Terms and Conditions

When you sign the Order Confirmation Form for restoration or cleaning work, you agree to these Terms and Conditions. The person who signs the form is responsible for paying all costs.

Restoration and cleaning work may include:

• cleaning the surface of a memorial
• re-painting, re-gilding or re-cutting existing lettering
• adding new inscriptions to an existing memorial
• re-fixing, levelling or realigning a memorial
• minor repairs to the stone or its fixings

We will agree the exact work with you before we begin. We will only carry out the work listed on your Order Confirmation Form. If we find that further work is needed, we will contact you first. We will not go ahead with any extra work or charges without your agreement.

Following each service, all memorials and stones are treated with a specialist product that continues to work for up to 8 weeks. In some cases, we may need to clean the memorial in stages to allow proper time for the treatment product to take effect. Where a further visit is recommended or required to achieve the best result, we will discuss this with you in advance.

Before we quote, we may need to inspect the memorial. Our quote is based on what we can reasonably see at the time. Some problems, such as hidden cracks, weak fixings or damage below ground, may only show once work has started. If this happens, we will explain what we have found and discuss your options before going further.

Before we start any work, we need:

• a signed Order Confirmation Form
• any permit or permission required by the cemetery, churchyard or burial authority

a signed proof of any new or re-cut lettering (if applicable)

• full payment for your order

Please check any lettering proof carefully before you sign it. We will not be responsible for errors in an inscription that matches the proof you have approved.

Some cemeteries and burial authorities require a permit before a memorial can be cleaned, altered, re-lettered or re-fixed. We can help you apply for this, but we cannot guarantee approval timescales, as these are set entirely by the relevant authority. Any permit fees set by the authority will be added to your invoice. Work cannot begin until the required permission has been granted. The customer is responsible for ensuring that all necessary permissions are in place before work is scheduled.

Our ability to carry out work depends on safe and unrestricted access to the memorial. If a cemetery or churchyard is closed, access is restricted by the burial authority, or the memorial is considered unsafe to approach, we may need to postpone or reschedule the work. We will let you know as soon as possible if this affects your booking. We cannot accept liability for any delay caused by access restrictions outside our control.

Older memorials can be fragile. Years of weather, frost, pollution, moss and lichen can weaken the stone and its lettering, even when this is not easy to see. Because of this, we cannot guarantee the result of restoration or cleaning work on aged or weathered stones. Some stones may not be suitable for certain methods of cleaning or restoration. If we believe this is the case, we will tell you before we begin.

We take great care with every memorial we work on. However, because every stone ages differently, results can vary and we cannot guarantee the complete removal of staining, algae, lichen, weathering or other marks. We also cannot guarantee how lettering or the stone surface will look once work is complete. Cleaning and restoration can sometimes:

• reveal existing stains, marks, cracks or wear that were previously hidden
• cause lettering to appear lighter, thinner or less defined
• lead to slight differences in colour or texture across the stone

The natural features of the stone, such as its grain and colour variation, may also become more visible after cleaning.

We are not responsible for any damage, wear or defects that were present before we started work. This includes cracks, flaking, erosion, loose lettering, staining, unstable foundations and damage caused by earlier repairs carried out by others. Where possible, we will note and photograph pre-existing conditions before work begins.

We carry out all work with reasonable care and skill, using methods suited to the type and condition of each memorial. On rare occasions, a stone or its lettering may be damaged during work because of hidden weaknesses we could not reasonably have known about. Where this happens, and the damage is not caused by our negligence, we cannot accept liability for issues arising from the age, hidden weakness, weathering, or condition of the memorial. We will always let you know straight away and talk you through the options available.

Please remove any flowers, vases, ornaments, plants or personal items from the grave before work begins. While we take reasonable care, we cannot be held responsible for any damage to items left on or around the grave during our work.

Once our work is complete, we are not responsible for any later damage to the memorial, however it is caused. This includes vandalism, accidental damage by others, grounds maintenance, tree roots, ground movement, sinking or flooding of the grave, or work carried out by any other contractor or authority.

Cleaning treatments and restoration work can be affected by weather conditions. We may need to postpone your appointment due to frost, heavy rain, high winds or other conditions that could affect the quality of our work or the safety of our team. Where this happens, we will contact you as soon as possible to arrange a new date. We cannot accept liability for delays caused by adverse weather.

We will give you an estimated date for your work. Dates can only be approximate, as they depend on weather, ground conditions, cemetery access rules and permit approval timescales. The final timing of the work will be at the discretion of Sussex Grave Care. Any changes to your order, especially to lettering, may also affect the estimated date.

If you ask us to change the work after you have signed your order, we may need to charge an extra amount. Any extra charge will be reasonable and will reflect the additional work involved. We will not charge for changes needed because of a mistake on our part.

If you need to cancel your order, please let us know as soon as possible. Where work has not yet begun and no materials or permits have been ordered on your behalf, we will discuss a refund with you. If we have already incurred costs — such as ordering materials, arranging permits or scheduling a visit — we reserve the right to retain a fair portion of the payment to cover those costs. We will always be transparent about any deductions.

Full payment is required at the time of placing your order. The amount will be shown on your Order Confirmation Form.

If you would like your solicitor to be invoiced for probate purposes, please let us know at the time of ordering so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Any new materials or fixings supplied as part of the work remain the property of Sussex Grave Care until your payment has been received in full.

We may take photos and videos before, during and after work to record the condition of the memorial. We may also use these images and videos on the Sussex Grave Care website and social media channels, including platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. If you would prefer us not to use images or videos of your memorial for marketing purposes, please let us know in writing and we will respect your wishes.

We take pride in the quality of our work and always aim to deliver a service you are satisfied with. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the work carried out, please contact us within 14 days of the service being completed. You can reach us by phone on 01273 950717 or through our website at www.sussexgravecleaning.co.uk. We will do our best to address your concerns fairly and promptly.

Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer.

If you have any questions about these terms or your restoration work, please get in touch with Sussex Grave Care. You can call us on 01273 950717 or visit our website at www.sussexgravecleaning.co.uk. We are always happy to talk things through with you.