Terms & Conditions

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your horse(s) to Osborne Equine Services Ltd. Osborne Equine Services Ltd is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales (company number 9697411).

This document details our Practice Terms and Conditions. By instructing us to perform services, or by purchasing or ordering goods, you agree that you have read and understood our conditions of business and agree to be bound by them, and should you require any clarification of any aspect of the terms then please ask.

OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CLIENTS

We aim to provide you with a committed and first class service through our equine practice. We aim to provide your horse or pony with the highest standard of veterinary diagnostics, treatment and care.

We will uphold the professional, ethical and clinical standards as required by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and as declared by our Veterinary Surgeons upon admission into the profession:

" I PROMISE AND SOLEMNLY DECLARE that I will pursue the work of my profession with integrity and accept my responsibilities to the public, my clients, the profession and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and that, ABOVE ALL, my constant endeavour will be to ensure the health and welfare of animals committed to my care."

Osborne Equine Services is under no obligation to accept a client’s request for services. Should the practice accept a request for services the Terms and Conditions as laid out in this document shall come into existence at the point of commencement of services.

If applicable, the client will keep all materials, equipment, documents and other property of Osborne Equine Services Ltd at the client’s premises in safe custody, and not dispose of or use Osborne Equine Services Ltd materials other than in accordance with Osborne Equine Services Ltd’s written instructions or authorisation.

FEE LEVELS

All professional fees, supplements and drug charges are available on request and are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the levels of expertise and time spent on a case, or professional services provided, and according to drugs, consumables and materials used. A member of staff will be happy to discuss any queries you may have.

Understand that occasionally the investigation and treatment of a clinical case does not follow a predicted or common course, and therefore costs may vary and be difficult to predict accurately. Where complex or costly investigation and treatment is anticipated, we will discuss this with you and provide you with an estimate where possible. If specifically requested, we will provide you with a written estimate but, unless stated to the contrary, such an estimate will be for guidance only.

When a patient is referred to a referral hospital the owner is liable to all fees as charged by the referral hospital, according to their own terms and conditions.

SETTLEMENT TERMS

Payment is due according to the terms of each invoice. Osborne Equine Services Ltd reserves the right to vary the terms of payment with new, and/or existing clients.

Should an account not be settled a reminder will be sent. Should it be necessary for further reminders to be sent, administration charges will be incurred. After due notice, unpaid accounts will be referred to our debt collection agency and further charges, such as for the production of reports, correspondence, court fees, attendance at court and phone calls will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt. While it is our policy to co-operate with our clients whenever possible, if payment is not made in accordance with our terms, then debts will be escalated for further action and may include to the County Court to issue proceedings.

If the debt is a business to business debt, then we will pursue payment of all charges and interest to which we are entitled under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 including our Administrative costs. If outstanding accounts are referred for legal proceedings the Court Fees and Legal Costs will also be claimed.

The current rate of interest charged is 1.4 % per month and this interest will accrue on any amount outstanding (both before and after any Court Judgment) from the due date for payment until actual payment

INABILITY TO PAY

If for any reason, you are unable to settle your account as specified, we ask you to discuss the matter with a member of staff, as soon as possible and before treatment takes place. Please note that instalments or part payment of any account may be sanctioned with the express permission of a senior member of staff but any such arrangement must be agreed before treatment takes place. Emergency treatment to alleviate suffering will always be given irrespective of ability to pay.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

The following methods are acceptable:

BACS: Please see our bank details on your invoice, or contact us if you have any queries.

Cash.

Cheques (which should be made payable to Osborne Equine Services Ltd).

HEALTH INSURANCE

Osborne Equine Services Ltd strongly supports the principle of insuring your horse against unexpected illness and accidents. Please be aware that with any insurance company it is your responsibility to determine your level of cover and then to reclaim any fees you have paid the practice. It is also your responsibility to pay any excess that may be set according to your policy and to have knowledge of any condition exclusions.

Agreement of a direct claim does not transfer liability of fees incurred to the practice. If at any point the insurer refuses payment for a direct claim, the owner will still be fully liable for all costs incurred. The insurance policy is a private agreement between the owner and insurer. The practice cannot be involved in disputes over non-payment of insurance claims. We allow 30 days from completion of claim form to receiving settlement. Should the insurer not settle within that time period, the owner may be required to settle the outstanding fees in full.

PASSPORTS

It is a legal requirement that all horses and ponies must have a valid passport. This must accompany the animal during transport, and we will ask to check this at the time of examination. You must endorse your passport (normally section IX in an old passport and section II in a new passport) to confirm whether the animal is/is not intended for human consumption. If your animal’s passport is presented to us unsigned, we reserve the right to sign this as not intended for human consumption. This will allow us to treat the animal according to its clinical needs and to ensure that it never enters the human food chain. In exceptional circumstances, where a passport is not available, a detailed record of medicinal products administered to the animal will be retained. You will need to keep a record of this treatment. This information is provided on your invoice. Write to us if a further copy of the treatment record is required.

OWNERSHIP OF RECORDS

All records and images acquired during the course of clinical investigation and/or treatment shall remain the property of Osborne Equine Services Ltd as part of our complete and comprehensive records. Charges made for x-rays are for the production and interpretation of them. If required, we can arrange copies of the x-rays but this would be at your expense.

Radiographs and copies of all laboratory results, with a summary of the history will be passed on, by request, to another Veterinary Surgeon should the need arise. You may view your horse’s clinical notes on request by appointment only. Please note it is your responsibility to provide us with accurate contact details.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

Our practice acknowledges that client confidentiality is of the utmost importance. Save as required to perform the agreed services or as required by law, we will not pass any of your personal identifiable details to third parties without your permission (including permission given in these Terms and Conditions). We use any personal data we collect in accordance with our Privacy Notice. Further information regarding your rights with respect to your Personal Data can also be found in our Privacy Notice.

COMPLIMENTS/FEEDBACK

We are always pleased to receive compliments/feedback on the service we provide.

COMPLAINTS AND STANDARDS

We hope to ensure you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from us. However, if you feel that there is something you wish to raise, please direct your comments within 28 days in writing to us. An acknowledgement will be sent by return and then a period will elapse while the case is investigated and reports collated from those staff involved. A reply in writing will follow, usually within 28 days although the period may be longer if the Practice Manager of staff involved are temporary unavailable or delayed.

If you have any cause to dispute the fees on your invoice please send written notice to us within 7 days of receiving your invoice.

VARIATIONS IN TERMS AND CONDITIONS OR BUSINESS

No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the Practice unless specifically agreed in writing by the directors. Additionally, no agent or person employed by or under contract with the Practice has the authority to alter or vary these terms and conditions in any way.

STATUTORY RIGHTS

These terms and conditions do not affect your statutory rights.

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP

You will ensure that you will inform us of any change of ownership of an animal or of your changes in your contact details.

Frequently it will be necessary for Osborne Equine Services Ltd to communicate not only with the owner of the animal, but also with others either directly or indirectly involved in the care, management, custody or ownership of the animal in question or its insurance. Accordingly you hereby authorise Osborne Equine Services Ltd to communicate with any and all such authorised third parties and to provide them with necessary information which might otherwise be regarded as confidential information as between Osborne Equine Services Ltd and you.

If you are acting as an authorised agent of an owner of an animal, you undertake that you are duly authorised by the owner to engage the services of Osborne Equine Services Ltd in relation to such animal, provide information and personal data about the owner to Osborne Equine Services Ltd and, to the extent that you lack relevant authority, you hereby undertake to indemnify Osborne Equine Services Ltd from and against all consequences of any such want of authority and confirm that you are liable for Osborne Equine Services Ltd’s fees for providing the services you instructed us to provide.

APPLICABLE LAW AND JURISDICTION

These Terms & Conditions shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The English Courts have jurisdiction in any dispute arising out of our work on your behalf. If any terms or provisions of this agreement (or parts thereof) are to become invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the remainder shall survive unaffected to the fullest extent permitted in law.