Terms and conditions

OVERVIEW

The following terms and conditions are provided so that both my clients and I understand and agree what is involved in working together. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me so that I can provide you with clarity and reassurance. 

I am a registered Limited Company (Company Registration Number 14817231) trading as Clear English Ltd. I offer freelance clear English, copyediting and proofreading services to clients based mainly (but not exclusively) in the education and training sector in the UK.

These terms and conditions apply to any work done for the Client (you) by me (Clear English Ltd).

I will provide clear English, copyediting and/or proofreading services as detailed on my website and agreed in writing between me and the Client.

The Client is under no obligation to offer me work; conversely, I am under no obligation to accept work offered by the Client.

I will provide service(s) as mutually agreed and confirmed in writing by the Client.

The Client must send the work in its entirety and cannot make changes to the copy once I have been instructed to start work.

The work will be carried out unsupervised at such times and places as determined by me, using my own equipment.

I confirm that I am responsible for my own income tax and National Insurance contributions and will not claim benefits granted to the Client’s employees. 

I am not VAT registered.

PROJECT TERMS

Before commencement of any work, the Client and I will agree to the terms of the project in writing as follows:

• How the work will be carried out (e.g. in MS Word, on the Client’s CMS, in PDF).

• How the copy will be worked on (e.g. using Word’s Tracked Changes and Comments or directly annotating or using Sticky Notes in PDFs).

• The length of time required to complete the project, as agreed between the Client and me before work commences.

• A fee for the project, based either on the Client’s budget or a quotation previously supplied by me, in writing, following my evaluation of the material to be edited and the time frame required to complete the job.

• Any expenses that the Client will bear in addition to the costs of the work.

• The date by which the material will be delivered by the Client to me.

• The latest date by which the completed project will be returned to the Client.

FEES AND DEPOSITS

I may ask for a deposit or part-payment before I begin if you're a new client or if the work is spread out over a long period. However, this will be agreed between the Client and me before I start the work.

The Client will pay me the agreed fee for the job, which is non-negotiable unless the Client extends the word count or requests additional services.

The completed work will be delivered on or before the date agreed, for the agreed fee, which will be based on the description of the work required and the brief, both supplied by the Client.

If, however, on receipt of the work or at an early stage, it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary discussion/brief, I reserve the right to renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline.

Similarly, if, during the term of my work, additional tasks are requested by the Client, I reserve the right to renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline, or to decline to carry out the work.

If the project is lengthy, I may invoice periodically for completed stages. This will be agreed with the Client at the time the brief is agreed.

I occasionally undertake work outside the usual Monday to Friday working hours for clients requiring an urgent turnaround. This is charged at an additional 50% and will be agreed in writing before I commence the work.

PAYMENT

Unless agreed otherwise at the outset, payment will be made within 30 days of receipt of my invoice, according to the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 (amended 2002 and 2013). As I am a very small business, the earliest possible settlement of invoices is always appreciated.

CANCELLATION

The Client is free to cancel a service for any reason by providing me with written notice (by email). I will need to acknowledge this cancellation by email for this to be valid. The Client is obligated to pay a fee proportionate to the amount of work already completed (if any), if the amount is larger than any deposit paid or exceeds one hour’s work.

If, in the unlikely event that the Client is touched by extraordinary or difficult circumstances that cause cancellation or delay (e.g. family crisis, illness etc.), the Client should contact me at their earliest opportunity to discuss the terms of the cancellation policy. I aim to be fair and helpful at all times.

If I experience similar extraordinary or difficult circumstances that result in cancellation or delay, I will contact the Client in writing at the earliest opportunity and do my best to renegotiate the time frame of the project or find an alternative editorial supplier whose services I can recommend and trust to complete the work. The Client is not obligated to take on any alternative supplier I recommend, however.

COPYRIGHT AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Any content created by me as part of the editorial process will become the Client’s copyright, unless otherwise agreed.

The nature and content of the work will be kept confidential and not made known to anyone other than the Client and its contractors without prior written permission.

The information that the Client and I may keep on record is covered by the terms of the Data Protection Act 2018. No more such information will be held than is necessary, at any time, to comply with those terms and with any compliance statement or privacy policy published by the Client and/or me. Both the Client and I agree that, where consent is required to hold or process such data, such consent has been requested and obtained and both facts can be demonstrated. Either may view the other’s records to ensure that they are relevant, correct and up to date.

Either the Client or I have the right to terminate a contract for services if there is a serious breach of Data Protection Act terms.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

I hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.

I trained with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and as such follow its Code of Practice (CoP). The CIEP CoP sets out standards of best practice both in the execution of editorial processes and in the operation of a professional business. To achieve best results, both client and supplier should make explicit their expectations and agree on how they are to be fulfilled. 

I cannot guarantee that I will catch 100% of errors and typos in a text. However, I do guarantee that I always aim for the highest standard of editing. As an experienced and qualified professional clear English practitioner, copyeditor and proofreader, my work will result in a substantially higher-quality text.

LEGAL JURISDICTION

These Terms and Conditions are subject to the laws of England and Wales, and through these Terms and Conditions the Client and Clear English Ltd agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.