TERMS & CONDITIONS

The Charity Concept Consultancy — THE CCC

These Terms & Conditions set out the basis on which The Charity Concept Consultancy ("THE CCC", "we", "us" or "our") provides consultancy services to its clients.

Please read these Terms & Conditions carefully before engaging our services. Where THE CCC provides you with a proposal, scope of work, quotation or other written agreement, these Terms & Conditions should be read alongside that document.

1. ABOUT THE CCC

The Charity Concept Consultancy, trading as THE CCC, is an independent UK consultancy specialising in charity retail strategy, store concepts, retail design, estate development and retail transformation.

References in these Terms & Conditions to the "Client", "you" or "your" mean the organisation, charity, company or other entity purchasing or receiving services from THE CCC.

Our website is:

www.charityconcept.co.uk

Our contact email is:

hello@charityconcept.co.uk

Our business address is:

Woolton Library, Liverpool L25 7RQ

2. OUR SERVICES

THE CCC provides consultancy and advisory services relating to charity retail, which may include:

retail strategy and development;
charity shop and retail concept development;
store design and customer experience;
refurbishment strategy and planning;
estate development and optimisation;
retail performance reviews;
donation journeys and donation environments;
space planning and retail environments;
project development and implementation support;
workshops, presentations and strategic advice;
supplier, design and project coordination;
research, analysis and recommendations; and
other consultancy services agreed with the Client.

The precise scope of any engagement will be set out in a proposal, quotation, service description, scope of work or other written agreement between THE CCC and the Client.

3. OUR CONSULTANCY PACKAGES

THE CCC may offer consultancy through defined packages, including REVIEW, CREATE and DELIVER, as well as bespoke consultancy assignments.

Any descriptions of packages, indicative prices or services displayed on our website are provided for general information.

The exact scope, deliverables, programme and fee for an engagement will be confirmed in writing before work begins.

Where there is any inconsistency between these Terms & Conditions and a specific written proposal or agreement issued by THE CCC, the specific terms contained in the proposal or agreement will take precedence in relation to that engagement.

4. PROPOSALS AND ACCEPTANCE

Following initial discussions, THE CCC may provide the Client with a written proposal or scope of work.

Unless stated otherwise, proposals are valid for 30 days from the date of issue.

A contract between THE CCC and the Client will be formed when the Client accepts our proposal or otherwise confirms in writing that it wishes THE CCC to proceed.

Where appropriate, THE CCC may require a signed agreement, purchase order and/or initial payment before commencing work.

Acceptance of a proposal constitutes acceptance of these Terms & Conditions unless otherwise agreed in writing.

5. SCOPE OF WORK

THE CCC will provide the services and deliverables described in the agreed proposal or scope of work.

Any work requested outside the agreed scope may be treated as additional work.

Where additional work is requested, THE CCC will discuss the implications with the Client and may issue:

an additional quotation;
a revised scope of work;
an additional fee;
an extension to the programme; or
a combination of these.

THE CCC is not required to undertake work outside the agreed scope unless both parties agree to the additional work.

6. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Client agrees to provide THE CCC with the information, access, decisions and cooperation reasonably required to deliver the services.

This may include providing:

accurate project information;
relevant financial or performance data;
access to stores, sites, teams or stakeholders;
existing drawings, surveys or documentation;
brand guidelines;
organisational information;
timely feedback and approvals; and
access to relevant third-party suppliers or consultants.

The Client is responsible for ensuring that information supplied to THE CCC is accurate and that it has the right to share that information with us.

THE CCC will not be responsible for delays, additional costs or limitations in the services resulting from information, access, approvals or decisions not being provided within a reasonable timeframe.

7. FEES

Our fees will be set out in the relevant proposal, quotation or scope of work.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, fees exclude:

travel;
accommodation;
subsistence;
printing;
specialist surveys;
third-party professional services;
external contractors;
materials;
licences;
planning or statutory fees; and
other project-specific expenses.

Any applicable VAT will be charged where required by law.

Where additional expenses are reasonably required to deliver an engagement, these will normally be agreed with the Client in advance.

8. PAYMENT

Payment terms will be stated in the relevant proposal or invoice.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, invoices are payable within 14 days of the invoice date.

For larger projects, THE CCC may invoice in stages or require an initial payment before work begins. The payment schedule will be set out in the relevant proposal.

If an undisputed invoice becomes overdue, THE CCC reserves the right to:

suspend work until outstanding sums are paid;
amend the project programme to reflect the resulting delay; and
charge interest and recover applicable costs in accordance with relevant UK legislation.

Suspension of services due to overdue payment will not constitute a breach of contract by THE CCC.

9. PROJECT PROGRAMMES AND TIMESCALES

Any project programme or completion date provided by THE CCC is based on the information available at the time and assumes timely cooperation, decisions and approvals from the Client and relevant third parties.

We will make reasonable efforts to meet agreed timescales.

However, project programmes may need to change because of circumstances including:

delayed Client decisions or approvals;
changes to the scope;
availability of sites or stakeholders;
third-party suppliers or contractors;
unforeseen site conditions;
statutory approvals;
events outside THE CCC's reasonable control; or
other circumstances affecting delivery.

Where a material change to the programme occurs, we will communicate this to the Client as soon as reasonably practicable.

10. CHANGES TO THE PROJECT

Charity retail projects often develop as work progresses.

If the Client requests a material change to the agreed scope, deliverables or programme, THE CCC may provide a revised proposal or quotation before undertaking the additional work.

Where a change affects previously completed work, additional fees may apply for redesign, reconsideration or reworking.

No material variation to an agreed project will be binding unless confirmed by both parties in writing.

11. CANCELLATION AND POSTPONEMENT

Discovery Calls

Complimentary Discovery Calls may be cancelled or rearranged without charge.

We ask that Clients provide as much notice as reasonably possible if they are unable to attend.

THE CCC reserves the right to cancel or rearrange a Discovery Call where necessary.

Paid Consultancy

Cancellation and postponement arrangements for paid consultancy assignments may be specified in the relevant proposal.

Where no project-specific cancellation terms have been agreed and the Client cancels an engagement after work has commenced, the Client will be responsible for:

fees for work completed up to the cancellation date;
reasonable committed project costs that cannot be recovered; and
any third-party costs incurred with the Client's agreement.

Where work has been specifically reserved or scheduled for a Client and is postponed at short notice, THE CCC reserves the right to charge reasonable costs arising directly from that postponement.

Any such charge will reflect the actual circumstances and costs involved rather than operate as a penalty.

12. DISCOVERY CALLS AND INITIAL ADVICE

THE CCC may offer complimentary Discovery Calls to prospective clients.

A Discovery Call is intended as an introductory discussion to understand an organisation's objectives, challenges and opportunities and to explore whether THE CCC may be able to assist.

Information or observations provided during a Discovery Call are preliminary in nature and should not be treated as a substitute for a full professional review, detailed analysis or formal consultancy engagement.

No obligation exists for either party to proceed with a paid engagement following a Discovery Call.

13. PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT AND RESULTS

THE CCC will provide its services with reasonable care and skill.

Our recommendations are based on our professional experience, judgement, the information provided to us and the circumstances of the particular project.

Retail performance is affected by many factors outside THE CCC's control, including location, market conditions, pricing, stock availability, donations, staffing, volunteer availability, operational execution, marketing and wider economic conditions.

Accordingly, while THE CCC may identify opportunities to improve performance, income, return on investment, customer experience or other measures, we do not guarantee any particular financial or commercial result.

Any projections, estimates, benchmarks or anticipated outcomes are provided as guidance and should not be interpreted as guarantees.

14. THIRD-PARTY SUPPLIERS AND CONTRACTORS

As part of its consultancy services, THE CCC may identify, recommend, introduce or liaise with third-party suppliers, contractors, consultants, designers, manufacturers or other specialists whose services may be relevant to a Client's project.

Any recommendation or introduction made by THE CCC is based on our professional judgement and experience but does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of that third party's services, products, workmanship, performance, availability or suitability.

Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing, the selection, appointment and engagement of any third party remains the responsibility of the Client.

The Client is responsible for satisfying itself as to the third party's suitability, qualifications, experience, insurance, financial standing, capacity and terms of engagement before entering into any agreement.

Where the Client appoints a third party directly, the contractual relationship is solely between the Client and that third party. The third party's services, products, workmanship and other obligations will be governed by that third party's own contractual terms, warranties, insurance and liability provisions.

THE CCC will not be responsible or liable for the acts, omissions, negligence, delays, errors, defects, workmanship, products, services, financial stability or performance of any independently appointed third party, including where that third party was originally identified, recommended or introduced by THE CCC.

Any dispute, claim, loss or liability arising directly from the goods or services provided by an independently appointed third party should be pursued by the Client under its contractual arrangements with that third party and will be subject to the relevant third party's contractual terms and liability provisions.

THE CCC may, where included within the agreed scope of services, assist with:

identifying potential suppliers;
obtaining or reviewing quotations;
supplier selection;
preparing or communicating briefs;
coordination;
project communication;
meetings; or
reviewing progress.

Such involvement does not make THE CCC a party to the agreement between the Client and the third party and does not transfer responsibility for the third party's contractual obligations, workmanship or performance to THE CCC.

Any comments, observations or recommendations THE CCC makes regarding a third party's work do not constitute certification, approval or a guarantee of that work unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing.

Where THE CCC itself directly appoints or contracts with a third party as part of its contractual obligations to the Client, the extent of THE CCC's responsibility will instead be governed by the relevant proposal, scope of work and these Terms & Conditions.

15. SITE INFORMATION, DRAWINGS AND TECHNICAL MATTERS

Concept designs, layouts, visualisations, recommendations and other design material produced by THE CCC are intended for the purpose described in the relevant project scope.

Unless specifically included within our appointment, THE CCC does not provide architectural, structural engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, quantity surveying, building control, planning, fire engineering or other regulated or specialist professional services.

The Client is responsible for obtaining appropriate specialist advice, surveys, permissions and statutory approvals where required.

Dimensions, plans or information supplied by the Client or third parties may be relied upon by THE CCC unless we have specifically agreed to verify them.

Conceptual drawings and visualisations should not be used as construction drawings unless expressly identified as suitable for that purpose.

16. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All intellectual property rights in THE CCC's pre-existing materials, methodologies, processes, frameworks, templates, know-how, tools and working methods remain the property of THE CCC.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, intellectual property created specifically as a deliverable for a Client remains owned by THE CCC, but once all relevant fees have been paid in full, the Client is granted a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use those deliverables for its own organisational purposes and for the project or programme for which they were commissioned.

The Client may not, without our prior written permission:

sell or commercially license THE CCC's work to another organisation;
present THE CCC's proprietary methodology as its own;
reproduce our work for an unrelated commercial purpose; or
permit another consultancy to commercially exploit THE CCC's proprietary materials.

The Client retains ownership of intellectual property and materials supplied by the Client to THE CCC.

17. PORTFOLIO AND PROJECT REFERENCES

Unless the Client requests otherwise in writing, THE CCC may refer to completed projects in its credentials, proposals, portfolio, website, social media and other marketing materials.

This may include the Client's organisation name, general description of the project and publicly available images or information.

THE CCC will not knowingly publish commercially sensitive or confidential information.

Where a project is confidential or subject to specific publicity restrictions, the Client should notify THE CCC in writing.

18. CONFIDENTIALITY

Both THE CCC and the Client agree to keep confidential information received from the other party confidential and to use it only for the purposes of the relevant engagement.

Confidential information does not include information that:

is already publicly available through no breach of confidentiality;
was lawfully known before disclosure;
is received lawfully from another source;
is independently developed without reference to the confidential information; or
must be disclosed by law, regulation or a competent authority.

These confidentiality obligations continue after an engagement ends.

19. DATA PROTECTION

Both parties will comply with applicable UK data protection legislation.

THE CCC will process personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, available on our website.

Where an engagement requires THE CCC to process personal data on behalf of a Client beyond normal business contact information, additional data-processing arrangements may be agreed where necessary.

20. LIABILITY

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

Subject to the above, THE CCC will not be liable for:

indirect or consequential loss;
loss of anticipated profits;
loss of anticipated savings;
loss of business opportunity;
loss arising from inaccurate or incomplete information supplied by the Client or a third party;
decisions taken by the Client contrary to our advice;
failures, acts or omissions of third-party suppliers, contractors, consultants or other specialists appointed directly by the Client;
losses arising from goods or services supplied by independently appointed third parties;
outcomes arising from matters outside the agreed scope of our services; or
matters outside THE CCC's reasonable control.

Where permitted by law, THE CCC's total aggregate liability arising from a particular consultancy engagement will not exceed the total professional fees paid or payable to THE CCC for that engagement, unless a different liability cap is expressly agreed in the relevant proposal.

The Client remains responsible for its own commercial, operational, financial and organisational decisions.

21. INSURANCE

THE CCC will maintain such business and professional insurance as it considers reasonably appropriate for the services it provides.

Where a Client requires a specific level or category of insurance as a condition of appointment, this must be communicated before the engagement is agreed.

22. TERMINATION

Either party may terminate an engagement in accordance with any termination provisions contained in the relevant proposal.

Where no specific termination provision has been agreed, either party may terminate the engagement by providing reasonable written notice.

Either party may terminate immediately where the other party:

commits a serious breach of the agreement and, where that breach can be remedied, fails to remedy it within a reasonable period after being asked to do so;
becomes insolvent or enters an equivalent formal insolvency process; or
engages in conduct that makes continued performance of the engagement unlawful.

On termination, the Client will pay THE CCC for all services properly performed up to the termination date together with any agreed or unavoidable project expenses.

23. EVENTS OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL

Neither party will be liable for a failure or delay in performing its obligations where that failure or delay results from circumstances beyond its reasonable control.

Such circumstances may include severe weather, natural disasters, fire, flood, epidemic or pandemic, industrial disputes, transport disruption, utility or communications failures, government restrictions, civil disturbance or failures of essential third-party services.

The affected party will take reasonable steps to minimise the impact and resume performance when reasonably possible.

24. WEBSITE INFORMATION

Information contained on www.charityconcept.co.uk is provided for general information.

Although THE CCC aims to keep website information accurate and current, website content does not constitute project-specific professional advice.

Individual circumstances differ and decisions should not be based solely on general articles, guides, case studies or other information published on the website.

THE CCC may update, amend or remove website content from time to time.

25. EXTERNAL LINKS

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or resources.

These links are provided for convenience and information. THE CCC does not control third-party websites and is not responsible for their content, availability, security or privacy practices.

The inclusion of a link does not necessarily constitute endorsement of the third party or its services.

26. WEBSITE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Unless otherwise stated, the content of THE CCC's website — including text, graphics, branding, consultancy materials, articles, concepts and original imagery — is owned by or licensed to THE CCC.

Content may be viewed and shared through ordinary links for legitimate informational purposes.

It may not be reproduced, republished, sold, commercially exploited or represented as another person's or organisation's work without appropriate permission.

27. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARTIES

THE CCC acts as an independent consultancy.

Nothing in an engagement creates a partnership, joint venture, employment relationship or agency between THE CCC and the Client unless expressly agreed in writing.

Neither party has authority to bind the other except where expressly authorised.

28. ASSIGNMENT

Neither party may transfer its material rights or obligations under an engagement to another organisation without the other party's prior written consent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

This does not prevent THE CCC from using appropriately qualified subcontractors or specialist support where reasonably required to deliver the agreed services, subject to any specific restrictions agreed with the Client.

29. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

These Terms & Conditions together with the relevant proposal, scope of work, quotation and any other documents expressly incorporated into the engagement constitute the agreement between THE CCC and the Client.

Each party acknowledges that it has not relied on any statement or representation that is not contained within the agreed documents, except where the law provides otherwise.

30. SEVERABILITY

If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, that provision will be treated as modified or removed to the minimum extent necessary.

The remaining provisions will continue in effect.

31. WAIVER

If either party does not immediately enforce a right under these Terms & Conditions, this does not mean that the right has been waived.

A waiver will only apply where it has been expressly given.

32. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS

THE CCC may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time.

The version applicable to a particular consultancy engagement will normally be the version in force when that engagement is agreed, unless THE CCC and the Client agree otherwise in writing.

Updated website terms will apply to subsequent use of the website from the date they are published.

33. THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS

Unless expressly stated otherwise, a person or organisation that is not a party to an agreement between THE CCC and the Client has no right to enforce its terms.

34. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

These Terms & Conditions and any dispute or claim arising from them or an engagement with THE CCC will be governed by the laws of England and Wales.

The courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction in relation to any dispute or claim, subject to any mandatory legal rights that apply.