Terms and Conditions for the Purchase of Our Products
Binding Contract
A binding contract is concluded between You and Cottage Beams upon successful payment for Your purchase and the Terms and Conditions of agreement between Us are set out below (“Terms”).
We are Bois Creativ Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales under Company number 14508263 and we trade under the name Cottage Beams. Our registered place of business is 86-90 Paul Street, London, England, United Kingdom, EC2A 4NEand our workshop is at War Field Lane. Our VAT number is 444442601.
By completing Your purchase and making payment You confirm Your agreement to be bound by these Terms.
Making a Purchase
Products
All Our products are made of natural, solid wood and every piece is unique. Each piece may therefore have differences and non-uniformity in the colouring, shading and staining, veining, thickness, knots and cracks and other characteristics resulting in it appearing different.
While we will endeavour to ensure that any product which You receive is substantially the same as the description on our website, pictures on our website are provided as a guide only and by its nature, the product which You receive may differ in appearance from any pictures displayed on our website. Furthermore, because every piece is hand crafted and hand measured there may be a slight variance from the exact dimensions stated on our website but this will be minimal and should never differ from the stated dimensions by more than 20mm.
By purchasing one of Our products You accept that natural products may contain slight imperfections (including but not limited to knots and cracks) which imperfections do not constitute defects, where they fall within standards reasonably considered applicable, and You acknowledge that such differences do not amount to misrepresentation, breach of warranty or breach of these Terms.
If You want the product You purchase to have a specific appearance then please consider using our Timber Selection Service as detailed below.
Furthermore, as a natural product, it will continue to age and change in appearance as it adapts to the environment in which it is installed. As such, a product may lighten or darken or develop more or deeper cracks over time as it is exposed to the elements, such as sunlight, temperature and moisture in the air, and load. By purchasing one of Our products You acknowledge that such changes over time are part and parcel of owning a natural product and do not amount to a defect.
Suitability
Our products are made from solid wood which is heavy and may therefore not be suitable for installation on all surfaces.
Every product description contains additional information pertinent to installation. Please check these specifications carefully and satisfy Yourself that the product You are purchasing is suitable for installation as intended because We cannot be responsible if You fail to check and purchase a product which is not suitable for installation as intended.
If You have any concerns about installation and whether a product You are considering is suitable, please contact Us by visiting https://www.cottage-beams.com/pages/contact before making Your purchase and We will be happy to guide You.
Please check out our “For Plasterboard” page at https://www.cottage-beams.com/collections/fireplace-beams-for-plasterboard for products that are suitable for installation against plasterboard walls.
Ready Products
We have a limited range of products that are stocked and ready for purchase.
No customisation is available on these products and you cannot purchase any of our Premium Services in connection with these products.
Premium Services
We offer certain Premium Services (such as Timber Selection and Fast Track) which are available at an additional cost to You.
The Terms contained in this section “Premium Services” apply only where You have selected and paid for one of these Premium Services.
It is important that You understand that if you purchase any of our premium services the cooling-off period shall not apply to Your order and by proceeding with Your purchase You are confirming Your agreement to waive such cooling-off period.
This service allows You greater control over the final appearance of the product which You will receive by allowing You to see the piece of timber that will be used in its production.
For an additional cost, You can add this to Your purchase at checkout.
By choosing Timber Selection You accept that delivery of Your product may be delayed because We will not be able to begin production of Your product until You have signed off on the piece of timber to be used.
How it works:
Following confirmation of Your order, if You added Timber Selection, You will receive an email with a link to book a 30 minute slot, at a time that suits You, to speak with a member of Our production team.
During the call You will be able to discuss Your exact requirements, including aspects such as knots and cracks.
Our production team will then select a section of timber from our stock based on Your requirements and send you a picture via text or Whatsapp for approval.
If You are happy with the appearance of the piece of timber selected You will be asked to Sign off on it and Your order will be put into production.
Once Your product is ready, You will receive another picture of the final product before We send it out to You to make sure You are happy with it.
For an additional cost, You can add this to Your purchase at checkout.
This service allows You to request an expedited delivery of Your product, generally reducing delivery time from 7 to 12 working days to 2 to 5 working days. The timings quoted here are however subject to change due to our workshop capacity and may be extended during busy periods.
Normally production on Your order does not begin for 48 hours after Your order is confirmed (to give You a chance to reconsider). In order to be able to offer this service we begin production on Your product immediately upon confirmation of Your order. By selecting this option You therefore waive Your right to a cooling off period.
This service gives You the most control over the Product You are purchasing and includes the ability to order any of Our custom products in accordance with Your unique measurement requirements. It also allows You to order certain completely off catalogue items.
You can purchase a fully bespoke product by completing the form on our website, which is available here https://www.cottage-beams.com/pages/contact
Once You complete the form We will contact You to book an appointment with a member of our production team to discuss Your exact requirements.
You will need to accept the quote provided and sign off on the design of Your product before production begins.
Dispatch and Delivery
Lead Time
Due to the current COVID-19 situation, we are currently unable to guarantee a delivery timeframe but we are doing our utmost to dispatch orders as fast as possible. Please keep an eye on our website where we will regularly update our current lead time for delivery.
We recommend that You wait for Your product to be delivered before booking a fitter and accept no liability for any loss or damage You suffer as a result of booking a fitter before You receive Your product and confirm that it is not damaged.
Delivery
We currently only accept orders for delivery to UK Mainland and Ireland and all orders made through Our website include free shipping. Bespoke orders and deliveries outside of Mainland UK (where available) may attract further delivery charges which will be for Your account.
Where Your products are returned by the courier We use as undeliverable (usually after 3 failed attempts, but this is governed by the terms of the courier used in each instance), You will be liable for any further delivery charges. You will also be responsible for any additional charges which may be charged by a courier because You change delivery instructions.
Although We choose the couriers We use for delivery carefully, their service is not guaranteed and we accept no liability for late delivery, nor do We offer any discounts or compensation.
All couriers are instructed to get a signature upon delivery. If there is no one available to accept delivery at Your designated address they may attempt delivery at a neighbouring address however they are instructed not to deliver Your product by leaving it in a “safe place” unless You have specifically instructed for them to do so. In the event that You do instruct them to deliver to a “safe place”, You do so entirely at Your own risk and We accept no liability for any items which are lost, stolen or damaged as a result.
In the event that You refuse to accept delivery, You will be responsible for the delivery costs and any additional fees charged by the courier.
Price and Payment
Price Quoted
All prices are displayed in British Pounds Sterling (GBP)(£) and are inclusive of VAT.
Prices quoted on our website are subject to change without notice however, no prices will be changed once You have received confirmation of Your order.
The Company shall not be prejudiced in any way by any error or omission through clerical error, accident or oversight but any such error or omission shall be corrected promptly upon discovery.
Payment Obligation
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, You must pay for all products in full at the time of ordering.
We accept payment by all major debit and credit cards (payments by Amex are however only possible when you pay using PayPal) – whether online or by telephone. We also accept payment by PayPal and bank transfers.
We will do all that we reasonably can to ensure that all of the information You give us when paying for the products is secure by using an encrypted secure payment mechanism. However, in the absence of negligence on Our part, any failure by Us to comply with this contract or Our Privacy Policy or breach by Us of Our duties under applicable laws, We will not be legally responsible to You for any loss that You may suffer if a third party gains unauthorised access to any information that You give Us.
Changes to Your Order
Cooling Off Period
Because the majority of our products are not in stock and instead specifically made upon order, no orders can be cancelled once production has started. We therefore delay production of any product purchased for 48 hours following confirmation of Your order to give You an opportunity to reconsider (“Cooling Off Period”).
Cancellation by You
There are different rules for cancellation of your order depending on the product purchased.
Premium Services
You can cancel any order placed for one of our Premium Services, no questions asked, at any time during the Cooling Off Period and You will not be charged.
If You wish to cancel an order for one of our Premium Services outside of the Cooling Off Period, please contact us on 0333 3355 113 to discuss.
Ready Products
Ready products are sold in conformance with the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000. As such, you can cancel your order for any reason at any time up to 14 days from the date of your purchase.
If you cancel your order after we have already sent the product to you then you will have to return it to us at your own cost. You will not be refunded for your purchase until we have received the returned product.
Cancellation by Us
We reserve the right to cancel Your order at our sole and absolute discretion. This would typically happen for the following reasons:
The products are unavailable;
We cannot authorise Your payment;
You are not allowed to buy the products from us;
We are not allowed to sell the products to You;
You have ordered too many products; or
There has been a mistake on the pricing or description of the products.
Damaged Products
If You receive Your product and it is damaged You need to do the following:
Clause the courier’s delivery receipt by noting that the goods were received damaged when You sign for them;
Notify Us in writing that the product was received damaged as soon as possible but not later than 2 calendar days after receipt;
Provide us with photos of the damaged product as well as the internal and external packaging.
You need to retain the damaged goods as well as internal and external packaging until the issue is resolved.
If we are satisfied that the damage was caused prior to You taking delivery and You have complied with the above requirements then We will at our discretion replace damaged products at no extra cost to You.
Returns and Exchanges
Returns
Because most of our products are made to order we cannot accept returns on them. We only accept returns on our Ready Products.
If you decide to return one of our Ready Products, you will be responsible for the costs of returning the product to us.
All products must be returned in their original packaging and condition.
We cannot accept returns on any products once they have been installed.
Exchanges
Products may only be exchanged if they are received by You in a damaged condition.
You will need to make sure You are available at the allotted time so that Our courier can deliver the replacement product and collect the damaged product from You. We will confirm a time and date for the delivery and collection at our discretion.
Your Privacy and Personal Information
Our Privacy Policy is available by visiting https://www.cottage-beams.com/policies/privacy-policy
Your privacy and personal information are important to Us. Any personal information that You provide to Us will be dealt with in line with Our Privacy Policy, which explains what personal information We collect from You, how and why We collect, store, use and share such information, Your rights in relation to Your personal information and how to contact Us and supervisory authorities if You have a query or complaint about the use of Your personal information.
Limitation of Liability
We may not limit our liability in respect of the following claims:
claims for death or personal injury caused by our negligence;
claims for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
claims for a breach of terms implied by section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 or section 2 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982; or
claims relating to the protection of your personal information.
Except for these instances above, We accept not legal responsibility for any losses or damages which you suffer:
that were not foreseeable to You and Us when the contract was formed;
that were not caused by any breach on Our part; or
business losses.
We accept no liability for direct or indirect loses to non-consumers whether arising in contract, tort, negligence or otherwise.
Changes to the Terms
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to make changes to these Terms without notice to You and any such changes will become effective upon publication of the updated Terms on Our website.
Errors and Omissions
Although We take care in publishing materials and make every attempt to provide accurate information, We cannot guarantee their accuracy or completeness and errors and omissions may occur. We will make reasonable efforts to correct any errors or omissions but make no representations regarding the accuracy of information provided.
Third party Rights
The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to these Terms and no third party will have any right to enforce or rely on any provision of these Terms.
Disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales without regard to principals of conflicts of laws.
We will try to resolve any disputes with You quickly and efficiently. If You are unhappy with the product You ordered, Our service to You or any other matter, please contact Us as soon as possible using the contact details on Our website.
In the event that a dispute cannot be resolved amicably, the You irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales in respect of any proceedings arising out of or in connection with these Terms or Your use of Our App.
Information We Have to Give You By Law
By law, the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 say that We must give You certain key information before a legally binding contract between You and Us is made. This information is set out below and elsewhere throughout Our website. If You cannot access this information for any, You are welcome to contact Us using the functionality on the website and we will provide You with a copy of this information.
The key information we give You by law forms part of this contract (as though it is set out in full here).
If We have to change any key information once a legally binding contract between You and Us is made, We can only do this if You agree to it.
YOUR KEY INFORMATION
The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 say that up to 14 days after receiving your goods, in most cases, you can change your mind and get a full refund. This does not apply to Your purchase of products from Us where you buy any of our Bespoke products or Premium Services Products as these are made to order and therefore fall outside the scope of this right.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires that goods we provide must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality.
During the expected lifespan of your product you’re entitled to the following:
- up to 30 days: if your goods are faulty, you can get a refund;
- up to six months: if it can’t be repaired or replaced, then you’re entitled to a full refund in most cases;
- up to six years: if the goods do not last a reasonable length of time, you may be entitled to some money back.
This is a summary of some of your key rights. For detailed information from Citizens Advice please visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk or call 0808 223 1133.