Consumer terms of use

These terms of use relate to the independent inspection service offered by us to those businesses or individuals that commission the service.

Please read these terms of use carefully before using this service. If you do not agree to these terms of use, you must not use our service. Use of the service is your acceptance of these terms.

Definition and basis of these Terms & Conditions

1.1 In these conditions the following words have the following meanings: 


“Company” means the The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation Limited, a company incorporated in England & Wales having Company Number 06533488 and registered office address at Thames Enterprise Centre, Princess Margaret Road, Essex RM18 8RH who will provide the Services.

“Customer” means the company, business or individual for whom the Company will provide the Services.

”Services” means the third-party provision of an inspection service carried out by a person or persons nominated by the Company. This is to include the provision of a Section 35 (Civil Proceedings) compliant report, which will be delivered to the Customer following the inspection.

”Contract” means a contract for the provision of the Services or Sale of Goods, which will incorporate these Terms and Conditions and any written agreement between the parties or other document issued by the Company or, failing any such document, any other agreement between the parties.

“Liability” means liability for any and all damages, claims, proceedings, actions, awards, expenses, costs (including but without limitation all legal costs and disbursements) and any other losses and/or liabilities;

“Normal Working Hours” means 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday inclusive (local, national and Bank Holidays observed by the relevant depot of the Company excepted).
“Premises” means the location of the inspection as defined within the Quotation.

“Quotation” means the quotation provided by the Company detailing the specification of Services to be completed.

1.2 These conditions shall be incorporated in all Contracts and shall be the sole conditions under which the provision of the Services takes place. All other terms, conditions and other representations are excluded from the Contracts between the Company and the Customer including any terms and conditions which the Customer may purport to apply under any Contract and these terms and conditions shall prevail.

1.3 The Company’s employees or agents are not authorised to make any representations concerning the Services unless confirmed in writing.

2. Term

2.1 If the Contract has a fixed duration, subject to earlier termination in accordance with these terms, neither party shall be entitled to terminate the Contract before the expiry of that fixed period unless by agreement.

2.2 If the Contract does not have a fixed duration, subject to earlier termination in accordance with these terms, the Contract shall continue in force until the parties agree otherwise or until one month’s written notice of termination is given by one party to the other.

3. Provision of Service

3.1 The Company agrees, to provide the Services as set out in the Quotation, either on a “one off” 
basis or on an ongoing basis, as the parties shall agree.

3.2 For the avoidance of doubt, unless specified in the Quotation, the Services do not include:

3.2.1 Repairs to defects discovered during the Service;

3.2.2 Liaison with any other party, other than the Customer;

3.2.3 Attendance at any subsequent tribunal or legal proceeding;

3.3 The Services shall be carried out subject to any exclusions or qualifications contained in the Quotation.

3.4 The Services will be provided by the Company during Normal Working Hours and subject to reasonable prior notice by the Company to the Customer.

3.5 The Company shall be under no obligation to provide any part of the Services outside Normal Working Hours but, if the Company agrees with the Customer to do this, the Customer shall pay to the Company, as an additional element of the Charges, the Company’s then current standard extra “outside hours” charges as notified by or available from the Company from time to time.

3.6 The Company shall only be obliged to perform the Services in relation to the application made by the Customer.

3.7 In providing the Services, the Company shall not be required or asked by the Customer to do anything that may put it in breach of any relevant law.

3.8 All effort will be made to provide Services within the following timeline:

3.8.1 Upon Customer payment for the inspection, which will be taken in advance of the Service, the Company will endeavour to conduct the inspection within 10 working days, subject to availability;

3.8.2 The Company will aim to digitally deliver the report, within 5 working days post inspection. Delivery of this document will signify the end of the Company’s obligations regarding the delivery of the Service.

3.9 The Service shall provide a digital report that includes the following subject headers:

3.9.1 An overview of the inspection instruction;

3.9.2 Credentials relating to the inspector’s experience;

3.9.3 Details of the precise points that the inspector has been instructed to report upon;

3.9.4 Findings from the points that the inspector has been instructed to report upon, together with a photographic appendix of points addressed;

3.9.5 An overview of the remedial action required (if applicable), together with a time estimate to complete such work;

3.9.6 An expert witness declaration of truth signed and dated.

3.10 The Company’s appointed inspector is not permitted to make comment at the time of the inspection, nor is permitted to provide any indication as to their findings. Disclosure at this stage could negatively impact future proceedings. It is therefore in the best interests of all parties to avoid item specific dialogue during the inspection, unless the inspector feels that further information is required at that point.

3.11 All contact following the inspection must be made with the Company and not the inspector. The Inspector is not obliged to return any contact with the Customer if this clause is breached.

4. Customer Obligations

4.1 Unless otherwise specified in the Quotation, the Customer shall provide the Company with safe access to the property and provide any help or information that the Company may require in providing the Services.

4.2 The Customer shall provide such assistance or comply with such obligations as may be set out in the Quotation.

4.3 The Customer shall be responsible for cleaning, providing free and unrestricted access and preparing the property prior to the Company providing the Services. The Company reserves the right to levy additional charges in the event of failure by the Customer to comply with this obligation.

4.4 Should the Company’s representative consider the site where the Services are to be provided, the Equipment or any related or adjacent equipment to be worked on to be in an unsafe condition or position then the Company reserves the right to request the Customer or user to render every possible assistance to make the site, the Equipment and/or equipment safe to work on in accordance with all applicable health and safety legislation and guidance. Failure to render the said assistance will entitle the Company to terminate the Contract or suspend provision of the Services without any Liability to the Company. In such circumstances the Company shall be entitled to recover any costs and charges.

4.5 The Customer specifically acknowledges and agrees that where an examination or Testing Inspection and Certification is to be carried out in accordance with any statutory regulations it is the Customers legal obligation to ensure that any examination is carried out with the prescribed inspection interval. Should our Inspection reveal defects affecting the safety of the equipment it will be the Customer’s responsibility to take appropriate action in relation to such item, notwithstanding that, in the event of a defect in the lifting Equipment involving an existing or imminent risk of serious personal injury, the Company will take steps to report it as soon as is practicable to the relevant enforcing authority.

5. Warranty

5.1 The Company warrants that the Services shall be provided with reasonable skill and care. For the avoidance of doubt no warranty is provided in relation to the property that is being inspected, or the subsequent report that is provided.

6. Charges

6.1 The Customer shall pay to the Company the charges specified in the Quotation (“the Charges”) 
which shall be invoiced at the point of quotation acceptance by the Customer.

6.2 The Company reserves the right to vary the Charges by giving the Customer not less than thirty (30) days prior written notice.

6.3 The Company shall be entitled to charge waiting time where the Customer fails to provide sufficient access to the site or where the Company is delayed from performing the Services due to other contractors of the Customer requiring access to the site prior to the Company.

6.4 The Company shall be entitled to charge additional Charges in circumstances specified in the Quotation.

6.5 The Company shall issue to the Customer invoices in respect of sums payable by the Customer to the Company hereunder, on or in advance of the date upon which the relevant sum becomes due. Each such invoice shall be paid for in GBP Sterling on the date as stated on the invoice (this shall be the final date for payment).

6.6 The Customer must notify the Company in writing within 5 days of the date of any invoice of any issues with the invoice.

6.7 If any amount due to the Company hereunder remains unpaid after the date on which it is payable, the Company shall be entitled to charge interest on such sum at a rate of 5% per annum above the base rate of the Bank of England from that date until the date of actual payment, and to withhold any or all of the services to be provided by the Company hereunder until such time as payment of the said sum and of the interest thereon is received by the Company (and the Company shall have no Liability to the Customer in relation to such suspension (including any Equipment passing its date on which a statutory inspection is required).

6.8 All Charges exclude Value Added Tax. The Customer shall pay to the Company (subject to the issue of the relevant Value Added Tax Invoice) the amount of Value Added Tax for which the Company will be accountable to HM Customs & Excise in respect of the Charges.

6.9 Prompt payment under a Contract shall be of the essence. Payment shall not be deemed to be made until the Company has received cleared funds in respect of the full amount outstanding.

6.10 The Customer shall pay all sums due to the Company under this Contract without any set-off, deduction, counterclaim and/or any other withholding of monies.

6.11 Cancellation charges shall be levied based on the following timescales:

(a) orders cancelled within 7 working days of the scheduled commencement of the Service – 
25% of the quoted charge plus any additional costs incurred;

(b) orders cancelled within 48 hours of the scheduled commencement of the Service – 50% of the quoted charge plus additional costs incurred.

(c) orders cancelled within 24 hours of the scheduled commencement of the Service – No refund is given.

6.12 No refund shall be applicable post inspection, under any circumstances.

7. ForceMajeure

7.1 Neither party to the Contract shall be under any Liability for any failure to perform any of their respective obligations as a result of Force Majeure, other than any obligation of the Customer to make any payment hereunder. Following notification by the one party to the other of Force Majeure, the affected party shall be allowed a reasonable extension of time for the performance of its obligations.

7.2 For the purposes of this Clause, “Force Majeure” means fire, explosion, flood, adverse weather conditions, lightning, act of God, act of terrorism, war, rebellion, riot, sabotage, strike or similar labour dispute, traffic delays or other events or circumstances outside the reasonable control of the affected party.

8. Limitations of Liability

8.1 The Company will not be liable for any delays caused by any circumstances beyond our 
reasonable control.

8.2 The Company will not be liable for any indirect consequential or special loss, loss of business, profits, goodwill, contracts, revenues, savings you expected to make, wasted money, wages, fees or expenses, due to late delivery, non-delivery, unsuitability of Service, even if the Customer has advised us of the possibility of such loss or damage.

8.3 Nothing in these terms and conditions shall exclude The Company from Liability for death or personal injury caused by Company negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation or any other type of Liability which cannot be excluded or limited by operation of law.

8.4 The Company’s total Liability to its Customer under and/or arising in relation to any Contract shall not exceed 5 times the amount of the Charges or the sum of £1,000, whichever is the higher, under that Contract. To the extent that any of our Liability to you would be met by our insurance then our Liability shall be extended to the extent that such Liability is met by such insurance.

8.5 The Customer will indemnify the Company against any and every expense, Liability, financial loss, claim or proceedings whatsoever, and in respect of any death or personal injury whatsoever or damage to or loss of property whatsoever incidental to the Contract.

8.6 This clause will survive termination or expiry of these terms and conditions.

9. Termination

9.1 If the Customer:

9.1.1 fails to make any payment to the Company when due; or

9.1.2 breaches the terms of the Contract and, where the breach is capable of remedy, has not remedied the breach within 14 days of receiving notice requiring the breach to be remedied;

9.1.3 persistently breaches the terms of the Contract; provides incomplete, materially inaccurate or misleading facts and/or information in connection with the Contract;

9.1.4 ceases or threatens to cease to carry on business;

9.1.5 being an individual or partnership, has a bankruptcy petition presented against it or compounds with or comes to an arrangement with its creditors, enters into an individual voluntary arrangement or suffers any similar action in any jurisdiction;

9.1.6 being a company, enters into voluntary or compulsory liquidation, has an administrator or administrative receiver appointed over all or any of its assets, or compounds with or comes to an arrangement with its creditors or enters into a company voluntary arrangement, any attachment order is made against it, any distress, execution or other legal process is levied on any of its property or it suffers any similar action in any jurisdiction;

9.1.7 has circumstances in which the Company reasonably believes that any of the events mentioned above is about to occur and the Company notifies it of this belief;

9.1.8 appears reasonably to the Company due to its credit rating, to be financially inadequate to meet its obligations under the Contract;

9.1.9 appear reasonably to the Company to be about to suffer any of the above events; then the Company shall have the right, without prejudice to any other remedies, to exercise any or all of the rights set out below.

9.2 If any of the events set above occurs in relation to the Customer then:

9.2.1 the Company may withhold the performance of any Services and cease any Services in progress under this and/or any other Contract between the Customer (or any of its Associated Companies) and the Company(or any of its Associated Companies);

9.2.2 the Company may immediately cancel, terminate and/or suspend without Liability to the Customer, the Contract and/or any other contract between the Customer (or any of its Associated Companies) and the Company (or any of its Associated Companies);

9.2.3 any credit period in relation to payment of the Charges shall be accelerated and all sums, all monies owed by the Customer (or any of its Associated Companies) to the Company (or any of its Associated Companies) under this Contract or any other Contract between the Customer (or any of its Associated Companies) and the Company (or any of its Associated Companies) shall immediately become due and payable.

9.3 Upon termination of the Contract the Customer shall immediately:

9.3.1 at its expense, return any equipment belonging to the Company to the Company or make such equipment available for the Company to collect; and

9.3.2 pay to the Company (or any of its Associated Companies), in full and cleared funds, all outstanding Charges and/or any other sums payable under the Contract or any other contract the Customer (or any of its Associated Companies) and the Company (or any of its Associated Companies).

9.4 In the event that the Contract is terminated pursuant to Clause 9.2, the Company shall be entitled to retain the whole of the Charges paid by the Customer in respect of any period for which the Service has been provided, whether or not that period is at an end.

10.Notices

10.1 Any notices to be given by either party hereunder may be given:

10.1.1 by address; or

10.1.2 by sending the same by recorded delivery post addressed to the other party’s last known address; or

10. 1.3 by facsimile transmission to the other party’s last known facsimile number.

10.2 A notice shall be deemed to have been received (1) in the case of delivery, at the time of delivery, (2) in the case of recorded delivery post upon the expiry of 48 hours from the time the same was properly addressed, stamped and posted and (3) in the case of facsimile transmission, upon transmission.

11.Miscellaneous

11.1 The headings to these Terms and Conditions shall not affect their interpretation.

11.2 Throughout these Terms and Conditions, wherever the context so requires, the use of the singular number shall be construed to include the delivery to the other party’s last known plural, and the use of the plural the singular, and the use of any gender shall include all genders. 
 .

11.3 Reference in these Terms and Conditions to a “Clause” is to a Clause of these Terms and Conditions.

11.4 If any provision of the Contract is rendered by legislation void or declared void by court decree or order that provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall not thereby be altered and shall remain in full force and effect.

11.5 No waiver by the Company of any breach of these Terms and Conditions shall be considered as a waiver of any subsequent breach of the same provision or any other provision.

11.6 It is hereby agreed and declared that the Company may at its absolute discretion assign any sums owed to it by the Customer (or any of the Customer’s related or associated persons, firms or companies or any of their successors in title) to any of the Company’s associated or related companies or by way of security.

11.7 If any sum of money shall be recoverable from or payable by the Customer to the Company, the same may be deducted from any sum then due, or which at any time thereafter may become due from the Customer to the Company, whether under the Contract or otherwise. 
 .

11.8 The Customer shall not be entitled to withhold payment of any sums after they have become due by reason of any right or set off or counterclaim which the Customer may have or allege to have or for any other reason whatsoever.

11.9 The Company shall be entitled to sub-contract its performance of its obligations under a Contract to a third party of its choosing (provided that the Company shall remain liable for the acts and/or omissions of its sub-contractors as though they were its own acts and/or omissions).

11.10 The Customer shall be liable for the acts and/or omissions of its employees, agents, servants and/or sub- contractors as though they were its own acts and/or omissions under this Contract.

11.11 The Company shall not be obliged to employ any of the Customer’s employees (or any employees of a third party contractor appointed by the Customer) as a result of or in connection with the Contract or the Company providing the Services, and the Customer agrees to indemnify the Company against any costs, liabilities and expenses incurred by it as a result of any claim (including for dismissal) or demand of any nature by any such employee against the Company.

12.Entire agreement and applicable law

12.1 The Contract constitutes the entire agreement between the Company and the Customer in respect of the Services and supersedes all other agreements, statements, representations or warranties made by or between the parties or either of them concerning the same. These Terms and Conditions shall supersede any terms and conditions appearing on or referred to in any purchase order, acknowledgement or other document issued by the Customer in respect of the subject matter of these Terms and Conditions.

12.2 No variations of the Contract shall be effective unless specifically agreed in writing by an authorised representative of the Company.

12.3 The Contract shall in all respects be subject to, governed by and construed in accordance with English law and the parties hereby agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts in relation to any matter or dispute arising out of or in connection with the Contract (whether of a contractual or tortious nature or otherwise).

ENDS

These terms of use were last updated: 1/10/2023.

Great news… If you’ve landed on this page, it’s most likely you’re a consumer about to undertake a kitchen, bedroom or bathroom project and you have a professional member of The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) stood in front of you!

This landing page is intended to help you understand the benefits of using a BiKBBI registered business.

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BiKBBI Standards & Guidelines - 2024 Edition COMING SOON.

LEGAL NOTICE

Information within this section is for guidance purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and therefore BiKBBI accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to anyone in relation to content.

If in doubt, or if a customer commences legal action against you or your business, we recommend you seek independent legal advice as a priority. Details of useful contacts can be found below.

KNOWING THE LAW

The Consumer Rights Act (2015) is applicable throughout most of the UK and is seen as a guiding principle for handing disputes.

Regardless of your terms or any verbal or written agreement you may have with your customer, the consumer has legal rights that always take precidence, especially when in the case of dispute.

A common misconception is that tradespeople only have to provide a 12 month warranty against their workmanship. This is not the case. The statutory period of cover that a consumer is entitled to in relation to workmanship, is no more than 6 years.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, certain standards apply to every contract for the supply of services. A trader supplying a service must meet the following standards:

• The service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill.
  This means that the trader must, as a minimum, work to the same standard as any reasonably competent person in that trade or profession. The law does not imply that any particular result will be achieved (for example, a competent doctor will not necessarily be able to treat every patient successfully) but many contracts will have express terms as to what result the customer can expect from the service. To minimise the risk of disagreement, it is advisable to state clearly where a particular result has been agreed and where there is a risk of the desired result not being achieved
• Information said or written to the consumer is binding where the consumer relies on it.
  This will include quotations and any promises about timescales or the results to be achieved. This applies if the consumer takes account of this information in deciding whether to buy the service or to make any decision about the service subsequently
• The cost of the service must be reasonable.
  A contract will often specify a price, or it will be clear about how the price will be calculated (for example, an hourly rate). Where the price is not agreed beforehand, the price must be reasonable. Typically, this will be judged against the prices that other similar traders might have charged.
• The service must be carried out within a reasonable time.
  Often, a contract will specify a date or time for the service to be performed or completed. Where there is no agreement about time, the timescale must nevertheless be reasonable. What is reasonable depends on the type of service and all other relevant circumstances.

In addition, there are many cases where goods are supplied as part of a contract for the supply of services. For the rules that apply to the supply of goods in these circumstances.

AVOID DISPUTES IN THE FIRST PLACE

A proactive approach to disputes is best… after all, if you get it right, it’s unlikely you’ll have to deal with many disputes.

• Professional from the start
  First impressions count. Make sure you conduct all dealings with your customer on a professional level from the outset.
• Clarity at the point of quoting
  Make sure you provide all customers with a full itemised quote before work commences.

A good quote should include:

• What’s included
• What’s not included
• The time it will take to undertake the work
• Your price
• Your payment terms
• A contract for service

You’ll find some useful template documents within the app.

DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS

Under the Provision of Services Regulations 2009, traders are under a legal duty to respond to consumer complaints as quickly as possible and to make their best efforts to resolve those complaints.

This means that traders must respond to emails and letters of complaint and that they must return phone calls. Where a complaint appears to be valid, the trader should put things right promptly. If the trader disputes liability, they should give a clear explanation of their reasons.

When you receive a complaint: Ask for clarity:

1. Ask them to put the complaint in writing – email or letter.
2. Instruct them to break the complaint down into numbered points.
3. Advise them that you will:

• Acknowledge the complaint once received.
• Formally respond to the complaint within 7 days.
• Once you’ve received the complaint: Respond with clarity:

1. Consider your response carefully and commercially (avoid emotion)… Remember, this is business and you are a professional.
2. Arrange a time to visit their home with a view to inspect the complaints yourself.
3. Use the BiKBBI Standards & Guidelines to assist the process of assessment.
4. Be reasonable – If the standard is below par, resolve it.
5. Go through each point carefully and respond to complaints individually. Don’t attempt to deal with the complaint with one single resolution.
6. Be aware that you may be recorded – it’s legal to record, but may not be legal to use as evidence… It could still look bad on social media!

Disagreement?

If you cannot agree to resolve the complaint, consider offering the customer an independent inspection – See: https://www.bikbbi.org.uk/inspection/

If a trader has exhausted their own complaints procedure in dealing with a complaint and the complaint remains unresolved, the trader must provide the consumer with details of an approved ‘alternative dispute resolution’ scheme and must say whether they agree to the complaint being handled by that scheme.

For more information please see ‘Alternative dispute resolution’.

THE CUSTOMERS RIGHT TO REMEDY

If the trader breaches the contract for the supply of services by failing to meet the standards required under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the consumer is entitled to repeat performance of the service or to a price reduction.

• Repeat performance
  This remedy is available where the trader fails to exercise reasonable care and skill or where they breach a requirement arising from information they have given about the service. The consumer can require the trader to repeat the service in order to complete it properly. This work must be done at no cost to the consumer, within a reasonable time and without causing significant inconvenience to the consumer.

  The consumer cannot ask for repeat performance where it would be impossible to finish providing the service to the required standard.

• Price reduction
  The consumer can claim a price reduction where repeat performance is impossible or cannot be carried out within a reasonable time and without causing significant inconvenience. A price reduction can also be claimed where the service is not carried out within a reasonable time or where the trader breaches a requirement arising from information they have given about something other than the service itself.
• The amount of the price reduction will depend on how serious the breaches were and it can be anything up to 100% of the price. If the consumer has already paid in full or in part for the service, they may therefore be entitled to some money back.

Other remedies
The remedies under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 do not take away the consumer’s existing legal rights, which can include claiming compensation where a trader fails to meet the standards required by the Act or under an agreed term of the contract.

The Act itself does not include a right for the consumer to have someone else complete the service and then to charge this to the original trader.

Normally, a consumer will be happy to let the trader put things right, but there are cases where the service has been performed so badly that it would be unreasonable to expect the consumer to give the trader a second chance. There may also be circumstances where it would be impractical to do so – for example, where the service was a repair to a vehicle, and the vehicle then breaks down hundreds of miles from the original garage due to the work not being done correctly.

In cases like these, the consumer may be entitled simply to claim the cost of remedial work by another trader. However, even in these cases, it makes good sense for them to discuss their concerns and intentions with the original trader first in order to try to come to some sort of agreement about this.

TIME LIMITS FOR COURT PROCEDURE

Where goods are installed as part of a service, consumers can expect those goods not to fail prematurely, even if the reasonable life expectancy of those goods is several years. However, there is a time limit that eventually prevents consumers from making a claim through the courts.

For a breach of contract, a consumer cannot normally bring a claim to court more than six years after the breach (for example, this would be the date of installation if sealed window units failed). However, if you have offered a guarantee on the work then you have to honour the guarantee (and if you fail to do so, the consumer can make a claim up to six years from that date instead).

This does not mean all goods have to last this length of time, but this is the time limit that the law gives a consumer to take legal action. Where a trader has been negligent, longer time limits sometimes apply.

UNFAIR CONTRACT TERMS

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers the use of unfair terms in consumer contracts.

In addition, any attempt to mislead the consumer about their rights is an offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. See ‘Consumer protection from unfair trading’ for more information about these Regulations, which cover traders’ duties towards consumers in general.

NEGLIGENCE

Where a trader supplies a service, they owe a duty of care to the consumer and to others who might be affected by their work. If their work is substandard, the duty of care may be breached and the person who suffers a loss may be able to make a claim.

This applies even where there is no direct contract between the parties – for example, where the claim is made by one of the consumer’s friends or relatives, or where the trader is a subcontractor who is not working directly for the consumer. The duty of care is similar to the standard of ‘reasonable care and skill’ (see ‘What the consumer can expect (statutory rights)’ above), and it applies to the standard of work rather than guaranteeing a particular outcome.

TRADERS IDENTITY

The consumer needs to know, or be able to find out, who they are dealing with. A trader’s identity and address must be displayed at their place of business, on key business documents and on websites. This information must also be made available to consumers before a contract is made and whenever a consumer requests it.

If a trader fails to disclose that they are a limited company and there is then a breach of contract, the consumer may be able to claim against the directors of the business as individuals. If a trader fails to disclose that they are acting as an agent for someone else, then the consumer may be able to make any claim directly against that trader.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. If I provide a service to a consumer, do I have to provide a guarantee?
A. There is no legal requirement to provide a written guarantee for the service or for any goods supplied. However, you cannot take away the consumer’s legal rights, which may apply even if a defect comes to light some time after the work was done or the goods were supplied. If you do provide a guarantee, its terms should add to the consumer’s legal rights and they should be stated clearly.

Q. I carry out home maintenance and improvement work and I offer a 10-year guarantee. Does the guarantee have to be transferable to subsequent owners of the property?
A. Part of the value in guarantees lies in the consumer being able to assign them to subsequent owners. A term that makes the guarantee non-transferable is likely to be unfair.

Q. If I provide a service and something goes wrong, does the consumer have to give me a chance to put it right?
A. It is advisable, in most cases, for the consumer to give the original trader a chance to put their own work right. However, there are occasions where it would not be reasonable to expect a consumer to do this. For example, you could not expect a trader to get a second chance if the work is so bad that any reasonable consumer would have lost faith in their ability to do the work correctly.

Q. Someone asks a trader for a quotation. How is this different to an estimate?
A. A quotation is normally a fixed price whilst an estimate is generally a rough guess of what the work would cost.

Q. While a trader is doing some work for a consumer, the consumer asks for some changes to the job. If the trader has given a quotation, can the price now be changed?
A. Yes, the consumer and trader can change the contract by agreement. Disputes often arise where there are misunderstandings about what has been agreed. For this reason it is advisable to record all changes in writing.

Q. A consumer made a booking for a survey, but wasn’t home when I arrived. Can the trader charge for the appointment?
A. The trader can only charge to cover their losses. If they were able to book another customer in, so that the appointment time was not wasted, then there may be no loss. If the time was wasted, then a charge can be made, but the trader should take account of any savings made (for example, the cost of materials that were not used).

Q. A consumer complains that a service was done to a poor standard, but the trader says that the standard is acceptable. What should they do?
A. To settle a disagreement about the standard of work, it may be necessary to seek the opinion of an independent third party. This could be a surveyor or assessor, or another professional or expert in the service in question. Where an independent expert is to be used the consumer and trader should ideally both agree to this in writing – See: https://www.bikbbi.org.uk/inspection 

Q. A trader estimates that a kitchen installation will be installed in a week. After a week the work is not finished. Does the consumer have the right to cancel the contract?
A. If the trader has given an estimated completion date, rather than a fixed commitment, then the work has to be done within a reasonable time. The consumer should give the trader a final deadline for completion, after which they will be able to treat any further delay as breach of contract and cancel the contract.

Some useful information to help you submit the right documents to BiKBBI.

HMRC

Applicants must submit evidence of their registration with HM Revenue & Customs.

Documents accepted:

• CIS Card; or
• HMRC Official Paperwork; or
• UTR Number on your accountants headed paper; or
• A payslip from an employer

Not accepted:

• Emails from HMRC.

COMPANY REGISTRATION (If LTD / LLP / PLC)

The following categories businesses must provide their certificate of incorporation issued by Companies House:

• Limited (LTD)
• Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
• Public Limited Company (PLC)

In the event you are a business as defined above, but you do not submit a certificate of incorporation as part of your application, our team will make direct enquiries with Companies House to validate your status.

Sole traders do not need to submit to this criteria.

IDENTIFICATION

Applicants must submit one of the following forms of formal identification.

The document must be valid at the time of application:

• Passport (ID page); or
• Driving Licence (Photocard); or
• National Identity Card (Photocard).

We do not accept:

• Any other form of identification.

PHOTOGRAPH

Applicants must submit a passport quality photograph for each installer proposed for registration.

The photograph must be:

• A clear, unobstructed head shot of passport quality;
• Against a blank background where possible.
• Can be taken on a smartphone or photo booth;
• Must show the full face, straight on;
• Must not include sunglasses or headwear.
• Will be used for your official BiKBBI Licence Card.

CRIMINAL RECORD

In accordance with The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974), applicants must submit a Certificate of Basic Disclosure for each installer that is being proposed for registration.

The certificate must be issued by one of three authorities only and is dependent on where you live.

ENGLAND & WALES:
The Disclosure & Barring Service

SCOTLAND:
Disclosure Scotland

NORTHERN IRELAND:
Access NI

NOTE: We are aware of businesses that (legitimately) operate a service whereby they make the application to DBS on the applicants behalf. We also know that this service comes with an administration fee. We recommend that applicants make their application to the above agencies only, removing unnecessary costs and processing delays.

The certificate you send:

• Must include all pages; and
• Must be dated within the last 24 months;
• Must either be a copy of the original certificate OR the official digital certificate.
• Must include your current address as registered with us. If your address with us is different, you will need to provide accompanying evidence of your home address. ie. A utility bill or Driving Licence with your current address included.

Process:

Process times are approximately 2-3 weeks currently. We suggest you make your application to the correct authority at the same time as making your application to us.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Expiry:

Whilst DBS certificates do not have an expiry date, our Terms & Conditions state that certificates must not be older than 2 years and therefore we will request an updated DBS certificate on each 2 year anniversary from the issue date.

We do not accept:

• Screenshots of emails confirming the application;
• Receipts for submissions;
• Applications for the check.
• Certificates issued by other providers.

DBS Online Accounts:

If you subscribe to the DBS Online Account service, you can provide us with single use access to your certification.

We'll need:

• The last 6 digits of your DBS certificate
• The 8 digit share code provided by DBS

We'll then have single use access to check your document online and you will not need to send us the certificate. You will need to provide this information every 2 years.

LIABILITY INSURANCE - PUBLIC & EMPLOYERS

Registered businesses are required to submit documentation relating to Public Liability Insurance.

You will need to submit both the certificate of insurance, as well as the policy document in full.

The document must include the following information:

• Your name or company name
• Your address or company address
• The policy number
• The policy expiry date
• The words ‘public liability’ and
• Indemnity cover no less than £2m
• If more than one installer is registered, Employers Liability must be included with no less than £5m indemnity;
• The business activity relevant to your trade (kitchen, bedroom, bathroom installer).

Exclusions:

The policy must not contain any of the following exclusions - We suggest you review the exclusions prior to submitting the document:

• Heat exclusions (except bedroom only installers);
• Height exclusions must not relate to a restriction on the number of storeys (floors) within properties you operate.

I don't use heat...

In some cases members state that they do not use heat, or that their sub-contractors do the heat work.

As the primary contractor the liability is with you and therefore we cannot accept policies that exclude heat.

This particular point is often a frustration for members, but it is in place to provide protection for you and your customers (not us).

Employers Liability:

If you register more than one installer, you will need Employers Liability cover in addition to Public Liability.

Please note that Employers Liability cover does not relate to whether you employ your installers or sub-contract to them. If you register more than one installer with us, you will need the cover.

Notes:

If in doubt about what you need to send, send everything the insurer issued you(!).

BiKBBI Insurance Services

Applicants can apply for a free, no obligation quote by clicking here.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

All kitchen and bathroom registered businesses must supply credentials in relation to electrical safety.

From July 2022, BiKBBI no longer requires members to send copies of electrical certificates.

Instead, registered businesses must complete an electrical declaration in relation to the contractor(s) used. The electrical declaration is now incorporated within the compliance upload portal, accessed via the BiKBBI app.

We still require electricians to be registered with one of the following regulatory bodies and their registration must be current at the point of submission.

Electrical Registration Body's we accept:

• NICEIC
• NAPIT
• SELECT

The checks we undertake:

When we receive your declaration, we'll cross reference the information you supply with the live databases of the regulatory electrical body. We may also contact the electrician to make them aware that you've nominated them as a sub-contractor.

It is therefore important that you only provide electrical information for those you use and that you make them aware that you've shared their details with us.

GAS SAFETY

All kitchen registered businesses must supply credentials in relation to gas safety.

From July 2022, BiKBBI no longer requires members to send copies of gas cards and certificates.

Instead, registered businesses must complete a gas declaration in relation to the contractor(s) used. The gas declaration is now incorporated within the compliance upload portal, accessed via the BiKBBI app.

We still require engineers to be registered with Gas Safe Register and their registration must be current at the point of submission.

Their credentials must include valid:

• Gas registration
• Natural Gas & Pipework Elements (found on the reverse of their ID card)

The checks we undertake:

When we receive your declaration, we'll cross reference the information you supply with the live Gas Safer Register. We may also contact the engineer to make them aware that you've nominated them as a sub-contractor.

It is therefore important that you only provide gas information for those you use and that you make them aware that you've shared their details with us.

ASBESTOS AWARENESS

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) requires those who carry out refurbishment projects within domestic properties (constructed pre-2000) to have a level of Asbestos Awareness.

Applicants must supply:

A certificate of Asbestos Awareness dated within the last 12 months.

Once the above FULL Asbestos Awareness Certificate has been obtained, BiKBBI members can submit refresher certifcates annually thereafter (see below).

A discounted online Asbestos Awareness Certificate is available to BiKBBI applicants. Visit our partners at Central Compliance UK.

ABRASIVE WHEEL

Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), it is a legal requirement for those involved in the use of abrasive wheels to be properly trained. These regulations have totally replaced the Abrasive Wheels Regulations 1970 for the safe handling, storing, mounting and use of grinding wheels.

Fabricator applicants must supply:

It is requested that the certificate is dated within 24 months. We accept the certificate for 3 years (36 months).
Once the above FULL Certificate has been obtained, BiKBBI members can submit refresher certificates annually thereafter (see below).

Abrasive Wheel Certification is available at Essential Skills

Terms and conditions of registration

Consumer Terms of Use

Terms of Use relate to our online service. Our registered businesses are bound by separate terms and conditions of registration.

Please read these terms of use carefully before using this service. If you do not agree to these terms of use, you must not use our service. Use of the service is your acceptance of these terms.

How you may use material on our platform

We own the licenses of all intellectual property rights in our platform. You are not permitted to use this platform, or any content within, for any other reason other than for its intended use.

Who we are and how to contact us

This website is owned / licensed and operated by The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation Limited (“We” / “Us” / “Our”). We are registered in England and Wales under company number 6533488 and have our registered office at Thames Enterprise Centre, Princess Margaret Road, Essex RM18 8RH. We are a limited by guarantee company, meaning that we are a Not-for-Profit registered business. We are a VAT registered business in the United Kingdom, registration number 941 5901 25.

Visit our Contact Us page if you need to get in touch.

What’s in these terms?

These terms clarify the conditions for using our service. It forms a legally binding agreement between us and you.

By using our service, you accept these terms

By using our service, you confirm that you accept these terms of use and that you agree to comply with them. If you do not agree to these terms, you must not use the website.

What is the service?

We provide a service that allows consumers to search for registered members of The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation.

Who is the service intended for?

The service is intended for consumers. A consumer is defined as a person or persons wishing to engage our registered businesses commercially in respect of kitchen, bedroom or bathroom installation in their own home or a home managed by them.

Who cannot use this service?

This service is not intended for businesses, or representatives of businesses, wishing to engage our registered business for any other purpose leading to any form of commercial gain. Use of this platform by businesses or representatives of businesses is strictly forbidden and any breach of this clause may be subject to legal challenge and reporting to The Information Commissioners Office (iCO).

How do you use this service effectively?

This service is best for those who want to make all the arrangements with our registered businesses yourself. We simply list registered businesses and the rest, including pricing, contracts, payment and disputes are matters between you and our registered businesses.

The other option for you is the Protected initiative. Visit the Protect My Install website for more information. Note that Protect My Install is a third party application that is not legally connected to us. Use of this service is at your own risk and we will not be held responsible for any loss or damage as a result of any person or business using that service. Please check their Terms & Conditions of Use before engaging them for service.

What does registration to BiKBBI mean?

We accept applications for registration from those businesses that meet our entry criteria. Those who meet the criteria must also maintain their compliance in accordance with our terms of registration. This criteria includes, but is not limited to the provision of the following:

– Public liability insurance
– Employers liability insurance (for those who employ)
– Criminal background, in accordance with The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1979)
– Credentials that relate to gas and electrical registration
– Certification of Asbestos Awareness

We also check members identification and registration with HMRC on application.

Registrants therefore have these provisions in place and only those who have valid documents are listed on our website. It is important that between the time a registrant is found on our website and when work commences, their documentation may expire and therefore we may suspend the registrant.

It’s is therefore your responsibility to validate current information with our registrant before work commences. This can be achieved by requesting copies of documentation yourself, or by revisiting our VALIDATE online tool.

What doesn't registration mean - Important Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties to you of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of the website or the information, content or materials included on the platform. We do not endorse, recommend or imply suitability of those registrants listed within our service, other than to confirm that at the time of publication, registrants met and maintained credentials in accordance with our registration criteria.

As such, we do not indemnify any third-party for any losses or damage caused as a result of any commercial (or otherwise) arrangement between registered businesses, installation standards partners (retailers) or corporate sponsors.

How we may use your personal information

We will only use your personal information as set out in our Privacy Policy.

Purchasing an installation from a third-party

In certain circumstances you may have purchased your installation service from a third-party, perhaps a retailer. Your contract of service in this case will be with that third-party and therefore they have a Statutory obligation to deliver the service in accordance with The Consumer Rights Act. If you have / are experiencing issues with an installation purchased from a third party, you should refer to your contract, follow the complaints procedure or seek independent legal advice.

In some instances, the third-party may be registered with The Furniture Ombudsman (TFO) – an independent organisation that supports Alternative Dispute Resolution. If the company is registered with TFO, you must refer to their Consumer Complaints procedure.

Feedback

We welcome feedback about the performance of our registrants service. If you would like to provide feedback as to the performance of our registrants, positive or otherwise, please email our team at member@bikbbi.org.uk – Please include as much information as you can to assist the process of finding out more.

Please note that any action we take, which we may deem necessary in the circumstances, will not be published, nor are we obliged to share any outcomes with the originator of the feedback.

Complaints

Complaints relating to services provided by our registrants must be addressed with the business directly. We have produced a library of tools to help consumers manage problems or complaints with registrants – details of which can be found at: https://bikbbi.org.uk/library#consumers

You can also submit an online Complaint to us by clicking here.

We would welcome feedback about any element of service you have received from a registrant and direct you to our feedback section above on how to do this.

No advice

The website gives access to our registrants. Any business engagement with our registrants is subject to an agreement between you and them. You are free to take your own legal advice on the suitability of that agreement.

No reliance

We are not responsible for any loss, damage or cost resulting from any decisions that are made in reliance of this website or your choice to use a registrants, including legal, compliance and/or risk management decisions. You agree that you use the services at your own risk in these respects.

Your obligations

Our website connects you to registrants of our organisation.

These businesses meet and maintain compliance requirement in accordance with registration criteria.

It is your responsibility to ensure that compliance collateral is validated with the member directly that it is your responsibility to check the credentials of those individuals who carry out specific tasks in your home – for instance, gas, electrical, structural and waste removal.

You will use the Platform in good faith and in compliance with these terms of use.

Price and Payment

It is your responsibility to negotiate price and payment directly with our registrant.

We recommend that you obtain multiple quotes for work as a comparison and ensure that payment terms are clear, fair and reasonable. We also recommend, in accordance with Consumer Rights regulation, that you do not pay for the services, in full, in advance unless provision is set aside to offer protection in the event of a catestropic financial event.

It is reasonable for our registrant to request a deposit to secure their time, it’s also reasonable that staged payments are made at key milestones during the installation. We recommend that you retain a balance for payment on completion, that is fair and in the spirit of the relationship.

Our responsibility for loss or damage

We are responsible to you for foreseeable loss and damage caused by us.

If we fail to comply with these terms, we are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breaking these terms or our failing to use reasonable care and skill, but we are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time the these terms were accepted, both we and you knew it might happen.

We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability to you where it would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors; for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; for breach of your legal rights in relation to the products; and for defective products under the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

We are not liable for business losses. We only give access to the platform to you for domestic and private use.

Other important terms

If a court finds part of these terms illegal, the rest will continue in force. Each of the paragraphs of these terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.

Even if we delay in enforcing these terms, we can still enforce it later. If we do not insist immediately that you do anything you are required to do under these terms, or if we delay in taking steps against you in respect of your breaching these terms, that will not mean that you do not have to do those things and it will not prevent us taking steps against you at a later date.

Our right to make changes

We may change our platform:

(a) to reflect changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; and
(b) to implement minor technical adjustments and improvements, for example to address a security threat.

These changes will not affect your use of the product.

Which laws apply to these terms and where you may bring legal proceedings

These terms are governed by English law and you can bring legal proceedings in respect of the products in the English courts. If you live in Scotland you can bring legal proceedings in respect of the products in either the Scottish or the English courts. If you live in Northern Ireland you can bring legal proceedings in respect of the products in either the Northern Irish or the English courts.

These terms were last updated: 11/09/2023

ENDS

1. iCO Registration Credentials

The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) takes the security of information seriously. We are registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), who are the data regulator for The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2016.

Our ICO registration is: Z1906069.

2. This privacy notice tells you what to expect when the BiKBBI collects personal information. It applies to information we collect about:

– Visitors to our website
– Our registered businesses
– Complainants and other individuals in relation to a data protection or freedom of information complaint or enquiry
– People who use our services, eg who subscribe to our newsletter or request a publication from us
– People who notify under the Data Protection Act / GDPR.

3. Visitors to our website

The BiKBBI website is secured with an Extended Validation SSL Certificate. This is signified by the ‘https’ prefix on the URL bar and the inclusion of a padlock symbol.

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and encrypts information sent to the server using SSL technology. Encryption is the process of scrambling data into an undecipherable format that can only be returned to a readable format with the proper decryption key.

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and encrypts information sent to the server using SSL technology. Encryption is the process of scrambling data into an undecipherable format that can only be returned to a readable format with the proper decryption key. A certificate serves as an electronic “passport” that establishes an online entity’s credentials when doing business on the Web. When an Internet user attempts to send confidential information to a Web server, the user’s browser accesses the server’s digital certificate and establishes a secure connection.

An SSL certificate contains the following information:

– The certificate holder’s name;
– The certificate’s serial number and expiration date;
– A copy of the certificate holder’s public key;
– The digital signature of the certificate-issuing authority.

When someone visits www.bikbbi.org.uk we use a third-party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not make, and do not allow Google to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website. If we do want to collect personally identifiable information through our website, we will be up front about this. We will make it clear when we collect personal information and will explain what we intend to do with it.

Permission to use our website is granted specifically to:

– Members of the public, wishing to gain information about installation related matters;
– Members of the public, wishing to find-a-registered business;
– Our registered businesses, partners and formal associates;
– Businesses wishing to become registered, partner or formal associate.

BiKBBI does don’t grant permission for any third party, under any circumstances, unless in receipt of written authority from us to do so, for commercial purposes. Businesses or individuals wishing to engage our members to sell, promote or otherwise engage members are strictly forbidden from using intellectual property or data obtained from our website. All instances will be reported to the iCO with consideration towards formal proceedings taken.

4. Use of cookies by the BiKBBI

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

How do I change my cookie settings? Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

5. E-newsletter / E-magazine

We use a third-party provider, Mailchimp, to deliver our e-newsletters. We gather statistics around email opening and clicks using industry standard technologies to help us monitor and improve our e-newsletter. For more information, please see Mailchimp’s privacy notice.

6. Security & performance

The BiKBBI uses a third party service to help maintain the security and performance of the BiKBBI website. To deliver this service it processes the IP addresses of visitors to our website.

7. WordPress

We use a third party service, WordPress.com, to publish our website. This site is hosted at WordPress.com, which is run by Automattic Inc. We use a standard WordPress service to collect anonymous information about users’ activity on the site, for example the number of users viewing pages on the site, to monitor and report on the effectiveness of the site and help us improve it.

WordPress requires visitors that want to post a comment to enter a name and email address. For more information about how WordPress processes data, please see Automattic’s privacy notice.

8. Our registered businesses

We collect standard and sensitive information from our registered businesses in relation to our registration criteria. This information is collected at the point of original application and updated throughout their registration with us. This information is stored for a period of five years after membership expiry and will be deleted / destroyed in line with our legal obligations / current legislation.

We only accept compliance information via our secure digital portal and do not accept any other forms of submission. This is in accordance with our own compliance with GDPR and in the best interests of our members and their information.

Registered business information will not be shared with any third-party, unless disclosed within this privacy notice. If our installer registered business works with our retail partners, the retail partner will have access to selected standard information we hold on record, to allow them to manage compliance in conjunction with their agreement with the registered business.

You have the right to request destruction of your personal data, in line with GDPR. Requests for such action should be made to the Data Manager via the address below.

Current registered businesses are able to view all information we hold on them, via their registration login to our website. Formally registered businesses can request details (see Access to personal information below).

We work with carefully selected third-parties in the provision of products and services to our registered businesses. We will never pass their details to any third-party in relation to the promotion of products or services, although we occasionally share their messaging through our communication platforms.

We work with The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) a government department, on the subject of consumer protection. In accordance with GDPR we share certain contact information about our members, in order for OPSS to verify membership if dealing with consumer matters. OPSS will not share data with any third party, or use the information for any other purpose, other than to verify registration as described.

9. People who contact us via social media

We use a third-party provider, Hootsuite to manage the majority of our social media interactions. If you send us a private or direct message via social media the message will be stored by Hootsuite for three months. It will not be shared with any other organisations.

10. People who email us

We use Transport Layer Security (TLS) to encrypt and protect email traffic. If your email service does not support TLS, you should be aware that any emails we send or receive may not be protected in transit.We will also monitor any emails sent to us, including file attachments, for viruses or malicious software. Please be aware that you have a responsibility to ensure that any email you send is within the bounds of the law.

11. People who make a complaint to us

When we receive a complaint from a person we make up a file containing the details of the complaint. This normally contains the identity of the complainant and any other individuals involved in the complaint. We will only use the personal information we collect to process the complaint and to check on the level of service we provide. We do compile and publish statistics showing information like the number of complaints we receive, but not in a form which identifies anyone. We usually have to disclose the complainant’s identity to whoever the complaint is about. This is inevitable where, for example, the accuracy of a person’s record is in dispute.

If a complainant doesn’t want information identifying him or her to be disclosed, we will try to respect that. However, it may not be possible to handle a complaint on an anonymous basis.

We will keep personal information contained in complaint files in line with our retention policy. This means that information relating to a complaint will be retained for two years from closure. It will be retained in a secure environment and access to it will be restricted according to the ‘need to know’ principle. Similarly, where enquiries are submitted to us we will only use the information supplied to us to deal with the enquiry and any subsequent issues and to check on the level of service we provide.

When we take enforcement action against someone, we may publish the identity of the defendant in our Annual Report or elsewhere. Usually we do not, identify any complainants unless the details have already been made public.

12. People who use BiKBBI services

The BiKBBI offers various services to the public. We use a third party to deal with some publication requests, but they are only allowed to use the information to send out the publications.We have to hold the details of the people who have requested the service in order to provide it. However, we only use these details to provide the service the person has requested and for other closely related purposes. For example, we might use information about people who have requested a publication to carry out a survey to find out if they are happy with the level of service they received. When people do subscribe to our services, they can cancel their subscription at any time and are given an easy way of doing this.

13. People who use our inspection service

The BiKBBI provides expert witness services to our registered businesses, retail partners and to the general public. This service is delivered in line with our commitment to Part 35 of The Civil Procedure Rules. As such, we hand sensitive information relating to matters that may involve legal proceedings. Information will not be shared with any third party, without the prior consent of those involved, but will be presented to the Courts upon legal instruction.

Whilst The BiKBBI may publish statistics in relation to its inspection service, it never publishes specific details relating to the identity of those parties involved.

14. People who register (notify) under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

Many businesses are required by law to ‘notify’ certain specified information to the Information Commissioner. This may contain personal information, for example where the business is a sole trader. The ICO compiles this information into a register which it is required by law to make publicly available. The ICO cannot therefore give any guarantees as to how the information contained on the register will be used by those accessing it.

When businesses fill in their registration forms, they are asked to provide the contact details of a relevant member of staff. ICO will use this for its own purposes, for example where we have a query about a registration, but will not put it on the public register.When we request information as part of the registration process, we make it clear where the provision of information is required by law and where it is voluntary.

15. Your rights

Under The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), you have rights as an individual which you can exercise in relation to the information we hold about you.

You can read more about these rights here – https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/is-my-information-being-handled-correctly/

16. Complaints or queries

BiKBBI tries to meet the highest standards when collecting and using personal information. For this reason, we take any complaints we receive about this very seriously. We encourage people to bring it to our attention if they think that our collection or use of information is unfair, misleading or inappropriate. We would also welcome any suggestions for improving our procedures.This privacy notice was drafted with brevity and clarity in mind. It does not provide exhaustive detail of all aspects of BiKBBI’s collection and use of personal information. However, we are happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed. Any requests for this should be sent to the address below.If you want to make a complaint about the way we have processed your personal information, you can contact us.

17. Access to personal information

BiKBBI tries to be as open as it can be in terms of giving people access to their personal information. Individuals can find out if we hold any personal information by making a ‘subject access request’ under The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). If we do hold information about you, we will:

– Give you a description of it;
– Tell you why we are holding it;
– Tell you who it could be disclosed to; and
– Let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.

To make a request to us for any personal information we may hold you need to put the request in writing addressing it to our Data Manager to the address provided below.  There is no charge for this service.

If you agree, we will try to deal with your request informally, for example by providing you with the specific information you need over the telephone. If we do hold information about you, you can ask us to correct any mistakes by, once again, contacting the Data Manager.

18. Disclosure of personal information

In many circumstances we will not disclose personal data without consent. However, when we investigate a complaint, for example, we will need to share personal information with the organisation concerned and with other relevant bodies. Further information is available in our Information Charter about the factors we shall consider when deciding whether information should be disclosed.

19. Links to other websites

This privacy notice does not cover the links within this site linking to other websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on the other websites you visit.

20. Changes to this privacy notice

We keep our privacy notice under regular review.

This privacy notice was last updated on 11/09/2023.

ENDS