Terms & Conditions

1) Introduction

1.1 In these terms and conditions:

1.1.1 “We”, “us”, or “our” means ASL Vets Limited (company number 09636974) whose registered office is at 5 The Pantiles, Billericay, Essex, United Kingdom, CM12 0UA. We also operate from ASL Vets Wickford.

1.1.2 “You” or “your” means the person seeking veterinary services for an Animal or who wishes to buy products from us; and

1.1.3 “Animal” means the animal in respect of which we are providing veterinary services, which may include large and small animals and those kept as pets, as well as working animals.

1.2 By registering your pets with ASL Vets Limited, you agree that you have read and understood our Terms of Business. If you require any clarification on any aspect of the terms, please do not hesitate to ask. Once you have agreed to the terms, they will form the contract between us (the “contract”), and it will apply to all future goods and services you purchase from us.

1.3 We may update these terms and conditions from time to time. The latest version will be available on our website. Your continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of any changes.

1.4 Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your Animal to us. Some aspects of the contract may not be relevant to you. Please ask if you require further clarification, including whether you would like this contract in an alternative format (for example, audio, large print).

1.5 You may contact us at either practice, by email to info@aslvets.co.uk, or by writing to us at ASL Vets Limited, 5 The Pantiles, Billericay, Essex, CM12 0UA.

1.6 This contract binds you in respect of all goods and services delivered by us to you, including veterinary services for your Animal. If you purchase goods and/or services from us, you agree to be legally bound by this contract.

1.7 This contract contains our general terms. There may be other terms applicable to competitions, prizes, our pet health care plan, and any other services we offer. Where they apply, those specific terms apply in addition to this contract.

1.8 The health and welfare of your Animal is our primary concern and responsibility. Our policies are developed to care for your animals while complying with the codes of practice determined by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Health and Safety Executive, and Environmental Health Departments. Where we assist with insurance claims, see clause 6 and clause 6.8 regarding our regulatory position.

1.9 A copy of these Terms & Conditions and the prices for our most popular procedures are on display in our waiting rooms, and further prices are available on request.

2) Our Services

2.1 The health and welfare of your animal is our primary concern. Our staff will endeavour to provide appropriate veterinary care in compliance with the codes of practice determined by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Environmental Health Department.

2.2 The relationship between us, you the client, and your pet is established on a basis of mutual trust. In entering this relationship, it is our responsibility to make medical judgments regarding the health of your pet and the requirements for medical therapy.

2.3 All services provided by us will be carried out by suitably qualified members of staff, having regard to the nature of the services provided in each instance. We will always carry out these services with reasonable care and skill.

2.4 We reserve the right to refuse service to any client showing aggression or abuse towards our staff, in accordance with our Zero Tolerance Policy.

2.5 Animals under our care must receive a full clinical assessment before the dispensing of veterinary treatment. A general health check must be carried out at least yearly, and, for an animal requiring ongoing medication for an ongoing health condition, a health examination must be carried out at least every 6 months.

2.6 Consultations: Consultations are provided by appointment only with a Vet or Nurse. Appointments are available in the morning, afternoon and early evening at times that vary according to the day of the week and the consulting veterinarian or nurse, within our normal opening hours. Clients are requested to inform the surgery at least 24 hours before their appointment if they wish to cancel or reschedule. We reserve the right to charge for missed appointments, or for appointments cancelled or changed at short notice. If you arrive late for your appointment, we will do our best to fit you into the next available slot; this may involve a wait, and if no suitable appointment is available, you will need to rebook. Cats must be kept in baskets in the waiting room, and all dogs must be kept on a lead. The safety of the pet, the client and our staff is of the highest priority, and this may include measures to restrain the animal, such as the application of a muzzle or the provision of appropriate sedation. Our patients may pose a potential risk, and the advice of our professional staff should be taken seriously.

2.7 Home visits: In special circumstances, we may be able to visit you at home to provide treatment for your pet; this is only available following arrangements made in advance. In most cases this is used for end-of-life care (euthanasia); in other circumstances we would normally advise bringing your pet to the surgery, as it is in your pet’s best interests for us to have access to our diagnostic equipment and medication. Home visits incur an additional fee.

2.8 Student veterinary surgeons and nurses: As an approved training centre, veterinary students and trainee nurses under qualified guidance may be involved in the care of your pet.

2.9 Telephone Recording & CCTV Recording: Our calls, both incoming and outgoing, may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes. ASL Vets Ltd also uses CCTV and audio recording on its premises to protect staff, clients, animals and property, to deter and investigate crime or misconduct, to support dispute resolution, and to maintain transparency in clinical and client-facing areas. This applies to all staff, clients, contractors and visitors, at both our Billericay and Wickford practices. Recording takes place on the basis of our legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR — further information, including the legal basis we rely on, retention periods and your rights, is set out in our CCTV & Audio Recording Policy and Data Protection Impact Assessment, both available on our website and which form part of this contract.

3) Registration & Consent

3.1 In order to maintain accurate records of our clients and patients, it is important that your details are kept up to date. Our staff may periodically ask you to confirm your details. If your details change, it is your responsibility to inform us as soon as reasonably possible — failure to notify us of updates may cause issues with insurance claims or delay our ability to contact you in an emergency.

3.2 Communications with you fall into two categories, and you can control them separately:

• Service and clinical communications — such as appointment confirmations, outstanding account reminders, and reminders for your Animal’s preventative healthcare (vaccinations, parasite control). We send these on the basis of our legitimate interests in running the practice and looking after your Animal’s health, and they continue unless you tell us your Animal is no longer in our care.
• Marketing communications — offers or promotions that might be of benefit to you or your Animal. We only send these where you have agreed, and you can withdraw that agreement at any time by telling reception or using the unsubscribe link in any marketing email, without affecting your registration or your clinical reminders.

3.3 [reserved]

3.4 Our Privacy Policy is available at aslvets.co.uk/privacy-policy/. Our CCTV & Audio Recording Policy and Data Protection Impact Assessment are also available on our website.

3.5 Your privacy and personal information are important to us. Any personal information you provide will be dealt with in line with our Privacy Policy, which explains what personal information we collect, how and why we collect, store, use and share it, your rights, and how to contact us and supervisory authorities if you have a query or complaint.

3.6 Written signed consent for procedures is required on admission or hospitalisation of your pet. We will endeavour to discuss any changes to veterinary services before they take place. Consent may only be given by the owner or an agent aged 18 or over.

3.7 We reserve the right to administer first aid to animals under our care without prior consent in the case of an emergency and in the best interests of the animal’s health.

3.8 When you register your animal with us, or ask us to provide veterinary services, we will collect personal data about you and your animal, only to the extent necessary to provide our services, take payment, and contact you. Full details of what we collect, why, how long we keep it, and your rights are set out in our Privacy Policy, which forms part of this contract. Please note that we may pass your details to debt collection agencies or our legal advisers for the purpose of recovering unpaid fees where invoices are not paid when due.

3.9 [reserved — see Privacy Policy]

3.9.1 Use of animal images on social media: from time to time we would like to share photos of your Animal on our social media platforms for promotional and educational purposes. We will only do this where you have separately given your consent (for example, by ticking a box on our registration form or telling a member of staff) — this is not a condition of registering with us. You can withdraw your consent at any time by telling us in writing, and we will stop using your Animal’s image in future posts.

3.9.2 In accordance with Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) guidance, we require your pet’s full clinical history before we can offer non-emergency treatment or services. Until these records are received, your registration remains incomplete and we are only able to provide a limited service. We will contact your previous veterinary practice to request your pet’s medical history, but you must provide explicit consent for the release of these records — without this consent, we cannot proceed with registration or non-emergency treatment. Until your pet’s full medical history has been received, we will provide emergency treatment and restricted out-of-hours support; once records are received, your pet will have full access to our services. If we become aware that your pet is registered with multiple practices, or has received treatment elsewhere while registered with us, we may need to restrict services, to protect your pet’s safety and ensure continuity of care.

3.10 Account status: if you register with us but do not attend an appointment, and we have no other communication with you, we will deactivate your account after 12 months. If you have previously attended, we may mark your account inactive after 12 months without contact, and may archive or close it after 24–36 months, provided you have no ongoing treatment or other clinical obligation to us. This does not affect our record-keeping obligations — see our Privacy Policy for how long we retain your clinical and other records.

4) Costs, Payments & Estimates of Services

4.1 All fees, medications, food and reception sales are subject to VAT.

4.2 Our fees are determined by the time spent, the skill level involved, and the medications, consumables and equipment used. An itemised invoice will be provided at the end of treatment.

4.3 You must pay for all services and goods as they are received. You will be advised when payment is due, depending on the nature of the services provided. You can expect to make payment at the end of each consultation and on discharge of your pet from our care. For surgical procedures and certain consultations, we may require a deposit of 50% or 100% on booking, with the balance due before completion of the procedure or consultation; we require 48 hours’ notice to cancel a surgical procedure, and cancellations with less notice will result in the deposit being non-refundable. Where your pet is hospitalised, we may require part-payment in advance and/or stage payments daily; we will try to phone you each day to discuss your animal’s progress and the fees incurred once the veterinary surgeon has completed their morning rounds.

4.4 Payment is due in full following a consultation, on discharge of your pet following a procedure or hospitalisation, or on collection of medication or food. Payment can be made by cash or card; we can also take payment over the telephone. We do not accept cheques or American Express. If a pet is registered with us, we will assume that any person other than the registered owner bringing the pet in for treatment is duly authorised by the registered owner to seek treatment and to incur costs for which the registered owner will be liable. Where a pet is not registered with us, we will assume the individual requesting treatment accepts liability for all costs incurred.

4.5 Where an estimate has been provided, it is based on our best calculation of the likely course of treatment and can only be an approximation — the actual cost may be higher or lower. If the course of treatment changes such that the cost exceeds your estimate, we will endeavour to contact you to explain any additional costs. Estimates are valid for 28 days from the date of issue.

4.6 Fees are reviewed and may be subject to change annually.

4.7 If you become unable to pay your account under these terms, please discuss this with the Practice as soon as possible.

4.8 If you do not pay your invoice when it falls due, we will take such action as we consider appropriate to recover our fees, which may include engaging a debt collection agency and/or bringing proceedings in the county court. Any costs charged by the debt collection agency, and our reasonable legal costs, may be added to the amount you owe. We will also charge interest on the overdue amount at 8% plus the Bank of England base rate, for each month or part of a month it remains outstanding, together with a late payment administration fee of £49.99, reflecting our reasonable administrative costs in pursuing overdue accounts. Using a debt collection agency or the county court may affect your future credit rating.

4.9 We may suspend the provision of further goods and/or non-emergency services until any outstanding sums are paid in full, and may require payment on account before providing further goods or services.

5) Out of Hours & Overnight Care

5.1 ASL Vets Limited’s opening hours are 9am–7pm Monday to Friday, 9am–1pm on Saturdays; we are closed on Sundays and bank holidays. Should you have an emergency outside these hours, please call the ASL Emergency number: 01277 320950.

5.2 Patients requiring overnight care will have their needs assessed by the case vet. Overnight care is provided at ASL Vets Limited, with the owner’s consent and knowledge that a member of staff will not be present at the surgery for the entire night. Following assessment, the duty vet will attend to your pet periodically throughout the night to administer care and treatment.

5.3 Where your Animal requires an overnight stay, we will discuss this with you in advance, including where your Animal will stay, the cost, monitoring requirements, pain relief and other medical and emotional requirements.

5.4 There is a higher-than-normal consultation charge when an animal is seen outside normal consultation times or without a prior appointment.

6) Pet Insurance

6.1 ASL Vets Limited strongly supports insuring your pet against unexpected accidents or illnesses. It is the owner’s responsibility to arrange pet insurance cover.

6.2 Payment must be made directly to us and then reclaimed by you from the insurance company, unless we are able to arrange a direct claim under clause 6.3.

6.3 We may be able to arrange a direct claim with your insurer following successful pre-authorisation of the claim, or once details of cover have been checked. Please notify the Practice Manager that you wish to make a direct claim prior to treatment commencing, or as soon as reasonably possible, so the necessary checks can be made.

6.4 We are unable to claim costs for external services provided outside ASL Vets Limited, such as out-of-hours or referral fees; these must be claimed directly by the practice that provided them.

6.5 Any anticipated shortfall in the cost of treatment not covered by your insurance must be paid at the time of making the first direct claim. Any further shortfall owing after settlement of the claim is payable by you at that time.

6.6 A direct claim being authorised is not a guarantee of payment from your insurer. Should the claim be declined for any reason, you remain liable to pay the balance in full.

6.7 Due to the volume of insurance claims we receive, please allow 2 weeks for a claim to be processed once submitted. If submitting a paper claim form, please ensure it is completed correctly and signed, as errors may delay your claim. Please send queries or claim forms to info@aslvets.co.uk. There is an administration fee for processing insurance claims.

6.8 Our role in relation to your insurance claim is limited to submitting information at your request and on your behalf; we are not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and do not provide insurance advice or claims-handling services. If you are unsure about your cover, you should contact your insurer directly.

7) Ownership of Records

7.1 The care we provide for your pet may involve specific investigations, such as diagnostic imaging or laboratory samples. Whilst we charge for these investigations and their interpretation, ownership of the records remains with us.

7.2 A summary of the case notes, including copies of diagnostic results, may be passed to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case, at your request.

8) Referrals and Second Opinions

8.1 Should you feel you would like another opinion on your pet’s illness, please ask — we are always happy to arrange a second opinion with another vet within the practice.

8.2 Should a case require equipment or skills not available at our practice, we will recommend referral to an appropriate centre of excellence, and will organise the referral and provide the specialist with all relevant information in a timely manner. Any estimate and payment of fees at the other practice is your direct responsibility.

8.3 You have the right to request a second opinion, either with another veterinary surgeon at ASL Vets Limited or at another practice. We are happy to provide a copy of your pet’s medical notes and supportive diagnostic results on request for this purpose.

9) Prescriptions

9.1 All medications prescribed by our vets are dispensed directly from the practice at the time of your appointment, in accordance with RCVS and Veterinary Medicines Directorate guidelines. Some specific medications may need to be ordered from our suppliers, in which case we will advise you when they are available for collection.

9.2 Written prescriptions are available on request. A fee applies to cover the veterinary surgeon’s professional service in authorising the appropriate medication, providing dosage advice, and maintaining accurate patient records. You are responsible for sourcing the prescribed medication through a suitable supplier. Once we have received the pharmacy’s contact details and your order number, the written prescription will be sent directly to the chosen online pharmacy. Our veterinary surgeons send prescriptions directly to pharmacies rather than issuing physical copies to owners; this is required by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to prevent medication misuse and ensure patient safety, and also supports cost-effective use of specific medications and proper handling of controlled drugs.

9.3 Written prescriptions can only be authorised by a veterinary surgeon for an animal under their care. We may provide medications on receipt of a written prescription from another veterinary surgeon.

9.4 Prices inclusive of VAT for veterinary medications are available on request.

9.5 All repeat prescription requests are subject to authorisation by the case vet. For pets requiring ongoing prescription-only medication (POM), an examination must be performed at least every 6 months.

9.6 The amount of prescription-only medication (POM) that can be provided is limited to a maximum 6-month supply. For certain medications, and where more regular diagnostic monitoring is required, the limit may be shorter, subject to the veterinary surgeon’s professional judgment. For medications classed as schedule or controlled drugs, the limit is 1 month’s supply.

10) Return of Unused Drugs

10.1 We will accept unused medications back to the surgery for disposal only. Medications that have left the surgery premises are not fit for resale, so no refund will be issued for returned medications.

11) Vaccination & Parasite Control Reminders

11.1 We believe in responsible pet ownership, including keeping your pet up to date with vaccinations and preventative parasite control. Unless you have told us you do not wish to receive them, we will send reminders for your pet’s annual vaccinations and parasite control, as needed — see clause 3.2 on how we categorise this type of communication.

12) Feedback & Complaints

12.1 We appreciate any feedback, positive or negative, so that we can improve our services to you and your pet.

12.2 We will not tolerate aggressive or abusive behaviour towards any staff member at any time. Any client behaving in this way will be dealt with in accordance with our Zero Tolerance Policy, available on our website, which forms part of this contract and sets out the range of actions we may take, from an immediate response up to permanent removal from the practice.

12.3 If you are dissatisfied with your service in any way, please bring this to the attention of a member of staff, and we will try to resolve it for you at the time.

12.4 If your issue is not resolved informally and you wish to make a complaint, please send this in writing to the Practice Manager at info@aslvets.co.uk, including a factual summary of events, your expectation as to resolution, and how you wish to be contacted.

12.5 If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) offers a free advice service — see vetmediation.co.uk/clients.

12.6 When will the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) get involved? The RCVS deals only with serious concerns relating to a vet’s or nurse’s professional conduct, including very poor professional performance that does not reflect the standards in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, and which may affect their ability to practise. If you think your concern needs to be brought to the RCVS, you can contact them via animalowners.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/.

13. Limits on Our Responsibility to You

13.1 Except for any legal responsibility that we cannot exclude in law — including for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or in respect of your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and except as arising under applicable laws relating to the protection of your personal information — we are not legally responsible for any:

13.1.1 losses that:

(a) were not foreseeable by you and us when the contract was formed — a loss is foreseeable if it is obvious it will happen, or if, at the time the contract was made, both we and you knew it might happen, for example because you discussed it with us; or

(b) were not caused by any breach of this contract on our part;

13.1.2 business losses; and

13.1.3 losses to non-consumers.

13.2 Subject to clause 13.1, and without limiting or restricting your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (including our duty to perform services with reasonable care and skill), our total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising under or in connection with this contract shall not exceed an amount equal to the price paid for the goods and/or services supplied under it.

14. End of the Contract

14.1 If this contract is ended, it will not affect our right to receive any money you owe to us under it.

15. General

15.1 No one other than a party to this contract has any right to enforce any term of this contract.

15.2 No addition or variation of this contract will bind us unless specifically agreed in writing by us. No agent or person employed by or under contract with us has authority to alter or vary this contract in any way.

15.3 If any provision of this contract (or part of any provision) is or becomes illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the legality, validity and enforceability of the other provisions will not be affected.

15.4 If you want to take court proceedings, the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where you live in another part of the United Kingdom, in which case you may bring a claim in the courts of the country in which you reside.

15.5 The laws of England and Wales apply to this contract.