Terms of Business

Non-standard sizes
All our products can be made to order to any size for an additional cost.

Quotes
The Children's Cottage Company cannot be held responsible for any issues relating to planning permission requirements. If you are in any doubt concerning planning requirements please contact your local authority. The quotation is valid for 60 days from date of issue. This is to enable us to guarantee the prices we quote, as well as efficiently schedule customer?s builds and deliveries. The quotation may be re-issued at any time but prices beyond 60 days cannot be guaranteed.
Playhouses, lodges, play systems & accessories will only be dispatched on receipt of payment.

Payment
A deposit for an amount equal to 50% of the price of the item ordered (before any extras are added) must accompany each order. You will receive a final invoice prior to the delivery of your order and this must be paid in full prior to dispatch. All goods remain the sole property of The Children's Cottage Company until payment in full has been received.

Delivery
We normally allow 6-10 weeks from the date of receipt of an order for delivery. However, as all our products are hand-made and demand varies depending on the time of year, no firm dates can be given and any suggested dates for delivery are only estimates and are not binding. You are advised to place orders as soon as possible if delivery is required for a specific date.

Cancellation
All deposits are non-refundable. Unfortunately, as each of our products is individually made, we cannot accept cancellation of orders once we have started the build.

General Maintenance and Safety Terms
Children must be supervised when at play in, on or around all of our products. Consideration must be given to the positioning of any product to ensure that it will provide a safe play environment which is not open to abuse. In particular, children under the age of 5 should only be allowed to play on or in any Children's Cottage Company product under direct adult supervision. The regular maintenance of all of our products is of paramount importance if safety standards are to be maintained and injury or maintenance problems are to be avoided. It should be noted that our playhouses are not designed to provide overnight sleeping accommodation and naked flames should not be used it or around our products.

All of our products are built to withstand the rigours of the weather and to provide a safe play environment for children. Regular maintenance and checks to the fabric and finish of any cottages, platforms and accessories are of paramount importance if safety standards are to be maintained and the need for major repairs is to be avoided. We can provide you with replacement parts upon payment of a reasonable charge. We cannot accept liability for any loss or damage arising from the deterioration of the fabric due to failure to maintain the product properly. We recommend that maintenance and safety checks are carried out at least annually to ensure that all fixings are sound and tight, any metalwork is sound and safe and that all timbers are checked for any water penetration, rot or decay.

Warranty
Our play houses and lodges carry a 10 year warranty against damage by insects and fungal decay on hardwood and pressure treated wooden components. This does not include accessories: swings, trapeze, ropes etc. Accessories and all other parts, including nuts, bolts, screws, washers etc. are covered for 1 year against manufacturing faults.
Reed panels have a 3 year warranty and can be quoted for replacement after such time.

Not Under Warranty
Timber is a natural product that will change colour over time and also adapt to various weather conditions. Minor cracks that may appear are perfectly normal and should not affect the overall strength and durability of the timber. The wood may also contain knots, knot holes, minor twisting, warping, checking or any other natural occurring properties that do not affect performance or integrity and these are not covered by the warranty.
Acts of nature including storms, hail, floods and excessive water exposure are also not covered by warranty. No warranty is offered on products subject to abuse, negligence, improper use, modifications or attachment to equipment other than our own.