Terms & Conditions
The Terms and Conditions outlined below help to provide a clear understanding of the expectations and terms of trade between MadHouse Publishing and the client. They are to ensure confidence and reassurance during our working relationship. We will always work fairly in the event of any unforeseen circumstances. If you have any concerns or queries, please do contact MadHouse Publishing to discuss: office@themadhousepublishing.co.uk
Use of this site constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions that take effect when you first access the site.
If you do not accept these terms and conditions you must not use this site or the services offered.
MadHouse Publishing reserves the right to change these terms and conditions at their discretion by posting changes online. It’s the user's responsibility to refer to these terms and conditions upon accessing this site.
Continued use of this site after such changes to the terms and conditions constitutes acceptance of those posted changes.
Upon booking a service, and the work commencement date falls within 14 days of booking, the cooling-off period does not apply.
Last Updated: 24th October 2023
General Information
- The Client is under no obligation to undertake any service enquired about, and MadHouse Publishing is under no obligation to accept work offered by the Client.
- MadHouse Publishing will provide service(s) as mutually agreed, confirmed in writing by the Client and on the basis that these Terms & Conditions are accepted.
- MadHouse Publishing will carry out the work within an agreed timeframe. This will be on or before the agreed date for the agreed fee, based on the description of the work required and the brief supplied by the Client.
- The Client agrees that they will not be entitled to view the document/s MadHouse Publishing is working on in any format or in any state of completion before the agreed return date to ensure focus on your project.
- MadHouse Publishing will carry out all work. MadHouse Publishing will not outsource any work unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Client.
- MadHouse Publishing freelancers are self-employed and are responsible for their income tax and national insurance contributions.
- MadHouse Publishing is not VAT registered.
- If a representative of MadHouse Publishing agrees to attend the Client's or other premises for necessary meetings, time spent and reasonable expenses incurred are reimbursed by the Client.
- The Client will pay MadHouse Publishing a fee per hour OR service package as agreed.
- If, however, on receipt of the project at an early stage, it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than anticipated in the preliminary discussion/brief, MadHouse Publishing may renegotiate the fee and/or amend the deadline.
- If the Client requests substantial additional tasks, MadHouse Publishing will invoice and amend the deadline as necessary.
- MadHouse Publishing may invoice periodically for longer projects. Stages will be agreed with the Client on a bespoke basis.
- In the case of illness, injury, or any other unforeseen personal circumstances, MadHouse Publishing may need to extend the agreed deadline for agreed work. MadHouse Publishing will inform the Client as soon as possible before the agreed return date in such instances. MadHouse Publishing will also work with clients to accommodate any unforeseen circumstances as detailed.
- Any content created by MadHouse Publishing as part of the copyediting/proofreading/project management process is transferred to the Client along with the copyright unless otherwise agreed.
- Book cover content created by MadHouse Publishing remains under their copyright. Source files will not be released under any circumstance.
- The nature and content of the work will remain confidential and only made known to the Client and its contractors with prior written permission.
- MadHouse Publishing guarantees that any work agreed to subcontract on behalf of the Client will be completed to the same standard, schedule and budget and with the same conditions of confidentiality.
- MadHouse Publishing agrees that, upon return of the work, the Client should be satisfied with the quality of work received. Professional editing will be to the best of MadHouse Publishing's abilities, to a very high standard within reasonable terms of the brief, as agreed upon receipt of the work. Editorial reports are written to improve an author's chance of recognition in an increasingly competitive market. The clients must understand that MadHouse Publishing cannot guarantee publication or representation.
- In the unlikely event that MadHouse Publishing’s work is unsatisfactory, MadHouse Publishing will rectify it at its own time and expense.
- The Client agrees that although MadHouse Publishing will work to the best of its professional ability, some errors may still be present in the returned work. These errors should not significantly impact the readability.
Booking & Payment Terms
- Payment of a non-refundable 50% booking deposit for services over a value of £500 or 100% payment for a value under £500 is received as your acknowledgement that you have read and accepted MadHouse Publishings' terms and conditions and agree to be bound by them during our working relationship.
- Unless agreed otherwise, the remaining 50% invoice payment is due 7 days prior to your project commencement date.
- MadHouse Publishing reserves the right to charge late payment fees according to the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 (amended 2002 and 2013).
Cancellations
- MadHouse Publishing would like to offer the 14-day “cooling off period” as per your consumer rights. Should you need to use this “cooling off period” to cancel your booked service, please put this into writing within 14 days of the date of booking: office@themadhousepublishing.co.uk
- All cancellations must be made in writing by the Client and acknowledged in writing by MadHouse Publishing. If you do not cancel in writing, refunds will not be authorised.
- For services booked in a time frame less than the 14-day ‘cooling off period’ allows, this period will not apply, and payment is non-refundable.
- The Client agrees to pay 100% of the agreed fee for the work if they decide to cancel after the work has begun, plus the reimbursement of any additional previously agreed expenses over and above usual expenses incurred in the process of editorial work.
- MadHouse Publishing reserves the right to cancel or refuse the work, even after work has begun. If matters such as plagiarism, extremist views, hate speech, harassment, unlawful conduct, misappropriation, impersonation, threats directed at named individuals or groups, offensive, harmful, inaccurate or otherwise inappropriate content, or any other matters of reasonable concern that MadHouse Publishing does not feel comfortable working on, arise within the work or become evident in association with the Client: The non-refundable 50% deposit will compensate MadHouse Publishing for work cancelled under these reasons.
Other Information
- MadHouse Publishing will not share the Client’s files with any third party, upload the Client’s files to any external website, or distribute the Client’s files by any means other than via email attachment between the Client and MadHouse Publishing unless permitted to do so, in writing, by the Client.
- Under the Data Protection Act 1998, the Client and MadHouse Publishing may keep records of such information (e.g. contact details) as necessary. Either may view the other's records to ensure they are relevant, correct and current.
- The Client and MadHouse Publishing have the right to terminate the contract for service if there is a breach of its terms.
- MadHouse Publishing reserves the right to decline acknowledgement in association with the work.
- If MadHouse Publishing has made a substantial contribution to copy-editing/proofreading/project management, MadHouse Publishing would appreciate one free copy of the work.
- MadHouse Publishing may use the Client's name in promotional material unless otherwise agreed.
- This agreement is subject to the laws of England and Wales, and both MadHouse Publishing and the Client agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.