TERMS & CONDITIONS - Confidentiality & Rights

​CONFIDENTIALITY & RIGHTS:

1. Virtual Bear shall keep any work undertaken confidential and not use it for personal gain or promotion without written consent of the Client.
2. The business affairs of the Client shall not be discussed or disclosed to any third parties.
3. The Client will be the legal owner and will hold intellectual copyright of all work undertaken by Virtual Bear.
4. All images supplied by the Client remain their responsibility, with regards to obtaining rights for use.

CONTRACTS, PAYMENTS & BILLING:

1. Initial discovery call by Virtual Bear is complimentary.
2. Final proofreading and checking of all work supplied is the responsibility of the Client.
3. The Client understands Virtual Bear's estimated time and cost for completing the work is an informal calculation and that any adjustments to the amount of work, schedule, and/or the number of hours and fees are subject to review and renegotiation with the Client when necessary.
4. Contracts with Virtual Bear may be formed through email correspondence, written directives, conversations, and phone calls. These methods of communication are considered legally binding for the purpose of contract formation.
5. Payment is due within five (5) days from the date of the invoice. A late fee of 3% per day will be added to the invoice for each day the payment is overdue.
6. Invoices that are not disputed within five (5) working days from the date of receipt will be considered as a sign that the work has been completed to the client's satisfaction.
7. Any errors must be reported within two (2) days of receipt of completed work. Errors generated by Virtual Bear will be rectified free of charge, but amendments or alterations requested by the client thereafter will be charged at the standard hourly rate.
8. If, however, on receipt of the item to be worked on or during the early stages, it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary consultation, Virtual Bear may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline.
9. Similarly, if, during the term of the work, additional tasks are requested by the Client, Virtual Bear may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline.
10. Should ongoing project work be suspended or delayed through any fault of the client, Virtual Bear shall be entitled to immediate payment of work already carried out and any expenses incurred.
11. An agreement, in writing, by email or phone call, of a set number of hours per week or month may not be carried over to subsequent periods by the client, without prior written agreement from both parties.
12. If the project is based on an hourly rate, then a minimum invoice amount is for one hour and thereafter the hourly rate is billed in increments of 30 minutes, with time rounded up to the nearest half of an hour.
13. Clients will be invoiced on completion of individual assignments or an ongoing monthly basis for larger assignments or as agreed upon by both parties.
14. New Clients will be invoiced in advance of the commencement of any work undertaken, and subsequent work will be invoiced at the end of each calendar month in advance.
15. Payment is to be made within seven (7) days of assignment completion unless otherwise agreed by both parties in writing. Billable time, reimbursable expenses, and any other fees relating to the work will be included in the final invoice.
16. All postage, printing, and other stationery expenses bought on behalf of the client’s business will be added to the invoice for reimbursement.
17. A time report can be supplied at the request of the client.
18. Clients have the right to question an invoice within five (5) days of receiving it. Virtual Bear will review and address invoice disputes promptly in a fair and transparent manner.
19. Payment is to be made by bank transfer; payment details will be detailed on the invoice.
20. Once an invoice becomes overdue, no further work will be undertaken.
21. Unpaid invoices will incur interest, as per government guidelines.
22. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 / GDPR, the Client and Virtual Bear may keep on record such information (e.g. contact details) as is necessary. Either parties may view the other’s records to ensure that they are relevant, correct, and up to date.
23. The Client or Virtual Bear has at any time the right to terminate the contract if they feel there has been a serious breach of the terms and conditions.

I PROMISE:

1. To conduct your business affairs in a professional manner and avoid behavior that could bring your business and reputation into disrepute.
2. To conduct my business affairs based on sound, ethical principles and will communicate fairly and honestly with your clients, associates, employees, and suppliers.
3. To make an honest representation of my skills, experience, and qualifications at all times.
4. To respect the confidentiality of your personal and business practices and recognize your ownership of intellectual copyright pertaining to your business activities.
5. To keep all acquired personal data safe and secure and ensure it is only used for its intended purpose, in accordance with GDPR.

My terms and conditions may be updated at any time to suit the demands of business.