Terms & Conditions of Services
1. These terms
1.1 These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern all conservation, restoration, servicing, consultancy, and related professional services (“Services”) provided by Dale Sardeson, Accredited Conservator (“the Conservator”) to any private individual, organisation, or institution (“the Client”). By commissioning work, the Client will be deemed to have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by these terms and conditions.
1.2 The Conservator’s trading name is Sardeson Horological Conservation. ‘The Conservator’ and ‘Sardeson Horological Conservation’ are used interchangeably in these Terms, and any written communication the client receives from Sardeson Horological Conservation is understood to be received from the Conservator, and is subject to these Terms.
2. HOW TO CONTACT SARDESON HOROLOGICAL CONSERVATION
2.1 The Conservator’s workshop is in Warminster, Wiltshire. Clients can contact the Conservator by telephone on 07989 462 775, by email to dale.sardeson@googlemail.com, or by using the contact form on the website https://www.sardesonhorology.com/contact. The workshop address can be given upon request, but Clients should be aware that visits to the workshop are by appointment only and unexpected visitors may not be received.
2.2 If the Conservator needs to contact the client, this will normally be done by either telephone or in writing to the email address provided.
2.3 When the word “writing” or “written” appears in these terms, this includes emails.
3. BRINGING AN OBJECT TO THE WORKSHOP
3.1 The Client can drop off their object at a time agreed at the workshop.
3.2 The Client may request the Conservator to collect an object. This service will be charged at the Conservator’s standard hourly rate, plus mileage at 55p/mile. The charge will typically be included as part of the final invoice amount, rather than being charged separately.
3.3 In exceptional circumstances, the Client may send an object by post to the workshop, with a covering note setting out their name, contact details, and required services. It is strongly advised that a form of tracked delivery service is used, and the Client must ensure their item is insured while in transit with an appropriate level of cover. It is the Client’s responsibility to ensure proper packaging and the Conservator cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage caused to an object during transit. Additionally, the return of any packaging boxes or materials is not guaranteed.
3.4 By providing their object to the Conservator, the Client authorises the Conservator to dismantle and clean the object as much as is required to carry out an initial assessment.
3.5 Along with their object, the Client must additionally provide either an email or postal address so that estimates, invoices and other communications about the object can be made in writing.
4. INITIAL INSPECTION, ESTIMATES, AND VARIATIONS
4.1 Typically, no work will be carried out on an object belonging to the Client without an initial inspection being first carried out and a written estimate being prepared.
4.2 Estimates are normally provided free of charge, however the Conservator reserves the right to charge for estimates if a particularly detailed inspection is required to gain a proper understanding of the repairs required on an object. The Client will be informed if there is to be a charge, before the estimate is carried out.
4.3 In cases where the Client decides not to go ahead with the required work; if the object was collected by the Conservator, then the costs of collection (and redelivery, if required) will still be charged as in 3.2 above, even if the estimate was provided free of charge.
4.4 No work will be carried out until the Client provides written confirmation that they are happy for the Conservator to carry out the estimated services at the indicated cost. Once this confirmation is given, it is understood that the Conservator is authorised to start work immediately.
4.5 Estimates are guides only. Other required repairs may become apparent upon full disassembly. The Client will not normally be notified when additional small repairs are required, especially if this will not change the estimated cost more than 5%. If significant additional work is required, the Client will be notified of the further scope and costs associated, and the work will not be carried out until written approval is given.
5. CARRYING OUT OF SERVICES
5.1 Any completion dates provided are estimates only. While the Conservator will use reasonable endeavours to complete the services within the estimated timeframe, delays may occur due to the nature of conservation work, the availability of parts, or unforeseen issues discovered during disassembly. If it becomes apparent that the services will take longer than the original estimate given, the Conservator will normally try to give a revised timescale.
5.2 On occasion, it may be necessary for the Conservator to subcontract specific elements of work to trusted third-party specialists. Any associated costs will have been included in the estimate.
5.3 Consumable parts will be replaced as required. Non-consumable componentry that is removed during the work will normally be returned to the Client, unless it becomes necessary to destroy the component in order to remove it. New parts manufactured or fitted will be discreetly stamped with the Conservator’s mark where practicable.
5.4 By commissioning conservation or repair work, the Client acknowledges that conservation treatments, restorative interventions, or the fitting of replacement parts may affect the originality, historic character, and/or market value of an object. The Client further acknowledges that, in accordance with accepted conservation practice, certain signs of age, wear, patina, or historic use may intentionally be retained in order to preserve the object’s historic integrity and authenticity.
5.5 Due to the age, condition, variable originality, and historic nature of many objects entrusted for conservation or repair, the Client acknowledges that certain risks are inherent in any intervention, including the possibility of hidden defects, material fatigue, previous undocumented repairs, or unavoidable deterioration becoming apparent during disassembly or treatment.
5.6 The Conservator will exercise reasonable care and skill at all times in accordance with the Consumer Rights Act 2015, but cannot guarantee that all original materials or components will withstand transportation, dismantling, cleaning, repair, conservation, restoration, or testing procedures without risk of further deterioration or failure.
6. REPORTS, DOCUMENTATION & PHOTOGRAPHY
6.1 Work is normally accompanied by an invoice which provides brief, itemised details of all work carried out on an object. A more detailed photographic report can be prepared, this must be requested in writing prior to the commencement of work, and will incur an additional charge equivalent to 2 hours at the Conservator’s standard hourly rate.
6.2 All reports, photographs and documentation produced by Sardeson Horological Conservation remain the intellectual property of the Conservator. The Client may use supplied documentation for personal, institutional or archival purposes but may not reproduce it commercially without permission.
6.3 The Conservator reserves the right to create and use anonymised images, sound recordings, and video of the Client’s goods in trust (including objects, components, and conservation processes) for:
Educational purposes
Professional presentations
Social media content
Website and digital communications
Publications and public engagement
All such material will be anonymised so that the Client, their property, and their identity cannot be reasonably identified. If the Client wishes to be identified and credited as the owner of the object in any such content, or if they object to the use of such material, then they must notify the Conservator in writing before work commences.
7. INSURANCE & LIABILITY
7.1 Goods in trust are insured by the Conservator up to a maximum aggregate value of £30,000 unless otherwise agreed in writing.
7.2 The Client is responsible for informing the Conservator in writing, before work commences, if the value of any object exceeds this amount or requires specialist insurance cover. Where no such declaration is made, the Conservator shall not be liable for any uninsured loss exceeding the stated level of cover.
7.3 Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
7.4 Subject to clause 7.3, the Conservator’s liability for loss of or damage to an object shall be limited to the lesser of:
(a) the reasonable market value of the object; or
(b) the amount for which the object was insured by the Conservator at the time of the loss.
7.5 The Conservator may request reasonable evidence of value before accepting liability for any claimed valuation.
8. COMPLETION, COLLECTION/DELIVERY & PAYMENT TERMS
8.1 Payment is due within 30 days of the invoice date, or on the day before collection/delivery of the object (whichever is sooner). Clients’ objects remain their property but will not be returned until full payment is made.
8.2 The Conservator reserves the right to charge interest on late payments. Interest will be charged at the rate of 3% a year above the Bank of England base rate. This interest shall accrue on a daily basis from the date the payment becomes late, until the date of actual payment.
8.3 The Conservator reserves the right to additionally charge reasonable administrative costs incurred in recovering overdue sums.
8.4 The Conservator may charge a storage fee if the Client does not collect their object or if delivery cannot be arranged due to payment being outstanding. Storage fees will be accrued at a rate of £3 per week, beginning 30 days after the invoice date.
8.5 The Client must pay the interest, administrative fee and storage fees together with any overdue amount. Interest, storage fees, and any reasonable recovery costs will continue to accrue until all outstanding sums are paid in full.
8.6 In the event that an object remains uncollected for a period of 12 months, then the Conservator may take steps to sell or auction the object in line with the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977.
9. WARRANTY
9.1 The Conservator will rectify any defects arising from any Services provided for a period of 12 months from the invoice date.
9.2 The warranty does not cover accidental damage, wilful mistreatment or user error. Mainsprings (both original and replacement), and any damage arising from their failure, are specifically excluded from this warranty, but new mainsprings carry the manufacturers own warranty.
10. CANCELLATION & POSTPONEMENT
10.1 The Client has the right to cancel work at any time. Cancellations must be made in writing.
10.2 However, the Client should note, as described in 4.4 above, by giving written approval of an estimate, the Client expressly authorises the Conservator to begin work immediately, before the expiry of any statutory cancellation period. The Client acknowledges that, if they subsequently cancel after work has begun, they may be required to pay for Services supplied up to the date of cancellation. The Conservator reserves the right to charge for work reasonably carried out, for materials or components already ordered, and for any additional time required to reassemble the object so that it may be safely returned to the Client.
10.3 Once the work described in the estimate has been completed, the Services shall be treated as fulfilled and the Client shall not normally be entitled to a refund by reason of cancellation alone.
10.4 Postponements requested by the Client may incur additional costs if scheduling, travel, or subcontractor arrangements are affected. Additionally, if the Client requests a postponement, but leaves their object in the Conservator’s workshop, the Conservator reserves the right to charge storage fees of £3 a week from the time the postponement is requested until such date as the Client informs the Conservator in writing that they wish the works to proceed.
11. PART-JOBS & CALL-OUTS
11.1 From time to time, the Client may request discreet individual repairs to an object (‘part-jobs’) or onsite services (‘call-outs’) that do not require a full service, such as the correcting of minor running faults or setting a clock up after a move. In these instances, when the Conservator is not being commissioned to fully service an object, certain exclusions or variations to these Terms will apply.
11.2 Written estimates will normally still be provided for workshop part-jobs, but since call-outs generally entail the carrying out of a service or repair at the time of first seeing the object, it is not possible to provide a written estimate for them. Call-outs are charged at the Conservator’s standard hourly rate, as is travel time, and mileage is charged at 55p/mile.
11.3 Workshop part-jobs are subject to all the clauses of section 8, but payments for call-outs are due immediately upon receipt of the invoice, this is because the Services will have already been rendered by the time the Client receives the invoice. Note that this is a variation on clause 8.1 only, the remaining clauses of Section 8 still apply to call-outs, though a 7-day grace period will typically be granted before interest or late payment fees are charged.
11.4 Due to the limited nature of part-jobs and call-outs, the Conservator cannot guarantee the overall long-term performance or reliability of any object that has not been fully serviced by the Conservator. The warranty described in Section 9 shall not apply to part-jobs or call-outs.
11.5 If the Client fails to meet the Conservator at the pre-agreed time of a call-out, this will be treated as a cancellation and the Client will be liable to pay the Conservator for travel time and mileage incurred.
12. CONFIDENTIALITY & DATA PROTECTION
12.1 The Conservator will treat all Client information confidentially and comply with UK data‑protection legislation.
12.2 Personal data will only be used for administration, communication, and record‑keeping related to the commissioned work.
13. FORCE MAJEURE
13.1 The Conservator shall not be liable for any delay or failure to perform obligations under these Terms where such delay or failure results from events beyond the Conservator’s reasonable control. Such events may include, but are not limited to, illness, accident, bereavement, fire, flood, theft, extreme weather, interruption of utilities, equipment failure, shortages or delays in obtaining parts or materials, industrial disputes, transport disruption, acts of government, epidemic or pandemic, or the failure of suppliers or subcontractors.
13.2 Where such circumstances arise, the Conservator shall use reasonable endeavours to minimise disruption and resume performance of the services as soon as reasonably practicable.
13.3 If the delay or interruption is likely to continue for an extended period, the Conservator will inform the Client and the parties may agree an appropriate variation, postponement, or cancellation of the services.
14. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
14.1 The Conservator aims to resolve any concerns promptly and professionally.
14.2 If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, both parties agree to seek mediation before pursuing legal action.
15. GENERAL
15.1 The Client needs the Conservator’s consent to transfer their rights to someone else. They may only transfer their rights or obligations under these Terms to another person if the Conservator agrees to this in writing.
15.2 Nobody else has any rights under these Terms. These Terms constitute a contract between the Client and the Conservator. No other person shall have any rights to enforce any of its terms.
15.3 If a court finds part of these Terms illegal or unenforceable, the rest will continue in force. Each of the paragraphs of these Terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.
15.4 Even if the Conservator delays in enforcing these Terms, they can still enforce them later. If the Conservator does not insist immediately that the Client does anything they are required to do under these Terms, or if the Conservator delays in taking steps against the Client in respect of their breaking this contract, that will not mean that they do not have to do those things and it will not prevent the Conservator taking steps against the Client at a later date.
15.5 These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and any dispute or claim arising out of, or in connection to, these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.