Terms and Conditions
Last updated: 19 May 2021
General
1. These terms and conditions apply to any work done for the Client by me (Jessica Kate Brown).
2. I will provide editing services as mutually agreed and confirmed in writing by the Client.
3. The work will be carried out unsupervised at such times and places as determined by me, using my own equipment.
4. The work will be carried out by me. I will not subcontract the editing project, or parts of the project, to third parties.
5. I confirm that I am self-employed, responsible for my own income tax and National Insurance contributions, and will not claim benefits granted to the Client’s employees.
6. I am not VAT-registered.
7. The contract of service requires that the Client acknowledges, in writing (including email), that they have read, understood and agreed to these terms and conditions.
Project
8. The completed work will be delivered on or before the date agreed, for the agreed fee, which will be based on the description of work required and the brief, both supplied by the Client.
9. Prior to commencement of the editing work, the Client and I will agree, in writing (including email), the terms of the project:
The medium on which the editing service will be carried out (e.g. in MS Word, on PDF or paper).
How the material will be annotated (e.g. Track Changes in Word, PDF mark-ups or BSI correction symbols).
The length of time to complete the project.
A fee for the project, following my evaluation of the material to be edited and the time frame required to complete the job.
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.
10. If, however, on receipt of an item to be worked on or at an early stage, it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary discussion/ brief, I may renegotiate the fee/and or the deadline, or decline to carry out the work.
11. Similarly, if during the term of my work, additional tasks are requested by the Client, I may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline.
12. 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
13. If my work is unsatisfactory, then I will rectify it in my own time and at my own expense.
14. I may use the Client’s name and logo/book cover (if applicable) on my website and in promotional material.
Payment
15. The Client will pay me an agreed fee for the job, as agreed in writing. A 25% down payment is required to secure the booking; a further 25% is required 7 days before the agreed project start date; the final 50% is payable on project completion.
16. Unless otherwise agreed, I will supply the Client with an invoice immediately upon completion of the editing project.
17. Final payment should be received within 30 days of receipt of the invoice, according to the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 (amended 2002 and 2013).
Copyright
18. All content delivered to me by the Client for the editing project is owned by the Client.
19. In this respect, the Client agrees to hold me harmless from and against all claims, liabilities and expenses arising out of any potential or actual copyright or trademark misappropriation or infringement against them
20. Following payment of my invoice, any content created by me as part of my editing process will become the copyright of the Client unless otherwise agreed.
Cancellation
21. Either the Client or I have the right to terminate a contract for services if there is a serious breach of its terms.
22. The Client is free to cancel a service for any reason by providing me with written notice (including email); I must acknowledge this cancellation in writing (including email) for this to be valid.
23. If I am subject to extraordinary circumstances that cause cancellation (e.g. family crisis, illness, bereavement), I will contact the Client in writing (including email) at the earliest opportunity and do my best to renegotiate the time frame of the project or find an alternative supplier of copyediting services.
GDPR
24. The information that the Client and I may keep on record is covered by the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation. 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 myself. 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.
Legal jurisdiction
25. This agreement is subject to the laws of England and Wales [or Scots or Northern Ireland law as appropriate], and both I and Client agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh [or Scots or Northern Ireland] courts.