Section 1: What Are General Policies?
The general policies, outlined in this document, cover basic terms and conditions that we've set out, which govern how we conduct our services and how customers interact with our business. Whenever we reference the abbreviation "APE", we mean Aquaridge Plumbing Employee; someone who we employ or is part of our company or team. Likewise, whenever we reference the abbreviation "APC", we mean Aquaridge Plumbing Customer; someone who we've worked with or are working with, or intended to work with(but a service was not carried out).
Note: Some non-customers, also referred to as "3rd party members", also have access to information and systems that we provide our customers with access to. 3rd party members include people who have signed up to gain access to information which we have allowed to be shared to the public. We still protect private information, which is unique to each customer, so 3rd party members won't have access to private or confidential information. We've discussed what private and confidential information is in our privacy policy.
Section 2: Our Very First Step
Before we onboard any APC, we first gather some information. This includes the APC's name, email/phone number and address(town and postcode). We treat this information as described in our privacy policy. We need this information in order to continue our communication with our customer. Sometimes, we don't immediately collect all of the data that we need at one time, so that our customers do not feel pressured to share their data. We may collect some data at a later time, or even during the service visit, if needed.
Section 3: The Construction Of The Service
We build the service that we will be offering to our customer by communicating with them to see what type of service they need. If we offer the service that they need(i.e. a bathroom tap change), we ask for an image of the item or surrounding of what the service will be based around. This is to make sure that we build the correct service that the customer needs, and to understand what conditions our APE's will be working under. If any arrangements need to be made, we make sure to communicate with the customer to ensure that the needs of both parties(referring to our APE and APC) are met. Once all agreements in regards to the service are made, we then offer an estimate or quote. This is where the customer can decide to accept or decline the service. We do not negotiate the cost of the service. If a customer would not like to proceed with the quote for the project, they can decline our offer and we will terminate the project.
If we don't offer a service that meets the customer's demand, we make sure to clearly outline the service(s) that we don't offer. The customer can then decide to ask us for another service that they need, or to take their current demands to another company. We sometimes still treat customers as our APC, even if they did not receive a service from us. This can mean that they will still receive benefits that are usually reserved for APC's(i.e. phone calls or call-backs).
For the safety of our APE's and the efficiency of the project, we create method statements and risk assessments(if deemed necessary) for each project, or use previous template method statements for recurring project types. This ensures that our APE's have a safe system of work while also providing our APC's with a smoother project flow.
Section 4: Pre-Payments And Milestone Payments
Our customers pay for the materials and fittings needed for the service. We provide a breakdown of payments that will be collected at different stages of the service. The breakdown appears on the invoice that we send to the customer, however, we also inform the customer about payments that need to be made at certain points throughout the service. Some projects may be deemed as too small for an invoice(ie. when the project does not have a materials cost), so the payment terms will be set before the project commences. Pre-payments(taken before a service visit or consultation) include the material price and call-out fee. If we decide to include milestone payments, which are mainly used in larger projects/services, the milestone payments include the labour fee which has been broken down into smaller interval payments. Projects without milestone payments will simply have a pre-payment and post-payment(which is paid at the end of the service).
We take payments in the form of cash, bank transfer or card. Our APE's are equipped with their own physical card reader and mobile banking card reader. The card readers can accept a wide variety of card payments, including: Apple Pay, Visa, Mastercard, Credit/Debit cards, contactless + PIN&Card and other payment methods. Our business banking is managed by "REVOLUT".
If a customer decides to not pay a pre-payment, then the service will be terminated, unless otherwise stated by the APE. If a customer pays the pre-payment, and an APE has purchased the materials for the service, the pre-payment will be non-refundable. However, if the APE has not yet purchased the materials for the service, a full or partial refund may be given, depending on how much of the APC's pre-payment amount remains in possession of the company. If some of the materials have been purchased, but not all of the materials needed for the service, then the remaining amount will be refunded to the APC, however, the amount used to purchase the already-purchased materials will be non-refundable. APC's will be given the option to leave the materials in the custody of the company, which will be reserved for the customer for a maximum of 60 days, or to keep the materials that were purchased with the non-refundable portion of the pre-payment. If a customer chooses to keep the materials that were purchased, then the customer will need to pay for the packaging and shipping of the materials. Aquaridge Plumbing reserves the right to claim any materials that have been in custody for over 60 days. APE's are not permitted to return materials to merchants as this will interfere with the relationship between the company and merchants(some exclusions may apply for emergency situations).
If a customer has already paid the pre-payment and the service visit has commenced, then the pre-payment will become non-refundable. If the customer refuses to pay any milestone payments which were agreed to beforehand, then the project will be terminated and any materials that were brought to the customer's property will be left in the custody of the customer. Any materials that were not brought to the customer's property on the service visit will be treated as mentioned in the latter part of the previous paragraph.
Section 5: Service Visit/Consultation
We usually provide APC's a service consultation, if needed, over text or phone call. However, for more advanced services, we may need to provide the customer with an in-person consultation. This consultation visit will still incur the call-out fee as well as any additional fees if agreed to beforehand. After the consultation visit, if the customer would like to continue with the service, the service visit will be booked. The consultation visit may take place before the initiation of section 4(Pre-Payments And Milestone Payments).
During the service visit, the customer may request to see any proof of ID or Qualifications(ie. the APE's CSCS card), if needed. If the customer decides to continue with the service, the work will be carried out according to Building Regulations or any other legal frameworks.
Section 6: Service Conclusion
To end the service, we provide the customer with any additional information that may need to be shared. If any warranties, guarantees or certification of work needs to be honoured, we do so before we leave the property(in accordance with section 12). If no more information needs to be shared, we collect the last milestone payment or labour fee before(or sometimes after) we leave the property. At the end of the service, we offer the customer to leave a review(positive or negative) which is displayed on our website homepage. We do not hide any reviews, left by customers, as we believe that this could negatively impact our future customers.
Section 7: Rectifications and Money-Back Guarantee
We understand that many things can go wrong during the service. Some things may be within our control, whereas others may not. Where possible, if an event has happened where something has gone wrong due to an APE's actions, rectifications will be made to resolve the issue. In emergency situations where a rectification cannot be made, the labour cost for the service will be refunded to the customer. If an event occurs in which an APE was not at fault(i.e. a natural occurrence occurred due to low-quality materials), no refund will be given and an additional fee for rectifications may be charged. Where possible, APE's will report to the customer about any foreseeable negative events that may happen(i.e. due to low-quality materials used in the service or the effects of the surroundings in which the materials will reside).
Note: The money-back guarantee can only include the labour cost. Call-out fees and material fees cannot be refunded. For any serious damages that have occurred, Aquaridge Plumbing's insurance will cover any costs that will need to be repaid(terms and conditions set by the insurance company may apply).
Section 8: Insurance Claims
Aquaridge Plumbing is insured by Kingsbridge Insurance. Any insurance claims to be made against Aquaridge Plumbing will be dealt between our support team, lawyers(if needed) and Kingsbridge Insurance. To make an insurance claim, contact support@aquaridgeplumbing.com. Our insurance policy covers public liability as employee liability. Insurance claims will be used as a last resort and Aquaridge Plumbing will try to cover any costs when possible.
Section 9: Dispute Resolution
In situations where an APE and APC have had a dispute and a resolution cannot be agreed to, the matter will first be taken to the Aquaridge Plumbing support team or a mutually agreed-upon mediator or arbitrator. If no agreements can be made, the matter may be dealt with in court.
Section 10: Emergency Evacuation
In cases where emergencies or unexpected events affect the service, an APE will inform the customer of any incident that could impact project safety, timeline, or quality. Any new plans in regards to the service continuation and timeline will be discussed with the customer. [Force Majeure:]Aquaridge Plumbing is not liable for delays or non-performance resulting from circumstances beyond its control, such as natural disasters, labor strikes, or government actions.
Section 11: Security Measures
Aquaridge Plumbing follows certain protocols and security measures. One security measure includes the "Reservation Of Calls", whereby phone calls are reserved for previous customers, 3rd-party members and known contacts. This protocol is in place to prevent certain events, including, but not limited to: voice-cloning, spam/scam calls and AI-training.
Section 12: Post-Service Certificates & Warranty
As a registered contractor in various schemes, Aquaridge Plumbing may be required to provide customers with a post-service certification document(ie. certification of completion/compliance). These certifications will only be provided after all payments(including final milestone/labour payments) have been collected.
As a complimentary service, Aquaridge Plumbing provides a 1-year warranty for all projects. The warranty is limited to cover only what was included in the project(ie. radiator valves for a radiator project), not any external components that may have been affected by the project(ie. the boiler's heat exchanger). More information as well as terms and conditions regarding the 1-year warranty or other documents can be found at www.aquaridgeplumbing.com/warranty.
In situations where the customer refuses to make any final payments, the certification will not be provided or will be revoked/invalid. Aquaridge Plumbing will claim no responsibility for work without a certification and all future consequences will be the responsibility of the customer.
In situations where the customer is unable to make the final payment at the time of completion and manages to make the payment at a later time(providing the project is still active/has not been terminated), an APE will revisit the site to provide the certification document at a later date, subject to the customer repaying the call-out fee and any additional charges(if applicable).
In situations where the customer had lost or damaged the certification provided to them, a new certification may be issued. An assessment will need to be conducted before any certifications are re-issued, to make sure that the work had been completed by Aquaridge Plumbing. Customers will be charged the call-out fee and "assessment and certification-renewal fee" in order to claim a new certificate. The current "assessment and certification-renewal fee" is £40 for all works offered by Aquaridge Plumbing. The current call-out charge can be found at www.aquaridgeplumbing.com/pricing.
Section 13: Project Termination, Completion And Reopening
Projects are terminated using our artificial intelligence or automation softwares. A project is usually terminated within 30 days from when it was first opened, however, an APE can modify the termination date if needed. To prolong a termination date, the customer will need to provide a valid argument as to why the project should remain active for over 30 days. If no valid argument is given, the project will continue to be terminated on the 30th day from the date it was first opened. Terminated projects cannot be reopened; a new project will have to be created. Quotations or estimates that were given before the project was terminated, are subject to modifications. You may not receive the same quote for the project.
Projects that are marked as complete will be closed and an email will be sent to collect a review from the customer. Completed projects may be reopened by an APE if needed. An email will be sent to the customer if their project has been reopened.
