Terms And Conditions Of Business

Training

Course Fees
All fees are payable in advance (normally 4 weeks) We reserve the right to refuse admission to the course until payment is received. Fees quoted are correct at the time of publication but we reserve the right to alter fees at any time. All fees quoted are exclusive of VAT which must be paid in addition to the quoted fee, at invoice date, chargeable at the standard rate then in force.

Cancellations
We reserve the right to cancel or alter the dates or provision of service, the venue and the individual or organisation providing the service. In the event of cancellation, bookings will normally be transferred to the next available course unless the client specifically requests otherwise.

Notice given	% of fee credited on cancellation
more than 28 days	100%
15 … 28 days	50%
0 … 14 days	0%

Telephone cancellations can be accepted but must be confirmed immediately in writing (by post).  We will accept a change of name provided we are informed no less than 2 workings days before the course date.

Consultancy

1. Basis of Charges
Smith Halsall fee charges are based on the amount of consultant time incurred, or planned to be incurred on an assignment. In addition, expenses and VAT are charged.
Consultant time is charged on an hourly or daily rate, or a fixed price contract may be agreed. Daily rates are based on a seven hour day. If the consultant’s actual working day exceeds seven hours, the relevant additional proportion of the daily rate will be charged.
Charges are usually reviewed at 1st January each year.

2. Calculation of Consultant’s Time
Where an hourly or daily rate is charged, the calculation of the consultant’s time includes:
2.1 preparation prior to visiting a client;
2.2. travelling between the office at which the consultant is normally based and the client's premises, or other places visited in connection with the assignment;
2.3 time spent with the client, at their premises or elsewhere in connection with the assignment;
2.4 research, drafting, writing, review etc., including internal planning, checking and review by the consultant(s) directly working on the assignment and the project managing director;
2.5 presentation of the results of the assignment.
Normally, one visit will be made, or a meeting held, prior to commissioning with a prospective client "at risk".

3. Fixed Price Contracts
Where a client requires a fixed price contract this can usually be agreed based on the consultant's time charge, though some types of assignment (e.g. involving unpredictable negotiations) cannot be charged for on anything other than an actual time basis. A fixed price for expenses normally can be given if requested subject to certain conditions, which includes agreeing a fixed number of meetings with a client.

4. Expenses Recharged to Clients
The following expenses will be recharged to clients:
4.1 public transport and other travel expenses at cost. No charge is made for transport costs within Central London;
4.2 economy air fares where travelling outside England or Wales - other air travel, if required, would be specifically agreed with the client;
4.3 where an overnight stay occurs, actual hotel charges for single room with bath;
4.4 all subsistence costs incurred during the relevant period (including during travelling time) up to a maximum of £44 in any 24 hour period or part thereof;
4.5 couriers and other carriage;
4.6 up to three copies of reports and other consultancy products will be provided
to clients by Smith Halsall free of charge. For additional copies over this number
we reserve the right to charge as follows:
- where purchased - actual cost
- where undertaken at Smith Halsall:
- Photocopying - 13p per page (black and white)
- 23p per page (colour)
(For high volume printing where we use external printers, we will provide a separate quotation)
- binding - £1.20 per binder
- acetates - £1.10 per acetate (black and white)
- £2.10 per acetate (colour)
- disks - £2.10 per disk
4.7 telephone calls and faxes sent in connection with the client's business other than from the Smith Halsall offices;
4.8 advertising and artwork costs in connection with the client's business;
4.9 other incidental expenses by prior agreement with the client.
4.10 any additional professional indemnity insurance required by the client.
4.11 any specific legal costs associated with the contract.

5 Guarantees
Smith Halsall makes three guarantees regarding the outcomes of our work.
5.1 We guarantee to meet any deadlines which are agreed with a client at the outset of a piece of work. If such deadlines are not met through Smith Halsall’s own fault then the consultancy fee related to that contract or part of a contract will be rebated by 5%.
5.2 We guarantee our clients’ satisfaction with the outcome of our work. If at any time following the completion of a contract you discover an error or omission arising from our negligence we will put it right entirely free of charge.
5.3 We want you to feel confident with your choice of Smith Halsall as your consultancy. If, at any time up to and including delivery of the first draft of a report, financial model, business plan, recruitment documentation or other consultancy product, you change your mind and decide that Smith Halsall is not the right consultancy for you, you can cancel our contract. You will owe us nothing other than the expenses which we have directly incurred in the course of the work undertaken up to that point.

6 Invoicing
Invoices will normally be rendered monthly unless otherwise agreed with the client. Invoices are payable within 14 days of issue. On fixed price contracts, monthly invoices will be rendered proportionate to the estimated length of the contract. In cases where Smith Halsall is undertaking two or more concurrent contracts for one client, the following invoicing procedure will apply. Separate invoices for fees relating to each contract will be issued in the usual way, as described above. All expenses incurred at the date of invoicing for any contract will normally be added to that invoice, regardless of to which contract they relate.

7 Interest
Smith Halsall is a signatory to the Better Payment Practice Code and this logo appears on all our invoices .

In the event of any payment due from the client to Smith Halsall under these Terms and Conditions of Business being unpaid 14 days after the date when such payment should have been made, we will exercise our statutory right to interest and compensation for debt recovery costs under the late payment legislation. The late payment interest rate is 8% plus the statutory reference rate prevailing at the time payment has become overdue.

8 Cancellation policy
It is the responsibility of both Smith Halsall and the client to ensure the success of any consultancy assignment. Before the client signs off the Terms of Engagement we will agree with them our respective responsibilities and a practicable programme of work (which will include arrangements for periodic project reviews). Once the programme of work has been agreed, this will be binding on both sides.
We will always try to be as flexible and understanding as my other commitments will allow. However, the client should note that if meetings are cancelled or postponements requested; or if other items in the work programme cannot be progressed because the client has not fulfilled their obligations, we cannot guarantee that all items in the work programme can be carried out within the agreed budget.
The good will of clients is very important to us and we will always try to be as flexible as possible over cancellations/postponements that are absolutely unavoidable, provided sufficient notice is given. However, if agreed arrangements are cancelled at short notice, we reserve the right to make a cancellation charge.

9 Copyright
The copyright of all documentation produced as part of this assignment is held by Smith Halsall. No part of these documents may be stored in a retrieval system or reproduced in any form whatsoever without the prior written permission from Smith Halsall. This copyright clause is not intended to prevent copying and distribution of this document for internal use by the Smith Halsall client for whom it has been prepared. Permission for reproduction is normally granted on the condition that Smith Halsall is identified as the original author of the document.

10 Publicity
It is common practice for Smith Halsall to give brief details in publicity materials of work it has undertaken for clients. Unless a client informs us in writing that permission to give such details is withheld, it will be assumed that permission is given.