Terms & Conditions
1. Interpretation
1.1 For the purpose of these conditions, unless the context requires otherwise:
‘The Company’ means Thames Audio Ltd; (Company No: 2996778) and any
subsidiary;
‘The Contract’ means any hire agreement between the Company and the Hirer
which may be defined as a contract under the terms of English law;
‘Commencement Date’ means the date on which the equipment is delivered to or
made available for collection by the Hirer;
‘Default Rate’ means 4 per cent above the Bank of England base rate;
‘Equipment’ means any equipment hired by the Company to the Hirer including
any replacement or substitute equipment and all accessories and additions and
renewals;
‘Hire Period’ means the period of hire specified in the schedule and beginning on
the Commencement Date;
‘The Hirer’ means any company, partnership or individual who shall enter into
any hire agreement with the Company;
‘Insolvency Act’ means the Insolvency Act 1986 or any modification, amendment,
consolidation, re-enactment or replacement of it;
‘Rentals’ means the rentals to be paid by the Hirer to the Owner details of which
are set out in the schedule;
‘Requested Delivery Date’ means the date specified in the schedule as being the
date requested by the Hirer upon which the Equipment is to be available for
delivery or collection;
‘Services’ means any services hired by the Company to the Hirer, including any
replacement or substitute services and all incidental services and additions and
renewals;
‘VAT’ means value added tax.
2. Hire of the Equipment and/or Services
2.1 The Company agrees to hire and the Hirer agrees to take on hire the Equipment
and/or Services for the Hire Period on the terms and conditions of hire set out in
these conditions.
2.2 The hire of the Equipment and/or Services commences on the Commencement
Date and continues for the Hire Period subject to termination as provided by
these conditions.
2.3 The Company shall prepare a Delivery and Acceptance Form and, at the time of
delivery or collection of the Equipment or provision of the Services, the Hirer or a
person authorised on its behalf, shall sign the Delivery and Acceptance Form,
which signature shall constitute the Hirer’s acceptance of the Equipment and/or
Services.
2.4 The Company shall use all reasonable endeavours to have the Equipment and/or
Services available for delivery or collection on the Requested Delivery Date but
the Company shall not incur any liability whatever in the event of any delay
however caused.
3. Rentals
3.1 The Hirer shall pay to the Company the Rentals (subject to any adjustment as
provided in clause 5) without previous demand by the Company the first such
payment to be made on the Commencement Date and subsequent payments to
be made at the consecutive intervals specified in the Schedule.
3.2 Time shall be of the essence in respect of the payment of all Rentals and all
other sums due from the Hirer to the company under these conditions and the
Hirer shall be deemed to have repudiated these conditions if any of the Rentals
or other payments remain unpaid for 14 days or more after becoming due.
3.3 All Rentals and other sums due from the Hirer to the Company shall be
increased to include VAT at the rate or rates for the time being in force.
3.4 All payments (if not made by direct debit or banker’s order) shall be made to the
address of the Company stated above or at such other address as the Company
may from time to time communicate to the Hirer.
3.5 Any payment sent by post shall be so sent at the risk of the Hirer.
4. Interest
4.1 Interest shall be payable by the Hirer on:
4.1.1 Overdue Rentals; and4.1.2 all other sums payable or which become
payable under the Contract which are unpaid in each case from the due
date to the date of payment at the Default Rate.
4.2 Any interest payable under clause 4.1 above shall run from day to day and shall
accrue after as well as before any judgement.
5. Revision of Rentals
5.1 The Hirer expressly acknowledges and accepts that the Company is entitled to
revise the Rentals by such amount as the Company deems appropriate at any
time after the date of the Contract but before the Commencement Date to reflect
an increase in the list price of the Equipment announced or imposed by the
manufacturer or an increase in the price of the provision of the Service. Such
increase shall be in accordance with the Retail Price Index.
5.2 Any such revision will be notified by the Company to the Hirer as soon as is
practicable and in any event on or before the Commencement Date.
6. Use of the Equipment and/or Services
6.1 The Hirer may use the Equipment and/or Services for the purposes of its
business.
6.2 The Equipment and/or Services are not to be used, and the Hirer will not permit
them to be used, for any purpose for which they are not expressly designed.
6.3 The Equipment and/or Services are not permitted by the Hirer to be used for any
purpose beyond their capacity or in a manner likely to result in undue
deterioration of them.
6.4 The Hirer agrees that it will not:
6.4.1 Without the prior consent of the Company effect any alteration or other
modification to the Equipment. In particular, cables must not be cut, and
plugs and sockets must not be rewired by the Hirer. Any Equipment found
to have been modified or in any way altered and any cables or
components found to have been damaged by cutting or attempts at
modification will be charged at replacement price on return;
6.4.2 Remove or interfere with any identification marks or plates affixed to the
Equipment, nor attempt or purport to do so, nor permit the same.
7. Duties of the Company
The Company shall during the continuance of the contract:
7.1 ensure that any Equipment is supplied to the Hirer in normal working order
and maintain liability for the rectification of any defect or failure arising from
normal usage;
7.2 pay or reimburse to the Hirer the cost of regular service and maintenance in
accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations having regard to usage
and age together with the cost of any necessary repairs or replacements, except
where such repair or replacement is necessitated by any accident or by any
negligent use or abuse of the Equipment. If such service or maintenance is not
carried out by the Company or its agents, the Company requires proof that the
work has been carried out by way of original receipted invoices before it will pay
or reimburse the Hirer for such service or maintenance;
7.3 in the event that the Equipment and/or Services become temporarily
unusable or unavailable (other than as a result of accident, damage, theft or
vandalism), make available replacement Equipment and/or Services (not
necessarily of the same type and age) for collection by the Hirer within 48
hours (or as soon after that as is practicable) after the receipt of notification
from the Hirer requesting replacement Equipment.
8. Duties of the Hirer
The Hirer shall during the continuance of the contract:
8.1 ensure that the Company’s Equipment is not used for any purpose
beyond its capacity or in any manner likely to result in the deterioration of the
Equipment;
8.2 accept responsibility for ensuring that any relevant regulations, rules or
statutory provisions governing, or related to, the use of the hire Equipment
and/or Services are complied with during the period of hire and obtain and pay
any sums due to acquire any licence or authority legally required to use the
Equipment;
8.3 accept responsibility for advising the Company of the location of the hire
Equipment during the period of hire, and of any changes in the location;
8.4 not take or allow the Equipment to be taken out of the United Kingdom
mainland without receiving the prior written authority of the Company and,
in the event of that authority being given, only on such terms as the
Company deems fit, with it being expressly agreed that if such consent is given,
the Company shall not be responsible for the cost of maintenance nor
replacement of the Equipment in the event of mechanical failure for the period
that the Equipment is outside the United Kingdom mainland;
8.5 collect from and return to the Company, or from and to such place as the
Company shall advise, any replacement Equipment to be made available to the
Hirer in accordance with clause 8.4;
8.6 bear the cost of the repair or rectification of any damage to the Equipment
resulting from negligence or improper use of the Equipment by the Hirer;
8.7 not offer for hire to any third party or parties any Equipment which is the
property of the Company without the express written consent of the
Company;
8.8 not sell, assign, mortgage, let, hire or otherwise dispose or part with
possession of the Equipment or part of the Equipment or charge the benefit of
these conditions nor attempt or purport to do so;
8.9 take all necessary steps (at its own expense) to retain and recover possession
and control of the Equipment if the Hirer loses possession or control;
8.10 notify the Company within 24 hours of any damage to, or failure of, or defect in
any hired Equipment and confirm this in writing within 3 days of initial notification;
8.11 permit the Company or its authorised representative’s at all reasonable times to
enter upon the premises where the Equipment may from time to time be in use or
stored to inspect and test the condition of the Equipment;
8.12 take responsibility for insuring equipment against ‘all risk’ to full replacement
value;
8.13 reimburse the Company for any loss or damage to the Equipment to the
full replacement value thereof.
9. Insurance
9.1 The Hirer shall throughout the Hire Period (without prejudice to any liability of the
Hirer to the Company) take responsibility for insuring the Equipment (including
any replacement Equipment provided under clause 8.4) at its own expense.
Underwriters against all loss or damage from all risks in an amount equal to the
full new replacement value of the Equipment.
9.2 If the Hirer takes out a policy of insurance in respect of the Equipment to cover
the Hire Period it shall notify its insurers that the Equipment is on hire from the
Owner and request the insurers to endorse a note of the Company’s interest on
the policy of insurance naming the Company
9.3 Where any event or accident occurs which is a risk covered by the Hirer’s
insurance, the Hirer shall:
9.3.1 immediately notify the Company of such event or accident;
9.3.2 not compromise any claim without the consent of the Company;
9.3.3 indemnify the Company against all loss or damage to the Equipment not
recoverable under the policy of insurance;
9.3.4 allow the Company to take over the conduct of negotiations (except in
relation to claims of the Hirer for personal injuries, loss of use of the
Vehicle, or loss of or damage to the property of the Hirer unconnected
with the vehicle); and
9.3.5 at the expense of the Hirer, take such proceedings (in the sole name of
the Hirer or jointly with the Company) as the Company shall direct,
holding all sums recovered, together with any monies received by the
Hirer under its policy of insurance, on trust for the Company and paying
or applying the same as the Company directs and as provided in these
conditions.
9.4 If the Equipment is declared a total loss, the hire of it shall terminate, and the
Company at its option shall apply any proceeds of insurance received by it:
9.4.1 towards a replacement of equivalent value, which replacement shall be
deemed to be included in these conditions for all purposes, and the Hirer
shall continue to be liable to pay Rentals as if such loss had not taken
place; or
9.4.2 in or towards payment to the Company of the sum necessary to
compensate the Company for the loss or profit suffered as a result of the
loss of the Equipment.
9.5 The Company has the right to repair or have repaired the Equipment which
suffers damage (and not a total loss), but if the Company does not choose to do
so, the Hirer is liable at its own expense (but subject to any insurance proceeds)
to reinstate or repair it and shall continue to pay Rentals in respect of the
Equipment during such reinstatement or repair.
9.6 The Hirer is liable to pay to the Owner any amount deducted by the insurers by
way of excess or in respect of damage caused to the Equipment prior to the date
of total loss, and (subject to the application of insurance proceeds under sub-
clause 9.4.2) shall indemnify the Owner accordingly.
10. General Liability
10.1 The Company does not hire the Equipment subject to any condition or warranty
express, implied or statutory in connection with the fitness for any purpose or age
of the Equipment and any conditions and warranties are hereby expressly
excluded insofar as permitted by law.
10.2 Save for the Company’s liability for death or personal injury caused by the
negligence of the Company, its employees or agents, the Company will not be
responsible for any liability, claim, loss, damage or expense of any kind or nature
caused directly or indirectly by the Equipment or its use.
10.3 The Hirer shall be solely responsible for and hold the Company fully indemnified
against all claims, demands, liabilities, losses, damages, proceedings, costs and
expenses which may be brought against or incurred by the Company as a result
of any incident involving the Equipment (other than death or personal injury
resulting from the negligence of the Company, its employees or agents).
10.4 The Hirer is solely responsible for and shall hold the Company fully indemnified
against all claims, demands, liabilities, losses, damages, proceedings, costs and
expenses suffered or incurred by the Company as a result of any breach on the
part of the Hirer in the discharge of its obligations pursuant to these conditions of
hire.
11. Ownership
The Equipment shall at all times remain the property of the Company and the Hirer shall
have no rights to the Equipment other than as hirer and the Hirer shall not do or permit
or cause to be done any matter or thing which is inconsistent with the Company’s
ownership or as a result of which the rights of the Company in respect of the Equipment
are or may be prejudicially affected.
12. Termination
12.1 If the Hirer:
12.1.1 fails to pay any Rentals or other sums payable under these conditions (or
under any other agreement between the Company), in full within 14 days
after such sums have become due (whether demanded or not);
12.1.2 Commits a breach of any of the other terms and conditions of the
contract (whether express or implied); or
12.1.3 does or causes to be done any act or thing which in the opinion of the
Company may jeopardise the Company’s rights in the Equipment or any
part of the Equipment; then in each and every such case the Hirer shall
be deemed to have repudiated these conditions and the Company may
then, or at any time within three months after that by notice to the Hirer,
immediately terminate the hire contract under these conditions.
12.2 If any of the following events shall occur, namely:
12.2.1 if any distress, execution, or other legal process is levied on or against
the Equipment or any part of the Equipment, or against any premises
where the Equipment is, or against any of the Hirer’s goods or other
property, or the Hirer permits any judgement against it to remain
unsatisfied for seven days; or
12.2.2 if the Hirer, being an individual, dies, suffers an interim order (within the
meaning of the Insolvency Act) to be made against him or enters into a
voluntary arrangement or suffers the making of a statutory demand or the
presentation of a petition for a bankruptcy order; or
12.2.3 If the Hirer, being a body corporate, enters into any liquidation, calls any
meeting of its creditors, or has a receiver or administrative receiver
appointed of all or any of its undertaking or assets, or suffers the
appointment or the presentation of a petition for the appointment of an
Administrator under the provisions of Part II of the Insolvency Act, or is
deemed by virtue of Section 123 of the Insolvency Act to be unable to pay
its debts; then in each and every such case the hire under these
conditions shall terminate without notice and no payment subsequently
accepted by the Company without knowledge of such termination shall in
any way prejudice or affect the operation of this clause.
12.3 If the Company at any time commits a material breach of any of these terms and
conditions (whether express or implied), then (provided the Hirer is not itself also
in breach) the Hirer may return the Equipment and (without prejudice to its right t
o claim damages for that breach) by notice to the Company immediately
terminate the hire under these conditions for all purposes.
12.4 Without prejudice to the Company’s rights to claim damages, the Hirer shall,
upon any termination under clause 12.1 or 12.2, immediately pay to the
Company:
12.4.1 All arrears of Rentals and all other sums accrued due and unpaid at the
date of termination, together with interest in accordance with clause 4;
12.4.2 The cost of all repairs required as at the date of termination (other than
those for which the Company has assumed responsibility under clause
7.3);
12.4.3 compensation for the loss suffered by the Company as a result of such
termination, such loss being determined by the Company having regard
to all relevant circumstances; and
12.4.4 Any other sums which are or become due to the Company or to which
the Company is entitled by way of damages.
12.5 On termination of the hire however or whenever occasioned or on expiry of the
Hire Period, the Hirer shall (unless otherwise agreed with the Company) return
the Equipment forthwith (including accessories where fitted) to the Company at
such address as the Company may direct, in good order and in good working
condition and at the Hirer’s expense and risk.
12.6 Without prejudice to the foregoing, or to the Company’s claim for any arrears of
Rentals or damages for any breach by the Hirer of these conditions, the
Company or its authorised representatives may, at any time after such
termination or expiry of the Hire Period, without notice retake possession of the
Equipment and for such purpose enter upon any premises belonging to or in the
occupation or control of the Hirer and the Hirer shall be responsible for all costs,
charges and expenses so incurred in retaking possession of the Equipment.
12.7 The Hirer shall bear the reasonable costs incurred by the Company at any time in
ascertaining the whereabouts of the Equipment and/or the Hirer.
13. Concurrent Remedies
No right or remedy conferred upon or reserved to the Company by these conditions is
exclusive of any other right or remedy in these conditions provided or permitted by law,
and each shall be cumulative of every other right or remedy now or in the future existing
and may be enforced by the Company concurrently or from time to time.
14. Assignment
14.1 The rights of the Hirer under the contract cannot be transferred or assigned.
14.2 The Company may assign, transfer, subcontract or make over all or part of the
contract without the Hirer’s consent.
15. Amendment and Waiver
15.1 No variation of these conditions of hire shall be effective unless it is made
in writing, refers specifically to these conditions and is signed by the
parties.
15.2 No waiver or any of these conditions shall be effective except to the extent made
in writing and signed by the waiving party.
15.3 No omission or delay on the part of any party in exercising any right under
these conditions shall operate as a waiver by it of any right to exercise it in the
future.
16. Further Assurance
The Hirer shall, whenever requested by the Owner, execute such documents and do
such acts and things as the Company may require to give full effect to these terms and
conditions.
17. Time of the Essence
Time shall be of the essence for all contracts made under these conditions.
18. Invalidity
The invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any of these conditions of hire shall not
affect the other conditions.
19. Survivorship
These conditions shall, as to any of its provisions remaining to be performed in whole or
in part or capable or having effect following termination, remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding termination.
20. Notices
20.1 Any notice or other communication to be given under these conditions must be in
writing and may be delivered or sent by pre-paid first class letter or facsimile
transmission.
20.2 Any notice or document shall be deemed served, if delivered, at the time of
delivery; if posted, 48 hours after posting, and if sent by facsimile transmission,
at the time of transmission provided that confirmation of such transmission is
in the possession of the sender.
21. Law and Jurisdiction
21.1 All contracts subject to these conditions of hire shall be governed by and
construed in all respects in accordance with English law.
21.2 The Company and the Hirer irrevocably agree that the English courts shall have
exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute which may arise out of or in connection
with any contract of hire subject to these conditions and that, accordingly, any
proceedings, suit or action arising out of any such contract shall be brought in
such courts.