Vicky Burman Communications

Terms and conditions

These general terms and conditions set out the way I (as the service provider) work with my clients, although we may also agree specific terms for a project.

1. General work practices
  • All work is carried out on a freelance basis. You’re under no obligation to offer me work based on your initial enquiry or request for a quote. And I’m not under any obligation to accept work you offer me.
  • I also reserve the right to cancel the project if delivery as agreed is delayed to a significant extent and likely to reach me too late for completion to my professional standards and/or within the deadline.
  • I will provide services as we’ve agreed following an initial exchange of emails or calls and with reference to any brief you’ve provided.
  • I will carry out all work myself, unless unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances (such as illness) mean this is not possible, in which case I will discuss alternatives with you.
  • Unless otherwise discussed and agreed, I will carry out the work from my registered business address (or any other place determined by me as appropriate), using my own equipment. The periods in which I work will be decided by me, within any agreed timescales for progress and completion of the project.
2. Projects
  • I will work to an agreed brief, and may raise questions during the course of the work. If it becomes clear at any stage that the work goes beyond what we initially discussed and agreed, we may need to renegotiate the nature and scope of the project, the fee and timescale.
  • I will aim to finish and deliver the work by the agreed deadline, and will let you know about possible delays as soon as I can. Unless otherwise agreed, the completed work will be delivered to you by email or via a shared online platform.
  • Delivery of the project will be deemed to have been made at the time I send the email(s) or upload the file(s).
  • I will do my best to make any piece of writing, editing or proofreading error-free, but I this cannot be guaranteed.
3. Fees
  • My fee is usually based on an hourly or daily rate (based on an eight-hour day), in pounds sterling. But I’m prepared to discuss and agree a flat fee or other rate, such as per number of words or pages.
  • I may ask to see a sample of the content  before providing a quote based on estimated time required. I retain the right to increase my quoted fee should the work take longer than expected, especially if further tasks are added to the original brief or the scope and size of the project changes. I will aim to keep you informed of any likely increase in final cost.
  • Agreed fees also take into consideration additional factors such as the requirement for rapid turnaround at short notice, especially if this involves a lot of work outside normal office hours.
4. Invoices
  • I will submit my invoice on your confirmation that you’ve accepted the work as complete. If the project is lengthy, I may invoice you periodically for completed stages, as agreed at the outset.
  • My standard payment terms are 30 days from the invoice date. Interest may be charged on overdue payments as per the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations 2013.
  • I will claim any reasonable expenses incurred in the course of the project, such as travel costs, if you need me to attend meetings at your premises or another location.
  • If you cancel a project (for whatever reason) after I have started work, I will invoice you for any work I’ve already completed based on the fee we agreed.
5. Contracts
  • You may issue a written form of agreement for signing, or a purchase order, as standard practice. I can also provide a contract if you prefer.
  • I’m also prepared to work on a ‘trust’ basis, with instructions to proceed on a project received by phone or email, or in person, with costs agreed in the same way.
  • Any evidence of work carried out, coupled with correspondence on the project, can support a claim of contractual obligation.
6. Copyright and acknowledgement
  • You will retain copyright of all content I work on or provide to you as part of the project. I may ask you to confirm that you have permission to use any third-party content.
  • There is no requirement for you to acknowledge me in the published work. But if you wish to do so, I expect you to first confirm with me that I’m willing to be mentioned.
7. Complaints
  • Ideally our initial brief and ongoing communication should mean few unexpected issues arise. But if you’re not satisfied with the end product or the overall level of service I’ve provided, you should submit a formal complaint in writing within 10 days of my delivering the work to you. This should set out exactly what you’re unhappy with and why.
  • If I agree that my work is unsatisfactory or that I have breached our agreement in any way, I will aim to find a mutually acceptable, appropriate and feasible solution.
  • If we cannot reach agreement you may use the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) complaints procedure to arbitrate on any complaints about my work for you. You can find details of this in the Professional Practice Code for CIEP members.
8. Legal compliance
  • I am a UK citizen living in England. Our agreement on my service provision is subject to English law and the jurisdiction of the English courts.
  • I am the sole director of Vicky Burman Communications Limited, a private limited company registered with Companies House since 2010 (company number 07164212). I am therefore responsible for my own National Insurance contributions and tax obligations. I am also VAT-registered (registration number 803 0215 91) and my fees include VAT.
  • I will maintain appropriate professional indemnity, public liability and employer liability insurance cover during the life of the project.
  • I will comply with relevant legislation such as the Equal Opportunities Act 2010, and alert you to instances of possible non-compliance that come to my attention during a project.
9. Digital tools and data security
  • I do not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in writing, editing or writing content.
  • I expect you to inform me from the outset if AI has been used to generate or translate draft content you want me to work on, or for data analysis. In such instances, if part of our agreement, I will aim to to ensure it has been used in a responsible and ethical way, including checking for inaccurate or inappropriate results and that evidence sourced by AI is reliable, relevant and up to date.
  • I have robust anti-virus, cyber security and digital back-up systems in place.
  • My company is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and my privacy statement briefly explains how I manage data you share with me.

Created 21 June 2026