Consumer Rights & Cancellation Policy

1. About RidgeOak

RidgeOak Property Maintenance provides gardening, fencing, landscaping, guttering, roof cleaning, jet washing, brickwork, repairs and related property-maintenance services.

2. Who is a consumer?

In this policy, a consumer is an individual acting wholly or mainly for purposes outside their trade, business, craft or profession.

Consumer rights may therefore apply where you instruct RidgeOak to work at your home or another property for private purposes.

Different contractual rules may apply where a customer is acting wholly or mainly for business purposes.

3. Your statutory rights

When RidgeOak supplies a service to a consumer, the law includes certain terms in the contract automatically.

4. Estimates and quotations

An estimated price, including a result produced by our online quotation calculator, is an approximate indication based on the information supplied at the time.

It is not a guaranteed fixed price unless RidgeOak later issues and accepts a fixed quotation for a clearly defined scope of work.

A quotation applies only to the work, measurements, assumptions, materials and exclusions stated in it.

Further information is available in our Quote & Estimate Terms.

5. When a contract is formed

Requesting an estimate, submitting a calculator result, sending photographs or discussing a possible date does not automatically create a service contract.

A contract is normally formed when:

• You accept an identified quotation or service offer; and
• RidgeOak confirms that acceptance, confirms the booking or begins the work with your authority.

RidgeOak may require a deposit, materials payment or other agreed booking condition before confirming a date.

6. Contracts covered by a cooling-off period

A statutory cancellation period may apply where a consumer enters into a qualifying service contract:

• Online.
• By telephone.
• By email or another distance communication method.
• At the consumer’s home or another location away from RidgeOak’s business premises.
• Immediately after being personally approached away from business premises, where the legal conditions apply.

These are generally described as distance contracts or off-premises contracts.

Statutory off-premises cancellation rights may not apply to a contract where the total payment to be made by the consumer does not exceed the threshold set by law.

7. The 14-day cancellation period

You do not need to provide a reason for cancelling during the statutory cancellation period.

The cancellation period relates to the contract date, not necessarily the proposed date on which the work will begin.

The cancellation right must be exercised before the cancellation period expires.

8. When the statutory cancellation right may not apply

A statutory cooling-off period does not apply to every contract or every situation.

It may not apply where:

• The contract was entered into entirely at RidgeOak’s business premises, if applicable.
• The customer is acting wholly or mainly for business purposes.
• A relevant statutory exception applies.
• An off-premises contract falls below the applicable statutory payment threshold.
• The service has been fully completed following the consumer’s express request and the required acknowledgement that the cancellation right would be lost upon full performance.

Even where no statutory cooling-off period applies, any contractual cancellation rights set out in the quotation or agreed booking terms will continue to apply.

9. How to cancel during the cooling-off period

To cancel, you must make a clear statement informing RidgeOak that you wish to cancel the contract.

You may do this by:

• Emailing contact@ridgeoak.co.uk .
• Calling 01707 243173.
• Sending the model cancellation form at the end of this policy.
• Sending another clear written statement containing sufficient information to identify the booking.

You are not required to use the model cancellation form.

A cancellation communicated before the deadline will be effective even if RidgeOak reads or processes it after the deadline.

You should retain a copy of the cancellation message and evidence of when it was sent.

10. Starting work during the cooling-off period

RidgeOak will not normally begin a qualifying service during the statutory cancellation period unless:

• You make an express request for the service to begin early; and
• RidgeOak provides the information and obtains any acknowledgement required by law.

An express request must be a positive request. It will not be assumed merely because you accepted a quotation.

11. Cancelling after work has started

Where you expressly requested that work begin during the cancellation period and then cancel before the service has been fully completed, RidgeOak may charge a proportionate amount for the service properly supplied before cancellation.

The amount will reflect the work carried out compared with the total contracted service and any other relevant legal requirements.

RidgeOak will not charge for work performed during the cancellation period where the law does not permit such a charge.

12. Full completion during the cancellation period

If you expressly request that the service begins during the cancellation period and the service is fully performed, your statutory right to cancel may end once the service has been fully completed.

This applies only where RidgeOak has obtained the express request and acknowledgement required by law.

13. Urgent repairs and maintenance

Special rules may apply where a consumer specifically requests an urgent visit to carry out repairs or maintenance.

The statutory cancellation right may not apply to the urgently requested work to the extent permitted by law.

Additional services or goods supplied beyond what was necessary for the urgent request may remain subject to the normal cancellation rules.

14. Refunds following statutory cancellation

Where you validly exercise a statutory cancellation right, RidgeOak will refund payments received in relation to the cancelled contract, subject to any lawful deduction or proportionate charge.

Refunds will normally be made within 14 days after RidgeOak is informed of the decision to cancel.

Unless another method is agreed, a refund will normally be made using the same payment method used for the original transaction.

You will not be charged a refund fee.

15. Materials ordered before cancellation

Where work begins or materials are ordered during the cancellation period at your express request, the treatment of those costs will depend on:

• The nature of the contract.
• Whether goods have been supplied.
• Whether materials were made to the customer’s specification.
• Whether they can reasonably be cancelled or returned.
• The statutory rules applying to the transaction.

RidgeOak will not retain an amount that it has no lawful basis to charge.

16. Specially ordered and personalised goods

Different cancellation rules may apply to goods made to the customer’s specifications or clearly personalised.

Examples may include specially manufactured gates, non-standard panels, custom-sized items, bespoke fabricated components or products ordered in a customer-selected specification that cannot reasonably be resold.

RidgeOak will explain where an item is treated as bespoke or personalised before relying on a relevant cancellation exception.

17. Cancellation after the cooling-off period

If you cancel after the statutory cancellation period has ended, or where no statutory cancellation right applies, cancellation will be governed by the accepted quotation and general contract law.

RidgeOak may charge or retain a reasonable amount for losses directly caused by the cancellation, including:

• Work already performed.
• Site preparation already completed.
• Materials ordered or purchased for the work.
• Non-returnable or specially ordered products.
• Supplier cancellation or restocking charges.
• Committed subcontractor or equipment costs.
• Reasonable loss arising from labour or time reserved for the cancelled booking.

Any amount charged will reflect the actual circumstances and will not be disproportionate.

RidgeOak will take reasonable steps to reduce avoidable losses.

18. Deposits

A deposit is not automatically non-refundable merely because it is described as a deposit.

Where a contract is cancelled, RidgeOak will consider:

• Whether a statutory cancellation right applies.
• Whether work has already been carried out.
• Whether materials have been ordered or purchased.
• Whether supplier or third-party charges have been incurred.
• Whether the reserved booking can reasonably be reallocated.
• RidgeOak’s actual and reasonable losses.

Any remaining refundable balance will be returned to the customer.

19. Rescheduling

RidgeOak may agree to move a booking rather than cancel it.

Rescheduling is subject to availability, weather, material delivery, other bookings and the nature of the work.

Where possible, customers should provide as much notice as reasonably practicable.

Repeated or late rescheduling that causes RidgeOak a direct and unavoidable loss may result in a reasonable charge, provided the charge is lawful and proportionate.

20. Cancellation by RidgeOak

RidgeOak may cancel or suspend a booking where reasonably necessary, including where:

• The work cannot be performed safely.
• The property or work area is inaccessible.
• Required permissions have not been obtained.
• The customer supplied materially inaccurate information.
• Abusive, threatening or unlawful conduct occurs.
• Required payments have not been made.
• Materials are unavailable and no suitable alternative is agreed.
• An event outside RidgeOak’s reasonable control prevents performance.

Where RidgeOak cancels without customer fault, any payment for work not supplied will be refunded.

Where cancellation results from customer breach, RidgeOak may deduct amounts it is lawfully entitled to recover.

21. Weather-related postponements

Gardening, fencing, roof, gutter, jet-washing, brickwork and other outdoor work may depend on suitable weather and ground conditions.

RidgeOak may postpone or pause work due to rain, freezing conditions, high winds, excessive heat, saturated ground or another condition affecting safety or work quality.

A weather-related postponement is normally a rescheduling of the service rather than a cancellation of the contract.

RidgeOak will arrange a replacement date within a reasonable period, taking account of conditions and availability.

22. If a service is not performed properly

If you believe RidgeOak has not performed an agreed service with reasonable care and skill, contact us promptly and explain the problem.

Where the legal requirements are satisfied, the consumer may have the right to require repeat performance.

Repeat performance must be carried out:

• Within a reasonable time.
• Without significant inconvenience to the consumer.
• At RidgeOak’s necessary cost.

Repeat performance may not apply where it is impossible or cannot lawfully be required.

23. Price reduction

A consumer may have the right to an appropriate price reduction where:

• Repeat performance is impossible; or
• RidgeOak does not provide repeat performance within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience.

Depending on the circumstances, a price reduction may be up to the full price of the affected service.

Any refund due following an agreed price reduction will be made within the period required by law.

24. Opportunity to inspect and correct

You should notify RidgeOak of a problem within a reasonable time after discovering it.

You should provide:

• Your name and service address.
• The relevant quotation or invoice details.
• A clear description of the problem.
• Relevant photographs where appropriate.
• The outcome you are requesting.

Where appropriate, you must allow RidgeOak reasonable access to inspect the work and a reasonable opportunity to provide the applicable remedy.

This does not prevent you from taking proportionate emergency steps where immediate action is reasonably necessary to protect people or property.

25. Pre-existing defects and normal deterioration

Consumer remedies do not make RidgeOak responsible for:

• Damage or defects that existed before the contracted work.
• Hidden defects that RidgeOak did not cause.
• Normal wear, weathering or natural movement.
• Customer misuse or failure to follow reasonable aftercare.
• Work changed or damaged by another contractor or person.
• Unsuitable customer-supplied materials.

RidgeOak remains responsible where loss or damage is caused by its failure to use reasonable care and skill.

26. Complaint procedure

Complaints should first be submitted to RidgeOak using:

Please include sufficient information to identify the customer, property, quotation and relevant work.

RidgeOak will:

• Acknowledge and review the complaint.
• Request any reasonably necessary information.
• Arrange an inspection where appropriate.
• Explain its findings and proposed resolution.
• Provide any remedy required by applicable consumer law.

27. Consumer advice

Consumers may obtain independent guidance from Citizens Advice.

Citizens Advice may also refer appropriate matters to Trading Standards.

28. Alternative dispute resolution

Where a complaint cannot be resolved directly, RidgeOak will consider whether an appropriate alternative dispute resolution process is available or suitable.

Unless RidgeOak is legally required to participate in a particular scheme, participation will be considered according to the circumstances of the dispute.

29. Liability that cannot be excluded

Nothing in this policy excludes or restricts liability where doing so would be unlawful.

This includes liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by negligence.
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
• Breach of statutory consumer rights.
• Any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

30. Changes to this policy

RidgeOak may update this policy to reflect changes to its services, booking procedures or applicable law.

The policy applying to an existing contract will normally be the version supplied or made available when the contract was entered into.

Later changes will not retrospectively remove an existing consumer right.

31. Governing law and jurisdiction

This policy and consumer contracts with RidgeOak are governed by the law of England and Wales.

A consumer resident elsewhere in the United Kingdom may also benefit from mandatory protections under the law applicable where they live.

Consumers may bring proceedings in the courts available to them under applicable law.

32. Model cancellation form

Complete and send this form only if you wish to cancel a contract. You may instead send any other clear cancellation statement.

33. Contact RidgeOak