Terms and Conditions of Business

Including online / click-to-buy consultancy services

Last updated: 22 October 2026

1. About these Terms

These Terms and Conditions of Business (the “Terms”) apply to services supplied by ISCC Ltd, trading as Dovetail Foodservice Design / Dovetail FSD (“Dovetail”, “we”, “us” or “our”). ISCC Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 07756467, with registered office at 20 Wenlock Road, London, England, N1 7GU.

These Terms apply both to services purchased directly through our Website (“Online Services”) and, unless different terms are agreed in writing, to consultancy services commissioned through a proposal, quotation, order or other written instruction (“Bespoke Services”).

The person or organisation purchasing, commissioning or instructing the Services is the “Client”.

2. Order of precedence

The Contract between Dovetail and the Client consists of the following, in descending order of priority if there is any inconsistency:

1. Any signed appointment or expressly agreed special terms.
2. The applicable proposal, quotation, scope of services or Order Confirmation.
3. Any service description and stated inclusions or exclusions shown at checkout for an Online Service.
4. These Terms.

Terms appearing on the Client's purchase order or other document do not override these Terms unless Dovetail expressly agrees in writing.

3. Business customers and authority

Our Services are designed primarily for business, professional, educational, charitable, public-sector and organisational clients. Unless a service page expressly says otherwise, Online Services are offered for purposes connected with a trade, business, craft, profession or organisational activity.

A person placing an order on behalf of an organisation confirms that they have authority to bind that organisation. If an individual purchases as a consumer rather than for business purposes, the consumer provisions in clause 9 apply and nothing in these Terms removes rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

4. How a Contract is formed

Online Services

The Website will describe the main characteristics and price of the Online Service before the order is placed. By activating the final payment/order control, the Client submits an order with an obligation to pay. An automated acknowledgement does not necessarily mean that we have accepted the order. The Contract is formed when we send an Order Confirmation or otherwise expressly confirm acceptance.

If we cannot accept an Online Service order, we will notify the Client and refund any payment received for the unaccepted order.

Bespoke Services

A Contract for Bespoke Services is formed when the Client accepts our proposal or quotation, signs an appointment, issues an instruction that we accept, or otherwise confirms in writing that we should proceed.

5. Scope of Services

We will provide the Services described in the applicable service page, proposal, scope, Order Confirmation or appointment. Unless expressly included, the Services do not include every survey, specialist design discipline, statutory approval, contractor design function, construction management duty or site-supervision activity that may be relevant to a project.

Any additional work requested by the Client or made necessary by a material change in the brief, programme, site information, design, scope or third-party requirements may be treated as additional Services and charged separately. We will seek to identify material additional Services before undertaking them where reasonably practicable.

6. Prices, VAT, expenses and payment

The price and VAT treatment applicable to an Online Service will be shown at checkout or in the Order Confirmation. For Bespoke Services, fees and payment terms will be set out in the proposal, quotation or appointment. Where VAT is chargeable, it will be added at the applicable rate unless the price is expressly stated to include VAT.

Online Services are normally payable at the point of order. Bespoke Services are payable in accordance with the agreed invoice terms. Unless a service description says they are included, reasonable travel, accommodation, specialist survey, printing, courier or other third-party disbursements may be charged in addition where agreed or reasonably required for the instructed Services.

If an undisputed invoice is overdue, we may suspend further work after giving reasonable notice. Statutory rights relating to interest and recovery costs on late commercial payments are reserved where applicable.

7. Client responsibilities

The Client will:

• Provide a clear brief and timely decisions.
• Provide information, drawings, surveys, records, operational data and other material reasonably required for the Services.
• Take reasonable steps to ensure information supplied by or on behalf of the Client is accurate and complete.
• Provide safe and reasonable access to relevant premises and facilities for agreed visits.
• Identify known site hazards, access restrictions, safeguarding requirements and operational constraints before a visit.
• Obtain permissions needed for Dovetail to access, photograph or review premises and information.
• Ensure that appropriate members of the Client or project team are available where their input is necessary.
• Appoint and coordinate other competent specialists where their disciplines are required and are outside Dovetail's scope.

We are entitled to rely on information provided by the Client and third parties unless we have expressly agreed to verify it. We are not responsible for delay, abortive work or additional cost caused by information that is late, incomplete, inaccurate or materially changed.

8. Programme, appointments and rescheduling

Any dates or timescales are estimates unless expressly agreed as fixed. Our ability to meet them depends on timely information, access, decisions and cooperation from the Client and relevant third parties.

For a booked site visit, workshop or meeting, the Client should give as much notice as reasonably possible if rescheduling is required. If late cancellation or lack of access causes us to incur non-recoverable travel costs, third-party costs or reserved professional time that cannot reasonably be reallocated, we may charge a reasonable amount reflecting that loss. Any service-specific cancellation or rescheduling terms shown before purchase take precedence.

9. Consumer cancellation rights where applicable

This clause applies only where the Client is legally a consumer. It does not apply to a company or to an individual purchasing wholly or mainly for business purposes.

A consumer who enters into a distance contract for services will normally have 14 days from the date the Contract is made to cancel without giving a reason, subject to statutory exceptions.

If the consumer asks us to begin providing a service during the 14-day cancellation period, we may begin only after the required express request has been obtained. If the consumer then cancels after work has started, the consumer may be required to pay a reasonable proportion of the price for Services supplied up to cancellation. Where a service has been fully performed during the cancellation period after the consumer expressly requested early performance and acknowledged the consequence required by law, the statutory cancellation right may be lost.

A consumer can cancel by sending a clear statement to us at the contact details in clause 25 or by using the model cancellation form at Schedule 1. Statutory consumer rights are not affected.

10. Cancellation by business clients

A business Client may ask to cancel a Contract before completion. Unless the applicable proposal or service description states otherwise, the Client will pay for Services performed up to cancellation together with reasonable non-recoverable commitments and costs already incurred. We will refund any advance payment relating to Services not performed and costs not incurred.

We may terminate or suspend a Contract on reasonable notice if the Client materially breaches it and, where the breach is capable of remedy, fails to remedy it within a reasonable period after being asked to do so. We may also terminate immediately where continuing would be unlawful, unsafe or professionally improper, or in the event of insolvency where permitted by law.

11. Nature of our professional role

Dovetail is an independent foodservice consultancy. Our role is limited to the Services expressly instructed. Unless expressly agreed in writing, we do not act as the building contractor, catering equipment contractor, installer, clerk of works, site manager, quantity surveyor, structural engineer, M&E engineer, fire engineer, building-control body or other specialist outside our stated scope.

We do not accept appointment as Principal Contractor or Principal Designer merely because we coordinate, advise on or produce information for a project. If either role is to be accepted, it must be expressly agreed in writing. Nothing in these Terms excludes any statutory duty that applies to Dovetail by law in the role we actually perform.

12. Existing conditions, surveys and services

Unless expressly included, our work is not a destructive or intrusive survey and does not warrant concealed conditions. Existing dimensions, utilities, drainage, ventilation, electrical capacity, gas, water, structure, fire strategy, asbestos, access and other building conditions should be verified by the appropriate contractor or specialist before manufacture, ordering or construction where relevant.

Where our work uses existing drawings or third-party survey information, we may rely on that information unless our scope expressly includes verification.

13. Drawings, specifications and technical information

Our drawings, schedules, specifications and reports are prepared for the purpose and stage stated in the relevant scope. Concept or design-intent information should not be treated as fabrication, installation or construction information unless expressly identified as such.

Contractors and suppliers remain responsible for checking dimensions, access, buildability, product compatibility, final service connections, manufacturer requirements, installation methods and the suitability of their own work. Equipment models, technical data and availability can change and should be re-confirmed before order or installation.

14. Ventilation, M&E, fire, structural and statutory matters

Where we comment on ventilation, mechanical or electrical services, drainage, fire suppression, structural requirements, acoustic issues, planning, building regulations or similar matters, our advice is limited to the extent expressly included in the scope and to our foodservice role. Specialist design, calculations, certification, approval and statutory compliance remain the responsibility of the appropriately appointed competent person unless Dovetail has expressly accepted that specialist scope.

15. Equipment and third-party recommendations

Any reference to a manufacturer, model, supplier, contractor or technology is based on information reasonably available at the time and the requirements known to us. Unless expressly stated, it is not a warranty of availability, performance, commercial standing or fitness for every purpose. Final purchasing decisions, warranties and contractual arrangements with suppliers remain between the Client and the relevant supplier or contractor.

16. Estimates, budgets, energy and operational savings

Budgets, cost estimates, lifecycle assessments, energy calculations, capacities, labour assumptions and anticipated savings are estimates based on stated assumptions and information available at the time. Actual outcomes can be affected by tariffs, occupancy, menus, operator behaviour, maintenance, equipment performance, procurement, construction conditions and other factors outside our control. Unless expressly guaranteed in writing, such figures are not guaranteed outcomes.

17. Deliverables and acceptance

Deliverables will be provided in the format stated in the scope or service description. The Client should review them promptly and notify us of any apparent factual error or material omission. Minor corrections within the agreed scope will be dealt with reasonably; changes to the brief or work outside scope may be chargeable.

18. Intellectual property and licence

Dovetail retains ownership of its background intellectual property, methods, templates, standard details, know-how and working materials. Subject to payment of all fees due for the relevant Services, the Client receives a non-exclusive licence to use the final Deliverables for the project and purpose for which they were prepared.

The Client must not use Deliverables for another site or materially different purpose, sell or commercially exploit them as a standalone product, or permit third-party reliance on them without our written agreement. The Client may provide Deliverables to contractors and project-team members where reasonably necessary for the intended project, subject to the same purpose limitation.

19. Third-party reliance

Our Services and Deliverables are prepared for the Client and the stated project or purpose. No third party may rely on them as though it were our client unless we expressly agree in writing. This does not prevent normal sharing with the project team for information and coordination purposes.

20. Confidentiality and publicity

Each party will take reasonable care of confidential information received from the other and will not disclose it except where necessary for the Services, to professional advisers or insurers, with permission, or where required by law.

We will not deliberately publish confidential project information. We may refer in general terms to the fact that we have worked on a project or with an organisation only where this is appropriate and lawful; where a client requires specific confidentiality or publicity restrictions, these should be agreed in writing.

21. Data protection

Each party will comply with applicable data protection law in relation to personal information it processes. Our handling of personal information in our role as controller is described in our Privacy Policy. If a project requires Dovetail to process personal data solely on the Client's documented instructions as a processor, the parties will put any additional data-processing terms required by law in place.

22. Liability

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded.

Subject to the paragraph above and to the extent permitted by law, Dovetail is not responsible for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profit, loss of revenue, loss of business, loss of opportunity or loss arising from matters outside the agreed scope, inaccurate information supplied by others, unverified existing conditions, changes made without our involvement, or use of Deliverables for a purpose for which they were not prepared.

Any monetary liability cap expressly stated in the applicable proposal, appointment, service description or Order Confirmation forms part of the Contract. If the parties require a project-specific cap, it should be agreed before work begins. These Terms do not reduce any mandatory rights of a consumer.

23. Events outside reasonable control

Neither party is liable for delay or failure caused by events outside its reasonable control, provided it takes reasonable steps to reduce the effect and resumes performance as soon as reasonably practicable.

24. General

• If part of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to apply.
• A delay in enforcing a right does not waive it.
• The Client may not transfer the Contract without our written agreement, except as part of a genuine transfer of the relevant business or project with our reasonable consent.
• These Terms and the documents listed in clause 2 form the agreement between the parties regarding the Services and replace prior discussions about the same scope, without excluding liability for fraud.

25. Governing law and contact

The Contract is governed by the laws of England and Wales. For business Clients, the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction. A consumer retains any mandatory jurisdiction rights available under applicable law.

ISCC Ltd
Trading as Dovetail Foodservice Design / Dovetail FSD
Company number: 07756467
Registered office: 20 Wenlock Road, London, England, N1 7GU
Email: info@dovetailfsd.co.uk
Website: dovetailfsd.co.uk

Schedule 1 - Model cancellation form for consumers

Complete and return this form only if you are a consumer and wish to cancel a contract to which a statutory cancellation right applies. You may instead send any other clear statement that you wish to cancel.

To: ISCC Ltd, 20 Wenlock Road, London, England, N1 7GU; email: info@dovetailfsd.co.uk

I/We hereby give notice that I/We cancel my/our contract for the supply of the following service:

____________________________________________________________________________

Ordered on: ______________________________

Name of consumer(s): _________________________________________________________

Address of consumer(s): ______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper): ____________________

Date: ______________________________