Information terms and conditions

General

Our report and any quotation provided remains valid for a period of 3 calendar months from the date of issue. Our report should not be relied upon after this period.

All information sheets, specifications, and conditions of contract are taken as agreed to by the client should Abbott Property Care Ltd be allowed to commence work on site.

Although every effort will be made to start and complete an installation or treatments within agreed schedules, Abbott Property Care Ltd cannot accept responsibility for losses incurred due to delays.

There will be mess associated with the works and although we will sweep through the treatment rooms, a certain amount will undoubtedly remain. Dust may settle for several days following treatment. Further cleaning costs are not included in our quotation. A ‘builder’s clean’ is offered by cleaning companies and should be considered following remedial work involving re-plastering.

No responsibility can be taken by Abbott Property Care Ltd for any damage to electrical wiring or plumbing piping, valves, etc. (including gas) caused during the work.

Where the property to be treated is in a Conservation Area or is Statutorily Listed, the client should inform the relevant authority and obtain their permission before treatment commences. Abbott Property Care Ltd will assume that such permission has been obtained if instructed to proceed.

Good ventilation should be maintained for a period of 48 hours following all remedial treatments.

Following the completion of a damp proof course installation the drying out period is generally 9 – 12 months for a wall of double brick thickness. Drying out is however subject to ventilation and weather conditions.

Party Walls

Where a party wall is to be treated the client should obtain written permission from the neighbouring property owner(s)/occupant(s) involved under the terms of The Party Wall Act 1996. Abbott Property Care Ltd will assume permission has been obtained if instructed to proceed with such works.

Where the thickness of a party wall exceeds a single brick thickness, treatment will be limited to single brick thickness. Any bridging of dampness from the part of wall not treated treatment will not be covered by our guarantee. Should treatment be required to a party wall thickness exceeding single brick thickness, Abbott Property Care Ltd must be notified in writing and reserves the right to refuse to carry out such work.

Client’s preparation work

All treatment areas must be cleared of carpets, furniture and electrical goods prior to treatment taking place. No responsibility can be accepted by Abbott Property Care Ltd for damage to any items remaining in treatment rooms during the course of the work. No allowance is made in our quotations for the removal or refitting of any kitchen units, wall tiling or appliances.

Skirting boards

We will refit skirting boards free of charge if they are in good condition. If skirting boards are not suitable for refitting (due to decay, woodworm or damage during removal), we can provide a quotation to fit new ones under separate contract. New skirting boards should not be fitted until the plaster has dried (around 4 weeks).

If the property has tiled skirtings then the client must make separate arrangements to remove the tiles before work is commenced and make good afterwards.

Radiators, plumbing fitments and fitted units

Where applicable, radiators, plumbing fitments and fitted units should be removed prior to commencement of works.

Redecoration

Normal re-decoration cannot be carried out for a minimum of six months following damp proof course installation. As a temporary measure, a single coat of water-based matt emulsion paint can be applied after 3 – 4 weeks.

Removing plaster and re-plastering work is likely to cause damage to the decoration on adjacent wall and ceiling areas. Redecoration following re-plastering work may therefore be significantly more extensive than simply the immediate area re-plastered.

Before applying any decoration, 2 coats of ‘Zinsser BIN’ stain block should be applied across all joins to a width of 150mm where the new plaster meets the original plaster. ‘Zinsser BIN’ should also be applied where the new plaster meets skirting boards and door frames, essentially creating a border or frame around the new plaster. 

Guarantees

Once the remedial work has been completed and full payment made, you must register your guarantee on our website within 28 days using the ‘Guarantee services’ link on the Homepage of our website. Should we agree to the late registration of a guarantee, an administration charge will be made.

If you have carried out your own damp proof course re-plastering work or used your own contractor, then you must use the re-plastering specification published on our website for us to provide a guarantee for the damp proof course.

Guarantees are issued subject to the property being maintained in a sound and weatherproof condition. Guarantees are limited to the treatment undertaken and specific areas treated. Any tampering with the remedial work will invalidate the guarantee.

In the event of a claim made against any guarantee issued for work completed, Abbott Property Care Ltd will make a charge to assess the claim, only refunding the fee should a claim be validated. The claim assessment fee is published on our website.

Under the Plaster heading, could you change the text to the following:

Removing plaster to the lower wall areas may highlight de-bonding problems in the plaster above. We will advise you if this is the case and offer a further quotation should re-plastering work need to be extended.

Salt bands of dampness occurring in plasterwork above or adjacent to new plaster applied by Abbott Property Care Ltd can typically be remedied by the application of ‘Zinsser B-I-N’ stain block as part of the re-decorating process. Any repairs to decoration or plaster is not covered by our guarantee where it is above the height of our re-plastering work or where our plaster meets existing plaster.

It is not uncommon for drying out cracks to appear in new plaster. Any cracks should be filled as part of the re-decorating process.

Guarantee periods:

Independent GPI 10-year insurance-backed guarantees are also available for damp proofing & timber treatment work subject to payment of the appropriate premium and IP tax.

Heat retention and heat recovery units require annual servicing. The current servicing costs are published on our website. Ultrovent filters should be replaced a minimum of every 2 years.

Guarantees certificates can be viewed on the guarantee registration page on our website.

Plaster

Removing plaster to the lower wall areas may highlight problems in the plaster above. We will advise you if this is the case and offer a further quotation if required.

Salt bands of dampness occurring in plasterwork above or adjacent to new plaster applied by Abbott Property Care Ltd can typically be remedied by the application of ‘Zinsser B-I-N’ stain block as part of the re-decorating process. Such work is not covered by our guarantee.

It is not uncommon for drying out cracks to appear in new plaster. Any cracks should be filled as part of the re-decorating process.

Payment terms

We require a 50% deposit to confirm an order for work. The balance is due on the day the work is completed.

If work is to be commenced within 30 days of your instruction, then you are required to waive your cancellation rights. If work is cancelled within 30 days of the commencement date but more than 7 days before the commencement date, we will retain 20% of the deposit to cover our costs and lost revenues. If work is cancelled 7 days or less days from the commencement date, we will retain the full deposit paid. You can cancel a contract by completing the form on our website or by writing to us at our head office, retaining proof of posting.

Late payments

Our offer of long-term guarantee is withdrawn for payments more than 7 days after we advise you of the completion of work. ‘Snagging’ work and minor adjustments should not be considered to extend the payment deadline. The statutory guarantee is not affected.

We reserve the right to seek reimbursement of all reasonable costs incurred in pursuing full payment of any outstanding monies under the contract entered in to.