Terms and Conditions

General

• These Terms and Conditions apply to any work done for the Client (you) by Hayley Rushbrook, trading as Proofreading by Hayley (me).

• The Client is under no obligation to offer Hayley Rushbrook work; neither is Hayley Rushbrook under any obligation to accept work offered by the Client.

• Hayley Rushbrook will provide the service(s) as agreed and confirmed in writing (including email) by the Client.

• The work will be carried out unsupervised at such times and places as determined by Hayley Rushbrook using her own equipment.

• The work will be carried out by Hayley Rushbrook. Hayley Rushbrook will not subcontract the proofreading or editing service(s) to a third party. However, Hayley Rushbrook may use reasonable programs, tools and resources to facilitate the editing process.

• Hayley Rushbrook confirms that she is self-employed and is responsible for her own income tax and National Insurance contributions. She will not claim benefits granted to the Client’s employees.

• Hayley Rushbrook does not charge VAT and is not VAT registered.

• The Client must have read, understood and agreed to these Terms and Conditions in writing (including email) before work commences.

• The Client must have read, understood and agreed to these Terms and Conditions in writing (including email) before work commences.

 

Quotes

• Hayley Rushbrook will ask the Client for certain information to provide an appropriate quote. This may include, but is not limited to, what the work is and its subject, whether the project has had any previous rounds of editing, whether the Client has a preferred style guide and a sample of the work. The sample must accurately reflect the standard of the Client’s project and preferably be a section from the middle.

• The Client should confirm the total word count of the project.

• The Client should confirm the date they would like the service(s) to commence and the preferred deadline for completion (if applicable). These dates and deadlines will be confirmed with the quote, or an alternative one will be proposed if the original is unachievable. The timescale provided is dependent on the Client sending the work to Hayley Rushbrook on the agreed date and at the agreed time. All times will be given in local UK time (GMT or BST).

• The quote may be a fee per hour OR per thousand words OR an agreed flat fee for the job. The quote provided will be based on the level of intervention, the required turnaround for the job and the length of the project.

• Quotes will be provided in writing (including email).

• Once the Client has agreed to the full fee (in writing, including email), the price is non-negotiable. However, if the Client makes any changes to the length or nature of the project, Hayley Rushbrook reserves the right to revise the quote and /or extend the completion date. If substantial changes are requested, Hayley Rushbrook reserves the right to decline the work.

• Quotes are valid for 30 days from the date of issue.

• Unless otherwise stated, quotes are for one pass or read-through only. If the Client requests additional passes, these will be classed as new projects, and the terms will be agreed separately.

 

Project Terms and Payment

• Hayley Rushbrook will work on the document and return it to the Client on or before the agreed date of completion for the agreed fee. The work will be based on the brief and the description of the work required, both provided by the Client and confirmed in the Proofreading and Editing Agreement.

• If upon receipt of the project, or at an early stage, it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than had been expected from the initial brief/discussion or sample provided, Hayley Rushbrook may renegotiate the fee and/or deadline, or decline to carry out the work.

• Hayley Rushbrook will require a deposit to book the Client’s project into her schedule. This may be a percentage of the total fee or full payment in advance. This advance payment will be deducted from the total cost when the work is completed. Any advance payment is non-refundable unless the work is cancelled by Hayley Rushbrook.

• If the project is lengthy or ongoing, Hayley Rushbrook will invoice the Client periodically for the completed work.

• If there is likely to be a period of no contact during lengthy or ongoing work (e.g. the Client going on holiday), please inform Hayley Rushbrook as soon as possible. If this is likely to affect Hayley Rushbrook’s income (e.g. the Client will be unable to send over documents), Hayley Rushbrook reserves the right to charge for any lost income during that period if notification is made with less than one month’s notice.

• Unless otherwise agreed, Hayley Rushbrook will provide the Client with an invoice upon completion of the job. For any advance payments (percentage of the total fee or full payment), the Client will receive an invoice for that payment before the job is confirmed/or can commence.

• The Client has no right to reduce the quoted or agreed fee.

• International (or non-UK) Clients are responsible for paying any fees relating to conversions or transfers.

• The Client will pay for any reasonable expenses incurred to carry out the proofreading/editing process (e.g. if the project needs to be printed, the Client will pay for paper and ink costs).

• Unless otherwise agreed at the outset, payment will be made within seven days of receipt of Hayley Rushbrook’s invoice.

 

Sample Edits

• Hayley Rushbrook offers a sample edit service for Clients who wish to see how she can help them and whether they will work well together before hiring her for their project.

• A sample edit is charged at a fixed fee and is payable before work on the sample commences.

• Hayley Rushbrook will work through the sample as she would any other document before returning it to the Client.

• If the Client is happy with her work and chooses to hire her for their project, Hayley Rushbrook will deduct the cost of the sample edit from the total cost of the project.

 

Cancellation Policy: Terms and Fees

Terms:

• Both the Client and Hayley Rushbrook have the right to terminate a contract of services at any time if there is a serious breach of its terms (e.g. non-payment, substantial changes to the service required).

• The Client can terminate the contract by providing Hayley Rushbrook with a written notice (including email). For this to be valid, Hayley Rushbrook must acknowledge this cancellation in writing (including email).

• Hayley Rushbrook can terminate the contract by providing the Client with a written notice (including email). In the unlikely event that Hayley Rushbrook does cancel a service, Hayley Rushbrook will provide a prorated refund for any excess payments made upfront.

• In the unlikely event the Client should encounter extraordinary or difficult circumstances that may cause cancellation or delay (e.g. illness, family bereavement), the Client should contact Hayley Rushbrook as soon as possible to discuss the terms of the cancellation. Hayley Rushbrook will be fair and helpful where possible.

• If Hayley Rushbrook should encounter any extraordinary or difficult circumstances that may cause cancellation or delay (e.g. illness, family bereavement), Hayley Rushbrook will contact the Client in writing at her earliest opportunity to try and renegotiate the timeframe of the work.

• For ongoing works where a definitive end date isn’t stipulated during initial discussions, please inform Hayley Rushbrook as soon as possible when an end date has been confirmed. Hayley Rushbrook reserves the right to charge for lost income if notification is made with less than one month’s notice.

• If a duration is agreed upon at the start of work (e.g. you require Hayley Rushbrook’s services for three months at X number of hours) but the contract ends earlier than expected, Hayley Rushbrook reserves the right to charge for the full contract term.

Fees:

• If the Client cancels the work during the project, Hayley Rushbrook reserves the right to invoice for 100% of the agreed fee.

• If the Client cancels before work commences, Hayley Rushbrook reserves the right to invoice for 100% of the agreed fee if the Client cancels with less than one month’s notice. If the Client cancels with more than one month’s notice, any payments made upfront will not be refunded, but no further charge will apply.

 

Confidentiality and Data Protection

• The nature and content of the work will be kept confidential and not made known to anyone other than the Client and its contractors without prior written (including email) permission.

• Under the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Client and Hayley Rushbrook may keep on record certain information (e.g. contact details) as necessary. The collection of data shall be in accordance with Article 6(1) Lawfulness of processing of the UK GDPR – https://gdpr-info.eu/art-6-gdpr/.

• Hayley Rushbrook will not share this information with anyone without prior written (including email) permission.

• Either party may view the records held for them to ensure they are relevant, correct and up to date. They also have the right to restrict how their information is used or to have it removed completely.

• If the Client wishes to access their information or request removal, please send an email to hayley@proofreadingbyhayley.com. Hayley Rushbrook will comply with this request (usually within one month).

• If the Client requests removal, unless the information is required for tax and legal purposes, Hayley Rushbrook will action the request.

• You can read the full Privacy Policy at https://www.proofreadingbyhayley.com/privacy-policy.

 

Copyright

• All content sent to Hayley Rushbrook by the Client for proofreading/editing is to be owned by the Client.

• In this respect, the Client agrees that Hayley Rushbrook is held harmless from and against all claims, liabilities and expenses arising from any potential or actual copyright or trademark misappropriation or infringement claimed against them.

• Once payment has been made, any content created by Hayley Rushbrook during the proofreading/editing process will become the copyright of the Client unless otherwise agreed.

 

Liability

• Hayley Rushbrook will do her best to ensure all documents, texts and files are error-free and correct, however, this cannot be guaranteed.

• Hayley Rushbrook will not be held liable for any losses, of any kind, that may result from any missed errors or through any editorial advice provided.

• Hayley Rushbrook will not be held liable for any consequential, indirect or special loss/damage arising from any event(s) beyond her control.

• Hayley Rushbrook will not be held liable for any loss or damage arising from any event(s) beyond her control.

• Any errors highlighted or corrected during the proofreading/editing process are the responsibility of the Client to review, accept and action the changes.

• Hayley Rushbrook will not be held liable for any factual inaccuracies or the content of the Client’s work.

• The Client will have five days from receiving their project back to announce any discrepancies not adhered to in the Proofreading and Editing Agreement and the Terms and Conditions herein. It is the Client’s responsibility to address any concerns within this timeframe. Failure to do so will be interpreted as complete acceptance of the project as delivered.

 

Legal Jurisdiction

• This Agreement is subject to the laws of England and Wales. Both the Client and Hayley Rushbrook agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.

 

Acknowledgements

• There is no obligation to mention Hayley Rushbrook in any acknowledgements section of the Client’s work. However, the Client agrees to allow Hayley Rushbrook to review any such mention prior to publication along with giving her the right to refuse to be mentioned.

 

Promotional Material

• Hayley Rushbrook may use the Client’s name and a brief, non-specific description of the project in her promotional material (including on her website and social networking sites) unless the Client requests otherwise.

• Hayley Rushbrook may use written (including email) feedback, comments or reviews made by the Client in her promotional material (including on her website and social networking sites) unless the Client requests otherwise.

• Hayley Rushbrook may use images of book covers and author names to showcase projects she has worked on in her promotional material (including on her website and social networking sites) unless the Client requests otherwise.