HC M&E LTD STANDARD CONDITIONS OF AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
1 General
1.1 The Client engages HC M&E to provide consultancy services (the “Services”) as detailed in this agreement/order and HC M&E agrees to provide such services upon the terms and conditions set out below (the “Conditions”).
1.2 In providing the Services, HC M&E shall endeavour to exceed the Clients’ expectations with a view to creating an on-going business relationship based on mutual trust.
1.3 For the avoidance of doubt this Agreement is a business to business arrangement and no HC M&E employee is an Agency Worker for the purposes of the Agency Workers Regulations, 2010.
2 Duration
2.1 The Services to be provided by HC M&E shall be for the Duration stated within the Fee Proposal or such period or periods as agreed by the parties.
3 Obligations of HC M&E
3.1 HC M&E will in providing the Services exercise reasonable skill and care in conformity with the normal standards to be expected of a competent professional providing comparable services.
3.2 Should the Client request HC M&E to provide additional services and HC M&E agrees to provide such services (which agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld), then the varied services shall be carried out subject to these Conditions.
3.3 HC M&E shall observe and comply with the requirements detailed in the Client’s Health & Safety policy, provided always that such policy shall have been brought to the attention of HC M&E as detailed in clause 4.2 below.
4 Obligations of the Client
4.1 The Client shall provide to HC M&E without charge and timeously so as not to delay or disrupt the performance of the Services by HC M&E, all necessary and relevant data and information in its possession and/or to be procured for the purposes of providing the Services.
4.2 The Client shall provide where necessary sufficient training to HC M&E free of charge in respect of its particular Health & Safety policy and/or any other like procedures to enable HC M&E to provide the Services.
4.3 The Client acknowledges that the employees of HC M&E are an essential part of its business. Accordingly, HC M&E provides the Services on the condition that the Client shall not directly, indirectly or otherwise solicit or offer employment to any HC M&E employee during the Duration of the Services or for a period of 12 months after the Duration has ended (or the Agreement has been terminated).
5 Fee
5.1 Unless otherwise agreed in writing, invoices shall be submitted at the end of each month for the element of the Services provided and expenses incurred within that month.
5.2 The Client shall pay to HC M&E the Fee or any part thereof within 14 days of receipt of any relevant invoice submitted by HC M&E, unless otherwise agreed.
5.3 The due date for payment of any part of the Fee shall be the date of receipt by the Client of the HC M&E invoice. Where applicable, payment notices shall be given in accordance with Section 110A of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (“the Act”); the final date for payment is 14 days after the due date.
5.4 For the avoidance of doubt, the HC M&E invoice shall also be interpreted as a notice under Section 110B of the Act, where necessary.
5.5 HC M&E reserves the right to charge interest on any sums owed by the Client calculated from the final date for payment of the relevant invoice(s) in accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, as amended and supplemented by the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations 2002.
5.6 Any payments to HC M&E are exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) as defined by the Finance Act 1972 and any invoices submitted by HC M&E shall have added such amounts in respect of VAT as are applicable.
5.7 HC M&E reserves the right to exercise a lien over any document it produces in the course of performing the Services in the event of non-payment by the Client of any relevant invoice in which a sum of money is claimed by HC M&E for the production of that document.
5.8 In the event of non-payment by the Client of any relevant invoice, HC M&E shall be entitled to exercise a lien over any document provided to HC M&E by the Client for the purpose of performing the Services until such time as the invoice is paid in full. For the avoidance of doubt, this lien shall only apply to any document belonging to the Client which is held by or is in the possession or control of HC M&E in relation to and for the purpose of performing the Services in respect of which the sum of money included in the invoice is claimed.
5.9 If the Client fails to pay HC M&E any relevant invoice by the final date for payment, and has also failed to give a compliant notice in connection with Section 111 of the Act where applicable, and such failure continues for 7 days after HC M&E has given to the Client written notice of its intention to suspend its performance of the Services and the ground(s) on which it is entitled to suspend performance, then HC M&E may suspend such performance until payment is made by the Client. The Client agrees that, in addition to exercising any right to suspend performance of the Services, HC M&E shall be entitled to request the Client to make an advance payment (or advance payments) prior to the further performance by HC M&E of the Services. The Client acknowledges that notwithstanding payment of the relevant invoice the subject of the suspension has been made; HC M&E shall not be obliged to perform any further Services until it has received the amount(s) of the advance payment(s) from the Client.
6 Expenses
6.1 The Client shall also reimburse HC M&E for out of pocket expenses as agreed and/or reasonably incurred in the proper provision of the Services, provided that HC M&E shall provide the Client with such vouchers or other evidence of actual payment of such expenses as the Client may reasonably require.
7 Insurances
7.1 HC M&E shall if requested provide details to the Client of the Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance arrangements, if any, which HC M&E has in place.
7.2 With the exception of any liability it might have in respect of death or personal injury, the liability of HC M&E to the Client under the Agreement for any claim made by the Client for breach of contract, including breach of clause 3.1 above, or for any negligence, shall not exceed the amount, if any, HC M&E recovers by way of indemnity against the claim in question under either of the policies of insurance referred to in clause 7.1 above, which is in force at the time the claim or (if earlier) the circumstances which may give rise to the claim is or are reported to its insurer. This limitation shall not apply if no such amount is recoverable due to HC M&E having committed a breach of its obligations to maintain the relevant policy or to comply with its terms including but not limited to any failure on its part to report timeously any such claim or circumstances to its insurer.
8 Liability
8.1 HC M&E shall not be liable to the Client or any third parties for any acts, errors or omissions of HC M&E employees, servants or agents where any such act error or omission results from the said employees, servants or agents acting under the Client’s direction or control
8.2 HC M&E shall not be liable for any consequential loss or damage suffered and/or incurred by the Client and/or its servants, agents and third parties howsoever caused and/or arising as a result of HC M&E providing the Services.
9 Termination
9.1 HC M&E may at will, and for any reason, terminate this Agreement by giving the Client not less than 14 days’ prior written notice. Upon the termination of the Agreement by HC M&E, the Client shall pay all sums that may be due or have accrued due whether or not invoiced to the Client by HC M&E, for the services performed by HC M&E up to the expiry of the 14 day notice period.
9.2 Without limitation either party may by 7 days notice in writing terminate this Agreement if the other party shall:
9.2.1 be in breach capable of remedy, which shall not have been remedied by the defaulting party within 14 days of receipt by that party of a notice from the other party specifying the breach and requiring its remedy.
9.2.2 be guilty of gross misconduct and/or any serious or persistent negligence in the performance of its obligations hereunder.
9.2.3 become insolvent, as defined in Section 113(2) to 113(5) of the Act.
10 Confidentiality
10.1 Save as may be necessary for the performance of the Services, or as the Client may allow in writing, HC M&E shall treat as confidential all information relating to the Client’s business (including technology, business plans, finances or know how) and shall take reasonable steps to ensure that its employees do likewise.
11 Force Majeure
11.1 If delivery or completion of the Services is delayed by strikes, lockouts, fire, accidents, or any other cause beyond the reasonable control of HC M&E, then the Client shall allow HC M&E a reasonable extension of time for the completion of the Services. Where an event of force majeure prevents the performance by HC M&E of the whole of the Services then, subject to HC M&E giving the Client not less than 5 days’ notice in writing that it was affected by that event of force majeure, HC M&E may terminate this Agreement with immediate effect by further notice in writing to the Client.
12 Notices
12.1 Any notice required by this Agreement to be given by either party to the other shall be in writing and shall be served by sending the same by registered post or recorded delivery to the last known address of the other party and any receipt issued by the postal authorities shall be conclusive evidence of the fact and date of posting of any such notice.
13 Assignment
13.1 This Agreement is personal to HC M&E and the Client and is not assignable or transferable in full or in part without the prior written consent of the other party.
14 Entire Agreement
14.1 These Conditions set out the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior agreements in relation to this Agreement.
15 Complaints
15.1 If the Client has cause to complain in respect of the performance by HC M&E of the Services, HC M&E will deal with the same in accordance with its procedure for complaints, a copy of which can be obtained from HC M&E upon request.
16 Governing Law
16.1 Unless otherwise agreed in writing, this Agreement shall in all respects be governed by, construed and operated in accordance with English Law.
16.2 No provision of this Agreement is intended to or creates any right or benefit enforceable against either party under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.
17 Resolution of Disputes
Adjudication
17.1 If any dispute or difference arises under this Agreement either party may refer the same to adjudication in accordance with S108 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. Any such adjudication shall be carried out in accordance with the Scheme for Construction Contracts (England and Wales) Regulations 1998.
17.2 The adjudicator nominating body for the appointment of an Adjudicator shall be the President or Vice President for the time being of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Litigation
17.3 Subject to clauses 15 and 17, should any dispute arise and remain unresolved between the parties that arises under, out of or in connection with this Agreement, then it shall be referred to the English courts which shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
18 Definitions and Interpretation
18.1 In these Conditions the following expressions shall have the following meanings:
“Client” shall mean the person on whose behalf the Services are provided.
“Duration” means the period stipulated in the Agreement or as agreed in writing by the parties.
“Fee” shall mean the sum payable to HC M&E for the provision of the Services.
“HC M&E” shall mean HC M&E LTD
“Agreement” shall mean the agreement to carry out services to which these Conditions apply.
“Services” shall mean the services to be provided by HC M&E as specified in or referred to on the Agreement.