Terms & Conditions of Service

1. Payment Terms (Domestic Customers)

• Payment is due immediately upon completion of the work.
• Payment must be made directly to the attending engineer before leaving site unless agreed otherwise.
• Failure to make payment may result in debt recovery action, additional costs and legal proceedings.

2. Payment Terms (Commercial Customers)

• Invoices must be paid within 7 days of the invoice date unless otherwise agreed.
• Late payments may incur interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 and recovery costs.

3. Working Time

• All time spent in relation to a job is chargeable working time.
• This includes travel, collecting materials, collecting water for jetting, waste disposal, equipment preparation and site setup.

4. Water Supply for Jetting

• High pressure drain jetting requires a suitable water supply.
• If a water supply is not available on site, water may be sourced from a commercial filling station.
• Water will be charged at £20 per 350 litres.
• Time spent collecting water remains chargeable.

5. Drain Unblocking

• A successful unblock cannot be guaranteed due to the nature of drainage systems.
• Blockages may be caused by wipes, foreign objects, grease build up, tree roots, collapsed pipes or structural defects.
• Further investigation such as CCTV surveys or excavation may be recommended.

6. Repeat Blockages

• Drains with structural defects may block again after clearing.
• Vantage Drain Services cannot guarantee that a drain will remain clear after unblocking.
• Any return visits are chargeable unless agreed in writing.

7. High Pressure Jetting

• High pressure jetting may expose existing defects within pipework.
• We are not responsible for damage caused by pre-existing defects or weakened pipes.

8. Sewerage Backflow

• During attempts to clear blocked drains, wastewater or sewerage may back up or overflow.
• Vantage Drain Services accepts no responsibility for damage caused by sewerage overflow during drainage works.

9. Sewerage Clean-Up

• Sewerage clean-up is chargeable and may require additional labour, equipment and sanitation procedures.

10. CCTV Drain Surveys

• CCTV surveys inspect visible sections of the drainage system.
• Some areas may be inaccessible due to blockages, debris or collapsed pipework.

11. Excavation Works

• The exact condition of underground pipework cannot be confirmed until excavation takes place.
• Additional repairs, materials or reinstatement may be required once pipes are exposed.

12. Underground Services

• Customers must inform us of any known underground services.
• We cannot be held responsible for damage to unknown or incorrectly mapped services.

13. Materials

• Materials are supplied at cost plus 25%.
• No warranty is provided by Vantage Drain Services on supplied parts.
• Manufacturer warranties remain with the manufacturer.

14. Access

• Customers must provide safe and reasonable access to the work area.
• Restricted access or delays may result in additional charges.

15. Parking & Additional Charges

• Parking charges, permits or congestion charges may be added to the invoice.

16. Insurance Work

• The customer remains responsible for payment of all invoices.
• Insurance reimbursement is not guaranteed and policy excesses remain the responsibility of the customer.

17. Acceptance of Terms

By instructing Vantage Drain Services to carry out work, the customer confirms they have authority to request the work and agree to these terms.

18. Call-Out & Attendance Charges

Where a customer requests Vantage Drain Services to attend a property, an attendance charge may apply regardless of whether work is ultimately carried out.

This charge covers:

• Travel to the property
• Time spent attending the site
• Initial inspection or investigation

If the problem has cleared before arrival, or the customer decides not to proceed with the work, the attendance charge may still apply.

19. Pre-Existing Drainage Defects

Drainage systems are often underground and may contain hidden defects.

During unblocking or jetting works, these defects may become visible or may worsen.

Vantage Drain Services accepts no liability for damage caused by pre-existing defects, including but not limited to:

• Cracked pipes
• Collapsed drains
• Root intrusion
• Displaced joints
• Poorly installed pipework

20. Hidden Drainage Layout

The exact condition, depth, and layout of underground drainage systems cannot always be confirmed prior to investigation or excavation.

Additional works or repairs may be required once the drainage system has been exposed.

Where this occurs, additional costs may apply and will be discussed with the customer where possible.

21. Waste Removal & Disposal

Where waste materials, debris, sewage waste, or excavated spoil must be removed from site, disposal or muck-away charges may apply.

These may include:

• Waste transfer costs
• Skip hire
• Licensed disposal fees

22. Delays & Waiting Time

If engineers are unable to begin work due to lack of access, obstruction, or customer delay, waiting time may be chargeable.

Where engineers are required to return at a later time due to access issues, additional attendance charges may apply.

23. Emergency / Out of Hours Work

Emergency call-outs or works carried out outside normal working hours may be subject to additional charges. These charges will be communicated to the customer where possible before work begins.

24. Customer Authority to Instruct Work

The person requesting the service confirms they:

• have authority to request and approve the works
• accept responsibility for payment of the invoice

This applies whether the booking is made via:

• telephone
• website
• text message
• online booking system or chatbot

25. Acceptance of Terms via Booking

Where a booking is made by telephone, website, online form, or chatbot, the customer acknowledges that requesting an engineer to attend constitutes acceptance of the Vantage Drain Services Terms & Conditions.

26. Late Payment Recovery

Where payment is not made within the agreed terms, Vantage Drain Services reserves the right to recover:

• statutory interest
• late payment fees
• debt recovery costs
• legal costs incurred in recovering the debt