TERMS & CONDITIONS
Hollingsworth Building Assessments
(“the Company”)
Effective from: 05/03/2026
1. Definitions
“Client” means the individual or organisation instructing the Company.
“Services” means any inspection, assessment, survey, EPC, Legionella assessment, damp survey, consultancy service or advisory report provided.
“Report” means the written document issued following inspection.
2. Scope of Services
2.1 The Company provides non-intrusive, visual property assessments and advisory reports unless otherwise agreed in writing.
2.2 Services may include:
Home Health & Property Performance Assessments
Damp & Moisture Surveys
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)
Legionella Risk Assessments
Building performance consultancy
2.3 Unless explicitly stated, Services do not include:
Structural engineering advice
Invasive or destructive investigations
Opening-up works
Laboratory sampling
Statutory enforcement inspections
Legal advice
2.4 Any additional services must be agreed in writing.
3. Nature of Report
3.1 All Reports are advisory in nature unless explicitly stated otherwise.
3.2 Reports are based on:
Conditions visible and accessible at the time of inspection
Information provided by the Client
Supporting measurements where taken
3.3 The Report reflects the condition of the property at the time of inspection only.
3.4 No warranty is given that defects, deterioration, or concealed conditions will not arise after inspection.
4. Limitations of Inspection
4.1 Inspections are visual and non-intrusive unless separately commissioned.
4.2 The Company does not:
Lift floor coverings
Move heavy furniture
Remove fixed finishes
Open sealed building elements
Dismantle plumbing or heating systems
Conduct destructive testing
4.3 Moisture meter readings are indicative comparative readings only and do not measure moisture content by weight.
4.4 Concealed defects may exist which cannot reasonably be identified during a non-intrusive inspection.
5. Fees & Payment
5.1 Payment in Advance
Full payment is required in advance of all inspection appointments.
Inspection dates are not confirmed until payment has been received in cleared funds.
The final Report will not be issued until payment has been received in full.
Reports remain the intellectual property of the Company until payment has cleared.
No reliance may be placed on verbal comments, draft findings, or informal communications prior to formal paid Report release.
5.2 Consumer Cancellation Rights
Where the Client is a private residential homeowner, they may have a 14-day statutory cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
If the Client requests the inspection to take place within the 14-day cooling-off period, they expressly request immediate commencement of the service and acknowledge that their right to cancel may be lost once the service has been fully performed.
6. Cancellation & Rearrangement Policy
Appointments are reserved exclusively for the Client once confirmed.
The following applies to all Services:
• More than 48 hours’ notice — full refund (less non-refundable payment processing fees, if applicable).
• 24–48 hours’ notice — 50% of the agreed fee retained.
• Less than 24 hours’ notice, same-day cancellation, refusal of access, or failure to provide reasonable access — 100% of the agreed fee retained.
If significant travel has commenced at time of cancellation, up to 100% of the agreed fee may be retained.
If access is materially restricted or unsafe, the inspection may be aborted and treated as complete for billing purposes.
7. Client Responsibilities
The Client must:
Provide safe and reasonable access to all relevant areas.
Secure pets.
Disclose known defects and previous remedial works.
Provide accurate property information.
Failure to provide reasonable access may invalidate findings.
8. Damp & Moisture Assessments
8.1 Damp surveys are non-intrusive unless otherwise agreed.
8.2 Moisture readings are comparative indicators only.
8.3 The Company does not guarantee the absence of concealed timber decay, fungal growth, or hidden moisture sources.
9. Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)
9.1 EPCs are prepared in accordance with prevailing methodology and approved software.
9.2 Recommendations generated within EPCs are software-driven and do not constitute bespoke financial feasibility advice.
10. Legionella Risk Assessment
10.1 Any general water system observations within a broader property assessment do not constitute a formal Legionella Risk Assessment unless separately commissioned.
10.2 The legal responsibility for water hygiene management remains with the property owner or responsible person.
11. Use of Associates & Subcontractors
11.1 Site data may be gathered by trained associates using structured assessment protocols.
11.2 All professional analysis, interpretation, conclusions, and recommendations are solely those of the Report author.
11.3 The Company retains full control and responsibility for final Report content.
12. Reliance & Third Parties
12.1 Reports are prepared solely for the named Client.
12.2 No third party may rely upon the Report without prior written consent.
12.3 The Company accepts no liability to third parties.
13. Limitation of Liability
13.1 To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company’s total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the Services shall not exceed the professional fee paid for that specific instruction.
13.2 The Company shall not be liable for:
Consequential or indirect losses
Loss of rent
Loss of profit
Business interruption
Market value changes
Costs incurred by third-party contractors
13.3 Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
14. Refund Policy
14.1 Refunds are only issued in accordance with Section 6 (Cancellation).
14.2 Once inspection has been completed, fees are non-refundable.
14.3 Dissatisfaction with findings does not constitute grounds for refund.
15. Complaints Procedure
15.1 Complaints must be submitted in writing within 28 calendar days of the Report issue date. Complaints received after this period will not be accepted.
15.2 The Company will acknowledge receipt of a written complaint within 5 working days and will provide a substantive written response within 15 working days, where reasonably practicable.
15.3 The Client agrees to allow the Company a reasonable opportunity to investigate and respond to any complaint before commencing legal proceedings.
15.4 The Client agrees not to undertake remedial works or alterations relating to the subject of the complaint without first providing the Company reasonable opportunity to review the matter.
16. Intellectual Property
Reports remain the intellectual property of the Company.
Reports may not be reproduced, altered, or distributed without written consent.
17. Data Protection & Privacy
17.1 The Company processes personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
17.2 Personal data collected may include:
Client name
Address
Contact details
Property photographs
Property-related information disclosed during inspection
17.3 Photographs taken during inspection form part of the confidential report record and are stored securely.
17.4 Reports and associated data are retained for a minimum period of 6 years for professional record-keeping and potential dispute resolution.
17.5 Full details of how personal data is stored, processed, and retained are set out in the Company’s Privacy Policy, available on request and published on the Company website.
18. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.