Terms and Conditions for Garden Services

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which gardening services are provided by our team for domestic and commercial customers. By making a booking, you agree to be bound by the terms below, which are designed to keep the service clear, fair, and professionally managed. They apply to routine maintenance, one-off garden work, clearance tasks, planting, pruning, lawn care, hedge cutting, and related garden services, whether arranged as a single visit or an ongoing agreement. Throughout this document, references to "we", "us", and "our" refer to the gardening service provider, while "you" and "your" refer to the customer.

These terms are intended to work alongside any written quotation, job confirmation, or service schedule issued before work begins. If any specific instruction or agreed variation differs from these terms, the written agreement for that job will take priority only for that particular point. For clarity, these terms are not a guide or advice page; they are a legal service page that explains how our gardening services are booked, delivered, charged, and regulated. Where a service is requested by a customer under the name of gardeners Highams Park, these terms remain the standard basis of supply unless otherwise agreed in writing.

We reserve the right to update these terms from time to time. Any revised version will apply to future bookings and, where reasonably practicable, will be brought to your attention before the next scheduled visit. Continued use of our gardening service after any update will be taken as acceptance of the revised terms. Customers are encouraged to read this document carefully before confirming a booking so that expectations are understood from the outset.

Booking Process

All bookings must be made through an agreed communication channel and are subject to availability. A booking request is not a confirmed appointment until we have accepted it and, where required, received any deposit or advance payment requested in the quotation or confirmation message. We may ask for basic information about the property, the condition of the garden, access arrangements, parking restrictions, waste removal needs, and any known hazards before confirming the appointment. This helps us allocate the right equipment, team size, and time allocation for the work.

When booking garden maintenance in Highams Park or surrounding areas, the customer is responsible for providing accurate information about the site and the work required. If the description given at the time of booking is incomplete or materially incorrect, we may revise the quotation, alter the visit duration, or reschedule the appointment. We will always aim to explain any change before work begins. Where a customer requests a repeated service, such as weekly, fortnightly, or monthly garden care, the frequency, duration, and scope of work may be set out in a service plan or schedule.

Any arrival times provided are estimates only unless we have expressly agreed a fixed appointment window. Gardening work can be affected by weather, traffic, access limitations, equipment issues, or the discovery of additional work on site. In such cases, we may adjust the timetable and will normally provide notice where possible. If you need to change the scope of work after booking, we may treat that as a new request and apply a revised price or appointment time.

Payments

Our payment terms will usually be confirmed in the quotation or booking confirmation. Unless otherwise stated, invoices are payable on completion of the work or within the stated payment period. We may request a deposit for larger jobs, seasonal work, clearance projects, or repeat services. Any deposit paid is usually deducted from the final invoice for the relevant service, unless otherwise specified in writing.

Payment must be made in full using the method agreed at the time of booking. If payment is not received when due, we may charge interest on overdue sums in accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 where applicable, or otherwise at a reasonable commercial rate. We also reserve the right to suspend future visits, withhold completion documentation, or decline further work until outstanding amounts are settled. Any bank charges, chargeback fees, or collection costs caused by a failed or reversed payment may be passed on to you where permitted by law.

All prices are normally quoted exclusive of any specifically agreed extras, such as additional waste removal, specialist materials, emergency call-outs, or unforeseen work resulting from hidden conditions. If the garden service expands beyond the original specification, we may issue a revised quote or add the extra time and materials to the invoice. We will not usually carry out chargeable additional work without explaining the change first, unless immediate action is required to prevent damage or address a safety concern and prior contact is not reasonably possible.

Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Missed Visits

Customers may cancel or reschedule a booking by giving reasonable notice. The amount of notice required may depend on the size and nature of the job, but as a general rule we ask for at least 24 hours’ notice for standard visits and longer notice for major projects or scheduled clearance work. If you cancel after we have already allocated staff, equipment, or materials, we may charge a cancellation fee to cover reasonable losses and administration costs.

If a booking is cancelled by us, we will usually offer an alternative date or, where appropriate, a refund of any prepaid amount for the cancelled element of the service. We may cancel or postpone work where unsafe weather conditions, access problems, health and safety concerns, or circumstances beyond our control make it impractical or unsafe to proceed. In particular, mowing, pruning, hedge work, and waste collection may be affected by heavy rain, high winds, frost, or poor ground conditions. When possible, we will contact you promptly to rearrange the visit.

If no one is available to provide access at the agreed time, or if the site is not reasonably ready for the planned work, the appointment may be treated as a late cancellation or missed visit. This includes situations where locks, pets, obstructions, lack of parking, or missing permissions prevent safe completion of the service. In such cases, a call-out or wasted-attendance fee may be charged to reflect time and cost already incurred.

Scope of Work and Customer Responsibilities

Our service is limited to the tasks agreed in the quotation, booking confirmation, or service schedule. Unless specifically included, we do not carry out electrical, plumbing, structural, asbestos-related, or hazardous-material work. Customers must ensure that the work area is reasonably safe, accessible, and free from hidden dangers. You should tell us in advance about underground services, fragile surfaces, poisonous plants, aggressive animals, retained objects, or any other condition that could create risk or limit the work we can safely perform.

The customer is responsible for securing valuables, opening gates, unlocking access points, and ensuring that the property is ready for work at the agreed time. If furniture, ornaments, pots, toys, or other items must be moved to carry out the service, we may either request that you relocate them beforehand or charge extra for the time involved. Where a garden service is carried out using customer-provided tools or materials, you remain responsible for their suitability and safe condition unless we agree otherwise in writing.

We will perform the agreed work with reasonable care and skill, using appropriate methods for the type of garden and the condition described to us. Natural variation is part of gardening, so results may depend on weather, season, plant health, prior maintenance, and the condition of the site before our visit. No guarantee is given that every plant, lawn area, hedge, or shrub will respond in the same way to treatment, trimming, or replanting.

Liability and Insurance

We take reasonable steps to carry out garden services safely and professionally. However, we are not liable for losses or damage that are not caused by our negligence, breach of contract, or failure to use reasonable care and skill. This includes indirect or consequential losses such as loss of enjoyment, business interruption, reduced property value, or the cost of temporary arrangements, except where such loss cannot lawfully be excluded.

Our liability for direct loss or damage caused by our proven fault is limited to the amount paid, or payable, for the specific service giving rise to the claim, subject always to any mandatory rights you have under UK law. 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 limited or excluded. If you believe damage has occurred, you must notify us as soon as reasonably possible and provide sufficient detail to allow us to investigate.

We may hold public liability insurance and, where applicable, other relevant cover appropriate to the nature of the gardening work undertaken. Having insurance does not change the need for customers to act responsibly in relation to access, site condition, and prior disclosure of risks. Any item that is unusually fragile, irreplaceable, or valuable should be removed or clearly identified before work starts so that special care can be taken, if agreed, or so that the work can be adjusted accordingly.

Waste Regulations and Disposal

Garden waste generated as part of the service will only be removed or disposed of in line with applicable waste regulations and any arrangements agreed in the booking. Where we take away green waste, soil, branches, hedge cuttings, turf, or other organic material, it will be handled in a lawful and environmentally responsible way. We may charge separately for disposal, transport, or site fees if these are not included in the original quotation.

You must tell us before the visit if the waste may contain anything other than normal garden arisings. This includes rubble, treated timber, fencing, glass, paint tins, electrical items, asbestos, chemicals, needles, invasive plant matter, or any other controlled or hazardous substance. Such materials cannot be mixed with ordinary garden waste and may require specialist handling or a separate contractor. If prohibited waste is discovered unexpectedly, we may stop work, isolate the material if safe to do so, and inform you of the extra steps needed.

Where the service includes loading waste into a vehicle for disposal, we reserve the right to refuse any item that may breach waste carrier, duty of care, environmental, or safety requirements. You remain responsible for declaring the true nature of any waste created on site. If contaminated or prohibited waste is found after collection due to inaccurate information, any resulting costs, fines, or third-party charges may be passed on to you where permitted by law.

Complaints, Changes, and Termination

If you are unhappy with any part of the service, you should raise the issue promptly so it can be reviewed while the work remains recent and any practical remedy can be considered. We may ask for photographs, a description of the issue, and details of the job carried out. Where appropriate, we may offer a re-visit, correction, partial refund, or another reasonable remedy depending on the circumstances and the scope of the original work.

We may end or suspend a service arrangement if the customer fails to pay on time, repeatedly cancels without reasonable notice, withholds important information, or creates an unsafe or abusive working environment. We may also refuse to continue with work if the scope changes materially and we cannot agree a revised quotation or if access, safety, or legal compliance becomes impossible. In such cases, any amounts properly due for work already completed will remain payable.

These terms may be supplemented by specific written instructions for a particular project, including seasonal maintenance plans, clearance arrangements, or scheduled visits. If any part of this document is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining sections will continue in force to the fullest extent permitted by law. No failure or delay by us in enforcing any right shall operate as a waiver of that right.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any legal proceedings relating to the gardening services, including claims regarding payment, liability, cancellation, or waste handling, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, unless mandatory law requires otherwise.

By confirming a booking, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these terms and agree to them. They are designed to create a transparent working relationship for garden maintenance, clearance, and related services, while protecting both the customer and the service provider. If a written quotation or service plan includes additional conditions, those conditions apply together with this document and form part of the overall agreement for the specific job.