DEFINITIONS
The “Company” is Vita Modular Ltd.
The “Customer” is the person, firm or company who purchases the product or services from the Company.
1. APPLICATION OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.1. It is considered that any customer entering into an agreement with Vita Modular Ltd is in acceptance of these terms and conditions. The customer is responsible for obtaining a copy of these terms and conditions for their reference.
1.2. Vita Modular Ltd reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time.
1.3. No variations of these terms and conditions shall be of any effect unless agreed by the Company in writing.
1.4. If any part of this Agreement is declared unenforceable or invalid, the remainder will continue to be valid and enforceable.
1.5. The contract shall in all respects be construed and operated as an English contract governed by English law and any dispute arising out of, or in connection herewith, shall be referred to the English courts.
2. OUR PRODUCTS
2.1 The company website, brochure and any drawings serve as a guide only and do not form part of any contract.
2.2. The company make every effort to be as accurate as possible however precise measurements indicated on our website, in our brochures and on any order documentation are subject to reasonable levels of tolerance.
2.3. The company reserves the right to alter specifications without prior notice. Changes to product specification are rare and reasons for doing so may include, but are not limited to, improving general quality or efficiency of the product, because the material is no longer available to the company or for drastic changes in material costs. The company will always endeavour to inform the customer when any significant specifications are to be amended.
3. PRICING
3.1. All prices stated on the company’s website and literature include VAT at the current rate.
3.2. Vita Modular adhere to a transparent pricing policy; no discounts other than those advertised on our website and/or in our Showroom at the time of order will be applied.
3.3. Once the customer places an order and the deposit is received, a sales confirmation will be issued and the price stated will remain fixed, unless the order is put on hold for longer than 90 days.
4. PAYMENTS
4.1. A 30% of order value deposit is required upon placing the order and is non refundable.
4.2. Final payment of the outstanding balance is due strictly 14 days prior to the agreed installation date.
4.3. If additional minor works (i.e. plastering, painting, electrics, trimming) or any remedial action is required after the main installation, a proportionate retention (reflecting the cost of outstanding work) is agreed between Vita Modular Ltd and the customer until the outstanding works are completed.
4.4. Any outstanding balance may be paid by bank transfer (copy of transaction required) or by debit or credit card, unless other arrangements are made. All goods remain the property of the company until the final balance is paid for in full.
4.5.2. The value of any additions is payable directly to Vita Modular, 6 weeks before the installation date. Failure to make payment of this balance may result in the installation date being delayed.
5. CANCELLATIONS
5.1. As all Products designed and manufactured by Vita Modular are made-to-order, to customer specifications, they are exempt from cancellation rights.
5.2. If the customer cancels an order once the balance of the deposit has been paid, no refund will be given. The customer accepts that the balance of the deposit is non-refundable as once this payment has been made to the company the order is put into full production.
5.3. The company reserves the right to cancel an order at any time, for any reason. In the event of Vita Modular cancelling an order, a full refund will be given to the customer.
6. ORDERS ON HOLD
6.1. If a customer is not ready to proceed with an installation date they may place their order ‘on hold’ in which case the holding deposit will remain on account with Vita Modular. Prices will remain fixed for a period of 90 days from the date the order is put on hold, after which any recent price updates will be applied to the order.
6.2. Orders may remain on hold for a period of 12 months before they are automatically cancelled. The customer will be contacted at this time so that they may provide details for the refund of the holding deposit. No refund will be issued if the customer has been supplied with AutoCAD documents (see clause 7.3).
7. PLANNING PERMISSION
7.1. Planning consent is not normally required however, it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that planning consent is not required for the installation of the outbuilding. We recommend you seek clarification from your local planning authority. Vita Modular will not be held liable for any breach of Permitted Development/Planning regulations applicable to your property.
7.2. If the site is in a Conservation Area we recommend that the customer contacts their local authority to confirm whether or not any Article 4 Directions (restrictions on your Permitted Development rights) have been applied to the property.
7.3. If the customer has been provided with AutoCAD documents and they choose to cancel their order the holding deposit is non-refundable. The holding deposit is refundable if Planning Permission is declined on condition that proof of the refusal is provided.
7.4. The customer is responsible for ensuring that their building and its location complies with their Planning Approval conditions. Vita Modular will not be liable for any changes a customer may make to the design, specification or location of a building once a Planning Application has been submitted or approved.
8. SCHEDULED DATES
8.1. The company will always try to honour the estimated delivery/installation date, the vast majority of our buildings are delivered and installed within the estimated time. However, we cannot guarantee the installation date and cannot be held responsible for postponement or delay outside of our control, this may include but is not limited to extreme weather conditions, access difficulties, parking, traffic.
8.2. The company cannot be held liable for any loss, damages, charges or expenses incurred by the customer as the direct or indirect result of any delay in the delivery, installation or completion of an order. The company will not be held financially liable for return visits that may be required for any rectification works to the building.
8.3. Any time frames given to the customer to suggest the duration of an installation are an estimate only and do not form part of any contract. The company will not guarantee to complete the installation of a building by any specified date or time.
9. WORK ON SITE
9.1. The customer is responsible for preparing the site as per the written notes on their Sales Order and any discussion that takes place with the Site Surveyor at the time of sale.
9.2. The customer is responsible for providing all necessary parking permits, access and permissions in advance of the base and building installation dates. Access to electricity and water is required on site.
9.3. Failure to complete the necessary preparations may result in a delay or, in certain circumstances, cancellation of the installation schedule. A minimum charge of £500 will be incurred if the customer has not carried out the necessary preparations as per clauses 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3.
9.4. The company will not deliver or install products through domestic buildings, over fences or other obstacles without prior consultation and written agreement.
9.6. We strongly recommend that garden landscaping is completed after the building has been installed to avoid any incidental damage.
9.7. The company will install materials, fittings or appliances supplied by the customer on a good will basis only. The company will not be held liable for any damage to such items. No additional items will be fitted/installed unless agreed in writing on the Sales Order prior to the team visiting site.
9.8. The company reserves the right to withdraw its employees or designated contractors from site where they deem the working conditions to be unsafe in accordance with current Health and Safety Regulations. In such cases the company will discuss any necessary changes to the working environment/conditions with the customer which must be carried out before works can continue.
9.10. All installation personnel have been trained and briefed on safe working practices including use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in accordance with current Health and Safety regulations. If a full Risk Assessment and/or Method Statement are required by a customer 6 weeks’ notice must be given and charges may apply based on the level of compliance required.
9.11. Vita Modular Ltd are covered by liability insurance up to £10million. Full details are available on request.
9.12. The design consultation completed at the time of sale is a visual inspection only and the company cannot be held liable should any underground obstruction be discovered on commencement of works.
9.13. The company reserves the right to cancel or postpone any works should unforeseen circumstances arise that affect the company’s ability to fulfil an order. In the event that the company cancel the total installation of an order a full refund will be given to the customer, unless it is found that such unforeseen circumstances have been directly caused by the customer.
10. BASES
10.1. The customer must be present on the base date and is responsible for confirming the location of the base prior to construction. Once this position has been confirmed and base constructed the position cannot be changed. The customer should consider any areas surrounding the building that may be obstructed or restrict access to openings on or around the garden room.
10.2. No apertures or fittings for services not supplied by Vita Modular will be made unless agreed and confirmed in writing on your Sales Order.
10.3. If an existing base has been used e.g. concrete slab, Vita Modular cannot be held liable for subsidence or settlement issues.
10.4. Spoils created by the base team will not be removed from site unless agreed in writing prior to the works commencing.
10.5. The Company will not be held liable for any issues with regards to the height of the building if the customer has not levelled the site/ground in accordance with the Site Preparation Notes.
11. ELECTRICAL WORKS
11.1. A Part P certificate will only be supplied where Vita Modular completes a full external connection of power and will only be supplied to the customer once the final balance has been paid in full. The certificate can take up to 21 days to process. Where a full connection has not been made, readings are available on request. It is the responsibility of the certified electrician completing the full connection to certify the electrical works.
11.2. Every effort is made to provide an accurate quotation for electrical works, however, the inspection of the customer’s own armored cable and consumer unit is only visual and is based on the assumption that the customer’s electrics comply with current building regulations. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the cable is fit for purpose. Quotes given at the point of sale are estimates only and do not act as confirmation of the cable being suitable. Vita Modular cannot be held liable should the cable prove to be unsuitable or inadequate.
11.3. Vita Modular reserves the right to refuse to complete electrical work or to apply additional charges where a connection is not possible with the current power source/consumer unit. The customer will be informed and quoted prior to any necessary additional works being carried out.
11.4. Where Vita Modular are to complete a connection of an existing cable or of a cable to be supplied by the customer, it is the customer’s responsibility to run the cable from the main fuse board in the house to the garden room site. The customer must ensure that there is an excess of at least 10 metres of cable reaching the site. Unless otherwise stated on the customer’s Sales Order, Vita Modular will not complete any of the works to run the cable, this includes clipping the cable to any boundary/wall/fence. Should the customer request that such work is completed additional charges will apply.
11.5. The company reserves the right to make any changes to electrical product specification or services they deem necessary to ensure safety compliance. The customer will be made aware of any such requirements and cost implications before the relevant works are carried out.
11.6. Armored electrical and Ethernet cables are always run on the outside of the garden building, no armored cable will be run in the wall cavity.
11.7. No additional electrical work will be carried out by the company or designated sub-contractors unless agreed in writing on the Sales Order prior to the team visiting site.
11.8. Vita Modular makes no guarantee as to the suitability of any WiFi powerline adapter, such as the TP HomePlug Solution. The liability of the Company for any Internet or Communications device or service will be limited to the value of that specific item only, as outlined on the Customer’s Invoice.
12. YOUR GUARANTEE
12.1. Vita Modular buildings are covered by a comprehensive transferable guarantee, which is activated once the final balance is paid in full. The terms of your guarantee are as follows:
10 years:
Design and manufacturing faults to the structure of the building (including rot and corrosion)
2 years:
Internal misting in double glazing
Door and window hinges and locks
External decking (rot, corrosion and structural faults)
2 year:
External fascias
Internal linings and trim, floor covering, internal accessories, blinds
Electrical installations and appliances, including underfloor heating and air conditioning units Electrical and network connections
12.2. Buildings constructed by Vita Modular under ‘Permitted Development’ should not be used for habitable accommodation. If used for habitable accommodation the guarantee is invalid. Guarantee excludes normal ‘wear and tear’ and decorated surfaces.
12.3. No guarantee will be made by Vita Modular against the effects of weather exposure on the colour of the external cladding.
12.4. Door adjustments are not covered under guarantee and may be necessary from time to time. Adjustments can be easily carried out by the customer – please call the Customer Care office for advice.
12.5. Warping of timber fascia boards is not covered under guarantee; timber is a natural product and warping may occur.
12.6. Superficial cracking of timber cladding and/or fascia boards is not covered under guarantee.
12.7. Vita Modular guarantee glass on windows and doors in accordance with the ‘Glass and Glazing Federation’ guidelines (a copy can be obtained from the Customer Care team). No guarantee will be made against scratches or imperfections in/on the glass once the sign-off of the building inspection has been completed.
12.8. Where underfloor heating has been installed the customer must ensure that all furniture is raised on legs, the use of flat- base furniture will invalidate your guarantee.
12.9. Guarantee claims should be made to the main office on discovery of the fault. Failure to report a fault immediately may invalidate your guarantee. Once agreed, a maintenance team will be dispatched to remedy the issues free of any charge. Vita Modular Ltd will not reimburse payments made to third party repair contractors without prior written consent.
12.10. If the customer is deemed to be responsible for any faults to the building, all costs associated with remedial works will be charged to the customer.
12.11. No guarantee will be made for materials, appliances or services supplied by the customer to be installed by Vita Modular Ltd. Such items are installed on a good will basis only.
12.12. The Company’s liability shall not exceed the total value as stated in the warranty document and the taking of the steps it deems necessary to rectify any issues shall constitute an entire discharge of the Company’s liability under this warranty.
12.13. The Company shall not be deemed liable for subsidence to the garden room or of the surrounding installation site unless such subsidence is caused by the negligence of the Company during installation.
12.14. Any structural alteration made to the building by the customer or a third party employed by the customer will invalidate your guarantee and as such any related remedial works will be chargeable as per clause 12.10.
12.15. The Customer must ensure that adequate ventilation and drainage is in place around all sides of the building. Blocking in the sides of the building with paving or other landscaping material may result in excessive moisture retention either to the walls or to the base system. Blocking in the sides of the building will invalidate the guarantee.
13. PLASTERED BUILDINGS
13.1. Vita Modular adheres to NHBC guidelines on internal finishes, including plastering, skirting and floor finishes. Please contact the Customer Care office to obtain a copy of these guidelines. Plaster cracking over 2mm wide is covered under your guarantee for a period of 1-year.
13.2. It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that the building is well ventilated during the plaster drying process. The company will not be liable for any cracking or moisture retention caused by lack of ventilation during the drying process.
13.3. Vita Modular buildings finished with the Acoustic Pack are designed to reduce sound by up to 45 decibels (results may vary and are dependent on the amount of glass you opt to have on your garden room). Vita Modular makes no claim of any building being completely soundproof.
14. VENTILATION
14.1. The Customer must ensure that adequate heating and ventilation are supplied to the building throughout the year. An opening window and a heater is included in the base price. The Company accepts no liability for issues caused by failing to heat or ventilate the building.
14.2. We strongly advise that all buildings are fitted with at least one opening window for ventilation purposes. Aluminium Bifolding doors are not fitted with trickle vents.
14.3. If the building is being used as a gym or exercise room it is especially important to maintain good ventilation. We recommend heating and ventilating your building before use and during use to avoid condensation on equipment.
15. GROUND, GUTTER AND ROOF MAINTENANCE
15.1. Vita Modular products require zero maintenance however, it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure areas around the building are kept clear. An air gap under the sides and rear of the building must be maintained and clear of obstacles to ensure vegetation and weeds do not make contact with the building and lead to possible intrusion within the building. This will also ensure that no moisture cannot be trapped underneath the building.
15.2. Gutters and roofs should be inspected and cleared of all debris a minimum of twice a year.
15.3. As with any external building, failure to clear gutters and keep air gaps maintained may result in damage to the fabric of the building which will invalidate your guarantee.
15.4. If remedial work is carried out and the defect is found to be a result of the customer failing to maintain a clear area around the building the work will be chargeable to the customer (as per clause 12.10).
16. LIABILITY
16.1. Nothing contained in these Conditions shall be construed so as to limit or exclude the liability of the Company for death or personal injury as a result of the Company’s negligence or that of its employees or agents.
