Terms and Conditions

Welcome to Sovereign Turf.

These Terms and Conditions govern your use of our website, accessible at www.sovereignturf.co.uk. By accessing and using our website, you agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please refrain from using our website.

These terms may have changed since you last reviewed them

You can find everything you need to know about our group companies, Sovereign Turf Limited and Sovereign Turf (Wholesale) Limited, and our products on our website, in our catalogue or from our sales staff before you order.  We also confirm the key information to you in writing before you order, either by e-mail, in your online account or on paper. In these terms references to “we” and “us” are to the Sovereign group company identified on the acceptance of order.

For example, business customers can’t cancel their orders, they have different rights where there is a problem with a product and we don’t compensate them in the same way for losses caused by us or our products. Where a term applies just to businesses or just to consumers, this is clearly stated. You are a business customer if you are buying products wholly or mainly for use in connection with your trade, business, craft or profession, even if you are an individual.

• We only accept orders when we’ve checked them.
• Sometimes we reject orders.
• Unless you have a trade account with us, we charge you when we accept your order and before we supply your t
• We charge interest on late payments.
• We pass on increases in VAT.
• We’re not responsible for delays outside our control.
• Products can vary slightly from their pictures.
• You’re responsible for making sure your measurements are accurate.
• We charge you if you don’t give us information we need or do preparatory work as agreed with us.
• If you are a consumer and you bought online, by mail order, or over the telephone, you may have a legal right to change your mind although this is not the case for turf products for the reasons set out later.
• You can end an on-going contract.
• You have rights if there is something wrong with your product.
• We can change products and these terms.
• We can suspend supply (and you have rights if we do).
• We can withdraw products.
• We can end our contract with you.
• We don’t compensate you for all losses caused by us or our products.
• We use your personal data as set out in our Privacy Notice.
• You have several options for resolving disputes with us.
• Other important terms apply to our contract.

If you are a business customer these terms constitute the entire agreement between us in relation to your purchase. You acknowledge that you have not relied on any statement, promise, representation, assurance or warranty made or given by us or on our behalf which is not set out in these terms and that you have no claim for innocent or negligent misrepresentation based on any statement in this agreement.

We contact you to confirm we’ve received your order and then we contact you again to confirm we’ve accepted it.

Sometimes we reject orders, for example, because a product is unexpectedly out of stock, because a credit reference we have obtained is unsatisfactory, because we can’t verify your age (where the product is age-restricted), because you are located outside the our delivery areas, as stated on our website and in our marketing or because the product was mispriced by us. When this happens, we let you know as soon as possible and refund any sums you have paid.

However, for some products we take payment at regular intervals, as explained to you during the order process. If your product is goods (rather than services), you will own it once we have received payment in full, and the goods will be held at your risk following delivery.

If you are a business customer, and we (at our sole discretion) have provided you with a Trade Account then:-

• subject to any special terms agreed in writing between us, we shall be entitled to invoice you for the price of the products on or at any time after delivery of the products, unless the products are to be collected by you, or you fail to take delivery of the products, in which case we shall be entitled to invoice you for the price at any time after we have notified you that the products are ready for collection or (as the case may be) we have tendered delivery of the products; and
• you shall pay the price of the products without any deduction within 30 days of the date of our invoice.

If you are a business customer you must pay all amounts due to us under these terms in full without any set-off, counterclaim, deduction or withholding (other than any deduction or withholding of tax as required by law).

If we’re unable to collect any payment you owe us we charge interest on the overdue amount at the rate of 4% a year above the Bank of England base rate from time to time. This interest accrues on a daily basis from the due date until the date of actual payment of the overdue amount, whether before or after judgment. You pay us the interest together with any overdue amount.

If the rate of VAT changes between your order date and the date we supply the product, we adjust the rate of VAT that you pay, unless you have already paid in full before the change in the rate of VAT takes effect.

If our supply of your product is delayed by an event outside our control, such as pandemic or epidemic, natural disaster, armed conflicts, imposition of sanctions or chemical or biological contamination, we contact you as soon as possible to let you know and do what we can to reduce the delay. As long as we do this, we won’t compensate you for the delay, but if the delay is likely to be substantial you can contact our Sales Team using the contact information in our acceptance of order.

A product’s true colour may not exactly match that shown in our marketing or website. Because our turf is individually cut, all sizes, weights, capacities, dimensions and measurements indicated on our website can be out by up to 5%.

If we are cutting or supplying the product to measurements you provide, you are responsible for making sure those measurements are correct.

We charge you additional sums if you don’t give us information we’ve asked for about how we can access your property for delivery or to provide services or if you don’t do preparatory work for installation, as agreed with us. For example, we might need to re-deliver on another vehicle or with extra manpower or reschedule services.

If you cancel an Order prior to delivery, we may charge you for all costs reasonably incurred by us in fulfilling your order prior to the date of deemed receipt of the cancellation (including, without limitation, the loss of cut turf which cannot be resold and the cost of transportation booked for the order which cannot be cancelled without charge), except that you shall have no liability to us where the cancellation results from our failure to comply with our obligations under this agreement.

If you are acting as a business and you cancel orders within 24 hours prior to delivery, or we cannot deliver on the due date as a result of the acts or omissions of you or the failure to make the premiums available or accountable for delivery, then we can charge a sum of £100 per delivery as administration costs, in addition to any other fee or charge which may arise under the previous two paragraphs or any other provision of these conditions, which is a reasonable estimate of our costs arising from the delay/failure/cancellation.

For some of our products [bought [online,] [by mail order,] [over the telephone] [or] [on your doorstep], you have a legal right to change your mind about your purchase and receive a refund of what you paid for it, including the delivery costs. This is subject to some conditions, as set out below.  Note that this does not apply to turf because it must be laid quickly after purchase and is therefore perishable in nature and will be mixed with other products when laid.

You can’t change your mind about an order for:

• goods which are liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly (this includes turf products);
• services, once these have been completed;
• products sealed for health protection or hygiene purposes, once these have been unsealed after you receive them;
• goods that are made to your specifications or are clearly personalised; and
• goods which become mixed inseparably with other items after their delivery.

If you change your mind about a product which is not subject to an exception you must let us know no later than 14 days after:

• the day we deliver your product, if it is goods, for example seeds and aggregates. If the goods are for regular delivery (for example, a subscription), you can only change your mind after the first delivery. If the goods are split into several deliveries over different days, the period runs from the day after the last delivery; and
• the day we confirm we have accepted your order, if it is for a service, for example laying turf.

To let us know you want to change your mind, contact our Sales Team using the contact information in our acceptance of order or fill in the online form at https://www.sovereignturf.co.uk/contact-us.

If your product is goods, for example, manufactured stone or seeds, you have to return it to us within 14 days of your telling us you have changed your mind. Returns are at your own cost. You can:

• bring the product to the depot from which you purchased the product or by contacting our Sales Team using the contact information in our acceptance of order. You will need proof of purchase and the card you paid with.
• send the product back to us. You should keep a receipt or other evidence from the delivery service that proves you have sent the product and when you sent it. If you don’t do this and we don’t receive the goods at all or within a reasonable time we won’t refund you the price. For help with returns, including our collection arrangements for goods which can’t be posted, or contact our Sales Team using the contact information in our acceptance form.

For example, we don’t refund any extra you have paid for express delivery or delivery at a particular time.

If you bought a service (such as services for laying turf) we don’t refund you for the time you were receiving it before you told us you had changed your mind.

If you handle the product in a way which would not be acceptable in-store, we reduce your refund, to compensate us for its reduced value. For example, we reduce your refund if the product’s condition is not “as new”, price tags have been removed, the packaging is damaged or accessories are missing. In some cases, because of the way you have treated the product, no refund may be due. Our Sales Team can advise you on whether we are likely to reduce your refund. Please use the contact information for our Sales Team contained in our acceptance of order.

If your product is a service or goods that have not been delivered or that we are collecting from you, we refund you as soon as possible and within 14 days of you telling us you have changed your mind. If your product is goods that you are sending back to us, we refund you within 14 days of receiving them back from you (or receiving evidence you’ve sent them to us). We refund you by the method you used for payment. We don’t charge a fee for the refund.

We tell you when and how you can end an ongoing contract with us (for example, for regular services) during the order process and we confirm this information to you in writing after we have accepted your order. If you have any questions, please contact our Sales Team] using the contact information contained in our acceptance of order.

If you think there is something wrong with your product, you must contact our Sales Team using the contact information contained in our acceptance of order.

• All turf and other perishable products must be laid on the day of delivery, if delivered within 24 hours of delivery.
• All turf must be laid in accordance with our turfing guidelines https://www.sovereignturf.co.uk/our-turf/installation-and-maintenance/
• If you fail to pay for products within the time limits set out in these terms then we may engage a third party provider, Allianz Trade, to collect outstanding debts, and any costs in doing so may be claimed against you in addition to the principal sums and interest. Please note this does not apply for transactions with Sovereign Turf (Wholesale) Limited.

We honour our legal duty to provide you with products that are as described to you on our website and that meet all the requirements imposed by law. Your legal rights are summarised below. These are subject to certain exceptions including in respect of perishable items such as turf products. For detailed information please visit the Citizens Advice website www.citizensadvice.org.uk. Remember too that You have several options for resolving disputes with us.

We warrant that on delivery any products which are goods shall:

• conform in all material respects with their description;
• be free from material defects in design, material and workmanship;
• be of satisfactory quality (within the meaning of the Sale of Goods Act 1979);
• in the case of turf, be in a condition suitable for laying within 24 hours of delivery, subject to any unlaid turf being stored in the shade in hot weather; and
• be fit for any purpose held out by us.

Your remedies if you are a business. Unless an exception applies (see Exceptions to business customers’ warranty) if:

• you give us notice in writing during the warranty period within a reasonable time of discovery and, in the case of turf, within 24 days of delivery, that a product does not comply with the business customer warranty (see Your rights if you are a business);
• we are given a reasonable opportunity of examining such product; and
• you return such product to us at our cost,

we shall, at our option, repair or replace the defective product, or refund the price of the defective product in full and this will be your only remedy for breach of the warranty. These terms shall apply to any repaired or replacement products supplied by us.

Exceptions to business customers’ warranty. We will not be liable for a product’s failure to comply with the business customer warranty (see Your rights if you are a business) if:

• you make any further use of such product after telling us it is non-compliant;
• the defect arises because you failed to follow our oral or written instructions as to the laying, storage, installation, use or maintenance of the product or (if there are none) good trade practice;
• the defect arises because we followed any drawing, design or specification supplied by you;
• you alter or repair the product without our written consent; or
• the defect arises because of fair wear and tear, wilful damage, negligence, or abnormal working conditions.

Changes we can always make. We can always change a product:

• to reflect changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; and
• to make minor technical adjustments and improvements. These are changes that don’t affect your use of the product.

We can suspend the supply of a product. We do this to:

• deal with technical or quality problems or make minor technical changes;
• update the product to reflect changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; or
• make changes to the product (see We can change products and these terms).

We let you know, may adjust the price and may allow you to terminate. We contact you in advance to tell you we are suspending supply, unless the problem is urgent or an emergency. If we suspend the product we adjust the price so you don’t pay for it while its suspended. If we suspend supply, or tell you we are going to suspend supply, for more than 30 days you can contact our Sales Team using the contact information contained in our acceptance of order to end the contract and we will refund any sums you’ve paid in advance for products you won’t receive.

We can stop providing a product, such as a type or specification of turf. We let you know in advance and we refund any sums you have paid in advance for products which will not be provided.

We can end our contract with you for a product and claim any compensation due to us if:

• you don’t make any payment to us when it is due and you still don’t make payment within 20 days of our reminding you that payment is due;
• you don’t, within a reasonable time of us asking for it, provide us with information, cooperation or access that we need to provide the product; or
• you don’t, within a reasonable time, either allow us to deliver the product to you or collect it from us. If you are a consumer and have said you will collect a product but you don’t do this within 14 days then (unless the product is made to your specifications, is clearly personalised or is perishable) we treat your order as cancelled and refund the purchase price in the way set out earlier in these conditions.

Our liability to consumers. We are not responsible for losses you suffer caused by us breaking this contract if the loss is:

• Unexpected. It was not obvious that it would happen and nothing you said to us before we accepted your order meant we should have expected it (so, in the law, the loss was unforeseeable).
• Caused by a delaying event outside our control. As long as we have taken the steps set out in the section we are not responsible for delays outside our control.
• Something you could have avoided by taking reasonable action. For example, damage to which you could have avoided by following our advice or by correctly following the installation instructions.

Our liability for any loss you suffer in connection with your trade, business, craft or profession is limited, as described in Our liability to businesses.

Our liability to businesses. If you are a business, then, except in respect of the losses described in Losses we never limit or exclude:

• we shall not be liable to you, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, for any loss of profit, or any indirect or consequential loss arising under or in connection with any contract between us; and
• our total liability to you for all other losses arising under or in connection with any contract between us, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, shall be limited to the total sums paid by you for products under such contract.

Losses we never limit or exclude. Nothing in these terms shall limit or exclude our liability for:

• death or personal injury caused by negligence to the extent preserved by section 2(1) of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977;
• fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
• breach of the terms implied by section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 or section 2 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982;
• defective products under the Consumer Protection Act 1987; or
• any liability that cannot legally be limited.

No implied terms about goods. Except to the extent expressly stated in Your rights if you are a business, we exclude all terms implied by sections 13 to 15 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and sections 3 to 5 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982.

How we use any personal data you give us is set out in our Privacy Notice 

You have several options for resolving disputes with us

Our complaints policy. Our Sales Team, who can be contacted using the information contained in our acceptance of order will do their best to resolve any problems you have with us or our products.

You can go to court. These terms are governed by English law. If you are a consumer then, wherever you live, you can bring claims against us in the English courts and if you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can also bring claims against us in the courts of the country you live in. If you are a consumer we can claim against you in the courts of the country you live in. If you are a business you irrevocably agree to submit all disputes arising out of or in connection with our contract with you to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

Other important terms apply to our contract

We can transfer our contract with you, so that a different organisation is responsible for supplying your product. We will tell you in writing if this happens and if you are a consumer we will ensure that the transfer won’t affect your rights under the contract.

You can only transfer your contract with us to someone else if we agree to this. You need our agreement to transfer your contract with us and it is entirely up to us whether we give it.

Nobody else has any rights under this contract. This contract is between you and us. Nobody else can enforce it and neither of us will need to ask anybody else to sign-off on ending or changing it.

If a court invalidates some of this contract, the rest of it will still apply. If a court or other authority decides that some of these terms are unlawful, the rest will continue to apply.

Even if we delay in enforcing this contract, we can still enforce it later. We might not immediately chase you for not doing something (like paying) or for doing something you are not allowed to, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do it later.

For example, we don’t refund any extra you have paid for express delivery or delivery at a particular time.