Terms & Conditions of Business

  1. General Terms

On instructing us to carry out any form of work, the client agrees to our Terms and Conditions of business contained herein.

Written quotations will be provided and, a signed confirmation will be required prior to the commencement of an assignment.

The rates and charges payable by The Client will be detailed in any quote given to The Client.  First Rate PA Virtual Assistants will invoice by total minutes taken to complete the work, or in the case of audio typing, this will be charged at the length of the audio recording, details of which will be provided in the invoice. A time-tracking report can be provided on request. Additional expenses will be invoiced at cost and agreed upon prior to any assignment commencement.

Both First Rate PA Virtual Assistants and The Client agree that all information provided to each other will be treated as strictly private and confidential and safeguarded in line with The Data Protection Act.

If the original requirements of the job are changed following agreement, First Rate PA Virtual Assistants reserves the right to consult with The Client and amend the quotation appropriately.

Payment can be made by BACS ONLY.

Charges will be incurred by the client for any cheque presented, which is returned by the bank unpaid.

Payment terms are strictly 14 days from the date of invoice unless agreed otherwise within The Client’s contract.

Retainer services must be paid monthly in advance.

Payment made by PAYPAL will incur the relevant service charge.

Failure to pay on time may result in a late payment charge being applied to the account. The late payment charge is 10% above the base rate. Overdue accounts may be passed to a debt recovery agent for collection.

The final responsibility for proofreading errors in completed work rests with the client. Any errors will be rectified free of charge if notified within 2 working days of receipt of completed work. First Rate PA Virtual Assistants does not accept liability for any errors and will be responsible for rectifying the work only. No further liability is acknowledged.

Clients are solely responsible for the appropriate uses of all work undertaken by First Rate PA Virtual Assistants including abiding by copyright laws, plagiarism laws, and publishing requirements. First Rate PA Virtual Assistants is not responsible for the content of any document supplied to them.

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants retains the right to reject any work for any client that involves material which it considers to be illegal, immoral, or objectionable.

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants has a strict confidentiality policy. No details regarding our clients or information relating to work carried out will be disclosed or passed to a third party without prior consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants will sign a confidentiality agreement if requested by the client.

  1. Quotations and Deposits

Written quotations are provided prior to contract completion. Quotation amendments or renews can be provided on request.

A minimum 50% deposit or £25.00 (minimum payment) is required before work commences for a new client. First Rate PA Virtual Assistants reserves the right to request full payment of the quotation for work prior to starting an assignment if the estimate exceeds £200.00

Payment of the first invoice will be required as a deposit to be paid before any work can commence when engaging into a monthly retainer.

  1. Rates

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants rates are billed in increments of minutes. Rates are meant as a guide only and can be tailored to your individual requirements.

Any additional expenses (including but not limited to: postage, printing, stationary, peripherals, and consumables) will be charged in addition to the quotation. It may be necessary for large amounts to be paid in advance. However, these will only be charged at cost.

Where the client causes delay, changes the specification, requires extra work or meetings, or changes previously accepted work, we shall be entitled to a reasonable extension of time and rate increase and/or advance payment.

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants is not currently VAT registered.

  1. Invoices

An invoice will be produced on completion of work undertaken or on the first working day of the month for retainer contracts and dispatched to the client. Payment is strictly due within 14 days from the date of the invoice.

If payments are overdue, a reminder will be sent, which may include a late payment fee of 10% above the base rate.

  1. Payments

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants accepts payments in the following ways: By Bank Transfer (BACS). Details will be provided on the invoice.

  1. Completed Assignments

All completed assignments can be returned to the client by email, post, or courier as hard copy, electronic mail, CD, or USB.

  1. Loss/Damage of Client Property

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage, theft, etc of data, projects, equipment, or any items relating to assignments, during transit to/from First Rate PA Virtual Assistants premises.

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants recommends that clients obtain a proof of postage as we will not accept responsibility for loss or damage to items going through the postal service.

  1. Restrictions

The Client undertakes not to engage in a contract directly or indirectly whether as director, shareholder, employee, consultant, proprietor or agent or in any other capacity with any associate of the Company, in the 12 months prior to termination of this contract for the period of 12 months after termination.

The Client agrees not to:

For a period of 12 months immediately following the termination of this contract, either his/her own account of in conjunction with or on behalf of any other person, company, business entity or other organisation whatsoever, directly or indirectly solicit the engagement of any associate or prospective associate of the company with whom he/she had substantial personal contact or dealings on behalf of the company during the period of the contract.

And

The Client agrees not to:

For a period of 12 months after termination of this contract whether as principal or agent of this contract whether as principal or agent or employer or otherwise, whether directly or indirectly, recruit any person as an employee or consultant or in some other capacity if that person was at any time during the last six months of this contract under contract with the Company and the Client had regular contact with him/her through the performance of the contract.

  1. Proof Reading/Editing

Final responsibility for proofreading errors in completed work rests with the client. First Rate PA Virtual Assistants can accept no responsibility for errors found after submission but will gladly correct any found within 2 working days of the completed work being returned to the client. If we are notified that errors have been found, within this timescale, they will be rectified free of charge.

  1. Insurance

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants and all its associated Virtual Assistants hold professional indemnity insurance.

  1. End User Responsibility

First Rate PA Virtual Assistants is not responsible for the end use of any document produced or edited by us. Clients are solely responsible for its appropriate use, including abiding by any copyright laws, plagiarism laws, and publishing requirements. First Rate PA Virtual Assistants is not responsible for the content of any document supplied to them. Clients should not pass off plagiarised material as their own original work. First Rate PA Virtual Assistants will assume no responsibility for any plagiarised material supplied by a client and reserves the right to return work, should First Rate PA Virtual Assistants become aware of such inappropriate use. First Rate PA Virtual Assistants retains the right to reject work for any client which involves material First Rate PA Virtual Assistants finds to be illegal, immoral, or objectionable.

  1. Termination

Both the Client and the Company agree to a 3 month trial period. At the end of the trial period there shall be no obligation to extend this Agreement should either Party be unhappy with the arrangement.

Either Party shall have the right at any time to terminate this Agreement by giving 30 days’ notice in writing to the other Party.

In addition, both Parties may terminate this Agreement with immediate effect by giving written notice to the other Party if the other Party:

  • Commits any breach of this Agreement (excluding late payment under Clause 1) and, in the case of a breach which is capable of remedy, fails to remedy it within 21 days’ after receiving written notice giving full particulars of the breach and requiring it to be remedied; or
  • Is incompetent, guilty of gross misconduct and/or any serious or persistent negligence in respect of his/her obligations hereunder.

PROVIDED ALWAYS that the Client may not terminate this Agreement solely for the reason of the Company’s absence through illness or injury unless such injury prevents the Company from providing any Services to the Company.