Service Terms and Conditions

DEFINITIONS

In these Terms & Conditions, “we” means Balderton Dry Cleaners & Launderette and “you” means you – our very important customer.
“Incident” or “claim” means one load of washing or dry cleaning.

PAYMENT

All prices include VAT at the current VAT rate
All prices are subject to change from time to time
Payment needs to be made to us in full before we can release items back to you, unless agreed otherwise in advance
We reserve the right to suspend servicing you if old orders remain unpaid

DROPPING OFF ITEMS AT THE SHOP OR WITH AN AGENT

You will be given a ticket. Check the ticket as the recorded count and description is deemed as final.
In cases of compensation claims we will depreciate items dependant on the age of the item (Our depreciation policy is set out in the claims section).
If you believe the depreciated value of your garment/item exceeds 10 times our service charge, please declare the value.
We will require customer consent prior to the processing of any item that we consider a risk due to the declared garment/item value. This can be taken verbally from you the customer or the agent acting on your behalf and will be recorded.

COLLECTING ITEMS FROM THE SHOP OR FROM AN AGENT

Lost tickets will require photo ID or other means of proof of ownership
Check your order is complete in the shop/agency. We accept no liability for missing items once you leave.
Uncollected items may be disposed of after 90 days. We will not be held liable for any loss that you may suffer in such an event.

HOME DELIVERY AND COLLECTIONS

If you’d like to leave your items at a secure spot for collection, it will be at your own risk. This is also true for delivery. Items left for pick up are not under our care until we have retrieved said items. Delivered items left at the predetermined location will not be under our care once they have been left at the agreed upon location. We are not responsible for, and shall not pay for, any loss, damage or theft of items left unattended by the customer for pick-up or delivery.

GENERAL EXCLUSIONS

Sorry but we cannot be liable for:
(a) Any item which suffers colour loss / shrinkage/ damage, during the cleaning process, whereby the manufacturer’s care label instructions have been adhered to
(b) Any feather / down filled item
(c) Any accessory attached to or contained within any item. An “accessory” means (but is not limited to) belts, buckles, buttons, broaches, beading, painted logos, leather trims, furs, signs, zips, hoods, collars and inner linings.
(d) Any item which is damaged by any accessory on that item
(e) In the event that any garment / item is lost / damaged by us and is part of a set E.G. two piece suit / furnishings / curtains / upholstery / laundry, We will only compensate for that lost / damaged item that is documented on the customers ticket. We will not compensate for retrospective value of set loss / damage.
(f) Any item that does not show cleaning instructions
(g) Any item that has deliberate crinkles or creased effects on the fabric which are removed during our cleaning process
(h) Any item with faulty adhesives or interfacing which leave a mark after cleaning
(i) Any item which, due to wear and tear or due to its integral nature, is unable to withstand an industrial laundered or dry-cleaned process
(j) Curtains, blinds (venetian, roman) – For the avoidance of doubt we are not responsible for the following:

• Glued-on trims – many adhesives will not withstand the solvents used in cleaning, especially if affected by exposure to light or if more than one year old
• Tassels – these may have been weakened by the effects of light
• Tie-backs – many of these are not designed to be dry-cleaned. Some are stiffened with plastic liners and often glued during make-up for ease of manufacture
• Weights in the bottoms of curtains – these can be small, round, lead weights or chains that can do untold damage during cleaning as they are smashed against the cage sides during the tumbling action. Customer must remove if possible
• Swags and tails – these are often cut on the cross (bias) to aid the drape. They can be pulled out of shape during cleaning.
• Silver and gold painted designs – most pigments only adhere lightly to the surface of the fabric and can be lost during cleaning. Some may survive the first or second clean, but loss can be progressive over each clean, depending on the amount of mechanical action they are subjected to. Please be aware we are not responsible for this loss
• Flocked velvet may change in nature and become hardened
• Watermarks contained within the fabric – May not be possible to be removed during cleaning
• Old or Poor Stitching – May loosen during cleaning
• Weakened Fabric as a result of ultra violet light exposure – May only be noticeable after they are taken down. Weak fabric may be damaged during cleaning
• Shrinkage – In the cleaning process may be up to 10%. Stretching post-cleaning may restore some of this length, but they may relax over time.

(l) Household items (duvets, bedspreads, upholstery covers), leather and suede items

Please note that adhesives, defects and faults which were previously camouflaged in manufacture may become more apparent after the cleaning process, and although every care is taken, we cannot always disguise natural flaws or totally remove adhesives, or stretching techniques employed by the manufacturer. These items may “age” after cleaning. All items are therefore only accepted by us for cleaning at your own risk.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

If you are unhappy with our service, please raise this issue with the branch that handled your garment. Official complaints should be submitted in writing within 48 hours.

CLAIMS

Liability for any reason (including, but not limited to, lost or damaged items) is limited to the lesser of 10 times the cleaning cost or the depreciated value of the item as determined by our depreciation policy detailed below, up to a maximum of £200 per incident/claim.
We will not be liable for any item(s) not collected more than 3 months after dropping-off such item(s) with us.

• Any claim settled by us will be on condition that it is accepted by you as full and final settlement
• We will not be liable for any damage which is not related to or caused by the cleaning process
• We will not be liable for any claim which is excluded under the General Exclusions paragraph above or if you haven’t followed the process for making a claim under the Customer Service paragraph above
• Depreciation policy – Rugs 6 years, Curtains/Upholstery/Cushion covers 10 years, Clothes 3 years, Duvets/Blankets/Bedding/Heavy jackets 4 years, Workwear 2 years. , To determine the age of an item we require, proof of the date it was purchased and cost of said purchase.
• If there is doubt as to the cause of damage to any item then you may appoint (at your own cost and in agreement with us) an independent third party. The result of such analysis will be final and will form the basis for any compensation due. The costs of any such analysis shall be paid for by the party which the third party determines is liable.
  

OTHER
We reserve the right to amend these Terms & Conditions without notice. New Terms & Conditions will be made available in our shops and on our web site.

These Terms & Conditions do not affect your statutory rights.