Terms and Conditions
Welcome to The Mindful Organiser’s Terms and Conditions, which will form my service agreement with you.
Scope of Services
The Mindful Organiser is a professional decluttering and organising business that assists individuals in removing excess belongings and organising spaces in their homes or workplaces. These services may include, but are not limited to: assessing a client’s organisational needs; sorting, categorising, and decluttering items; providing recommendations for storage solutions; creating and implementing organisational systems; offering guidance on maintaining an organised space; delivering donations and select recyclables (in-person sessions only).
Advice
Any advice is given in good faith. The decision whether or not to keep particular belongings remains entirely yours. I cannot assume responsibility for the outcome of such decisions.
Please note that I am not an appraiser and do not have expertise in identifying items of special value or rarity. I am therefore not qualified to provide advice on item valuation.
Confidentiality, Privacy, and Photography
Due to the nature of the services I provide, I may encounter personal or business information relating to you. I will treat information shared with me, or encountered during our sessions, as confidential and will handle it with discretion.
If you give permission for photographs and/or videos to be taken during our sessions, these will only be used for the purposes to which you have specifically consented. I will take reasonable steps to ensure that you, other individuals, and any personal or identifying information are not visible or identifiable in photographs or videos shared publicly. Any images of your home or belongings used in connection with my services will be presented in a way that protects your privacy and does not disclose your name, address, or other identifying details.
Being able to share examples of how particular situations have been approached can help me demonstrate the practical and emotional aspects of decluttering and organising, as well as provide helpful before-and-after images for potential clients.
Protecting Your Data
The Mindful Organiser is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), holds a valid data protection fee registration under number ZC237847, and maintains appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is entirely secure, and I cannot guarantee absolute security.
Insurance
I am fully insured with professional indemnity and public liability cover for up to £2 million.
Cleaning
During the process of decluttering and organising I am happy to undertake some light cleaning (for example, wiping a shelf that we’ve cleared). Please note that this is not a specialised cleaning service.
Moving, Handling, and Safety
When handling items belonging to you, I take considerable steps to handle everything with care. However, accidents or damage may occasionally occur. I cannot be liable for losses or damages, regardless of how they are caused. You are responsible for maintaining appropriate insurance cover for your belongings and property.
For health and safety reasons, I am not able to lift or move objects weighing more than 30kg.
If I reasonably consider that a working environment presents a health or safety risk, I reserve the right to stop work or postpone the session until it is safe to proceed. Circumstances that may make a working environment unsafe include structural issues in the designated work area, infectious illness, pest infestation, or severe mould.
Removal of Items and Green Policy
The Mindful Organiser is committed to sustainable practices and aims to promote responsible donation and recycling whenever possible. In-person services include the removal of donations and select recyclables, which is limited to one car load (approximately eight large bin bags) per session. I am unable to remove general waste from your property, but I am happy to use your household waste and recycling bins where appropriate.
Disposal and/or removal of your belongings will never take place without your authorisation. You remain responsible for confirming which items are to be removed during the decluttering process. Once an item has left your property for donation, sale, recycling or disposal, it is considered permanently removed and cannot be returned. Please ensure that you are completely happy with the decision to part with an item before authorising its removal.
I am happy to offer suggestions on appropriate options for donation, sale, recycling or disposal, with the aim of finding the most sustainable and appropriate route wherever possible. However, the final decision about whether an item is removed and how it is dealt with remains yours.
Access
If you engage me to work at a particular location and access is restricted or unavailable, I reserve the right to charge for any time lost and expenses incurred as a result.
Service Costs and Length/Hours of Work
The hourly rate for my in-person and virtual services are charged at £48 per hour, calculated to the nearest 15 minutes.
In-person decluttering sessions are between four and six hours, with a minimum of a four-hour booking per session. Virtual sessions are between one to two hours with a minimum of a one-hour booking per session.
Other package services are charged per project and the session length will vary. The outline of the project cost and length will be discussed with you prior to booking.
Travel Costs & Parking
I travel up to 10 miles from my office in York (YO26) at no additional charge, which allows for up to 20 miles of travel for a return journey. Any mileage in excess of 20 miles per return journey will be charged at 55p per mile.
If travel time is more than 30 minutes each way, a minimum booking of six hours will apply, or I may charge my standard hourly rate for any travel time in excess of 30 minutes each way. The applicable arrangement will be agreed with you prior to booking.
Any parking fees, permits, or other parking charges required to access your property are the responsibility of the client. Any parking fees will be invoiced following a session.
Booking and Payment Terms
A 50% deposit is required to secure your first session. The remaining balance will be invoiced following the session with payment due within three days of the invoice date.
Following the first session, all subsequent bookings must be fully paid in advance and no later than 1 week before the scheduled session. Your booking will not be considered confirmed until payment has been received. If payment has not been received by this deadline, I reserve the right to release the session date and time and offer it to another client.
Payments can be made by BACS, and payment details will be provided on your invoice.
Some jobs may require expenses in addition to my service and travel charges. Any additional expenses will not be incurred without your prior approval.
Cancellation and Illness
If you need to cancel or reschedule a session, please provide at least 72 hours' notice before the scheduled start time. Sessions cancelled or rescheduled before this time can be rearranged without an additional charge.
For your first session, the 50% deposit is non-refundable if the session is cancelled with less than 72 hours' notice. Where a first session is cancelled or rescheduled with at least 72 hours' notice, the deposit can be transferred to a new session date or refunded if circumstances have changed.
If you cancel or reschedule a subsequent session with less than 72 hours' notice, the full session fee will remain payable. This is because the time has been reserved exclusively for you and it may not be possible to offer the session to another client at short notice.
If I need to cancel or reschedule a session, I will provide as much notice as reasonably possible and I will work with you to arrange an alternative date. No additional charge will be made where a session is cancelled or rescheduled by me.
In exceptional circumstances, including genuine illness or emergencies, I may reduce the cancellation charge at my discretion.
Termination
Either party has the right to terminate the decluttering and organising services by providing written notice, which may be done by email or text message. If termination occurs, you are responsible for payment of services provided up to the termination date.
Changes to the Terms
I may update or amend these terms from time to time to reflect changes to my services, pricing, business practices, or legal or regulatory requirements. Any changes will be communicated to you in writing and will take effect from the date specified in the updated terms.
Changes will not affect any session that has already been confirmed, unless the change is required by law or you agree otherwise. Any updated terms will apply to future bookings made after the effective date.
The most current version of these terms will be provided to you when applicable and will replace any previous version.
Entire Agreement
This service agreement represents the entire agreement between you and The Mindful Organiser, and supersedes other agreements or understandings, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter of this agreement.
Please get in touch with any questions or concerns regarding the company’s terms and conditions.
Effective date: 8 February 2024