1. Interpretation
1.1 Definitions. In these Conditions, the following definitions apply:
Additional Services: such services which are additional to those Services set out in the Service Specification which may be agreed orally when the Company is on site, either due to additional Customer requirements or recommendations by the Company.
Business Day: a day (other than a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday) when banks in London are open for business.
Cancellation Charges: has the meaning set out in clause 15.
Commencement Date: has the meaning set out in clause 2.2.
Conditions: these terms and conditions as amended from time to time in accordance with clause 16.8.
Company: Astley Signs Limited and any of its subsidiaries or divisions.
Company Materials: has the meaning set out in clause 8.1(i)
Company Premises: Redforrest House, Queens Court North, Earlsway, Team Valley, Gateshead NE11 0BP
Consumable: any item forming part of the Goods that will require replacement from time to time as part of a regular maintenance programme including but not limited to nuts, bolts, screws, fixings and electrical components including LEDs and fluorescent tubes.
Contract: the contract between the Company and the Customer for the supply of Goods and/or Services in accordance with these Conditions.
Customer: the person or firm who purchases the Goods and/or Services from the Company.
Delivery Location: has the meaning set out in clauses 4.2 and 4.4.
Force Majeure Event: has the meaning given to it in clause 16.1(a).
Goods: the goods (or any part of them) set out in the Order.
Goods Specification: any specification for the Goods, including any relevant plans or drawings, that is agreed in writing by the Customer and the Company.
Installation: The fixing of the Goods and/or setting up of the Goods in place at the Customer premises or Delivery Location.
Intellectual Property Rights: all patents, rights to inventions, utility models, copyright and related rights, trademarks, service marks, trade, business and domain names, rights in trade dress or get-up, rights in goodwill or to sue for passing off, unfair competition rights, rights in designs, rights in computer software, database right, topography rights, moral rights, rights in confidential information (including know-how and trade secrets) and any other intellectual property rights, in each case whether registered or unregistered and including all applications for and renewals or extensions of such rights, and all similar or equivalent rights or forms of protection in any part of the world.
Normal Working Hours: 8.00 am to 4.30 pm on Monday and 8.00 am to 4.00 pm Tuesday to Friday.
Order: the Customer’s order for the supply of Goods and/or Services in accordance with the Service Specification, as set out in the Customer’s purchase order form, or the Customer’s written acceptance of the Company’s quotation, or overleaf, as the case may be.
Services: the services supplied by the Company to the Customer as set out in the Service Specification.
Service Specification: the description or specification for the Services provided in writing by the Company to the Customer.
Specialist Access Equipment: any powered access equipment, scaffolding or abseiling equipment.
1.2 Construction. In these Conditions, the following rules apply:
(a) a person includes a natural person, corporate or unincorporated body (whether or not having separate legal personality);
(b) a reference to a statute or statutory provision is a reference to such statute or statutory provision as amended or re-enacted. A reference to a statute or statutory provision includes any subordinate legislation made under that statute or statutory provision, as amended or re-enacted;
(c) any phrase introduced by the terms including, include, in particular or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms; and
(d) a reference to writing or written includes faxes and e-mails.
2. Basis of contract
2.1 The Order constitutes an offer by the Customer to purchase Goods and/or Services in accordance with these Conditions.
2.2 The Order shall only be deemed to be accepted when the Company issues written acceptance of the Order at which point and on which date the Contract shall come into existence (Commencement Date).
2.3 The Contract constitutes the entire agreement between the parties. The Customer acknowledges that it has not relied on any statement, promise or representation made or given by or on behalf of the Company which is not set out in the Contract.
2.4 Any samples, drawings, descriptive matter or advertising issued by the Company and any descriptions of the Goods or illustrations or descriptions of the Services contained in the Company’s catalogues or brochures are issued or published for the sole purpose of giving an approximate idea of the Services and/or Goods described in them. They shall not form part of the Contract or have any contractual force.
2.5 These Conditions apply to the Contract to the exclusion of any other terms that the Customer seeks to impose or incorporate, or which are implied by trade, custom, practice or course of dealing.
2.6 Any quotation and/or proposed Service Specification given by the Company shall not constitute an offer, and is only valid for a period of 30 Business Days from its date of issue.
2.7 All of these Conditions shall apply to the supply of both Goods and Services except where application to one or the other is specified.
3. Goods
3.1 The Goods are described in the Goods Specification.
3.2 To the extent that the Goods are to be manufactured in accordance with a Goods Specification supplied by the Customer, the Customer shall indemnify the Company against all liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and losses (including any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal and other reasonable professional costs and expenses) suffered or incurred by the Company in connection with any claim made against the Company for actual or alleged infringement of a third party’s intellectual property rights arising out of or in connection with the Company’s use of the Goods Specification. The Company shall not be liable for any material defects in the Goods resulting from a Goods Specification supplied by the Customer. This clause 3.2 shall survive termination of the Contract.
3.3 The Company reserves the right to amend the Goods Specification if required by any applicable statutory or regulatory requirements.
4. Delivery of Goods
4.1 The Company shall ensure that each delivery of the Goods is accompanied by a delivery note which shows the date of the Order, all relevant Customer and Company reference numbers, the type and quantity of the Goods (including the code number of the Goods, where applicable), special storage instructions (if any), whether Installation is required and, if the Order is being delivered by instalments, the outstanding balance of Goods remaining to be delivered; and
4.2 The Company shall deliver the Goods to the location set out in the Order or such other location as the parties may agree (Delivery Location) at any time after the Company notifies the Customer that the Goods are ready.
4.3 Delivery of the Goods shall be completed on the Goods’ arrival at the Delivery Location.
4.4 Should the Customer choose to collect the Goods from the Company, the Delivery Location shall be deemed to be the Company premises from which the Goods are collected and delivery of the Goods shall be completed upon the collection of the Goods.
4.5 If Installation of the Goods is required by the Customer, that requirement shall be set out in the Order and the Goods shall be installed by the Company upon delivery.
4.6 Any dates quoted for delivery of the Goods are approximate only, and the time of delivery is not of the essence. The Company shall not be liable for any delay in delivery of the Goods that is caused by a Force Majeure Event or the Customer’s failure to provide the Company with adequate delivery instructions or any other instructions that are relevant to the supply of the Goods.
4.7 If the Company fails to deliver the Goods, its liability shall be limited to the costs and expenses incurred by the Customer in obtaining replacement goods of similar description and quality in the cheapest market available, less the price of the Goods. The Company shall have no liability for any failure to deliver the Goods to the extent that such failure is caused by a Force Majeure Event or the Customer’s failure to provide the Company with adequate delivery instructions for the Goods or any relevant instruction related to the supply of the Goods.
4.8 The Company may deliver the Goods by instalments, which shall be invoiced and paid for separately. Each instalment shall constitute a separate contract. Any delay in delivery or defect in an instalment shall not entitle the Customer to cancel any other instalment.
4.9 Any loss or damage to the Goods in transit must be noted on the delivery note of the carrier and notified to the Company within 48 hours of delivery of the Goods. In the event of non-delivery the Customer must notify the Company within 2 days of receipt of an invoice for the Goods.
4.10 If Installation of the Goods is required by the Customer, the Customer shall ensure that an appropriate person is present to sign an installation sheet to confirm satisfactory completion of the Installation works. Any failure by the Company to provide an appropriate person to sign off the works shall be deemed to constitute acceptance by the Customer of those Installation works having been completed to a satisfactory standard. Any adjustment to the Goods after the completion of Installation shall incur an additional charge.
5. Quality of Goods/Warranty
5.1 Subject to the remaining provisions of this clause 5 the Company warrants that on delivery, and for a period of 12 months from the date of delivery (Warranty Period), the Goods shall:
(a) conform in all material respects with their description and any applicable Goods Specification;
(b) be free from material defects in design, material and workmanship.
5.2 Subject to clause 5.3, if:
(a) the Customer gives notice in writing during the Warranty Period within a reasonable time of discovery that some or all of the Goods do not comply with the warranty set out in clause 5.1;
(b) the Company is given a reasonable opportunity of examining such Goods; and
(c) the Customer (if asked to do so by the Company) returns such Goods to the Company’s Premises at the Customer’s cost,
the Company shall, at its option, repair or replace the defective Goods, or refund the price of the defective Goods in full, except that in the case of repair, the warranty shall not include the cost of and relating to any necessary Specialist Access Equipment, which cost shall be payable by the Customer.
5.3 The Company shall not be liable for the Goods’ failure to comply with the warranty in clause 5.1 if:
(a) the Customer makes any further use of such Goods after giving a notice in accordance with clause 5.2;
(b) the defect arises because the Customer failed to follow the Company’s oral or written instructions as to the storage, installation, commissioning, use or maintenance of the Goods or (if there are none) good trade practice;
(c) the defect arises as a result of the Company following any drawing, design or Goods Specification supplied by the Customer, which drawings, designs or Goods Specifications the Company is entitled to assume are structurally sound;
(d) the defect arises as a result of any structural calculations provided by the Customer which were not carried out by the Company itself;
(e) the Customer alters, modifies, or repairs such Goods without the written consent of the Company whether during the course of routine maintenance or otherwise;
(f) the Customer uses any third party to repair, modify and or carry out works to the Goods without the express written permission of the Company;
(g) the defect arises as a result of fair wear and tear, wilful damage, negligence, or abnormal working conditions;
(h) the Goods differ from their description or the Goods Specification as a result of changes made to ensure they comply with applicable statutory or regulatory standards.
(i) the defect arises as a result of any failure or defect in any Consumable
5.4 Except as provided in this clause 5, the Company shall have no liability to the Customer in respect of the Goods’ failure to comply with the warranty set out in clause 5.1.
5.5 The terms of the warranty at clause 5.1 shall apply to any repaired or replacement Goods supplied by the Company under clause 5.2.
5.6 The terms of the warranty at clause 5.1 do not oblige the Company to maintain the Goods after installation. The Customer is strongly advised to seek a maintenance contract with the Company or another reputable company and a failure to maintain the Goods shall render the warranty at clause 5.1 void (see clause 5.3(b)).
6. Title and risk
6.1 The risk in the Goods shall pass to the Customer from the time of despatch of the Goods from the Company’s Premises.
6.2 Title to the Goods shall not pass to the Customer until the Company has received payment in full (in cash or cleared funds) for:
(a) the Goods; and
(b) any other goods that the Company has supplied to the Customer in respect of which payment has become due.
6.3 Until title to the Goods has passed to the Customer, the Customer shall:
(a) hold the Goods on a fiduciary basis as the Company’s bailee;
(b) store the Goods separately from all other goods held by the Customer so that they remain readily identifiable as the Company’s property;
(c) not remove, deface or obscure any identifying mark or packaging on or relating to the Goods;
(d) maintain the Goods in satisfactory condition and keep them insured against all risks for their full price on the Company’s behalf from the date of delivery;
(e) notify the Company immediately if it becomes subject to any of the events listed in clause 13.1(b) to clause 13.1(l); and
(f) give the Company such information relating to the Goods as the Company may require from time to time,
but the Customer may resell or use the Goods in the ordinary course of its business.
6.4 If before title to the Goods passes to the Customer the Customer becomes subject to any of the events listed in clause 13.1(b) to clause 13.1(l), or the Company reasonably believes that any such event is about to happen and notifies the Customer accordingly, then, provided the Goods have not been resold, or irrevocably incorporated into another product, and without limiting any other right or remedy the Company may have, the Company may at any time require the Customer to deliver up the Goods and, if the Customer fails to do so promptly, enter any premises of the Customer or of any third party where the Goods are stored in order to recover them.
6.5 If the Customer leaves property and/or a vehicle(s) belonging to the Customer with the Company in relation to performance of the Services, the property and/or vehicle(s) shall be at the Customer’s risk and the Customer shall ensure adequate insurance is in place. The Company shall not assume title to or responsibility for the property or vehicle(s) and shall not be liable for any claim for direct or consequential loss arising from loss of or damage to any of the Customer’s property or vehicle(s) left with the Company.
7. Supply of Services
7.1 The Company shall provide the Services to the Customer in accordance with the Service Specification in all material respects.
7.2 The Company shall use reasonable endeavours to meet any agreed performance dates for the Services, but any such dates shall be estimates only and time shall not be of the essence for the performance of the Services.
7.3 The Company shall have the right to make any changes to the Services and/or Service Specification which are necessary to comply with any applicable law or safety requirement, or which do not materially affect the nature or quality of the Services, and the Company shall notify the Customer in any such event.
7.4 The parties may agree Additional Services, the fee in relation to which shall either be agreed at the time that the Additional Services are agreed, or will be based on a time and materials basis.
7.5 The Company warrants to the Customer that the Services and Additional Services will be provided using reasonable care and skill. The Company shall not be liable to the Customer under the terms of this warranty any later than 12 months after the Services have been provided and this warranty shall become void should any third party and/or the Customer also carry out works to items maintained by the Services.
7.6 The warranty at clause 7.5 in relation to the Services and Additional Services shall not include the cost of and relating to any Specialist Access Equipment, which cost shall be payable by the Customer.