Terms and Conditions

By accepting our services or purchase of goods, you the client contractually agree to the Terms of Business as detailed below. Some aspects of these terms and conditions may not be relevant to you however if you need a further explanation or clarification, please do not hesitate to call us.

FEES

All fees and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee rates are determined by the time spent on and type of case, and also the drugs, materials and consumables used. Our fees are available upon request. You can also request a detailed fee note for every consultation, surgical procedure or transaction with us.

NEW CLIENTS/OPENING AN ACCOUNT

New clients are required to pay in advance or at the time of the visit either by cash or debit/credit card for the services or goods provided until an account has been opened and approved. We reserve the right to verify all new clients’ credit rating with a credit reference agency. Certain procedures may require payment in advance, such as vettings, routine appointments, surgical procedures or emergency visits.

ESTIMATES OF TREATMENT COSTS

If required, we are able to provide a written estimate as to the probable cost of a course of treatment. Please bear in mind that any estimate given can only be approximate. As often, illness will not follow a predictable course.

EQUINE HEALTH INSURANCE

Home Farm Equine supports the principle of insuring your horse against unexpected illness or accidents. However, we are unable to recommend specific policies. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle your account and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company, unless by prior arrangement with Home Farm Equine.

PAYMENT

METHODS OF PAYMENT

We accept the following methods of payment:

•  CASH
•  CHEQUE made payable to HOME FARM EQUINE LTD
•  DEBIT CARD – Switch, Solo, Mastercard, Visa, Delta
•  CREDIT CARD £10.00 minimum amount - N.B. WE DO NOT ACCEPT AMERICAN EXPRESS
•  ELECTRONIC TRANSFER (BACS)
• A/C No: 73511693
• Sort Code: 20-50-21. (Please put name and invoice number as reference.) 

SETTLEMENT TERMS

Home Farm Equines terms are PAYMENT IN ADVANCE OR ON THE DAY for all routine appointments including;

·         All vaccines

·         Passporting/Microchip

·         Oral examinations, teeth rasps, wolf tooth removal

·         Prescription charge

·         Drugs for dispensing

·         Castration

·         1^st Gastroscope (Subsequent to be paid at time if not going via insurance)

·         Pre-purchase Examinations (Vettings)

On the day payment can be made via cash, debit or credit card, or BACS.

All other invoices are to be paid 30 days from date of TREATMENT, NOT STATEMENT. All accounts are subject to a 5% discount if settled at the time of consultation. All unsettled accounts will receive a reminder after 30 days, if no payment is received following this reminder then a surcharge fee of 10% will be added to your account to cover administrations costs, subsequent late payment charges may also be added to your account to cover administration costs if the balance remains unpaid and no effort is made to rectify an overdue balance. After due notice to you the client, all overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency, and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collection of the debt (e.g. Correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls etc.) Any Cheque or Debit Card payments not honored, or any Cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored with interest on the principal sum.

If you have received a letter from Home Farm Equine informing you the client that your account is under new payment terms of ‘payment on the day’, you are required to settle all invoices at the time of visit. Failure to pay this within 24 hours of your visit will result in a late payment fee surcharge of 10% added to cover administrations costs. Subsequent reminders will be sent every 14 days thereafter with another added 10% interest charge (Commercial Debts Regulations 2002). After due notice to you the client, all overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency, and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collection of the debt (e.g. Correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls etc.) Any Cheque or Debit Card payments not honoured, or any cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored with interest on the principal sum.

INABILITY TO PAY

If for any reason you are unable to settle your account as specified in the terms and conditions above, we ask that you discuss the matter as soon as possible with a member of our support staff. Please note that instalments or part payments of any account may only be sanctioned with express permission of Matthew Barlow.

PRE-PURCHASE EXAMINATIONS

For pre-purchase examinations (including radiographs if requested) all fees must be paid in advance. If payment is not received by the morning the pre-purchase examination is due to take place then Home Farm Equine reserve the right to cancel a booking without notice. 

POSTAGE OF DRUGS

All drugs sent in the mail will be posted as recorded delivery, these will now have to be signed for and an additional charge of £1.50 will be added onto the normal postage charges for post and packaging.

CANCELLATIONS

A minimum of 24 hours notice must be given for a cancellation of appointment, a standard visit fee of £42.00 will be applied for any no-show's to appointments or lack of notice for cancellation.

OWNERSHIP OF RECORDS AND RADIOGRAPHS ETC

The care given to your animal may involve making some specific investigations e.g. Radiography or Ultrasound Scans. Even though we make a charge for carrying out these investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting record e.g. Radiographs remain the property of the practice.

ZERO TOLERANCE

We do not tolerate abuse in any form toward any of our veterinary or admin staff. Verbal and/or physical abuse will result in immediate termination of your account. A letter will be sent out in the post advising of this, with a grace period of 7 days whereby we will still offer emergency care should your horse need it whilst you find another veterinary practice to register with.

DISPUTES

Any dispute over fees/services presented must be put in writing to the Practice Manager within 14 days’ of receiving the invoice. Where any dispute is not proven and as a result the payment is late, then the Overdue Accounts procedure will become effective. Therefore, clients are always advised to settle their accounts on time, and if there is a dispute this payment being made without prejudice.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

If you wish to make a complaint, all complaints must be made in writing to:
Matthew Barlow, Home Farm Equine, 22 Fern Road, Cropwell Bishop, Nottingham, NG12 3BU
You will receive notification of receipt of your complaint within 7 working days. We advise a response time frame of 30 working days from date of confirmation receipt.

DATA PROTECTION

In line with GDPR we promise to use client details only for the purpose of our business. We will not intentionally pass any details to third parties unless requested to do so by yourself and with your permission. We may from time to time send you veterinary information that would be relevant to you. We aim to accurately maintain your details on our database. We would ask that you, the client, provide us with correct and updated personal information to allow us to provide an efficient and effective service to you. These details include your full name and contact details, animal details, details of owners/livery yards looking after your horse and details of any other vet the animal has been registered with.

THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS DO NOT AFFECT YOUR STATUTORY RIGHTS

No addition or variation of these terms and conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by Matthew Barlow. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with the practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way.

This letter details Home Farm Equine's Terms and Conditions. Some aspects of these terms and conditions may not be relevant to you however if you need a further explanation or clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Updated June 2022