Terms and Conditions for Gardeners St James
Welcome to our gardening services terms and conditions. 
These terms set out the basis on which Gardeners St James provides domestic and commercial garden services, including maintenance, clearance, pruning, planting, and related outdoor work. They are designed to be clear, fair, and practical, so that both the customer and the gardening contractor understand the service scope, booking process, payment expectations, and responsibilities before any work begins.
By requesting a quotation, confirming a booking, or allowing our team to start work, you agree to these terms. If anything in the service specification is unclear, the customer should raise it before the appointment is confirmed. We aim to provide a professional gardening service in St James and across surrounding areas, but the exact nature of each job depends on access, site conditions, weather, plant condition, and the agreed work schedule.
These terms apply to all work carried out by our gardeners, whether the service is a one-off visit or a recurring maintenance arrangement. They should be read together with any written quotation, job description, or agreed estimate. If there is any conflict between these terms and a specific written agreement, the written agreement will usually take priority for the matters it covers.
1. Booking Process
All bookings for Gardeners St James are subject to availability and acceptance by us. A booking is normally made after the customer provides basic details about the property, the garden, the requested services, and the preferred date or time window. We may ask for photographs, a brief description of the area, or other relevant information to help us assess the work accurately and prepare an appropriate quotation.
Any estimate or quotation provided before an on-site visit is based on the information supplied by the customer. If the actual conditions differ from the description given, we may need to revise the price, the scope of work, or the attendance time. A booking is only confirmed when the customer accepts the quotation or estimate and we confirm the appointment. We may refuse or decline a booking where the requested service is unsuitable, unsafe, or beyond our operational capacity.
We reserve the right to schedule work in a reasonable order and to alter the planned start time where delays occur due to weather, traffic, access restrictions, or other circumstances beyond our control. 
While we will make reasonable efforts to attend on the agreed date, time slots are estimates rather than guarantees unless specifically stated otherwise in writing. For recurring garden maintenance services, we may set regular intervals, but these may be adjusted seasonally or operationally with notice.
2. Scope of Services
Our services may include grass cutting, hedge trimming, weeding, planting, leaf clearance, border maintenance, pruning, pressure washing where suitable, garden tidying, and other agreed outdoor tasks. The exact scope for each job will be set out in the quotation or service request. Any task not expressly included should be treated as excluded unless agreed in writing before or during the visit.
We use reasonable skill and care in carrying out all gardening work. However, gardening is a natural and variable service, and results can depend on season, plant health, soil condition, previous maintenance, and environmental factors. We do not guarantee regrowth, flowering outcomes, pest control results, or the long-term condition of plants unless a separate written warranty has been given. Where specialist work is required, such as tree surgery, pest treatment, structural repairs, or electrical tasks, these will be excluded unless clearly agreed and legally permitted.
In the middle of a service visit, our team may need to stop or amend the planned work if hidden hazards, protected plants, unsafe surfaces, or inaccessible areas are discovered. In such cases, we will normally explain the issue to the customer and discuss the next steps. Gardeners in St James aim to keep each job efficient and tidy, but we are entitled to refuse any task that would create an unreasonable risk to people, property, wildlife, or our staff.
3. Payments and Pricing
Prices are usually based on an hourly rate, fixed quotation, or a combination of labour and materials. All fees will be stated in pounds sterling unless otherwise agreed. Unless explicitly included, the price may not cover specialist materials, heavy waste removal, access equipment, parking charges, or unexpected additional labour. Customers are responsible for ensuring they understand what is and is not included before confirming the booking.
Payment terms will be stated on the invoice or quotation. In most cases, payment is due on completion of the work or within the agreed payment period stated in writing. We may request a deposit for larger jobs, repeat services, or projects involving materials ordered in advance. Deposits are used to secure scheduling and may be non-refundable where work has already been reserved or preparatory costs have been incurred.
We accept payment by the methods communicated at the time of booking. If payment is not made by the due date, we may charge reasonable late payment fees and reserve the right to suspend further services until outstanding sums are settled. Any dispute about an invoice must be raised promptly and in good faith. Undisputed amounts remain payable even if another part of the service is being queried.
4. Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Access
The customer may cancel or reschedule a booking, but reasonable notice should be provided. Where short notice is given, we may charge a cancellation fee to cover lost time, travel, and administrative costs. If materials have been purchased or specialist arrangements made specifically for the job, those costs may also be chargeable. The amount of any fee will depend on the timing of the cancellation and the stage reached in preparing for the service.
We may also cancel or reschedule a job if weather conditions, staff illness, equipment failure, access problems, safety concerns, or other unavoidable circumstances make attendance impractical or unsafe. In such cases, we will seek to offer an alternative appointment. We will not be liable for delay or non-performance caused by events outside our reasonable control, including severe weather, flooding, transport disruption, or third-party obstruction.
The customer must ensure suitable access to the property and garden on the day of the appointment. If our team cannot enter the site, cannot safely reach the work area, or is prevented from working due to locked gates, pets, missing instructions, or other access issues, the visit may be treated as cancelled and charged accordingly. Where keys, codes, or special instructions are provided, the customer confirms they have authority to share them and that the information is accurate.
5. Customer Responsibilities
The customer is responsible for removing or securing items that could be damaged during gardening work, such as ornaments, fragile pots, loose cables, toys, furniture, concealed hazards, and personal belongings. Our gardeners will take reasonable care, but they are not expected to move all items unless this is included in the job. Hidden objects in lawns, borders, or undergrowth should be disclosed in advance wherever possible.
Where our team uses customer-supplied equipment, materials, or tools, the customer confirms that these are safe, suitable, and fit for purpose. Any defects or limitations should be made known before use. If the customer asks us to work in a way that conflicts with these terms, a health and safety requirement, or a legal obligation, we may refuse that instruction and proceed only with the lawful and safe parts of the service.
Customers should also ensure that pets, children, and vulnerable persons are kept away from active work areas. Although our gardeners act carefully, the presence of tools, machinery, cuttings, and moving vehicles can create temporary hazards. We are entitled to pause work until the area is made reasonably safe. This is especially important for garden maintenance services involving powered tools or green waste removal.
All garden waste handled by our team will be managed in accordance with applicable waste regulations and environmental duties. This may include green waste such as grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, leaves, branches, and plant material. Unless otherwise agreed, waste removal is not automatically included in the service price and may be charged separately. The customer should confirm whether waste is to be left on site, bagged, composted, or removed for lawful disposal.
These terms and any dispute or claim arising from them shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or in connection with the services, subject always to any mandatory consumer rights that apply. By choosing gardeners services in St James, the customer confirms acceptance of these terms as a fair basis for the work to be carried out.