Terms and Conditions
Supply of Goods
PLEASE NOTE THE PROVISIONS OF CLAUSE 10 IN PARTICULAR (LIMITATIONS ON LIABILITY).
1. INTERPRETATION
1.1 Definitions:
Business Day: a day (other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday) when banks in London are open for business.
Conditions: the terms and conditions set out in this document.
Force Majeure Event: an event or circumstance beyond a party’s reasonable control.
Goods: the goods (or any part of them) set out in the Order.
Intellectual Property Rights: patents, rights to inventions, copyright and related rights, moral rights, trade marks, business names and domain names, rights in get-up and trade dress, goodwill and the right to sue for passing off or unfair competition, rights in designs, database rights, rights to use, and protect the confidentiality of, confidential information (including know-how and trade secrets) and all other intellectual property rights, in each case whether registered or unregistered and including all applications and rights to apply for and be granted, renewals or extensions of, and rights to claim priority from, such rights and all similar or equivalent rights or forms of protection which subsist or will subsist now or in the future in any part of the world.
Order: the Customer’s order for the Goods, as set out in the Customer’s purchase order form (whether placed by email, fax or over the telephone).
Specification: any specification for the Goods, including any related plans and drawings, that are agreed in writing by the Customer and the Supplier.
1.2 Interpretation:
(a) a reference to a statute or statutory provision is a reference to such statute or provision as amended or re-enacted. A reference to a statute or statutory provision includes any subordinate legislation made under that statute or statutory provision, as amended or re-enacted.
(b) any phrase introduced by the terms including, include, in particular or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms.
(c) a reference to writing or written includes faxes and emails.
2. BASIS OF CONTRACT
2.1 These Conditions apply to the Contract to the exclusion of any other terms that the Customer seeks to impose or incorporate, or which are implied by trade, custom, practice or course of dealing.
2.2 The Order constitutes an offer by the Customer to purchase the Goods in accordance with these Conditions. The Customer is responsible for ensuring that the terms of the Order and any applicable Specification are complete and accurate.
2.3 The Order shall only be deemed to be accepted when the Supplier issues a written acceptance of the Order or in the case of an Order placed over the telephone when it is confirmed on the telephone.
2.4 The Customer waives any right it might otherwise have to rely on any term endorsed upon, delivered with or contained in any documents of the Customer that is inconsistent with these Conditions.
2.5 Any samples, drawings, descriptive matter or advertising produced by the Supplier and any descriptions or illustrations contained in the Supplier’s catalogues or brochures are produced for the sole purpose of giving an approximate idea of the Goods referred to in them. They shall not form part of the Contract nor have any contractual force.
2.6 A quotation for the Goods given by the Supplier shall not constitute an offer. A quotation shall only be valid for a period of 30 Business Days from its date of issue.
3. GOODS
3.1 The Goods are described on the Supplier’s website as modified by any applicable Specification.
3.2 To the extent that the Goods are to be manufactured in accordance with a Specification supplied by the Customer, the Customer shall indemnify the Supplier against all liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and losses (including any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal and other professional costs and expenses) suffered or incurred by the Supplier in connection with any claim made against the Supplier for actual
or alleged infringement of a third party’s intellectual property rights arising out of or in connection with the Supplier’s use of the Specification. This clause 3.2 shall survive termination of the Contract.
3.3 The Supplier reserves the right to amend the Specification if required by any applicable statutory or regulatory requirements.
4. DELIVERY
4.1 The Supplier shall deliver the Goods to the location set out in the Order or such other location as the parties may agree (Delivery Location) at any time after the Supplier notifies the Customer that the Goods are ready.
4.2 Delivery is completed on the completion of unloading of the Goods at the Delivery Location.
4.3 Any dates quoted for delivery are approximate only, and the time of delivery is not of the essence. The Supplier shall not be liable for any delay in delivery of the Goods that is caused by a Force Majeure Event or the Customer’s failure to provide the Supplier with adequate delivery instructions or any other instructions that are relevant to the supply of the Goods.
4.4 If the Supplier fails to deliver the Goods, its liability shall be limited to the costs and expenses incurred by the Customer in obtaining replacement goods of similar description and quality in the cheapest market available, less the price of the Goods. The Supplier shall have no liability for any failure to deliver the Goods to the extent that such failure is caused by a Force Majeure Event or the Customer’s failure to provide the Supplier with adequate delivery instructions or any other instructions that are relevant to the supply of the Goods.
4.5 If the Customer fails to take delivery of the Goods within three Business Days of the Supplier notifying the Customer that the Goods are ready, then, except where such failure or delay is caused by a Force Majeure Event or the Supplier’s failure to comply with its obligations under the Contract:
(a) delivery of the Goods shall be deemed to have been completed at 9.00 am on the third Business Day after the day on which the Supplier notified the Customer that the Goods were ready; and
(b) the Supplier shall store the Goods until delivery takes place and charge the Customer for all related costs and expenses (including insurance).
4.6 If ten Business Days after the day on which the Supplier notified the Customer that the Goods were ready for delivery the Customer has not taken delivery of them, the Supplier may resell or otherwise dispose of part or all of the Goods and, after deducting reasonable storage and selling costs, account to the Customer for any excess over the price of the Goods or charge the Customer for any shortfall below the price of the Goods.
5. QUALITY
5.1 The Supplier warrants that on delivery, and for a period of 12 months from the date of delivery (warranty period), the Goods shall:
(a) conform in all material respects with the Specification;
(b) be free from material defects in design, material and workmanship;
(c) be of satisfactory quality (within the meaning of the Sale of Goods Act 1979); and
(d) be fit for any purpose held out by the Supplier.
5.2 Subject to clause 5.3, if:
(a) the Customer gives notice in writing to the Supplier during the warranty period within a reasonable time of discovery that some or all of the Goods do not comply with the warranty set out in clause 5.1;
(b) the Supplier is given a reasonable opportunity of examining such Goods; and
(c) the Customer (if asked to do so by the Supplier) returns such Goods to the Supplier’s place of business at the Customer’s cost, the Supplier shall, at its option, replace the defective Goods, or refund the price of the defective Goods in full.
5.3 The Supplier shall not be liable for the Goods’ failure to comply with the warranty set out in clause 5.1 in any of the following events:
(a) the Customer makes any further use of such Goods after giving notice in accordance with clause 5.2;
(b) the defect arises because the Customer failed to follow the Supplier’s oral or written instructions as to the storage, commissioning, installation, use and maintenance of the Goods or (if there are none) good trade practice regarding the same;
(c) the defect arises as a result of the Supplier following any drawing, design or Specification supplied by the Customer;
(d) the Customer alters or repairs such Goods without the written consent of the Supplier;
(e) the defect arises as a result of fair wear and tear, wilful damage, negligence, or abnormal storage or working conditions; or
(f) the Goods differ from the Specification as a result of changes made to ensure they comply with applicable statutory or regulatory requirements.
5.4 Except as provided in this clause 5, the Supplier shall have no liability to the Customer in respect of the Goods’ failure to comply with the warranty set out in clause 5.1.
5.5 The terms implied by sections 13 to 15 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 are, to the fullest extent permitted by law, excluded from the Contract.
5.6 These Conditions shall apply to any repaired or replacement Goods supplied by the Supplier.
6. TITLE AND RISK
6.1 The risk in the Goods shall pass to the Customer on completion of delivery.
6.2 Title to the Goods shall not pass to the Customer until the earlier of:
(a) the Supplier receives payment in full (in cash or cleared funds) for the Goods, in which case title to the Goods shall
pass at the time of payment of all such sums; and
(b) the Customer resells the Goods, in which case title to the Goods shall pass to the Customer at the time specified in
clause 6.4.
6.3 Until title to the Goods has passed to the Customer, the Customer shall:
(a) store the Goods separately from all other goods held by the Customer so that they remain readily identifiable as the Supplier’s property;
(b) not remove, deface or obscure any identifying mark or packaging on or relating to the Goods;
(c) maintain the Goods in satisfactory condition and keep them insured against all risks for their full price from the date of delivery;
(d) notify the Supplier immediately if it becomes subject to any of the events listed in clause 9.1; and
(e) give the Supplier such information relating to the Goods as the Supplier may require from time to time.
6.4 Subject to clause 6.5, the Customer may resell or use the Goods in the ordinary course of its business (but not otherwise) before the Supplier receives payment for the Goods. However, if the Customer resells the Goods before that time:
(a) it does so as principal and not as the Supplier’s agent; and
(b) title to the Goods shall pass from the Supplier to the Customer immediately before the time at which resale by the Customer occurs.
6.5 If before title to the Goods passes to the Customer the Customer becomes subject to any of the events listed in clause 9.1,
then, without limiting any other right or remedy the Supplier may have:
(a) the Customer’s right to resell the Goods or use them in the ordinary course of its business ceases immediately; and
(b) the Supplier may at any time:
(a) require the Customer to deliver up all Goods in its possession that have not been resold, or irrevocably incorporated into another product; and
(b) if the Customer fails to do so promptly, enter any premises of the Customer or of any third party where the Goods are stored in order to recover them.
7. PRICE AND PAYMENT
7.1 The price of the Goods shall be the price set out in the Order, or, if no price is quoted, the price set out in the Supplier’s published price list in force as at the date of delivery.
7.2 The Supplier may, by giving notice to the Customer at any time up to 90 Business Days before delivery, increase the price of the Goods to reflect any increase in the cost of the Goods that is due to:
(a) any factor beyond the Supplier’s control (including foreign exchange fluctuations, increases in taxes and duties, and increases in labour, materials and other manufacturing costs);
(b) any request by the Customer to change the delivery date(s), quantities or types of Goods ordered, or the Specification;
or
(c) any delay caused by any instructions of the Customer or failure of the Customer to give the Supplier adequate or accurate information or instructions.
7.3 The price of the Goods:
(a) excludes amounts in respect of value added tax (VAT), which the Customer shall additionally be liable to pay to the Supplier at the prevailing rate, subject to the receipt of a valid VAT invoice; and
(b) excludes the costs and charges of packaging, insurance and transport of the Goods, which shall be invoiced to the Customer.
7.4 The Supplier may invoice the Customer for the Goods on or at any time after the order has been received.
7.5 The Customer shall pay the invoice in full and in cleared funds by the last Business Day of the month following the month the invoice was dated. Payment shall be made to the bank account nominated in writing by the Supplier. Time for payment is of the essence.
7.6 The Customer shall pay all amounts due under the Contract in full without any set-off, counterclaim, deduction or withholding (except for any deduction or withholding required by law). The Supplier may at any time, without limiting any other rights or remedies it may have, set off any amount owing to it by the Customer against any amount payable by the Supplier to the Customer.
8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
8.1 All Intellectual Property Rights and all other rights in the Goods and the Specifications belong to the Seller and all such rights are expressly reserved. To the extent that they do not vest automatically, the Customer holds them on trust for the Supplier and the Customer shall promptly execute all documents and do all acts as may be necessary to give effect to this clause 8.1.
8.2 The Customer shall indemnify the Supplier against all liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and losses (including but not limited to any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal costs (calculated on a full indemnity basis) and all other professional costs and expenses) suffered or incurred by the Supplier arising out of or in connection with any threatened or actual infringement by the Customer, its employees, agents and/or sub-contractors of the Supplier’s Intellectual Property Rights in the Goods and the Specifications. This indemnity shall apply whether or not the Supplier has been negligent or at fault.
8.3 Without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that the Supplier may have, the Customer acknowledges and agrees that damages alone would not be an adequate remedy for any infringement by the Customer of the Supplier’s Intellectual Property Rights. Accordingly, the Supplier shall be entitled to the remedies of injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of such Intellectual Property Rights.
8.4 For the avoidance of doubt, this clause shall survive termination of the Contract, however arising.
9. TERMINATION
9.1 Without limiting its other rights or remedies, the Supplier may terminate this Contract with immediate effect by giving written notice to the Customer if:
(a) the Customer commits a material breach of any term of the Contract and (if such a breach is remediable) fails to remedy that breach within 10 days of that party being notified in writing to do so;
(b) the Customer takes any step or action in connection with its entering administration, provisional liquidation or any composition or arrangement with its creditors (other than in relation to a solvent restructuring), being wound up (whether voluntarily or by order of the court, unless for the purpose of a solvent restructuring), having a receiver appointed to any of its assets or ceasing to carry on business;
(c) the Customer suspends, threatens to suspend, ceases or threatens to cease to carry on all or a substantial part of its business; or
(d) the Customer’s financial position deteriorates to such an extent that in the Supplier’s opinion the Customer’s capability to adequately fulfil its obligations under the Contract has been placed in jeopardy.
9.2 Without limiting its other rights or remedies, the Supplier may suspend provision of the Goods under the Contract or any other contract between the Customer and the Supplier if the Customer becomes subject to any of the events listed in clause 9.1(a) to clause 9.1(d), or the Supplier reasonably believes that the Customer is about to become subject to any of them, or if the Customer fails to pay any amount due under this Contract on the due date for payment.
9.3 Without limiting its other rights or remedies, the Supplier may terminate the Contract with immediate effect by giving written notice to the Customer if the Customer fails to pay any amount due under the Contract on the due date for payment.
9.4 On termination of the Contract for any reason the Customer shall immediately pay to the Supplier all of the Supplier’s outstanding unpaid invoices.
9.5 Termination of the Contract shall not affect any of the parties’ rights and remedies that have accrued as at termination, including the right to claim damages in respect of any breach of this Contract that existed at or before the date of termination.
9.6 Any provision of the Contract that expressly or by implication is intended to come into or continue in force on or after termination shall remain in full force and effect.
10. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
10.1 Nothing in these Conditions shall limit or exclude the Supplier’s liability for:
(a) death or personal injury caused by its negligence, or the negligence of its employees, agents or subcontractors (as
applicable);
(b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
(c) breach of the terms implied by section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979;
(d) defective products under the Consumer Protection Act 1987;
(e) any matter in respect of which it would be unlawful for the Supplier to exclude or restrict liability.
10.2 Subject to clause 10.1:
(a) the Supplier shall under no circumstances whatsoever be liable to the Customer, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, for any loss of profit, or any indirect or consequential loss arising under or in connection with the Contract; and
(b) the Supplier’s total liability to the Customer in respect of all other losses arising under or in connection with the Contract, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, shall in no circumstances exceed £250.
11. FORCE MAJEURE
Neither party shall be in breach of this Contract nor liable for delay in performing, or failure to perform, any of its obligations under this Contract if such delay or failure result from a Force Majeure Event. If the period of delay or non-performance continues for 8 weeks, the party not affected may terminate this Contract by giving 14 days written notice to the affected party.
12. ASSIGNMENT AND OTHER DEALINGS
12.1 The Supplier may at any time assign, transfer, mortgage, charge, subcontract or deal in any other manner with all or any of its rights or obligations under the Contract.
12.2 The Customer may not assign, transfer, mortgage, charge, subcontract, declare a trust over or deal in any other manner with any or all of its rights or obligations under the Contract without the prior written consent of the Supplier.
13. CONFIDENTIALITY
13.1 The Customer shall keep in strict confidence for at least 25 years all technical or commercial know-how, specifications, inventions, processes or initiatives which are of a confidential nature and have been disclosed to the Customer by the Supplier or its agents, including Specifications, and any other confidential information concerning the Supplier’s business or its products, including the Goods, which the Customer may obtain. The Customer shall restrict disclosure of such confidential material to such of its employees, agents or sub-contractors as need to know it and shall ensure that such
employees, agents or sub-contractors are subject to obligations of confidentiality corresponding to those which bind the Customer.
13.2 Confidential information shall not be deemed to include information that is or becomes publicly known other than through any act or omission of the Customer.
13.3 The Customer shall indemnify the Supplier against all liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and losses (including but not limited to any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal costs (calculated on a full indemnity basis) and all other professional costs and expenses) suffered or incurred by the Supplier arising out of or in connection with arising out of or in connection with any breach of any breach of clause 13.1 by the
Customer. This indemnity shall apply whether or not the Supplier has been negligent or at fault.
13.4 Without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that the Supplier may have, the Customer acknowledges and agrees that damages alone would not be an adequate remedy for any breach by the Customer of clause 13.1. Accordingly, the Supplier shall be entitled to the remedies of injunction, specific performance or other equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of clause 13.1.
13.5 This clause shall survive termination of the Contract, however arising.
14. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
14.1 This Contract constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes and extinguishes all previous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings between them, whether written or oral, relating to its subject matter.
14.2 Each party agrees that it shall have no remedies in respect of any statement, representation, assurance or warranty (whether made innocently or negligently) that is not set out in this agreement. Each party agrees that it shall have no claim for innocent or negligent misrepresentation based on any statement in this agreement.
15. VARIATION
No variation of this Contract shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the parties (or their authorised representatives).
16. WAIVER
No failure or delay by a party to exercise any right or remedy provided under the Contract or by law shall constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall it prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of such right or remedy shall prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy.
17. SEVERANCE
If any provision or part-provision of the Contract is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, legal and enforceable. If such modification is not possible, the relevant provision or part-provision shall be deemed deleted. Any modification to or deletion of a provision or part-provision under this clause shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the rest of the Contract.
18. NOTICES
18.1 Any notice or other communication given to a party under or in connection with the Contract shall be in writing, addressed to that party at its registered office (if it is a company) or its principal place of business (in any other case) or such other address as that party may have specified to the other party in writing in accordance with this clause, and shall be delivered personally, sent by pre-paid first class post or other next working day delivery service, commercial courier, or email.
18.2 A notice or other communication shall be deemed to have been received: if delivered personally, when left at the address referred to in clause 18.1; if sent by pre-paid first class post or other next working day delivery service, at 9.00 am on the second Business Day after posting; if delivered by commercial courier, on the date and at the time that the courier’s delivery receipt is signed; or, if sent by email, one Business Day after transmission.
18.3 The provisions of this clause shall not apply to the service of any proceedings or other documents in any legal action.
19. THIRD PARTY RIGHTS
No one other than a party to this Contract [and their permitted assignees] shall have any right to enforce any of its terms.
20. GOVERNING LAW
The Contract, and any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter or formation, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.
21. JURISDICTION
Each party irrevocably agrees that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with this Contract or its subject matter or formation.