Terms & Conditions

Confirming your booking

Your booking is confirmed when you have accepted the proposal and paid the requested booking deposit. Unless otherwise stated in your proposal, the deposit will be £500 or 30% of the estimated total, whichever is greater. The deposit reserves the agreed date or dates and allows design, planning and preparatory work to begin.

The remaining balance is due no later than 30 days before the event or installation date. Where a booking is made within 30 days, full payment may be required when the booking is confirmed.

Changes to your commission

Please tell us as soon as possible if you would like to change the design, quantities, location, timings or scope. We will confirm whether the changes are possible and advise you of any effect on the price or schedule before proceeding.

Flowers and natural materials are seasonal. Where a particular variety is unavailable or unsuitable, we may recommend an alternative of comparable quality, character and value while preserving the overall design intention.

Cancellation by the client

If you cancel, please notify us in writing as soon as possible. Any cancellation charge will reflect work already completed, materials or services already committed to, and other reasonable losses arising directly from the cancellation. We will take reasonable steps to reduce those losses where possible.

• More than 30 days before the event: we may retain the booking deposit to cover work undertaken and losses reasonably incurred.
• Between 30 and 15 days before the event: up to 50% of the agreed project price may be payable.
• Fewer than 15 days before the event: up to 100% of the agreed project price may be payable, particularly where flowers, materials, staff, transport or hired items have already been committed.

We will provide an appropriate explanation of the amount retained or charged. These terms do not affect your statutory rights.

Circumstances beyond either party’s control

Occasionally, an event may be prevented, delayed or substantially affected by circumstances genuinely outside either party’s reasonable control, including severe weather, natural disaster, epidemic or pandemic restrictions, war, civil disturbance, transport interruption or government action.

We will work with you in good faith to postpone, adapt or reschedule the commission where reasonably possible. If it cannot proceed, any amount retained will reflect services already provided, irrecoverable commitments and reasonable losses directly resulting from the cancellation. We will not charge for costs we have avoided or recovered.

Prices and exceptional cost changes

Proposals are based on the information and costs available when prepared. Exceptional changes to flower availability, import costs, energy prices, transport charges, taxes or currency exchange rates may affect the final cost. We will notify you promptly if a material change arises and obtain your agreement before making a substantial alteration to the price or specification.

Hired items

Vases, vessels, stands, structures and other hired items remain the property of Michael Pooley Flowers or the relevant hire supplier. The client is responsible for their reasonable care from delivery until collection. Missing, broken or damaged items may be charged at their reasonable repair or replacement cost, allowing for fair wear and tear.

Please do not clean hired glassware unless we have specifically asked you to do so.

Water and flower care

Please handle and dispose of flower water responsibly. Flower food, conditioning products and plant material should not be released into ponds, natural waterways or anywhere they could affect animals, fish or the environment.

Our responsibility

We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill. Nothing in these terms excludes or restricts rights or responsibilities that cannot legally be excluded.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Nothing in this section prevents a consumer from relying on any mandatory rights available to them.

Contact

Michael Pooley Flowers is operated by Michael Pooley as a sole trader, based in Ipswich, Suffolk. Email Projects@michaelpooleyflowers.co.uk or telephone 01473 359111.