EMAIL MUM EXCLUSIVE SERVICE – TERMS OF TRADE

Part One: Our Exclusive Service To You, The Client

• 1. Service Commitment
• 1.1. Email Mum will provide clients with a high quality housekeeping service through fully trained staff members directly employed by the company (no agencies involved).
• 1.2. All cleaning products are provided by Email Mum in line with current COSH regulations; the client is not responsible for supply. However, the client is asked to provide a serviceable vacuum cleaner.
• 1.3. The company is committed to do their best to deliver a regular service to the client, and will endeavour to provide adequately trained cover staff in the event of holidays or sickness on the part of the client’s regular housekeeper.
• 1.4. A separate service list agreement may be given to clients (where applicable) with a detailed breakdown list included, as well as the factors used to determine individual visit times recommended for the client’s property.

• 2. Price Of Service
• 2.1. The hourly housekeeping rate quoted is inclusive of VAT.
• 2.2. The company’s pricing policy includes a small annual rise, which will never be an amount that is higher than the current rate of inflation.
• 2.3. Email Mum reserves the right to charge travelling expenses.
• 2.4. Email Mum operates a Suspension of Service policy for non-payment of invoices/service visits. More details are provided in Part Two – Payments Policy.

• 3. Warranties and Liability
• 3.1. Email Mum warrants that housekeeping services will be undertaken with reasonable care and skill and, as far as reasonably possible, in accordance with the Contract and individual property service agreement.
• 3.2. Email Mum is fully insured to current UK company liability standards. The client is therefore protected against any damage to or breakage of household items, if caused as a direct result of housekeeper error.
• 3.3. Damage claims must be submitted in writing within 24 hours of the accident and a managerial representative of the company will need to see the item in order for reimbursement or replacement to be granted. If replacement of item is subsequently taken care of by the client, a proof of purchase receipt will then be required for reimbursement.
• 3.4. It is company policy to ensure that all health & safety guidelines are followed, including risk assessments and COSH documentation.
• 3.5. Force Majeure rules also apply, which frees Email Mum or the client from liability or obligations due to non-performance or delayed performance of services when any extraordinary event occurs beyond the parties’ control, resulting in prevention of said housekeeping services.

• 4. Cancellation Policy On The Part of the Client:
• 4.1. In Cases of Client Sickness Or Emergency Resulting in Cancellation – The client is required to notify the company of the cancellation by 8.30am on the morning of the scheduled service visit. If notification is not conveyed to the company by this specified time, then a late cancellation charge of 60% of the scheduled service visit (inclusive of VAT) will apply.
• 4.2. In Cases of Client Not Requiring Service Due to Client Being Absent on Booked Holiday – The client is requested to inform Email Mum that visit(s) will not be required on dates of booked holiday no less than two weeks beforehand. If no notification is given to the company and a clean is conducted, then normal service visit charges will apply. For those clients who do not provide Email Mum with an entrance key, the 60% late cancellation charge as outlined in Clause 4.1 will apply.
• 4.3. In Cases of No Staff Member Arrival On Expected Visit Day – It is the responsibility of the company to alert the client if their regular housekeeper cannot undertake a scheduled visit. If the client is expecting a visit and no Email Mum representative arrives, the company requests that the client inform them as soon as possible. The company will then take appropriate action depending on the circumstances resulting in non-arrival.
• 4.4. For Termination of Regular Service - Email Mum requires a minimum of two weeks’ notice for termination of service, unless it is within one month of commencement of the housekeeping service, or in circumstances of client and company dispute.
• 4.5. For Temporary Suspension of Regular Service – Email Mum will guarantee to hold a client’s preferred service slot open for two weeks without the need of a service retainer. After this period, if no retaining fee is agreed, the company reserves the right to pass that slot onto another client. Email Mum cannot guarantee that with resumption of service, they will be able to provide the same housekeeper as she/he who was available prior to the suspension period.
• On The Part of the Company:
• 4.6. In Cases of Staff Member’s Scheduled Holiday or Absence/Long Term Illness – Email Mum will provide the client with temporary cover staff, fully trained according to the company’s regulated standards.
• 4.7. In Cases of Staff Member’s Unforeseen Absence Due To Sickness/Emergency – Email Mum will endeavour to send a fully trained replacement member of staff within 48 hours of the scheduled service visit, if the client is agreeable to the temporary change of visit day.

• 5. Complaints Procedure
• 5.1. It is Email Mum’s ongoing commitment to provide all its clients with a high quality service, and if that service standard is not met, to deal with complaints in a fair and confidential manner. To place a complaint against services, the client needs to contact the Operations Manager in the first instance, and within 24 hours of the problem occurring/the visit taking place. A reporting process will then be undertaken. If the outcome of this process is unsatisfactory to the client, the issue will then be passed over to the company directors for further consideration.
• 5.2. Any refunds, if applicable, can only be granted for the visit under investigation. Email Mum cannot consider reimbursements for housekeeping services completed at any time before or after the complaint is raised. Therefore, the client must ensure that any dissatisfaction with service is raised at the time of the scheduled housekeeping visit to ensure a satisfactory outcome for both client and company.

• 6. Breach of Contract
• 6.1. Please be advised that all Email Mum staff members are working under an ‘Anti-Trust’ contract. Therefore, any separate agreement made between Email Mum clients and individual Email Mum housekeepers to the detriment of the company would result in legal proceedings.
• 6.2. Email Mum reserves the right to terminate any contract if its members of staff are asked to perform any task that breaches current health & safety regulations, or places staff members in a position that threatens their well-being.

• 7. Confidentiality
• 7.1. Confidentiality is an essential requirement of Email Mum’s dedicated service to the client. We will respect and protect our clients’ confidential details at all times, by way of conditions of employment and the ongoing training and management of our staff members.

• 8. Other
• 8.1. Email Mum reserves the right to alter these terms and conditions of service at any time, to comply with any relevant safety or statutory requirements.
• 8.2. English law applies to the Contract and the Terms, and the parties hereby submit to the non exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
• 8.3. Definitions:
• ‘The Client’ - the recipient of Email Mum’s housekeeping services
• ‘The Company’ - Email Mum, insured provider of domestic housekeeping services
• ‘Staff Member’ - trained housekeeper employed by Email Mum
• ‘Service’ - housekeeping duties/tasks provided by Email Mum, agreed with client
• ‘Contract’ - the contract between Email Mum and the client incorporating these terms
• ‘Parties’ - the client and the company, as specified above
• ‘One over One’ - a method of payment in which client settles bill as soon as each cleaning visit is completed

Part Two – Payment Policy

• 9. Payments Procedure
• 9.1. Email Mum operates a ‘One Over One’ payments procedure, in which the client agrees to settle the amount of each scheduled housekeeping visit within 72 working hours of the visit taking place, unless a complaints procedure is underway.
• 9.2. In rare cases, the company will consider granting monthly credit accounts, in which an invoice will be generated for the client at the end of each month, on a ‘services paid in arrears’ arrangement. This is not a standard payment term, and if approved by a company director, this method is subject to a 2% handling fee.
• 9.3. Payment Methods - Email Mum does not accept any cash payments. Email Mum accepts settlement of service charges by bank transfer (direct from client account to company bank account) or alternatively, by cheque if collected by housekeeper when at the property, so that the client is complying with the 72 hour payment policy.
• 9.4. Email Mum is happy for clients to set up fixed standing orders or direct debit agreements with their bank for payments to be made to the company by this method. However, it is the responsibility of the client to change that fixed standing order agreement as soon as alerted by the company in the event of adjustments to scheduled services received or cancelled for whatever reason, and in the event of a change in hourly rate charges. If client refunds result from unchanged standing orders, the company reserve the right to charge an administration handling fee. If unchanged standing orders result in the client exceeding the credit terms as stated in Clause 10.1 and 10.2, Clauses 10.3 and/or 10.4 will be put into effect if necessary.

• 10. Credit Terms
• 10.1. Email Mum allows clients a credit period of up to 72 hours from completion of each scheduled service visit for payments to be made by clients’ preferred payment method.
• 10.2. Credit limits of no more than the value of two weeks’ worth of visits can be extended to any client.
• 10.3. Email Mum reserves the right to implement a late payment fee.
• 10.4. Email Mum reserves the right to suspend any regular housekeeping service at any time if a client exceeds the agreed credit terms, and the amount owed to the company is undisputed. Suspension of service is undertaken in cases of non-payment of services already rendered in good faith by the company, and if considered necessary by the company directors, in the event of a dispute between client and staff/company.
• 10.5. For the rare cases of clients on monthly credit accounts, invoice settlement must be received by Email Mum before the 12th calendar day of that same month (for services performed without payment in the previous month). If no payment is received within this credit period, and no valid reason is put forth for non-payment, Clauses 10.3 and 10.4 will be put into effect if necessary.