Terms of engagement
Plain terms. A signed engagement letter for each client takes precedence over anything on this page.
Draft — not yet reviewed by a lawyer. A working draft prepared as a starting point. Placeholders in [brackets] must be completed. Have these reviewed before the first paying client, and delete this notice when they have been.
1. Who you are contracting with
Geodesic is the trading name of an independent practice established in [jurisdiction]. Registration and VAT numbers appear on every invoice.
2. Scope
Each engagement is defined by a written engagement letter setting out the programme, deliverables, number of sessions and fee. Work outside that scope is agreed separately in writing before it begins. Where a programme is described in sessions, a session is 60 minutes unless stated otherwise.
3. Fees and payment
- 50% of the fee is payable on signature; the balance at the midpoint of the engagement.
- Fees are quoted in pounds sterling and payable in euros, pounds or dollars.
- Invoices are due within 14 days. Work may be paused on overdue invoices.
- VAT is applied only where the law requires it. Most clients established outside the European Union are outside scope; the treatment is stated on the invoice.
- Bank charges on international transfers are borne by the client.
4. Cancellation and refunds
- Early fit. If either party concludes within the first two sessions that the engagement is not a good fit, the balance is refunded in full and no further fee is due.
- After that point the deposit is non-refundable, the calendar having been reserved and the diagnostic work performed.
- Unused sessions at the natural end of an engagement are refunded pro rata.
- Individual sessions may be rescheduled with 24 hours' notice. Sessions cancelled with less notice, or missed, are treated as delivered.
- Consumer withdrawal. Where you are a consumer in the EU, you have 14 days to withdraw from a distance contract. If you ask for work to begin within that period, you may be charged for what has been delivered.
5. What is not promised
No admission, offer, score or scholarship is guaranteed. Admissions committees, examiners and employers make their own decisions on their own criteria. What is promised is the preparation and advice described in the engagement letter, delivered personally and competently.
6. Your work is yours
I edit, question and challenge. I do not write application essays, personal statements or assessed work on your behalf, and I will not do so if asked. Submitting work that is not substantially your own breaches the rules of every institution named on this site and the risk of doing so falls on you.
7. Confidentiality
Everything you tell me — about your application, your employer, your family or your finances — is confidential and is not discussed with anyone. Testimonials and case studies are published only with your specific written consent, and consent may be withdrawn at any time.
8. Materials
Teaching materials, problem sets and written feedback are provided for your personal use during the engagement and remain my intellectual property. Session recordings are made for your benefit; please do not redistribute them.
9. Liability
Nothing in these terms excludes liability for death, personal injury, fraud, or anything else that cannot lawfully be excluded. Otherwise liability arising from an engagement is limited to the fees paid under it.
10. Governing law
The law of [jurisdiction] governs these terms, and its courts have jurisdiction. Where you are a consumer, this does not deprive you of the protection of the mandatory law of your country of residence. Consumers in the EU may also use the European Commission's online dispute resolution platform.