Refund & Cancellation Policy

Introduction: This Refund & Cancellation Policy outlines the rights and procedures regarding order cancellations and refunds for services provided by 4 Woods Carpentry and Construction Limited ("the Company"). We serve both residential (consumer) and commercial clients, and we strive to treat all clients fairly and reasonably in the event that schedules change or issues arise. Our policy is designed to comply with UK consumer protection laws, including the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and to clarify the terms of refunds and cancellations beyond those legal minimums.

This policy applies to contracts for our carpentry and construction services. It forms part of our overall Terms & Conditions. By entering into a contract with us, you are deemed to accept the terms of this Refund & Cancellation Policy.

Consumer Cooling-Off Cancellation Rights (Off-Premises and Distance Contracts):
If you are a consumer (an individual acting for purposes outside your business) and you entered into a contract with us at a distance (e.g., online, by email or telephone) or off-premises (e.g., at your home, not at our business premises), you have a legal right to cancel the contract within 14 days without giving any reason.

Cooling-Off Period: The cancellation period will expire 14 days after the day the contract is entered into(which is when you accepted our quote and we confirmed acceptance, thereby forming the contract). If you have agreed to a service contract, this is 14 days from when the contract was made.
How to Cancel within 14 Days: To exercise this right, you must inform us of your decision to cancel by a clear statement (e.g., by sending an email or letter). You may use the model cancellation form provided with our contract confirmation, but it is not obligatory. You can simply state that you wish to cancel. To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication before the 14-day period has expired.
Effects of Cancellation (Cooling-Off): If you cancel the contract within this 14-day cooling-off period before services have begun, we will reimburse you all payments received from you (including any deposit) without undue delay and in any event within 14 days of your cancellation notice. Reimbursement will be made using the same means of payment you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise, and you will not incur any fees as a result of the reimbursement.
Commencing Work Early: Important – If you asked us to begin the services during the 14-day cooling-off period (see Section 2 below) and we started work with your consent, then if you cancel during the cooling-off period, you shall pay us an amount proportional to the work performed until you communicated your cancellation. In other words, we can deduct or charge for the services we have already provided (plus any materials used or specially ordered up to that point), and will refund the remainder. If the service has been fully completed within 14 days at your request, you lose the right to cancel.
Exceptions: The statutory cooling-off right generally does not apply to:
- Contracts for urgent repairs/maintenance carried out at your home, if you specifically requested a visit for that purpose (e.g., fixing a leaking pipe); or
- Goods that are made to your specifications or clearly personalised (if we supply bespoke items as part of a project, once manufacturing has started with your consent, cancellation might not be possible for those items without cost).

We will inform you if any part of our contract falls under an exemption to the right to cancel.

Commencing Work Within Cooling-Off Period (Waiver of Cancellation Rights):
If you are a consumer covered by cooling-off rights and you want us to start work immediately or before the 14 days have expired (for instance, because you have an urgent timeline), this is possible only if you make an express request. We will ask you to confirm in writing (by signing a consent form or via email) something to the effect of: "I hereby request 4 Woods Carpentry to begin the performance of the agreed services before the end of the statutory 14-day cancellation period. I understand that if the services are fully performed, I will lose my right to cancel, and if I cancel after work has begun but before completion, I will be liable to pay for work completed up to the point of cancellation."

By making this request and acknowledgment, you agree that:
- If we complete the services within 14 days at your request, you lose the right to cancel the contract (the law recognises that the service has been fully performed).
- If we partly perform the services (as noted above), and you then decide to cancel within the 14 days, you will pay for the portion of services already provided (this will be calculated fairly, for example pro-rata of the contract price or based on time/materials expended). We will inform you of that amount and deduct it from any refund or, if no refund is due because perhaps no upfront was paid, invoice you for it (with evidence of the work done).
- Any remaining unused deposit or pre-payment will be refunded within 14 days of cancellation, via the original payment method.

Cancellation After Cooling-Off (Consumers) or in Non-Cooling-Off Situations (Business Contracts or On-Premises Contracts):If you do not have a statutory right to cancel (for instance, you are a business client, or a consumer who signed the contract at our office/premises, or the 14 days have passed), then cancellation and refunds are handled as per the contract terms and our goodwill policy:

Before Work Begins: If you wish to cancel the contract after the cooling-off period (or if none applies) but before we have begun work, we ask for as much notice as possible. If you provide reasonable notice (generally, at least 7 days before the scheduled start date) and we have not made significant commitments yet, we will cancel and refund any deposit minus any out-of-pocket expenses incurred (e.g., planning drawings, special materials already ordered at your request, or administrative costs). If no costs have been incurred, we may refund in full. Essentially, we will aim to return your deposit less any work done or costs committed.
Short-Notice Cancellation (Less than 7 days prior to start): If you cancel on very short notice (especially within 7 days of start or after materials have been ordered and labour allocated) and there is no statutory right involved:
- We reserve the right to retain some or all of your deposit to cover the lost opportunity and costs. Typically, our policy would be:
  - If you cancel 3-7 days before start, we might retain up to [X]% of the deposit or contract value that would reasonably cover our already incurred costs (like delivery charges, certain materials) and a portion for scheduling gaps.
  - If you cancel 1-2 days before (or on the day work is due to start), we might retain the full deposit, especially if our team cannot be reassigned, plus charge for any delivered materials.
- We will provide a breakdown of costs we are covering with your deposit. We do not seek to profit from cancellation charges, only to cover genuine losses.
After Work Commences: If you cancel or terminate the contract after we have begun work (and no statutory right applies):
- You will be charged for the work already carried out up to the point of cancellation, including labour, materials used, and a fair allowance for any preparatory work or other costs incurred. We will calculate this in line with contract rates or, if not specified, on a reasonable cost basis.
- If you have paid more than the value of the work done, we will refund the excess. If you have paid less (for instance, if payment was scheduled on completion), we will issue a final invoice for the amount due for work provided until cancellation.
- Additionally, if you cancel at that stage leaves us with custom-fabricated items or ordered materials that cannot be returned or used elsewhere, we may charge you for those items (either providing them to you or scrapping them if you don't want them). For example, if we had bespoke windows made for your project, you'd either need to cover their cost or take delivery of them.
- We will not charge for portions of work that have not been carried out. However, note that if your cancellation is effectively a breach of contract (without our fault), we could legally seek damages for lost profit on the remaining work. Our approach in practice is to minimise conflict: we'll attempt to reach an amicable settlement for the value of work done and costs incurred.
Company-Initiated Cancellation: If we have to cancel the contract or significantly delay it due to circumstances within our control (other than your breach), you will be entitled to a full refund of any payments for undelivered work. We will also try to give you as much notice as possible and potentially assist in finding an alternative contractor if feasible. If cancellation is due to unforeseen circumstances beyond anyone's control (force majeure, see our Terms & Conditions), we would liaise with you on a reasonable outcome (possibly rescheduling or partial refund if appropriate).
Bespoke Items: As mentioned, if the contract involved making or ordering custom items, once those are in production or delivered to us, cancellation may not allow a refund on those. We'll inform you at the time of order if any such items are non-refundable. If you cancel, you might either forfeit the cost of those items or we can hand them over to you (so you could potentially use them or sell them).

Refund Process:

When a refund is agreed (whether from cooling-off cancellation or other cancellation, or for any other reason like an overpayment or goodwill gesture):

We will confirm the refund amount in writing (email or letter) and a brief explanation of how it was calculated if not obvious.
Refunds will be processed as soon as possible. Where statutory timelines apply (14 days for cooling-off), we ensure compliance. Otherwise, we aim for within 14 days from the agreement of cancellation/refund.
Refunds will generally be made via the same method you paid. So if you paid by bank transfer, we'll ask for your account details to transfer back; if by credit card, we'll process back to the same card (assuming our payment system allows that and the card network rules permit).
If for any reason a particular refund method is not possible (e.g., original card expired), we will arrange an alternative method as agreed with you.
We do not typically issue cash refunds. All payments and refunds are documented for our and your records.

Quality and Remedial Work (Non-Cancellation Refunds):

This policy primarily addresses cancellation scenarios. If you are dissatisfied with the quality of work or services provided (defects, delays, etc.), our approach is to rectify issues rather than refund, in line with your statutory rights and our commitment to customer satisfaction. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services should be performed with reasonable care and skill; if not, a consumer has a right to require repeat performance or, if that’s impossible or not done in a reasonable time, a price reduction.

Remedies for Defects: We provide a workmanship guarantee (see Terms & Conditions). If issues arise, please notify us and allow us the opportunity to inspect and fix the problem. We will redo or repair any work that is not up to standard, at no additional cost to you, provided it falls under our responsibility (and not normal wear-and-tear or unrelated issues).
Price Reduction or Refund: Only if we cannot resolve a legitimate workmanship issue within a reasonable time or to a reasonable standard might a partial refund or price reduction be considered. This would usually be mutually agreed, perhaps involving a third-party assessment if needed. The goal would be to compensate you for any diminution in value of the service you received.
No-charge Revisit: If a minor snag or problem is reported within our guarantee period, we come and fix it. This is not a "refund" but a normal part of service. Refunds enter the picture only if fixing fails or you prefer to cancel the remaining work (in which case refer to earlier sections).
Customer Service: If you have any complaint about our service, please refer to our complaints procedure (if provided, often in our Terms or welcome pack). We find solutions, which might include goodwill gestures (like a discount on the final bill if inconvenience was caused). These are case-by-case, as our aim is fairness and maintaining a good relationship.

Modern Slavery, Bribery, etc.: (Note: not typical in a refund policy, possibly irrelevant, but including as holistic policy reference), We do not tolerate unethical practices. However, this is more of a general statement: if for some reason you raise an issue that touches on legal breaches on our part, we'd handle it appropriately. But this likely doesn't affect cancellations/refunds.

Cooling-Off and Cancellation Form: (for consumers)

We've provided (or will provide upon request) a standard cancellation form with your contract confirmation which you can use to cancel within the cooling-off period. It’s not mandatory to use it, but for convenience it contains all the necessary info. It looks like:

To: 4 Woods Carpentry and Construction Ltd, [Address] or [Email]

I/We [Name(s)] hereby give notice that I/we cancel my/our contract for [description of service] ordered on [date of contract].

Name of consumer(s):

Address of consumer(s):

Signature of consumer(s) (only if on paper):

Date:

You can send this or any clear statement of cancellation as described.

Special Cases:

If the Company is at fault: (E.g., we fundamentally breach the contract, or have to cancel on you due to our inability to perform) then naturally, you would be due a full refund of any payments for undelivered work, and we would attempt to compensate reasonable direct costs if any, as required by law or contract.
If external events cause cancellation: e.g., planning permission is denied or a global event (pandemic lockdown) halts work. We will discuss with you the fairest path (pause contract, reschedule, or cancellation). Refund of unused monies or shared burden of costs may apply, guided by contract force majeure clauses if any.
Refund of Overpayments: If you ever overpay an invoice or duplicate a payment, we'll refund the extra promptly once noticed or when you inform us.

Business Client Terms:
For business clients (where consumer law rights don't apply):

Typically, once a contract is signed, cancellation is not expected except by mutual agreement. We will consider requests for cancellation and try to mitigate costs, but you may be liable for costs incurred and a portion of anticipated profit depending on timing and contract terms.
Our standard business terms may specify a cancellation fee or formula (e.g., 10% of contract value if cancelled X weeks before start, scaling up as start date nears). If so, those would apply. If not explicitly stated, we revert to reasonable actual cost recovery as described above.

Contact for Cancellations and Refunds:

All cancellation notices or refund requests should be directed to:
Customer Service – Cancellations
4 Woods Carpentry and Construction Ltd
[Address]
[Email for cancellations]
[Phone number] (for inquiries; note that official cancellation should be in writing for record).

We will acknowledge your communication within two working days and advise on next steps.

Policy Updates:

We reserve the right to update or amend this Refund & Cancellation Policy. However, the version in effect at the time of your contract will govern your cancellation rights for that contract (unless changes in law impose different requirements, in which case we will adhere to the law). We will notify clients of significant policy changes that could affect existing contracts.

This policy is in place to ensure clarity and fairness. We value our customers and aim to handle any contract cancellations amicably and professionally. If you have any questions about this policy or your rights, please contact us.