits secure the date and cover preparatory costs, and they may be non-refundable where indicated in writing. Any plants, compost, aggregates, timber, or similar materials purchased specifically for your job may be charged separately unless included in the quotation. Ownership of supplied materials usually passes on full payment.

3. Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Missed Appointments

Either party may need to cancel or reschedule a visit. If you wish to cancel or move a booking, you should give us reasonable notice. The amount of notice required may depend on the size and type of the job, but cancellations made at short notice may result in a charge to cover reserved labour, travel, or lost time. Where a deposit has been taken, it may be retained or partially retained to the extent that it reflects genuine costs already incurred.

If we need to cancel due to illness, adverse weather, equipment failure, staffing issues, or circumstances beyond our control, we will try to offer an alternative time. We shall not be liable for any loss caused by a rescheduled visit where the delay is reasonable and unavoidable. For ongoing maintenance contracts, we may adjust the timetable during periods of severe weather, frosts, high winds, or conditions that make gardening unsafe or ineffective.

If you are not present and access has not been arranged, or if the property is inaccessible, we may treat the appointment as a missed visit and charge accordingly. The same applies where the garden is not ready for the agreed work because utilities, gates, pets, or obstacles prevent safe performance. In such cases, we may choose either to proceed with the accessible parts of the job or to leave and rebook at your cost.

We strongly encourage prompt communication if you foresee any difficulty with the appointment. Delays caused by traffic or minor changes in the scope of work will be handled reasonably, but repeated late cancellations or changes may lead us to refuse future bookings. This is especially important where several services are scheduled in sequence and staff time has been reserved specifically for your property.

4. Liability and Customer Responsibilities

We will carry out services with reasonable care and skill. However, gardening is a physical, outdoor activity, and some risks are inherent. You are responsible for informing us of any known dangers, including buried cables, irrigation systems, unstable structures, aggressive plants, hidden glass, contaminated waste, or any other hazard that could affect safety or the quality of the work. If you fail to disclose such information, we will not be responsible for resulting damage or delay.

We are not liable for pre-existing defects, natural wear and tear, subsidence, poor drainage, dead or diseased plants, or damage caused by pests, weather, or third parties. We are also not responsible for losses arising from the ordinary course of garden maintenance, such as the temporary appearance of bare patches after turf work, the shedding of leaves after pruning, or minor colour changes in plants affected by seasonal conditions. Because living materials are involved, no guarantee can be given that every plant will survive transplanting, pruning, or environmental stress.

Any items left outside in the work area, including ornaments, furniture, pots, tools, or fragile fittings, should be removed or clearly identified before we begin. If you ask us to move such items, we will do so with reasonable care, but we cannot accept responsibility for hidden weakness, instability, or pre-existing damage. You should ensure pets and children are kept clear of the working area during the visit.

Limits on Liability

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under UK law. Subject to that, our total liability for loss or damage arising out of a booking will be limited to the amount paid or payable for the relevant service, except where a higher limit is required by law. We will not be liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential loss, including loss of profit, business interruption, or emotional distress.

5. Waste, Green Waste, and Environmental Compliance

Garden work often generates green waste, general waste, and potentially recyclable materials. Unless we specifically agree to remove waste on your behalf, all waste remains your responsibility and will be left in a suitable location for collection or disposal by you. If we agree to remove waste, that service will be subject to additional charges and to the rules of lawful disposal. We may refuse to remove material that is hazardous, contaminated, or not suitable for standard green-waste handling.

You agree that any waste produced during the service will be segregated and handled in a manner consistent with applicable UK waste regulations. This includes the proper treatment of soil, branches, grass cuttings, leaves, treated timber, plastic planters, broken ornaments, and any material that should not be mixed with organic waste. Where necessary, we may charge extra for disposal of bulky items, invasive species, or mixed waste that requires special treatment.

We may use licensed waste carriers, authorised recycling facilities, or local disposal routes where appropriate, and any such charge may be passed on to you if it was included in the quotation or later approved. You must not ask us to dispose of items illegally, burn waste unlawfully, or mix garden waste with prohibited materials. If we believe a request would breach environmental or waste-handling obligations, we may decline it without penalty.

Environmental note: We aim to minimise unnecessary waste, reuse suitable organic material where appropriate, and follow responsible disposal practices. However, the exact method of handling waste will depend on the type and quantity of material collected, access to disposal facilities, and the terms agreed for the job.

6. Service Standards, Access, and Completion

We will provide the service using reasonable care, appropriate tools, and suitably trained personnel. The standard of work may depend on the condition of the garden, weather, time available, and the agreed scope. We are not obliged to perform tasks outside the quoted work, nor to restore a garden to a condition that would require extensive landscaping unless that has been separately agreed.

You must provide safe access to the property and ensure that any keys, codes, or entry instructions are accurate. If access is by means of a key held by us or by a third party, you remain responsible for confirming that the arrangement is current and authorised. We will take reasonable care of any key entrusted to us, but we are not liable for issues caused by defective locks, incorrect instructions, or third-party access failures.

At the end of the job, we may leave the site tidy and remove obvious waste only where this has been included in the agreement. Minor natural debris such as residual soil, clipped foliage, or fallen petals may remain unless an additional clearance service was booked. If you are unhappy with the completed work, you should notify us within a reasonable time so that we can review the issue fairly.

Materials, Plants, and Living Goods

Where we supply plants or other living goods, variations in weather, aftercare, soil quality, watering, and exposure can affect outcomes. Any advice given about aftercare is general in nature and does not create a guarantee. You are responsible for continuing care after completion unless a maintenance package has been expressly agreed. All living goods are excluded from any guarantee to the extent that loss results from conditions beyond our control.

7. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising from them, are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, unless mandatory consumer protection rules require otherwise. If any part of these terms is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, that part will be interpreted or removed only to the extent necessary, and the remainder will continue in force.

Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer where applicable. If you are booking on behalf of a business, charity, landlord, or managing agent, you confirm that you have authority to agree to these terms and that the property and work requested are suitable for the service. Any dispute should first be raised in good faith so that the matter can be resolved quickly and proportionately.

These terms form the entire agreement between the parties regarding the supplied service, unless they are replaced or supplemented by a written contract signed by both sides. No statement made in discussion, estimate, or informal message will override these terms unless expressly confirmed in writing. Headings are included for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

8. General Provisions

We may assign or subcontract part of the work where appropriate, provided the service quality remains reasonable. You may not transfer your booking or contractual rights to another person without our consent. If we choose not to enforce any part of these terms on a particular occasion, that does not mean we waive the right to enforce it later. A waiver must be clearly given in writing.

Each booking is specific to the property, dates, and services agreed. Any ongoing maintenance arrangement may be paused or ended if access is repeatedly denied, payment is not made on time, or the site becomes unsafe. We reserve the right to withdraw from a booking where continuing would expose staff to unreasonable risk or require conduct that is unlawful, unsafe, or professionally inappropriate.

By proceeding with a booking, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions for Gardeners East Dulwich. They are designed to support a transparent, reliable, and lawful service relationship, balancing customer expectations with the practical realities of garden work. If you require a written variation to any part of these terms, it must be agreed before the service begins.