Terms & Conditions

1. Definitions and About Us

In these Terms and Conditions: "Car Audit", "we", "us" and "our" refer to the business providing the inspection service; "you" and "the client" refer to the person who books and pays for an inspection; "the vehicle" means the vehicle identified at the time of booking; "the inspection" means the pre-purchase inspection service described on our website; and "the report" means the written Red Flag Report produced following the inspection.

Car Audit provides independent pre-purchase vehicle inspection services within Hertfordshire, Essex and surrounding areas. By booking an inspection, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions in full. If you do not agree to these Terms, you should not proceed with a booking.

Car Audit, The Smithy, Little Hadham, Hertfordshire, SG112DA.

2. The Service

We provide an independent visual and functional inspection of the vehicle described at the time of booking, carried out by a qualified inspector at the location where the vehicle is kept. The inspection covers the areas detailed on our website at the time of booking and, where conditions permit, includes a road test.

The inspection is a snapshot assessment of the vehicle's visible and accessible condition at the date and time it is carried out. It does not constitute a warranty, guarantee, insurance policy, or legal certification of the vehicle's condition, roadworthiness, value or fitness for any particular purpose, and it is not a substitute for an MOT test or a manufacturer's inspection.

We act solely for the client who books the inspection. We do not act for, advise, or owe any duty to the seller of the vehicle or to any other party.

3. Scope and Limitations of the Inspection

The inspection is a non-invasive visual and functional assessment. We do not:

• Dismantle, remove or disturb any part, panel, trim or component of the vehicle
• Inspect parts of the vehicle that are inaccessible, sealed, obstructed or not visible without dismantling
• Inspect the internal condition of the engine, gearbox, differential or other sealed units
• Use specialist diagnostic or measuring equipment beyond that described on our website or specifically stated in the booking
• Assess compliance with outstanding manufacturer recalls beyond publicly available records

Faults that are hidden, dormant, intermittent, or which manifest only under certain conditions (such as specific temperatures, speeds, loads or weather) may not be identified during the inspection. Adverse weather, poor lighting, restricted access to the vehicle, or the manner in which the vehicle is parked or stored may further limit what can be observed, and any such limitation will be noted in the report where practicable.

The report records the condition observed on the day of inspection only. Vehicles are mechanical items whose condition can change at any time, and we accept no responsibility for deterioration, damage or faults arising after the inspection has concluded.

4. Road Test

A road test is carried out only where it is lawful and safe to do so. We will not road test a vehicle that does not hold a valid MOT (where required), appears untaxed or uninsured for the purpose, is unroadworthy, or where the seller withholds consent. Where a road test cannot be carried out, the remainder of the inspection will proceed and the report will state that no road test took place. No refund or reduction is payable solely because a road test could not be conducted for reasons outside our control.

5. Booking and Payment

Bookings are made through our website and payment is required in full at the time of booking. Your booking is confirmed only once payment has been received and we have issued a confirmation to you. Prices are as displayed at the time of booking and are inclusive of VAT where applicable.

You must select the correct vehicle category at the time of booking. If, on attendance, the vehicle is found to fall within a higher-priced category than the one booked, we may require payment of the difference before the inspection proceeds, or reschedule the inspection once the correct fee has been paid.

6. Cancellation and Rescheduling by You

You may cancel or reschedule your inspection by contacting us. The following applies:

• Cancellations made more than 24 hours before the scheduled inspection time: full refund
• Cancellations made within 24 hours of the scheduled inspection time: 50% refund, reflecting costs already incurred
• No-shows, or cancellations after the inspector has departed for the vehicle: no refund

Rescheduling requested more than 24 hours before the inspection is free of charge, subject to availability.

Your statutory cancellation rights. Where you book as a consumer at a distance (for example, online), you may have a statutory right to cancel within 14 days of booking under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. By booking an inspection scheduled to take place within that 14-day period, you expressly request that we begin the service within the cancellation period and acknowledge that, once the inspection has been fully performed, the right to cancel is lost. If you cancel after the service has begun but before it is complete, you may be charged a proportionate amount for the work carried out. Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights.

7. Cancellation, Rescheduling and Refusal by Us

If we are unable to carry out the inspection due to circumstances outside our control, including seller cancellation, the vehicle being sold or unavailable, or inaccurate details supplied at booking, we will offer you a full refund or a rescheduled inspection at no additional charge, at your option.

If our inspector cannot attend for reasons within our control, such as illness or vehicle breakdown, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and offer a rescheduled inspection or a full refund.

We reserve the right to decline, suspend or terminate an inspection where the inspector reasonably considers that continuing would be unsafe, unlawful, or where the inspector is subjected to threatening or abusive behaviour. Where an inspection is terminated part-way through in such circumstances, we will provide a report of the areas completed and any refund will be at our reasonable discretion.

8. The Report

The report is normally delivered by email within 24 hours of the inspection concluding. Delivery times are given in good faith and are not of the essence of the contract.

The report is prepared for, and provided solely to, the client who booked the inspection. It reflects conditions observed at the time of inspection and is an expert opinion, not a guarantee of the vehicle's condition, value or roadworthiness. It must not be relied upon by any third party, including the seller, and we accept no liability to any person other than the client.

Copyright and all other intellectual property rights in the report remain with Car Audit. You may use the report for your own purposes in connection with the potential purchase of the vehicle, including sharing it with the seller in the course of negotiation, but it may not be reproduced, published or used for commercial purposes without our prior written consent.

Vehicle history information contained in or accompanying the report (including MOT, mileage, finance and write-off data) is drawn from third-party and public sources. While we select reputable sources, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of third-party data and accept no liability for errors or omissions within it.

9. Liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under the law of England and Wales. We will perform the service with reasonable care and skill, as required by the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Subject to the paragraph above, our total liability to you in respect of any claim arising from or in connection with the inspection or the report, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise, shall be limited to the fee paid for that inspection.

Subject to the first paragraph of this section, we accept no liability for:

• Consequential, indirect or economic losses arising from the purchase or non-purchase of a vehicle, including loss of bargain, repair costs, depreciation, loss of use or travel costs
• Faults that were concealed, hidden, inaccessible, dormant or not reasonably identifiable by a non-invasive inspection at the time it was carried out
• Deterioration, damage or faults arising after the inspection
• Decisions made by you, or by any other person, following receipt of the report
• Inaccuracies in third-party vehicle history information (including HPI-style, DVLA and MOT records)
• Loss or damage caused by inaccurate or incomplete information supplied by you or the seller at or after booking

10. Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• Providing accurate and complete vehicle and location details at the time of booking
• Obtaining the seller's agreement to the inspection taking place, including access to the vehicle, its keys and its documents
• Ensuring, so far as you are able, that the vehicle is present, accessible and available for inspection and road test at the agreed time and location
• Informing us promptly of any change to the arrangements

Where the inspection cannot proceed, or is materially restricted, because of a failure in any of the above, the cancellation terms in section 6 apply and any resulting limitation on the inspection will be noted in the report.

11. The Seller and Third Parties

Our contract is with you alone. The seller is not a party to it. We are not agents, brokers or representatives of any seller, dealer, auction house or finance provider, and we receive no commission or benefit from any party in connection with the sale or non-sale of a vehicle. Any negotiation over the vehicle's price or condition is a matter between you and the seller.

12. Data Protection

We process personal data in accordance with UK data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Details of what we collect and how we use it are set out in our Privacy Policy, which forms part of the information applicable to your booking.

13. Complaints

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service, please contact us via our Contact page as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event within 14 days of receiving your report, setting out the nature of your complaint. We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to resolve it within 14 days of acknowledgement. Making a complaint does not affect your statutory rights.

14. Events Outside Our Control

We are not liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations caused by events outside our reasonable control, including severe weather, road closures, accidents, illness, industrial action, or acts or omissions of the seller. Where such an event occurs, we will offer to reschedule the inspection or provide a full refund.

15. General

If any provision of these Terms is found by a court to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. No failure or delay by us in exercising any right under these Terms shall operate as a waiver of that right. You may not transfer your booking or your rights under these Terms to another person without our prior consent. These Terms, together with your booking confirmation and the information on our website at the time of booking, constitute the entire agreement between us in relation to the inspection.

16. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, save that nothing in this section prevents a consumer from bringing proceedings in the courts of their place of residence within the United Kingdom where the law requires.

17. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The version in force at the time of your booking is the version that applies to that booking. The date of the current version is shown at the top of this page.

18. Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us via our Contact page.