I have set out the following terms and conditions of hiring me to work on a copyediting or proofreading project so that you can be clear of what is involved in the process of working together. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns and I will be happy to provide further information.

 

General

• These terms and conditions apply to any proofreading/editing work done for the Client (you) by me (Kirsty Parkinson | Crowberry Editorial).

• The Client is under no obligation to offer me work and I am under no obligation to accept work offered by the Client.

• The work will be carried out unsupervised at such times and places as determined by me, using my own equipment.

• The work will be carried out by me. I will not subcontract proofreading/editing projects, or parts of projects, to third parties.

• I confirm that I am self-employed, am responsible for my own income tax and National Insurance contributions and will not claim benefits granted to the Client's employees. I am not VAT-registered.

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Project terms and payment

• Before the work starts, the Client and I will agree a fee for the project. This will be based on a per hour rate OR per 1,000 words rate OR an agreed flat fee for the job. The fee will be agreed in writing by myself and the client following my evaluation of a representative sample of the materials to be worked on, and a discussion with the Client as to what is required.

• A deadline date will be mutually agreed between myself and the Client, and the completed work will be delivered on or before this date, for the agreed fee.

• If, however, on receipt of the project to be worked on (or at an early stage), it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary discussion/brief or from the sample supplied, I may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline, or decline to carry out the work.

• Similarly, if additional and unexpected tasks are requested by the Client after the agreed project term has started, I may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline.

• Unless otherwise agreed, I will supply the Client with an invoice immediately upon return of the completed proofreading/editing project. Payment should be made within 30 days.

• For larger projects (more than 5,000 words) I will usually ask the Client to pay a deposit of 33% of the overall project price in advance of starting the work, with the remaining balance due within 30 days of receipt of my invoice for completed work. If the Client prefers smaller instalments or would rather an alternative payment plan, I will take this into account and it can be discussed.

• The quoted fees are for one full round of copyediting/proofreading of a document, unless otherwise agreed. Additional full rounds are considered new projects, the terms of which will be agreed separately.

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Copyright

• All content delivered to me by the Client for the proofreading/editing project is owned by the Client.

• The Client agrees to hold me harmless from and against all claims, liabilities and expenses arising out of any potential or actual copyright or trademark misappropriation or infringement claimed against them.

• Following payment of my invoice, any content created by me as part of the proofreading/ copy-editing process will become the copyright of the Client unless otherwise agreed.

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Confidentiality

• The Client’s work will be kept confidential and not shared with anyone other than the Client without prior written permission.

• I will not, under any circumstances, upload the Client’s files to external websites or distribute them to third parties unless specifically authorised to do so, in writing, by the Client.

• Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Client and I may keep on record necessary information (e.g. contact details). Either may view the other’s records to ensure that they are relevant, correct and up to date.

 

Cancellation policy

• Both the Client and I have the right to terminate a contract for services at any time if there is a serious breach of its terms.

• The Client is free to cancel a service for any reason by providing me with written notice (including email); I must acknowledge this cancellation in writing (including email) for this to be valid.

• The Client will remain obligated to pay a fee proportionate to the amount of work already completed (if any) if this amount is larger than the deposit paid.

• I may cancel a service at any time for any reason by providing written notice (including email) to the Client. In the unlikely event that I cancel a service, I will provide a prorated refund of any overages of fees paid (including the deposit, excluding banking and admin fees).

• If the Client finds themselves in extraordinary or difficult circumstances that cause cancellation or delay (e.g. family crisis, illness etc.), they should contact me to discuss the terms of the cancellation policy. I will be as fair and helpful as possible.

• In the unlikely event that I am unable to meet a deadline due to extraordinary or difficult circumstances I will contact the Client as soon as possible to renegotiate the deadline. In the event that we cannot agree a satisfactory new time frame, I will renegotiate a reduced fee for already completed work or a refund with the Client and will do my best to find an alternative supplier of editing services for the Client.

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Legal jurisdiction

• This agreement is subject to the laws of England and Wales, and both the Client and I agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts. 

• The exclusive venue for any arbitration or court proceeding based on or arising out of this Agreement shall be Lincolnshire, England.

 

Quality assurance

• The Client should contact me immediately if they are unsatisfied with my work for any reason, so that I can do my best to rectify the situation. I will always aim to provide services of the highest quality and as a member of the CIEP I abide by its Code of Practice. Please bear in mind that while I will make every effort to ensure all returned work is error-free, perfection cannot be guaranteed, particularly if the file has not previously been through professional editing rounds.

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Acknowledgements in published works

• There is no requirement for the Client to mention me in the published work's acknowledgements section. However, the Client agrees that I will have the opportunity to review any such mention prior to publication, or to decline to be mentioned.