Please read these terms carefully before using our services.
Last updated: November 2026
These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern the provision of IT consultancy and support services by Kestrel & Vale ("I", "me", "my") to you ("the Client", "you", "your"). By engaging my services, you agree to be bound by these Terms.
I provide IT consultancy, support, repair, and related services to businesses and home users. Services are provided on an ad-hoc, session-based, or retainer basis as agreed between us. All work is carried out personally by me, Lewis Cawthraw, trading as Kestrel & Vale.
Services include but are not limited to: general IT support, hardware and software repairs, upgrades and licensing, system maintenance, cloud storage migration, Microsoft 365 administration, and SharePoint setup and maintenance.
All quotations and estimates are provided in good faith based on the information available at the time. Quotations are valid for 30 days unless otherwise stated. I reserve the right to revise a quotation if the scope of work changes or if additional issues are discovered during the course of work.
Where a fixed price cannot be given, I will provide an hourly rate and an estimated time. You will be informed if the work is likely to exceed the estimate before additional charges are incurred.
I operate a "no fix, no fee" policy. If I am unable to resolve the issue, you will not be charged for the time spent attempting the fix. This applies to remote and on-site work. However, if I identify the root cause and provide a solution that you choose not to implement, a diagnostic fee may apply.
Current rates are published on the pricing page of this website. Rates are subject to change with 30 days' notice. All prices are in GBP and exclusive of VAT (I am not currently VAT registered).
Remote support: Time is billed in 30-minute increments with a minimum charge of £25. No callout fee.
On-site visits: 1-hour minimum (£50), plus a £20 callout fee within Carlisle. Travel outside Carlisle charged at £0.45 per mile.
Invoices are issued upon completion of work (or monthly for retainer clients). Payment terms are as follows:
Payment can be made by bank transfer. Bank details will be provided on the invoice. I do not accept cash or card payments at this time.
If payment is not received by the due date, the following process will apply:
I reserve the right to charge statutory late payment interest and compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. I also reserve the right to suspend or terminate services for non-payment.
I stand behind my work. If a repair or fix I have carried out fails within 3 days of completion, I will return and rectify the issue at no additional cost, provided the failure is not caused by the client, third-party interference, or circumstances beyond my control.
If the failure is determined to be caused by the client or a third party, the work will be billable at the standard rate. I will make a fair and unbiased assessment in all cases.
This warranty does not cover pre-existing conditions, hardware failure unrelated to the repair, or issues caused by software updates or changes made after the repair.
I aim to respond to all enquiries within 4 hours during business hours. Urgent issues are prioritised and I will do my best to respond the same day, even outside usual hours. For critical business downtime, please call me directly.
Response times are targets, not guarantees. I will always communicate expected timescales and keep you informed of progress.
You agree to:
I am committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Your details are only used to handle your enquiry and provide services — never shared or sold. A separate Privacy Policy is available on request.
When working on your systems, I may need to access personal or business data. I will only access what is necessary to perform the work and will not retain or share any data beyond what is required.
I carry out all work with reasonable care and skill. However, my total liability for any claim arising from the provision of services is limited to the value of the services provided for that specific engagement.
I am not liable for:
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
You may cancel a booking with at least 24 hours' notice. Cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice may be subject to a charge of up to 50% of the booked session fee. No-shows will be charged in full.
If you are not satisfied with the work carried out, please contact me within 7 days and I will endeavour to resolve the issue. Refunds are considered on a case-by-case basis.
All work, documentation, and materials created by me during the provision of services remain my intellectual property until full payment is received. Upon payment, you are granted a non-exclusive licence to use the work for your own business purposes.
I will treat all information obtained during the provision of services as confidential. I will not disclose any client information to third parties without your consent, except where required by law.
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these Terms or the provision of services will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
I reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Changes will be published on this page and will take effect immediately. Continued use of my services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact me at:
Kestrel & Vale
Carlisle, Cumbria
Tel: 07950 647645
These Terms and Conditions are provided as a starting point and should be reviewed by a legal professional before use. Kestrel & Vale (Lewis Cawthraw) is a sole trader operating in England.