TERMS AND CONDITIONS
OF SERVICE
Services
1. Lake Communications Limited (“we” or “us”)
shall provide to the client (“you”) the services as
set out in our quote to you (“services”) using all
reasonable endeavours and in accordance with good industry practice.
Where the client consists of two or more persons the expression
"you" throughout shall mean and include such two or
more persons and each or any of them. All obligations on the part
of such a client shall be the joint and several obligations of
such persons.
2. We conduct all market research in accordance with the MRS and
ESOMAR Codes of Conduct and in accepting our terms and condition
you agree to abide by the same codes in those areas that are applicable
to you. The MRS and ESOMAR Codes of Conduct can be found at: www.mrs.org
and www.esomar.org.
3. All data analysis and reporting
by us are subject to sampling error. We shall not be liable in
any way for any loss or damage you may suffer as a result of any
use you make of the data.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
5. Apart from the requirements of law, court order or applicable
regulatory authority, we adhere to the MRS and ESOMAR Code on
confidentiality and comply with all applicable privacy and data
protection regulations.
6. You warrant that you comply with
all relevant privacy, data protection rules and regulations.
7. Provided agreed fees have been
paid you will be the sole owner of the data collected apart from
personal respondent information. This data will not be made available
to any other party unless instructed by you to do so.
8. Where Lake Communications undertakes a study for several clients
or where several clients purchase the same survey results, the
“core” material which has been prepared by Lake Communications
Limited and which any client can purchase remains the copyright
of Lake Communications Limited.
Data and Reports
9. We will store all paper questionnaires, computer data and reports
for at least one year after they have been submitted to you either
in original form, tabulations or full reports. Unless specifically
requested by you we will retain a copy of all questionnaire designs,
data files and reports for our own internal filing needs.
10. Our logos and trademarks remain
our property and may not be used by you without our written consent.
Similarly any use of our company name, logos or trademarks cannot
be used to support any published data without our agreement to
the content of such data.
11. You acknowledge and agree that
details of your name, address and payment record may be submitted
to a credit reference agency and personal data will be processed
by and on behalf of us in connection with the contract.
12. Lake Communications Limited will
use all reasonable endeavours to deliver the report and findings
within agreed timings. Under no circumstances will Lake Communications
Limited be responsible for delays caused by factors outside its
control such as unusually adverse weather conditions, postal or
railway strikes, etc.
13. Where the sample is drawn from
computerised lists of names and addresses supplied by the client,
it is a requirement of the 1998 Data Protection Act that the client
has notified the Information Commissioner that the database is
used for research purposes. It is the responsibility of the client
to complete the appropriate registration formalities so that Lake
Communications Limited has the right to process any personal data
and to prove that individuals have given their consent to be contacted
for research purposes. Lake Communications Limited accepts no
responsibility for any loss or penalty incurred by clients failing
to fulfil the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
14. Where the research findings are
not intended for publication, these will be held in confidence
by Lake Communications Limited.
15. Original copyright or other intellectual
property rights in the publication of the results of the research
and the report are jointly held by Lake Communications Limited
and the client. Subject to paragraph 14, the client gives Lake
Communications Limited permission to publish and use research
reports as provided in these terms and conditions.
16. Clients may be supplied with
normative data to assist with their interpretation of the research
findings. Lake Communications Limited retains full copyright over
such data which is for internal use only and may not be passed
on to any third parties.
Fees
17. Our quotations are valid for 30 days from the date of the
quote. After that date we reserve the right to revise the quotation.
18. Any subsequent differences between the amount quoted and that
finally charged will be subject to the written agreement of both
parties.
19. Our standard terms are for all invoices to be paid within
30 days unless otherwise specified. Invoices paid after 30 days
or after any other agreed payment period will be, subject to our
discretion, subject to an annual interest rate of the base rate
of National Westminster Bank plc plus 5% for the overdue period
the invoice remains unpaid. We also reserve the right to withhold
deliverables until the relevant invoice has been paid in full.
20. Termination
20.1 We may terminate the agreement forthwith if:
20.1.1 you are in breach of any of your obligations hereunder;
or
20.1.2 you have entered into liquidation (other than for the purposes
of a bona fide amalgamation or reconstruction) whether compulsorily
or voluntarily or have compounded with your creditors generally
or have an administrator, administrative receiver or receiver
appointed over all or a substantial part of your undertaking or
assets; or
20.1.3 you have become bankrupt or are deemed unable to pay your
debts by virtue of Section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986; or
20.1.4 you cease or threaten to cease to carry on business; or
20.1.5 any circumstances whatsoever beyond our reasonable control
(including but not limited to the termination of the service through
no fault of our own) arise that necessitate for whatever reason
the termination of the provision of services.
20.2 In the event of termination under condition 14.1 we shall
retain any sums already paid to us by you without prejudice to
any other rights we may have whether at law or otherwise.
20.3 Where Lake Communications are inviting clients to a multi-study
syndicate, we reserve the right to terminate the study prior to
its commencement where there are insufficient subscribers to the
study.
21. Sub-Contracting
Neither party may sub-contract the performance of any of its obligations
under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the
other party. Where either party sub-contracts the performance
of any of its obligations under this Agreement to any person with
the prior consent of the other party, that party shall be responsible
for every act or omission of the sub-contractor as if it were
an act or omission of the party itself.
Your attention is drawn particularly
to the provisions of the following condition.
22. Liability
23.1 We shall be responsible for timely delivery of the services.
23.2 Subject to the provisions of condition 3 in case of any errors
in the work produced by us we shall correct such errors at our
own cost. However, if we fail to do so within a reasonable time
any compensation for liability shall be the higher of any applicable
insurance compensation paid and the amount of the fees paid for
the portion of the services in which the non-performance took
place. You must notify us within 5 working days of the detection
of the error, clearly describing the error or omission and the
required corrective action.
23.3 Except in respect of death or personal injury caused by our
negligence, we will not by reason of any representation, implied
warranty, condition or other term, or any duty at common law or
under express terms of this contract, be liable for any loss of
profit or any indirect, special or consequential loss, damage,
costs, expenses or other claims (whether caused by our servants
or agents or otherwise) in connection with the performance of
this contract or with the use by you of the services supplied.
23.4 You shall indemnify us against all damages, costs, claims
and expenses suffered by us arising from loss or damage to any
equipment (including that of third parties) caused by you, or
your agents or employees.
23.5 We shall not be liable to you or be deemed to be in breach
of these terms and conditions by reason of any delay in performing,
or any failure to perform, any of our obligations if the delay
or failure was due to any cause beyond our reasonable control.
24. Force Majeure
24.1 Neither we nor you shall be liable to the other or be deemed
to be in breach of the contract by reason of any delay in performing,
or any failure to perform, any of its obligations in relation
to the services, if the delay or failure is due to any cause beyond
that party’s reasonable control. Without prejudice to the
generality of the foregoing, the following shall be regarded as
causes beyond either party’s reasonable control:-
24.1.1 act of God, explosion, flood, tempest, fire or accident
24.1.2 war or threat of war, sabotage, insurrection, civil disturbance
or requisition;
24.1.3 acts, restrictions, regulations, bye-laws, prohibitions
or measures of any kind on the part of any governmental, parliamentary
or local authority;
24.1.4 import or export regulations or embargoes;
24.1.5 strikes, lock-outs, or other industrial actions or trade
disputes (whether involving employees of either party or of a
third party);
24.1.6 difficulties in obtaining raw materials, labour, fuel,
parts or machinery;
24.1.7 power failure or breakdown in machinery.
25. Waiver
25.1 No waiver by us of any breach of these terms and conditions
by you shall be considered as a waiver of any subsequent breach
of the same or any other provision. A waiver of any term, provision
or condition of shall be effective only if given in writing and
signed by the waiving party and then only in the instance and
for the purpose for which the waiver is given.
25.2 No failure or delay on the part of any party in exercising
any right, power or privilege under these terms and conditions
shall operate as a waiver of, nor shall any single or partial
exercise of any such right, power or privilege preclude any other
or further exercise of or the exercise of any other right, power
or privilege.
26. Severance
If any provision of these terms and conditions is held by any
competent authority to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or
in part the validity of the other provisions of these terms and
conditions and the remainder of the provision in question shall
not be affected thereby.
27. Copyright
Subject to the provisions of condition 7 we reserve all copyright
and any other rights (if any) which may subsist in the products
of, or in connection with the provision of, our services or facilities.
We reserve the right to take such actions as may be appropriate
to restrain or prevent infringement of such copyright.
28. Future Agreement
Each of the parties acknowledges and agrees that, in entering
into the contract it does not rely on any undertaking, promise,
assurance, statement, representation, warranty or understanding
(whether in writing or not) of any person (whether party to the
contract or not) relating to the subject matter of the contract,
other than as expressly set out in the contract.
29. Rights of Third Parties
The contract is made for the benefit of the parties to it and
(where applicable) their successors and permitted assigns and
is not intended to benefit or be enforceable by anyone else.
30. Notices
Any notices given under the terms of the contract shall be given
in writing either by telefax or email confirmed by letter to the
address of the party as stated in the contract and shall be deemed
delivered when the recipient acknowledges receipt or five days
after mailing a registered letter containing the notice, whichever
shall be earlier.
31. Applicable Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and conditions shall be governed and construed in
accordance with English law and the parties shall submit to the
non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
11th June 2008