Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions of Sale (Business-to-Business)

Effective Date: October 2026

Last Updated: October 2026

These Terms and Conditions govern all sales and supply contracts entered into by The Savvy Trade Limited (trading as The Savvy Caters).

“The Company” means The Savvy Caters.

“The Customer” or “Buyer” means the sole trader, partnership, limited company, corporate body, or institution purchasing goods for trade, commercial, or professional purposes.

1. Commercial B2B Contract Status & Exclusion of Consumer Regulations

  1. Strictly Business-to-Business (B2B): The Company is a dedicated commercial trade distributor. All equipment, appliances, accessories, and spare parts listed on this website are designed, specified, and manufactured exclusively for commercial and professional catering environments.
  2. Buyer Confirmation: By placing an order, the Customer expressly warrants and confirms that they are acting solely for purposes relating to their trade, business, craft, or profession.
  3. Exclusion of Consumer Protection Rights: Because all transactions on this website are B2B commercial contracts:
    • The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 do not apply. The statutory 14-day automatic cooling-off and cancellation rights granted to domestic retail consumers are expressly excluded.
    • The Consumer Rights Act 2015 does not apply. Contracts are governed strictly by the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended for business contracts) and the provisions set out herein.
    • All statutory implied terms, warranties, and conditions regarding quality, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose are excluded to the fullest extent permitted under Section 6 of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 (UCTA).

2. Orders, Direct Supplier Fulfilment & Pricing

  1. Order Acceptance: The display of products on our website represents an invitation to treat. A legally binding supply contract is formed only once The Company issues formal written confirmation of order acceptance or dispatches an electronic shipping invoice.
  2. Dropshipping & Direct-to-Site Fulfilment: Goods are fulfilled and dispatched directly from authorised third-party manufacturer facilities, specialist brand distributors, and centralised logistics depots. Delivery times and stock manifests are subject to supplier allocation.
  3. Pricing & VAT: All prices are quoted in Pounds Sterling (GBP £) and clearly state applicable Value Added Tax (VAT). Delivery is free on eligible mainland UK orders, but specific delivery options (such as priority services) may incur additional charges clearly confirmed at checkout.
  4. Price Adjustments: The Company reserves the right to correct manifest typographic errors, manufacturer price revisions, or inadvertent system inaccuracies prior to dispatch. If a pricing error occurs, the Customer will be given the option to confirm the order at the correct price or cancel for a full refund.
  5. Title & Risk:
    • Risk of Loss: Passes entirely to the Customer immediately upon kerbside offloading or courier delivery at the destination address.
    • Retention of Title: Title and legal ownership of all goods remain with The Company until payment for the goods (and any applicable delivery or administration charges) has been received in cleared funds in full.

3. Commercial Delivery Terms & Failed Consignments

  1. Mainland UK Delivery: We offer standard free delivery on qualifying orders to mainland England, Wales, and lowland Scotland. Remote locations, Scottish Highlands/Islands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Wight, and offshore territories require bespoke freight quotation prior to order placement.
  2. Strictly Kerbside Delivery: Commercial freight networks deliver kerbside only. Pallet drivers and courier staff are not contracted, insured, or permitted to:
    • Bring machinery inside private or commercial premises;
    • Manoeuvre equipment across thresholds, steps, grass, or gravel;
    • Unpack, position, commission, or bolt down machinery;
    • Dispose of timber pallets, crates, or protective pallet wrapping.
  3. Site Access Responsibilities: It is the Customer’s absolute responsibility to ensure the destination site can accommodate standard heavy goods vehicles (18-tonne to 26-tonne rigid tail-lift lorries). The Customer must ensure adequate doorways, clear corridors, and suitable personnel/lifting machinery (e.g. pallet truck or forklift) are available to transfer the consignment from the kerb into the building.
  4. Failed Deliveries & Redelivery Surcharges: If a delivery attempt fails due to:
    • The site being locked, unstaffed, or inaccessible during standard business delivery hours (8:00 AM – 6:00 PM);
    • Vehicle refusal due to unnotified local access restrictions (e.g. low bridges, weight limits, red routes, pedestrianisation);
    • Inadequate site manpower or lifting equipment to offload kerbside,
    the Customer shall be strictly liable for the actual redelivery charges, abortive transport fees, and daily carrier storage fees levied by the pallet freight network.
  5. Next Working Day Delivery (Best-Endeavours): Where a priority next-day service is selected and paid for, it is delivered strictly on a best-endeavours basis. While logistics networks make every operational effort to meet next-day targets, delivery times cannot be unconditionally guaranteed due to circumstances beyond reasonable commercial control (such as mechanical breakdown, tail-lift failure, adverse weather, or major highway closures). Surcharges cover priority dispatch and are non-refundable once goods are collected.

4. Transit Damage & Mandatory Inspection Protocol

  1. Immediate Inspection: The Customer or an authorised commercial representative must inspect the outer packaging, strapping, and tilt/impact indicators before signing the carrier’s electronic Proof of Delivery (POD) or manifest.
  2. Signing Protocol:
    • If any cardboard tearing, carton compression, pallet damage, or shrink-wrap puncturing is visible, the Customer must sign the delivery note clearly as “DAMAGED” or refuse the delivery.
    • Signing as “unchecked”, “unexamined”, or signing with a clean signature without inspecting the goods forfeits carrier transit liability under commercial freight terms and restricts insurance recovery.
  3. Reporting Window: All transit damage, missing consignments, or external defects must be reported in writing to info@thesavvycaters.co.uk within 24 hours (and strictly no later than 48 hours) of delivery, supported by photographic evidence of the outer packaging, pallet, shipping label, and damage to the appliance itself.

5. Returns, Restocking & Cancellations

Because all sales are commercial B2B transactions, there is no automatic statutory right of return for change of mind or customer error.

  1. Discretionary Return Authorisation: Returns are accepted strictly at the absolute discretion of The Company and the supplying manufacturer/distributor depot.
  2. Notification & RMA: Any return request must be submitted within 14 calendar days of delivery by emailing info@thesavvycaters.co.uk. No return will be accepted without a valid Return Merchandise Authorisation (RMA) reference.
  3. Return Location Restrictions:
    • Goods must be returned directly to the specific manufacturer or supplier distribution hub detailed on the RMA documentation.
    • No returns are accepted at our administrative office. Any unauthorised consignment delivered to our office will be rejected at the Customer’s expense.
  4. Condition Requirements: To be eligible for discretionary return, items must be entirely unused, never connected to utilities (water, gas, or electrical supplies), in original factory packaging with all strapping, polystyrene, manuals, and accessories intact, and in pristine resaleable condition.
  5. Restocking & Administration Deductions:
    • Restocking Fee: Approved discretionary returns are subject to a restocking charge of up to 25% of the product invoice price to cover manufacturer intake, safety re-testing, and repackaging.
    • Administration & Outward Freight Fee: A deduction of up to £120.00 excl. VAT will be applied to recover non-refundable outward pallet freight, booking fees, and carrier processing costs incurred on the initial shipment.
    • Return Transport: The Customer is solely responsible for arranging and paying for tracked, fully insured commercial freight back to the supplier depot.
  6. Non-Returnable Items: Custom-built units, bespoke fabrications, special orders, unsealed hygiene-sensitive items, and replacement electrical/gas spare parts are strictly non-returnable once dispatched.

6. Warranty Terms (Commercial Parts-Only)

  • 12-Month Commercial Parts-Only Warranty: Unless an on-site parts-and-labour warranty is explicitly stated in writing on the product listing or tax invoice, all new commercial equipment is supplied with a standard 12-month manufacturer parts-only warranty covering genuine manufacturing defects.
  • Supply of Parts Only: The Company or the manufacturer will supply replacement component parts free of charge to replace verified defective parts.
  • Exclusion of Labour and Engineering Costs: The warranty strictly excludes labour costs, call-out fees, installation charges, travel time, and engineer fitting expenses. All labour costs required to diagnose faults or fit replacement parts remain the exclusive financial responsibility of the Customer.
  • Mandatory Qualified Installation & Diagnostic Reporting:
  • Gas appliances must be installed, commissioned, and tested by a Gas Safe registered engineer holding appropriate commercial catering qualifications.
  • Warranty Void Without Certified Installation: All commercial catering machinery must be installed by a fully certified, competent tradesperson in accordance with manufacturer guidelines and current British standards. If equipment is installed, altered, or commissioned by an uncertified, unqualified, or non-competent person, the manufacturer warranty is strictly null and void from the moment of connection.
  • Hardwired or three-phase electrical appliances must be installed and certified by a qualified commercial electrical contractor.
  • To process any warranty claim or dispatch replacement parts, the Customer must provide:
    1. A valid copy of the original installation/commissioning certificate and contractor invoice, proving professional commissioning in accordance with manufacturer specifications.
    2. A comprehensive written engineer’s diagnostic report from a suitably qualified technician, explicitly detailing the nature of the fault, verification of utility supply parameters (e.g. correct voltage, gas pressure, water hardness), and identifying the exact defective component requiring replacement.
  • The Company reserves the right to reject any warranty claim or withhold replacement components if the Customer fails to produce these documents, or if diagnostic findings indicate the failure was caused by improper installation, user error, scale, or utility supply issues.
  • Warranty Exclusions: Warranty coverage does not apply to:
    • Consumables and wear-and-tear items (including door gaskets/seals, bulbs, glass panels, heating elements damaged by scale, fuses, knobs, handles, thermocouples, and fryer baskets);
    • Faults, scaling, or leaks caused by hard water limescale where an approved commercial water treatment filter was not fitted and maintained;
    • Damage resulting from incorrect electrical connection, power surges, phase imbalances, inadequate ventilation, grease accumulation, or general operational abuse;
    • Equipment that has been modified, altered, or repaired by unauthorised personnel.

7. Limitation of Liability & Consequential Loss

  1. Statutory Limitations: Nothing in these Terms shall limit or exclude liability for death or personal injury resulting from negligence, fraud, or fraudulent misrepresentation.
  2. Total Financial Cap: Subject to Clause 7.1, The Company’s maximum total aggregate liability arising under or in connection with any contract—whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise—shall not exceed the total price paid by the Customer for the specific piece of equipment giving rise to the claim.
  3. Complete Exclusion of Consequential & Indirect Loss: The Company shall under no circumstances be liable to the Customer, whether in contract, tort, or warranty, for:
    • Loss of profits, sales, trade, revenue, or business turnover;
    • Loss of anticipated savings or trade goodwill;
    • Loss, spoilage, or contamination of foodstuffs, stock, or perishable goods;
    • Kitchen downtime, venue closure, or operational disruption;
    • Third-party contractor, engineer, plumber, or electrician callout fees or aborted installation charges.
  4. Pre-Booking of Trades Warning: Customers are expressly advised never to pre-book fitters, Gas Safe engineers, or electricians until the equipment has physically arrived on-site, has been uncrated, and has been fully inspected for transit damage and complete component inclusion. The Company accepts no liability for wasted contractor fees resulting from logistics delays or transit damages.

8. Chargebacks and Payment Disputes

The Customer agrees that any invoicing queries, delivery concerns, or warranty issues must first be submitted in writing to info@thesavvycaters.co.uk to afford The Company a reasonable commercial window of not less than 14 business days to investigate and resolve the matter. The Customer agrees not to raise unsubstantiated payment disputes or credit card chargebacks without exhausting this resolution process.

9. Force Majeure

The Company shall not be liable for any failure or delay in fulfilling its contractual obligations where such failure results from events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, extreme adverse weather, flood, fire, war, civil disturbance, industrial action, strikes, national shortages of fuel or raw materials, transport and shipping port disruptions, supply chain carrier breakdown, or governmental trade restrictions.

10. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions, all commercial supply contracts, and any non-contractual disputes or claims arising out of or in connection with them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The Customer irrevocably agrees that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim.