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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By engaging my services you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions. The terms and conditions are provided so that you and I both have an upfront and honest understanding of what is involved in the process of working together. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me so that I can provide clarity and reassurance. 

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OVERVIEW

I am a registered sole trader, operating as Jo Murray, Copyeditor and Proofreader. I offer freelance editing and proofreading services to medical education and communications agencies, expert witnesses, healthcare professionals, public bodies, creative agencies and translation companies. My client base is worldwide.

These terms and conditions apply to any work done for the Client (you) by me (Jo Murray).

  • I will provide copyediting/proofreading/support services as detailed on my website and agreed on in writing by me and the Client.

  • The Client is under no obligation to offer me work; neither am I under any obligation to accept work offered by the Client.

  • I will provide service(s) as mutually agreed, confirmed in writing by the Client.

  • For proofreading or copyediting work, the Client should send the copy in its entirety and cannot make changes to the copy once I have been instructed to start work.

  • The work will be carried out unsupervised at such times and places as determined by me, using my own equipment.

  • I confirm that I am self-employed, am responsible for my own income tax and National Insurance contributions, and will not claim benefits granted to the Client’s employees. I am not VAT registered.

 

PROJECT TERMS

Before commencement of the work by me, the Client and I will agree to the terms of the project:

  • How the service will be carried out (e.g. in MS Word, on paper).

  • For copyediting/proofreading, how the copy will be annotated (e.g. Track Changes in Word, PDF mark-up).

  • The length of time required to complete the project, as advised by me and as mutually agreed.

  • Any expenses (e.g. postage, mileage) that the Client will bear in addition to the costs of the work.

  • The date by which the material will be delivered by the Client to me.

  • The latest date by which the completed project will be returned by me to the Client.

 

FEES AND DEPOSITS

  • I may ask for a deposit or part-payment before I begin if you're a new client.

  • The Client will pay me a fee per 1,000 words or per hour or project fee to be agreed, depending on the services required (my fee structure is fully transparent and is available on my website). The fee is agreed upfront but is negotiable if the Client extends the word count or requests additional services.

  • The completed work will be delivered on or before the date agreed, for the agreed fee, which will be based on the description of the work required and the brief, both supplied by the Client.

  • If, however, on receipt of the item to be worked on or at an early stage, it becomes apparent that significantly more, or less, work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary discussion/brief, I may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline.

  • Similarly, if, during the term of my work, additional tasks are requested by the Client, I may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline, or decline to carry out the work if I cannot meet the deadline or carry out the additional tasks.

  • I invoice monthly on the last day of the month.

  • Unless agreed otherwise at the outset, payment is required within 30 days of receipt of my invoice.

  • I occasionally undertake weekend work for clients requiring an urgent turnaround. This is charged at an additional 50%.

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CANCELLATION

  • The Client is free to cancel a service for any reason by providing me with written notice (including email). I will acknowledge this cancellation in writing (including email) for this to be valid. The Client is obligated to pay a fee proportionate to the amount of work already completed (if any), if the amount is larger than any deposit paid.

  • If in the unlikely event that the Client is touched by extraordinary or difficult circumstances that cause cancellation or delay (e.g. family crisis, illness etc.), the Client should contact me to discuss the terms of the cancellation policy. I aim to be fair and helpful at all times.

  • If I am touched by similar extraordinary or difficult circumstances that cause cancellation or delay, I will contact the Client in writing at the earliest opportunity and do my best to renegotiate the time frame of the project or find an alternative supplier of editorial services.

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COPYRIGHT AND CONFIDENTIALITY

  • Any content created by me as part of the editorial process will become the copyright of the Client, unless otherwise agreed.

  • The nature and content of the work will be kept confidential and not made known to anyone other than the Client and its contractors without prior written permission.

  • The information that the Client and I may keep on record is covered by the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation. No more such information will be held than is necessary, at any time, to comply with those terms and with any compliance statement or privacy policy published by the Client and/or me. Both the Client and I agree that, where consent is required to hold or process such data, such consent has been requested and obtained and both facts can be demonstrated. Either may view the other’s records to ensure that they are relevant, correct and up to date.

  • Either the Client or I have the right to terminate a contract for services if there is a serious breach of its terms.

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QUALITY ASSURANCE

  • I hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.

  • I trained with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and as such follow its Code of Practice (CoP). The CIEP CoP sets out standards of best practice both in the execution of editorial processes and in the operation of a professional business. To achieve best results, both client and supplier should make explicit their expectations and agree on how they are to be fulfilled. This document aims to codify the best practice of both parties and suggest ways in which that may be implemented. The full CoP can be found here: https://www.ciep.uk/standards/code-of-practice/.

  • I cannot guarantee that I will catch 100% of errors and typos in a text. I do guarantee that I always aim for the highest standard of editing. As an experienced and qualified professional copyeditor and proofreader, my work will result in a substantially higher-quality text.
     

LEGAL JURISDICTION

This agreement is subject to the laws of England and Wales, and both me and the Client agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.

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