Terms of business

Note: In this document, "we", "our", or "us" refer to the joint venture between ClaraComms Limited and Felicity Haythorn Limited, t/a Salt & Sage Strategic Storytelling.

It’s important to us that our work together meets — and even exceeds — your expectations. The Terms and Conditions outlined below are intended to ensure we’re on the same page from the very start. When you hire us as your writers/copy editors/strategists, you confirm that you have read and agreed to them. All terms and conditions apply unless otherwise agreed.

Last updated February 2024

1. Before work begins

Before starting work on your project, we’ll email you a scope of work document including a breakdown of the items we’ll deliver, a suggested timeframe and a quote for the associated costs. Once you’re happy with the scope of work, we’ll ask you to sign our Writing Services agreement to confirm you’ve read our terms of business, are happy to commission us and pay the quoted fee. Quotations are provided on the basis that the scope of the work doesn’t change. In the event that it does, we’ll discuss any additional fees with you before continuing. 

2. Deadlines

We believe in hitting deadlines, but we can only do this with your help. So we can’t be responsible for a missed deadline if you have been late with a down payment, slow to supply materials or not provided feedback to agreed timescales.

We also can’t be responsible for deadlines missed due to circumstances completely beyond our control, like family emergencies, floods, war, acts of God and so on. 

3. Fees

In most cases, we charge a fixed fee for each project which will be detailed in the quotation mentioned above. This includes every aspect of our service (including meetings, phone and email conversations, all research and up to two sets of revisions as well as delivery of the final draft). If the brief or requirements change at your end after work has begun, we may charge an additional fee – but will always discuss this with you first. 

Sometimes we charge for work based on a day or hourly rate. If you prefer to work this way, we can discuss a schedule for the completion of the work and for payment.

We won’t charge you for minor, out-of-pocket expenses (such as phone/internet usage or travel expenses) required to complete your project. If a more significant expense becomes necessary, we will ask for your approval to request reimbursement in advance. 

4. Payment terms

We require full payment upfront for projects up to the value of £400.

We require a deposit of 25% of the total fee upfront for projects with a value of £401 and above. This is payable within seven days of receipt of the invoice. The remaining fee is then due for payment on receipt of the final copy or service (we will provide an invoice for this). 

We typically charge for services as retained writers/copy editors/ strategists at the end of each month.

Payment is due within 14 days unless agreed otherwise. Late payment will incur a statutory 8% charge.

If we have not received any feedback or comments within two weeks of submitting work to you (at any stage - the initial draft or subsequent edits), we will assume you are happy the work has been completed and invoice for the remaining balance.

5. Revisions

If you need tweaks or changes to the copy we provide, we will be happy to do these promptly. Up to two sets of revisions are included in the originally quoted fee, as long as these are requested within 28 days and are not beyond the scope of the original brief or based on a fundamental change in the project that is beyond our control.

Should you require a complete rewrite because of a fundamental change in the brief, this will be charged accordingly (but discussed in advance).

This bit’s important. Make sure you are completely happy with what’s outlined in the scope of work document we send you before you sign our Writing Services agreement. The scope of work may not be changed once this agreement is in place and any edits or rework must take place within the scope of what’s described there.

The reason for this is that changing the scope of work can create lots of extra work for us, particularly if we have already spent time on the project. This is not budgeted for in the cost we give you.

6. Non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements

We’re happy to sign confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements you or your organisation deem necessary. However, we ask that you agree to indemnify us against any action whatsoever by you or a third party, associated with the accidental disclosure or loss of this information.

7. Contracts

If you are hiring us to work for you on behalf of any organisation, company or group of individuals other than yourself alone, you confirm that you are authorised to hire us on their behalf.

If you hire us on behalf of a marketing agency to work for the agency on a project for one of your clients, a contract will exist only between us and your agency, and not between us and your agency’s client.

8. Copyright

The copyright for any creative concepts and the copy we develop shall be fully transferred to you upon full payment of the applicable invoice.

9. My portfolio

We love to show off our work. We reserve the right to use selected extracts of our work for self-promotion or advertising purposes unless specifically forbidden to do so by you.

If the final product included materials written by someone else, we will make every effort to ensure that we do not inadvertently breach their copyright. However, by working with us you confirm that you are authorised to send us the material for our use either as reference material or to form part of a new piece of work, and you indemnify us against any action arising, directly or indirectly, as a result of the use of this content.

10. Cancellation

You are free to cancel any work up until the point of paying a deposit or prepayment without incurring any cost. Once a deposit has been paid, it cannot usually be refunded. We consider your prepayment or payment of a deposit as a clear instruction for us to proceed with the project without delay.

You may be required to make an additional payment to cover the work we’ve done. This ‘kill fee’ (not as dangerous as it sounds) will be based on the percentage of the project completed.

11. Subcontracting 

Occasionally, we subcontract some or all parts of a project to other trusted, experienced, senior copywriters in our network. All work is thoroughly proofed and, if needed, edited against the brief by us before it’s delivered. In these cases, we build in extra time on our end to ensure there is absolutely no compromise on quality or standard of work compared to if the work was not subcontracted. In these cases, our approach essentially gives you two copywriters for the price of one. If you have a specific objection to your project being subcontracted, or any questions, please let me know in advance. 

12. Errors, Omissions and Indemnity

We will make every effort to ensure that the copy is free of errors and omissions – including errors in spelling and content – but cannot guarantee this. We advise all clients to review the copy thoroughly. All responsibility for the content ultimately rests with the client.

You shall hold us harmless against any liability anywhere in the world, including liability arising from copyright infringement and libel, that results in any way from your use of our copywriting services and counsel on this project. You agree to indemnify us against any claim for compensation or damages brought about as a direct or indirect consequence of the work we do for you and/or your organisation.

It is the sole responsibility of the client to ensure that all statements, claims, promises, information on said product or service, and guarantees are upheld in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. No claim for compensation due to loss of earnings or any other detrimental effect to your business can be made against us.

13. Instruction to cease work

It’s important to us that you are happy with the work we do for you. Although it is highly unlikely, sometimes things don’t go exactly to plan. If you’re unhappy with any aspect of our work, please discuss it with us and we will do our best to resolve any issues.

If we have been given a proper opportunity to address your concerns – based on a reasonable and collaborative working relationship, and a minimum of two further drafts – and you still consider that the work we have submitted does not meet your brief, the contract between us can be cancelled by emailing us a written ‘instruction to cease work’. This is entirely without prejudice, and no liability or admission of failure or inability to complete the contract on our part is implied.

Any work that has been created up until that point will be paid for by the client, whether approved or not. After work costs for the time spent have been deducted, any remaining balance will be reimbursed back to the client. The client owns the work that has been created and submitted, providing it has been paid for.

Any questions? Get in touch at hello@saltandsagestorytelling.com