Terms & Conditions
1. About Us:
Electrical & Gas Care (EGC) stands as a premier independent domestic appliance repair service in the South Wales region. Committed to delivering optimal service, we are proud to be a registered company in England & Wales.
• Company Registration: Registered under Company No: 10464815.
• VAT Registration: VAT reg no: 176 2049 06.
• Registered Office Address: 5a Penty Newydd, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly, CF83 3GS
For any inquiries regarding this document or your orders, feel free to contact us through:
• Email: [email protected]
• Online Contact Form: Click Here
• Phone: 02920 885355 (Mon–Thu: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Fri: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm).
Electrical & Gas Care – Terms and Conditions
Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully as they govern the provision of our domestic white goods repair services. By requesting our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms.
1. Definitions:
- “Agreement”: Refers to the legally binding contract formed between You and Us for the provision of Repair Services, incorporating these Terms and Conditions and any specific terms agreed upon in writing.
- “Appliance Information”: Refers to all details provided by You regarding the Appliance, including but not limited to its make, model number, serial number, age, and a detailed description of the reported fault.
- “Business Day”: Refers to a day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday in England and Wales.
- “Chargeable Time”: Refers to the time spent by the Engineer on Your premises, including inspection, diagnosis, repair work, testing, and any reasonable delays caused by You or the site conditions.
- “Complex Fault”: Refers to a fault that requires extensive diagnostic work, specialized tools, or is not immediately identifiable during the initial inspection.
- “Fixed Service Charge”: The pre-agreed, non-refundable fee for our service, which includes the Engineer’s visit, initial inspection, and diagnosis of the reported fault. This charge will be quoted upfront and is payable prior to the commencement of the service visit.
- “Follow-Up Parts Quotation”: The separate quotation provided for the cost of any Parts required to complete the repair, following the initial diagnosis covered by the Fixed Service Charge. Labour for the installation of these Parts will be included in the Fixed Service Charge. This quotation is payable in full prior to the ordering of the Parts.
- “Advanced Diagnostic Fee”: A specific fee, separate from the Fixed Service Charge, that may be charged for in-depth diagnostic work required for Complex Faults beyond the initial diagnosis. This fee will be communicated to You before commencement of the diagnostic work, and Your consent will be required.
- “Intellectual Property Rights”: Refers to patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, design rights, copyrights, database rights, moral rights, know-how, trade secrets, and all other intellectual property rights, 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.
- “Non-Standard Parts”: Refers to Parts that are not commonly stocked and may require special ordering with longer lead times and potentially higher costs.
- “Working Hours”: Our standard operating hours are Monday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding public holidays. Services outside these hours may be subject to additional charges, as communicated at the time of booking.
2. Service Request, Booking, and Initial Assessment:
- You can request our Repair Services via the methods outlined in Section 2 of the Standard Terms and Conditions.
- When booking, You must provide accurate and comprehensive Appliance Information to enable us to prepare appropriately for the visit.
- We will use reasonable endeavours to provide an estimated time window for the Engineer’s visit. You acknowledge that this is an estimate and may be subject to change due to factors such as traffic, prior appointments running over, or unforeseen complexities. We will endeavour to keep You informed of any significant delays.
- Prior to the Engineer’s visit, we will provide you with a fixed quote for our Service Charge. This Service Charge is payable upfront to secure the appointment.
- Upon arrival, the Engineer will conduct an initial visual inspection and assessment of the Appliance and the reported fault. This initial assessment is part of the service covered by the Fixed Service Charge.
- Following the initial assessment, if Parts are deemed necessary to complete the repair, the Engineer will provide you with a separate Follow-Up Parts Quotation for the cost of these Parts. No additional labour charges will be quoted for the subsequent installation of these Parts, as the labour is covered by the initial Fixed Service Charge. This Follow-Up Parts Quotation will be payable in full prior to us ordering the required Parts. You are under no obligation to accept this Follow-Up Parts Quotation.
- For Complex Faults, the Engineer may need to undertake more detailed diagnostic work beyond the initial assessment, which may be subject to an Advanced Diagnostic Fee. You will be informed of this and the associated fee before any such work commences, and Your explicit consent will be required. This Advanced Diagnostic Fee will be separate from the Fixed Service Charge.
3. Quotations and Pricing:
- We will provide a fixed quote for our Service Charge upfront, which is payable to secure the appointment. This charge covers the Engineer’s visit and initial diagnosis.
- If Parts are required for the repair, a separate Follow-Up Parts Quotation will be provided for the estimated cost of these Parts. The labour for the installation of these quoted Parts will be included within the initial Fixed Service Charge. This Follow-Up Parts Quotation is valid for [Number] days from the date of issue, unless otherwise stated in writing, and is payable in full prior to the ordering of the Parts.
- The cost of Parts in the Follow-Up Parts Quotation is an estimate based on current supplier prices. These prices are subject to change and the final cost may differ. We will inform You of any significant price increases for Parts before proceeding with their order, and Your consent will be required.
- For Non-Standard Parts, there may be additional sourcing fees and longer lead times. These will be clearly communicated to You in the Follow-Up Parts Quotation.
- Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all quoted prices are exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT), which will be added at the prevailing rate.
- We reserve the right to revise our pricing structure at any time without prior notice, but this will not affect Fixed Service Charges already paid or Follow-Up Parts Quotations already accepted within their validity period.
4. Payment Terms and Conditions:
- The Fixed Service Charge is payable upfront via card or BACS transfer to secure the Engineer’s visit.
- The full amount of the Follow-Up Parts Quotation is payable via card or BACS transfer prior to us ordering the required Parts.
- If any balance remains after the Parts have been installed (e.g., due to minor price variations), this will be payable upon completion of the repair and presentation of the final invoice. Similarly, any overpayment will be promptly refunded.
- For Parts exceeding a certain value (as determined by Us and communicated to You), or for the procurement of Non-Standard Parts, the full amount of the Follow-Up Parts Quotation will still be required upfront.
- If You fail to make payment for the Follow-Up Parts Quotation prior to ordering, we reserve the right to delay the ordering of the Parts and any subsequent repair work.
- If You fail to make payment for any outstanding balance after the repair is completed, we reserve the right to:
- Charge interest on the outstanding balance at a rate of 3% per annum above the base lending rate of the Bank of England from time to time, accruing on a daily basis from the due date until the date of actual payment, whether before or after judgment.
- Recover all reasonable costs and expenses incurred in recovering the outstanding debt, including but not limited to legal fees.
- Ownership of any replaced Parts remains with Us until full payment for those Parts has been received.
5. Parts, Warranty, and Liability (with added clauses for Refrigeration Repairs and Third-Party Intervention):
- We warrant that all new Parts supplied by us will be free from manufacturing defects for a period of 90 days from the date of installation, except as specifically stated below for refrigeration compressor replacements.
- The warranty on Parts does not cover:
- Damage caused by misuse, neglect, improper installation (unless carried out by Us), accidents, fire, flood, electrical surges, or other external factors beyond our control.
- Normal wear and tear.
- Consumable items (e.g., filters, belts, seals that have a limited lifespan).
- Appliances that have been moved or relocated after the repair without our prior written consent.
- Our labour for the installation of Parts quoted in the Follow-Up Parts Quotation is covered by the initial Fixed Service Charge and is warranted for a period of 90 days from the date of completion of the Parts installation, ensuring it was carried out with reasonable care and skill. This labour warranty does not extend to issues arising from faulty Parts not supplied by us or pre-existing conditions.
Specific Terms for Refrigeration Compressor Replacements and Regas Repairs:
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- No Guarantee of Success: You acknowledge and agree that repairs involving the replacement of refrigeration compressors or attempts to regas refrigeration systems carry no guarantee of success. The nature of sealed refrigeration systems means that underlying issues such as system leaks and internal blockages are often unpredictable and may not be evident during initial inspection.
- Unrepairable Systems: Due to the inherent complexities of refrigeration systems, a significant majority of systems with compressor failure or requiring regassing are ultimately unrepairable due to existing leaks or internal blockages.
- Potential for Further Issues: You further acknowledge that the process of replacing a refrigeration compressor can, in itself, potentially create or reveal other problems within the refrigeration system following the repair. We cannot be held liable for any such subsequent issues that may arise after a refrigeration compressor replacement. This includes, but is not limited to, newly discovered leaks, blockages, or reduced system performance.
- Warranty on Refrigeration Compressors: While the new refrigeration compressor itself may be covered by the standard 90-day parts warranty against manufacturing defects, this warranty does not cover the overall functionality or cooling performance of the refrigeration system following the replacement. This is due to the unpredictable nature of underlying system faults.
- Regas Attempts: Any attempt to regas a refrigeration system is undertaken on the understanding that it is a potential temporary solution and may fail shortly after completion due to existing leaks. The Fixed Service Charge covers the attempt to regas, but no warranty is provided on the longevity or success of a regas.
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- Third-Party Intervention and Warranty: We reserve the right to attend any reported failure under warranty to inspect our repair. If a third party attends to the Appliance to investigate or attempt to rectify the issue prior to our inspection, we reserve the right to refuse any existing warranty in place.
- Requirement to Fix Existing Faults: You acknowledge that in some instances, to accurately diagnose and repair the reported fault, our Engineer may be required to first rectify an existing, underlying fault with the Appliance. The costs associated with fixing such preliminary faults will be quoted for separately as part of the Follow-Up Parts Quotation and will require your explicit consent before the work is undertaken. We will not be held responsible for being unable to fully diagnose or repair the reported fault if you decline to authorise the repair of such pre-existing issues that prevent thorough testing. The Fixed Service Charge covers the initial diagnosis, but any Parts required to fix pre-existing faults will be included in the Follow-Up Parts Quotation, payable prior to ordering.
- If a fault develops within the warranty period that is covered by our warranty (excluding the specific limitations for refrigeration repairs outlined above), You must notify us in writing as soon as reasonably practicable. We will then, at our discretion, either repair the fault, replace the defective Part, or refund the cost of the defective Part. The Fixed Service Charge is non-refundable.
- Liability: Our liability to You for any loss or damage arising out of or in connection with the provision of the Repair Services, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, shall be limited to the total fees paid by You for the specific Repair Services in question (excluding the non-refundable Fixed Service Charge for the initial visit). This limitation does not apply to liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by law.
- We shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential loss or damage, including but not limited to loss of profits, loss of business, loss of anticipated savings, loss of goodwill, or loss of data, arising out of or in connection with the Repair Services, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such loss or damage.
- We shall not be responsible for any damage caused to Your property while accessing the Appliance for repair, provided that we have exercised reasonable care and skill. You are responsible for ensuring that the area around the Appliance is adequately protected.
6. Access, Safety, and Your Responsibilities:
- You are responsible for ensuring that the Engineer has safe, clear, and unobstructed access to the Appliance at the agreed time. This includes ensuring that any pets are safely restrained and that any obstacles are removed.
- You must provide a safe working environment for the Engineer, complying with all relevant health and safety regulations. This includes ensuring adequate lighting, ventilation, and a stable working surface.
- If the Engineer deems the working environment unsafe, they reserve the right to refuse to commence or continue the Repair Services until the safety concerns are addressed. In such cases, You will be liable for a cancellation fee of £35 + VAT minimum or additional charges for a return visit. The Fixed Service Charge remains payable.
- You are responsible for arranging the disconnect the Appliance from any power, water, or gas supplies prior to the Engineer’s arrival, unless otherwise specifically agreed in writing.
- You are responsible for ensuring that any relevant building or contents insurance policies are in place.
7. Cancellation, Rescheduling, and Delays:
- Cancellation or rescheduling of a booked appointment by You requires a minimum notice period of 24 hours during our Working Hours. Cancellation or missed appointments with less than the required notice will be subject to a cancellation fee of £35 + VAT minimum. The Fixed Service Charge remains payable.
- We will use reasonable endeavours to adhere to the agreed appointment times, but we shall not be liable for any delays caused by factors beyond our reasonable control, such as traffic congestion, vehicle breakdown, adverse weather conditions, or unforeseen issues at previous appointments. We will endeavour to keep You informed of any significant delays.
- We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule appointments due to unforeseen circumstances, such as Engineer illness, Parts availability issues, or other events beyond our reasonable control. In such cases, we will endeavour to provide You with as much notice as possible and arrange an alternative appointment. The Fixed Service Charge for the cancelled appointment will be credited towards the rescheduled appointment.
8. Intellectual Property:
- All Intellectual Property Rights in any documents, drawings, specifications, or other materials provided by Us in connection with the Repair Services shall remain vested in Us or our licensors. You are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use such materials solely for the purpose for which they were provided.
9. Data Protection:
- We will collect, process, and store Your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and our Privacy Policy, which is available on request. By engaging our services, You consent to the collection and processing of Your personal data for the purposes of providing the Repair Services, communicating with You, and complying with our legal obligations.
10. Complaints Policy:
The business always endeavours to provide the best service for every customer. However, on rare occasions, there may be times where a customer may not be completely satisfied. To ensure the business is able to put things right as soon as possible, please read our complaints procedure below. The business will then be able to respond promptly to ensurecomplete satisfaction.
As soon as possible after the completion of the works, please inspect the work to ensure everything has been carried out based on the contract terms and the high standards the business aims to achieve. In the unlikely event there is anything you are not completely satisfied with, please contact the business as soon so the problems can be rectified as soon as possible.
Our Procedure
Either call, email or write* to us. The business aims to respond within 5 days of receiving your complaint, and where possible, will provide you with a date to remedy any issues raised.
Where the business is unable to resolve your complaint using the business complaints procedure, as a Which? Trusted Trader we use Which?’s dispute resolution Provider for dispute resolution. In the unlikely event that the business cannot remedy your complaint to your satisfaction, you may wish to refer your complaint to them. If you wish to do so, please contact Which? Trusted traders in the first instance on 02922670040.
11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction:
- These Terms and Conditions and any Agreement incorporating them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.
- Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions or the Agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
12. Third Party Rights:
- Unless expressly stated otherwise, nothing in these Terms and Conditions is intended to confer any rights on any third party.
13. Severability:
- If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, in whole or in part, by any court or other authority of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed to be severed from these Terms and Conditions, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
14. Amendments:
- We reserve the right to amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website (if applicable) and will become effective from the date of posting. It is Your responsibility to review the latest version of the Terms and Conditions whenever You request our services.
