Terms and Conditions

Last updated 25th April 2026

1. General overview
  1. These terms and conditions apply to any work that I (Burr Editorial Services) undertake for you (the client).
  2. I understand that some people need patience and support in communicating their requirements and I will endeavour to accommodate any extra support needed in these situations. I am neurodivergent and understand the importance of transparency when agreeing any contract.
  3. I try to reduce my impact on the environment by working digitally wherever possible and only printing when necessary, and I work from home and have solar panels providing some of my electricity.
  4. I offer various editorial services including proofreading, copyediting, proof-editing, writing, and technical editing.
  5. You are under no obligation to request work from me and I am under no obligation to accept any work requested by you.
  6. Any work undertaken will be carried out by me unsupervised, using my own equipment. It will be carried out at a time and place determined by me.
  7. The work will be carried out by me and will not be subcontracted to any third parties.
  8. I am self-employed as a sole trader and am responsible for my own income tax and National Insurance contributions. I will not be entitled to any employee benefits, if you have any.
  9. I am not VAT-registered.
  10. By signing a contract for work, you accept that you have read and understood, and agreed to these terms and conditions.
2. Project terms
  1. The work will be undertaken using a format agreed with you (the client) but will mostly be using Microsoft Word with Track Changes, or Adobe Acrobat with Quick Tools.
  2. You and I will agree a timeframe for the work via email.
  3. You and I will agree on the fee for the work, whether this is by hours and an hourly rate, or a fixed fee, by email.
  4. If there are any expenses that you will bear on top of the agreed fee, this will be communicated and agreed via email.
  5. You and I will agree the date by which any material needs to be delivered to me in order to start the work.
  6. You and I will agree the date by which the work should be completed, via email.
  7. If there is any reason why I believe I cannot deliver the work by the deadline, for example if there is substantially more work required than expected from discussions, then I reserve the right to renegotiate the amount of work carried out, the fee, and/or the timeframe.
  8. You and I will agree the communication method used if I require further information when working on a project, and the timescale within which I would require a response before it increases the timeframe of the work.
3. Fees
  1. I offer a free 15-minute consultation to discuss the project on offer and if proceeding, I will provide a quotation. I may request a sample of the material before I can offer my quotation.
  2. The agreed fee may be renegotiated if the work required is increased or more complex than was originally expected from a sample.
  3. The fee will be determined based on the service requested and then by either an hourly rate, or a fixed fee, as agreed via email.
  4. The fee will be in pounds sterling.
  5. Payment will be required via bank transfer.
  6. An invoice will be supplied to you on completion and return of the work.
  7. Payment should be received within 14 days of receipt.
4. contracts and deposits
  1. The contract will be sent electronically via email and will need to be digitally signed and returned before work is commenced.
  2. For any work that is quoted as more than 5 hours’ work, or £150, a deposit will be requested for half of the fee.
  3. When the contract is signed and returned, I will issue an invoice for the deposit, if applicable.
  4. Deposits are non-refundable.
  5. Any deposits invoiced should be paid within 3 working days.
  6. Signing the contract is an agreement to the contract of services between me and you.
  7. Any deposit paid will be deducted from the final invoice.
5. CANCELLATION POLICY
  1. If the terms of the contract are breached by either party then you or I has the right to cancel the contract for services.
  2. You are free to cancel a project for any reason. You should do so via email and I will reply to acknowledge this in order for it to be valid.
  3. I am free to cancel a project for any reason and I will do so via email. If a deposit has been paid by you, this will be refunded (unless the terms of the contract have been breached by you).
  4. If any unexpected event occurs (for example illness or bereavement) which requires you to cancel a project, please contact me to discuss the cancellation terms and I will endeavour to offer a fair resolution that works for you.
  5. If any unexpected event occurs (for example illness or bereavement) which requires me to cancel a project, I will inform you at the earliest opportunity, provide you with an appropriate refund, and help to find an alternative editorial service provider if the timeframe cannot be extended.
  6. If you cancel a project before it has started, I will refund you any deposit paid. If you cancel after the project has started, I reserve the right to invoice for the full agreed fee (minus the deposit).
  7. I will email you with a reminder of any material due at least 24 hours before the agreed date.
  8. If material has not been sent by you by the agreed date on which it was to be received, this will be taken as a cancellation unless you have contacted me.
6. confidentiality
  1. Your work will be kept confidential unless written permission is given by you.
  2. I will store your material in OneDrive and/or will use SharePoint when expressly agreed with you, in order that we can both access a file simultaneously. See my Privacy Policy for detail on how your data is protected.
  3. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, you and I may keep on record necessary information, for example contact details, and either may view the other’s records in order to ensure that they are correct and relevant.
7. Copyright
  1. All material you provide to me is owned by you. Any material created by me as part of the project is owned by you once payment has been received.
  2. You agree that you will not hold me responsible for any claims, liabilities and expenses arising from any copyright claims made against you.
8. QUALITY ASSURANCE
  1. Please see my About Me page for information on my qualifications and interests.
  2. As a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), I abide by its Membership Codes.
  3. I am also committed to continuing professional development.
9. LEGAL
  1. The terms in this agreement are subject to the laws of England and Wales and you and I agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.
  2. The exclusive venue for any arbitration or court proceeding arising out of the terms of this agreement shall be Norfolk, England.
10. PRIVACY POLICY
  1. Please see my Privacy Policy for more information.
11. acknowledgements
  1. You may mention me in any published work’s acknowledgements but you agree to request my permission first, and to allow me to review any mention.
12. digital tools and ai
  1. I use digital tools to enhance the quality and accuracy of my editorial services. Some of these tools have AI-assisted technologies running in the background. The tools I use are:
    Microsoft Word: used for editing services, using a licenced version of Microsoft 365. Copilot is included in this package but I do not use it.
    Adobe Acrobat: used for editing services, using a free account. There is an AI assistant included but I do not use it.
    SharePoint: used for storing documents for my business, using a licenced version of Microsoft 365. May also be used with agreement from you to allow us access to material simultaneously.
    OneDrive: used as cloud-based storage for documents, using a licenced version of Microsoft 365.
    Google Search: used for fact-checking.
  2. I will only ever upload your material to a third-party site with your express permission, except for the purposes of storage where I will use OneDrive.
  3. Any digital outputs assisted by software or AI are reviewed and refined by me.
  4. I do not use generative AI for any editorial work.
  5. I do not use open AI systems for any client work so that your material is not used for language model training.
  6. I only use reputable providers and treat client work as confidential.
  7. By signing the service contract, you consent to and acknowledge my use of the digital tools listed in point 1.
13. DISCLAIMER
  1. I cannot promise to provide 100% error-free editing.
  2. I am not responsible for any additional amendments you or third-parties make to material after I have returned it to you, or for how you use the files I return to you.
  3. I am not responsible for any outcomes in relation to the work I have edited, for example academic grades.
  4. I am not responsible for any plagiarism found in your material.
  5. I am not responsible for lost, damaged or corrupted files that occur by use of your systems or third-party platforms.
  6. I am not responsible for any missed deadlines that occur due to late transfer of material to me, or incomplete material.
  7. I cannot promise that any files returned to you will be compatible with other platforms.
  8. I am not responsible for delays caused by force majeure, for example emergencies, internet outages and pandemics.