Terms and Conditions for Garden Maintenance and Landscaping Services

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which our gardening services are provided. By making a booking, confirming an appointment, or allowing work to begin, the customer agrees to these terms. They are designed to create a clear understanding between the customer and the provider of gardeners Preston services, covering everything from the booking process and payment arrangements to cancellation rights, liability limits, and lawful waste handling. These terms apply to domestic and commercial work unless a separate written agreement states otherwise.

For the purposes of these terms, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean the service provider, and references to “you” or “the customer” mean the person or organisation requesting the work. The scope of work may include routine maintenance, hedge cutting, lawn care, planting, clearance, pruning, light landscaping, and related tasks agreed in advance. Any services not expressly included in the booking confirmation are excluded unless agreed in writing.

These terms should be read alongside the specific quotation or estimate issued for a job. If there is any conflict between a written quotation and these standard terms, the written quotation will take priority in relation to the specific service concerned. A booking does not guarantee that all requested work will be carried out if site conditions, safety issues, access restrictions, or legal limitations prevent completion.

1. Booking Process

Bookings are normally accepted after an enquiry, a site visit where necessary, and the issue of a quotation or estimate. The customer must provide accurate information about the property, the type of work required, access arrangements, and any known hazards, such as underground services, unstable surfaces, pets, or protected plants. Any material change to the information supplied may affect the quotation, schedule, or availability of the service.

A booking becomes confirmed only when we have accepted the request and, where required, the customer has paid any deposit or agreed upfront fee. We may decline a booking at our discretion, including where the work is unsafe, outside our service capability, beyond the agreed budget, or likely to conflict with applicable law. A confirmed booking does not create an obligation to carry out work that later appears unsafe, unlawful, or materially different from the agreed description.

We may ask for photographs, measurements, or further details before confirming a job. This helps us assess the expected labour, equipment, waste volume, and time required. Where a quotation is based on limited information, it is given in good faith but may be revised if the actual site conditions differ significantly from those described. Any revised price will be explained before further work continues wherever reasonably possible.

2. Customer Responsibilities

The customer is responsible for ensuring reasonable access to the property, including gates, paths, and any areas where work is to be completed. The customer must also ensure that the work area is safe and, where relevant, that children, pets, and valuables are kept away from operational zones. If our team is delayed or unable to work due to lack of access, locked premises, or inaccurate directions, we may charge for wasted travel or attendance time.

The customer must notify us in advance of any known issues that may affect the task, such as weak garden structures, irrigation systems, hidden cables, ponds, or fragile surfaces. In cases where the customer asks us to proceed despite a known risk, we reserve the right to refuse the instruction or proceed only on an express disclaimer basis. Any waiver of risk must be consistent with applicable law and cannot remove rights that cannot legally be excluded.

All plants, fixtures, ornaments, and materials that are to be retained should be clearly identified before work starts. We are not responsible for items left in work areas unless we have expressly agreed to move or protect them. If the customer is not present at the time of work, any instructions should be provided in advance and in writing where possible, as verbal instructions may be misunderstood or cannot always be verified later.

3. Pricing and Payments

Prices may be fixed, estimated, or charged on a time-and-materials basis depending on the nature of the job. Where a fixed price is agreed, it applies only to the work described in the quotation. If additional work is requested or required, we may provide a revised price or charge separately for the extra labour, materials, disposal, or equipment used. All prices are stated in pounds sterling unless otherwise noted.

Unless stated otherwise, invoices are due for payment immediately on completion of the work or within the period specified on the invoice. We may require a deposit before the appointment date, particularly for larger projects, seasonal work, or jobs requiring reserved materials or specialist equipment. Deposits are used to secure the booking and may be non-refundable where permitted by law, especially if costs have already been incurred.

Payment methods accepted will be confirmed at the time of booking or invoicing. If payment is late, we reserve the right to charge reasonable interest and recovery costs in accordance with applicable UK law, including the Late Payment of Commercial Debts regime where relevant. We may also suspend further services, withdraw any unused booking slot, or refuse future work until overdue balances are cleared. Any dispute about an invoice must be raised promptly and in good faith.

4. Cancellations and Rescheduling

Appointments may be cancelled or rescheduled by the customer by giving reasonable notice. The amount of notice required may depend on the size and complexity of the job, but shorter notice may result in a charge for costs already incurred, including labour allocation, fuel, materials ordered, or waste arrangements made in advance. Where a cancellation fee applies, we will act reasonably and in line with consumer law.

If the customer repeatedly changes the appointment or fails to attend agreed access arrangements, we may treat the booking as cancelled. We also reserve the right to postpone work due to adverse weather, unsafe conditions, equipment failure, staff illness, or any other event beyond our reasonable control. In such circumstances, we will try to rearrange the service at the earliest suitable time, but we are not liable for consequential losses caused by delay.

Where a deposit has been paid, any refund will depend on the timing of cancellation, the work already carried out, and any non-recoverable expenditure we have reasonably incurred. If the customer cancels after work has started, payment may still be due for the part completed, the resources used, and any materials specially ordered. This applies equally to garden maintenance services, clearance work, and larger landscaping tasks.

5. Changes to the Scope of Work

Any change to the agreed scope should be confirmed before the extra work begins. If the customer requests a variation once on site, we may charge additional amounts and may need to adjust the schedule. We are not required to complete work that falls outside the original quotation if doing so would require extra equipment, further labour, or permissions not previously agreed.

Where a variation is substantial, we may stop the job and issue a revised estimate for approval. This may apply to unexpected waste volumes, hidden overgrowth, root obstruction, or ground conditions that differ materially from the initial assessment. The customer remains responsible for deciding whether to approve the revised arrangement. If approval is not given, we may leave the site safe and charge for work already completed.

6. Liability and Insurance. We will exercise reasonable skill and care in carrying out the services. However, we are not liable for pre-existing defects, structural weakness, hidden services, underground obstructions, or damage caused by circumstances outside our control, provided we have acted reasonably. Nothing in these terms 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.

Our liability for any loss or damage arising from the services, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, will be limited to the amount paid or payable for the particular work giving rise to the claim, except where law requires otherwise. We will not be responsible for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profit, loss of enjoyment, or loss of business opportunity. It is the customer’s responsibility to insure their property, fixtures, and contents appropriately.

7. Waste Removal and Disposal Rules

Where waste is removed as part of the service, it will be handled in accordance with applicable environmental and waste regulations. This may include segregating green waste, soil, timber, and general waste, and transporting it only to authorised facilities or licensed carriers where required. We may charge separately for collection, transport, recycling, or disposal fees if these are not included in the original quotation.

The customer must disclose if the waste contains hazardous, contaminated, or restricted materials. We do not normally remove asbestos, chemicals, clinical waste, oils, gas canisters, or other regulated substances unless specifically agreed and lawfully permitted. If prohibited or undeclared waste is discovered, we may suspend the work, leave the item in place, and charge for any time or travel already incurred. The customer is responsible for ensuring that all waste presented for collection is lawful to remove.

We may issue transfer documentation or retain records where required by law. Where the customer asks to retain certain waste materials for reuse, they must collect them promptly or confirm alternative arrangements before the end of the visit. Unless otherwise agreed, any waste left on site after completion of the work may be deemed abandoned only where permitted by law and after reasonable notice.

8. Access, Safety, and Site Conditions

The customer must ensure that the premises are reasonably safe for the planned work. We may refuse or suspend services if there is violence, abuse, unsafe animals, exposed electrical hazards, severe weather risk, or any other condition that could endanger people or property. Our team may cease work immediately if continuing would breach health and safety requirements or professional judgment.

We may use appropriate equipment, machinery, and cutting tools depending on the task. The customer must not interfere with safe operating procedures while work is in progress. If we are asked to work in confined, unstable, or particularly hazardous conditions, we may require additional safeguards or decline the task entirely. In all cases, our aim is to carry out gardeners Preston services responsibly and lawfully, without exposing anyone to unnecessary risk.

9. Materials, Plants, and Seasonal Effects

Where materials, soil, mulch, turf, plants, or other goods are supplied, reasonable variations in colour, size, growth pattern, and seasonal appearance are normal and do not necessarily indicate fault. Living materials are affected by weather, soil quality, watering, and aftercare. Unless we have expressly agreed an aftercare obligation, the customer is responsible for ongoing maintenance once planting or installation is complete.

Any guarantees relating to workmanship or materials will be stated in writing. They do not cover natural deterioration, vandalism, neglect, storm damage, disease, pest infestation, or failure arising from conditions beyond our control. If a plant or material supplied by us is defective at the point of delivery, our liability will generally be limited to replacement or refund of the item concerned, subject to the terms of the specific booking.

10. Governing Law. These terms and any dispute or claim arising from them are governed by the law of England and Wales. The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction, except where consumer law gives the customer the right to bring proceedings elsewhere. If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in force to the fullest extent permitted by law.

11. General Provisions. No failure or delay by us in enforcing any term will be taken as a waiver of our rights. We may update these terms from time to time, and the version in force at the time of booking will apply to that booking unless a later written variation is agreed. The customer should retain a copy of the quotation and these terms for reference, as they form the agreement governing the service.

If any verbal statement has been made before booking, it will not alter these terms unless confirmed in writing. This document is intended to provide a fair framework for professional gardening services, ensuring that both sides understand what is included, what is excluded, and how issues will be handled if they arise. By proceeding with a booking, the customer acknowledges that they have read and accepted these terms.