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Terms & Conditions

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Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 12/01/26

Consumer Terms & Conditions

1. Who We Are

Local Wise Owl is an online marketplace that helps consumers find and connect with independent professional service providers.

Platform operator: Local Wise Owl Ltd
Jurisdiction: England & Wales
Contact: admin@localwiseowl.com

We are not an accountancy firm, law firm, mortgage advisor, or probate service provider.

2. What We Do (and What We Don’t Do)

Local Wise Owl:

  • Lists independent third-party service providers
  • Enables consumers to request quotes and accept offers
  • Collects payments on behalf of providers and pays them out after deducting platform fees

Local Wise Owl does not:

  • Provide professional advice or services
  • Endorse, recommend, or guarantee any provider
  • Supervise, control, or assess the quality of work delivered
  • Act as an agent, partner, or employer of any provider

All services are provided directly by the listed business, not by us.

3. Using the Platform

You must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Provide accurate information when requesting services
  • Use the platform lawfully and in good faith

We may suspend or restrict access if the platform is misused.

4. Quotes, Orders & Contracts

  • Quotes are provided directly by service providers
  • When you accept a quote, a contract is formed between you and the provider
  • Local Wise Owl is not a party to that contract

Any issues relating to:

  • Advice
  • Quality of Work
  • Errors or omissions
  • Professional negligence

must be resolved directly with the provider

5. Payments, VAT & Invoicing

  • Consumers do not pay Local Wise Owl for using the platform
  • The quoted service price is collected by Local Wise Owl on behalf of the provider
  • We deduct our agreed commission and marketing fees (plus VAT where applicable)
  • The remaining amount is paid to the provider

VAT

  • Prices quoted by providers are inclusive of any VAT they are required to charge
  • VAT receipts must be requested directly from the provider
  • Local Wise Owl is not the fee earner and does not issue VAT invoices for services

6. Refunds & Cancellations

Refunds and cancellations are governed by:

  • The provider’s own terms
  • Applicable consumer protection law

Local Wise Owl does not decide disputes or issue refunds unless legally required to do so.

7. No Liability for Services

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

  • We accept no liability for any loss, damage, or harm arising from services provided by listed businesses
  • We are not responsible for advice, opinions, outcomes, or professional conduct
  • We do not verify qualifications, regulatory status, or insurance beyond basic listing checks

Nothing limits liability where it cannot legally be excluded (e.g. fraud or death caused by negligence).

8. Reviews & Content

  • Reviews reflect personal opinions of users
  • We do not guarantee accuracy or completeness
  • We may remove content that is misleading, abusive, or unlawful

9. Platform Availability

We aim for uninterrupted access but do not guarantee:

  • Continuous availability
  • Error-free operation

Maintenance or technical issues may occur.

10. Changes to These Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Continued use of the platform means you accept the updated terms.

11. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of England & Wales.
UK courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

Service Provider Terms & Conditions

(For Listed Businesses on Local Wise Owl)

1. Parties & Status

These Service Provider Terms (“Terms”) apply between:

Platform: Local Wise Owl Ltd (“Local Wise Owl”, “we”, “us”)
Service Provider: The business entity registering on the platform (“you”, “Provider”)

You confirm that you are:

  • A UK-based business
  • Acting in the course of business
  • Responsible for your own regulatory, tax, and professional obligations

Nothing in these Terms creates a partnership, agency, or employment relationship.

2. Platform Role (Critical Alignment Clause)

Local Wise Owl:

  • Operates solely as a marketing, listing, and lead-generation platform
  • Facilitates introductions between consumers and Providers
  • Facilitates payment collection as a commercial intermediary only

Local Wise Owl does not:

  • Provide professional services
  • Control pricing (other than technical display)
  • Supervise, review, or approve service delivery
  • Accept responsibility for advice, outcomes, or professional conduct

3. Provider Obligations

You confirm and warrant that you:

  • Hold all required licences, authorisations, and registrations
  • Are legally permitted to offer the services listed
  • Maintain appropriate professional indemnity insurance (where applicable)
  • Provide services with reasonable care and skill
  • Comply with all applicable UK laws and professional standards

You are solely responsible for:

  • Advice given
  • Work performed
  • Errors, omissions, or negligence
  • Regulatory compliance

4. Listings, Quotes & Orders

  • You control the content of your listing and quotes
  • All quotes must be accurate, lawful, and inclusive of any VAT due
  • When a consumer accepts a quote, a direct contract is formed between you and the consumer

Local Wise Owl is not a party to that contract.

5. Payments, Fees & VAT (Aligned for HMRC)

5.1 Consumer Payments

  • Consumers pay the quoted service fee via the platform
  • The platform collects funds on your behalf
  • Funds are not treated as platform turnover for service delivery

5.2 Platform Fees

You agree that Local Wise Owl may deduct:

  • A marketing fee (plus VAT
  • A commission fee (plus VAT)

Fees are deducted before payout.

5.3 VAT Responsibilities (Key Audit Clause)

  • You remain the principal supplier for VAT purposes
  • You are responsible for
  •      i. Determining VAT applicability
  •     ii. Charging VAT correctly
  •    iii. Issuing VAT receipts or invoices to consumers upon request
  • Local Wise Owl is not the fee earner for the underlying service

Local Wise Owl will issue VAT invoices only for its own fees.

6. Payouts

  • Net funds (after fees and VAT) are paid to you within the agreed settlement period
  • You are responsible for reconciling payments for tax and accounting purposes
  • No interest is payable on held funds

7. Refunds, Cancellations & Disputes

  • Refunds are governed by your own terms and consumer law
  • You remain fully responsible for:
  •      i. Refund decisions
  •     ii. Consumer complaints
  •    iii. Chargebacks arising from service delivery

Local Wise Owl may recover refunded amounts or chargeback losses from future payouts.

8. Indemnity (Strong Protection)

You agree to indemnify Local Wise Owl against:

  • Claims arising from your services
  • Regulatory action
  • Consumer complaints
  • Tax or VAT liabilities
  • Breach of these Terms

This indemnity survives termination.

9. Limitation of Platform Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

  • Local Wise Owl accepts no liability for your services
  • Our total liability is limited to the platform fees received from you in the preceding 12 months
  • We exclude liability for loss of profits, reputation, or indirect losses

10. Suspension & Termination

We may suspend or remove your listing if you:

  • Breach these Terms
  • Receive repeated complaints
  • Pose regulatory or reputational risk

Termination does not affect accrued rights or obligations.

11. Data Protection

Each party acts as an independent data controller for personal data relating to consumers. You must:

  • Comply with UK GDPR
  • Use consumer data only for service delivery
  • Not misuse, sell, or re-market consumer data

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by England & Wales law.
UK courts have exclusive jurisdiction.