Service-charge advisory engagement terms

These terms are between the commercial tenant identified in the case record and Chargewise. The person signing confirms that they have authority to bind or appoint an adviser for that tenant. Creating an account or running the checker is not an engagement; acceptance occurs only when the case is accepted and the electronic appointment is signed.

Chargewise reviews supplied commercial service-charge material, identifies supportable lease and evidence queries, requests information, and may correspond and negotiate with the landlord or managing agent. The appointment is limited to the identified premises and case. It does not authorise litigation, reserved legal activities, a binding settlement, lease variation, admission, receipt of client money or third-party expense without separate written approval.

Checker outputs and initial figures are screening estimates. Recoverability depends on the lease, the applicable edition and transitional use of professional standards, underlying evidence and case-specific law. A human reviewer must approve a position before it is sent. Chargewise does not guarantee a refund, reduction, response or timescale and does not replace legal, tax, valuation or accounting advice.

The standard fee is 25% of recovered value unless the case record expressly states another rate. Recovered value means a refund or credit plus one year of an ongoing annual reduction evidenced by written acceptance, corrected accounts or another recorded outcome. The invoice must show any applicable VAT. Nothing is payable merely for the free check or an unsuccessful query.

The customer must notify Chargewise promptly of direct settlement discussions, credits, refunds, revised demands or other outcomes connected with the reviewed issues and provide reasonable evidence needed to calculate the fee. Invoices are payable through the secure payment page by the due date shown.

The customer will provide accurate and complete information; have authority to share documents; review extracted figures and material correspondence; disclose deadlines, proceedings, prior settlements and advisers; preserve original records; and respond reasonably to evidence requests. Chargewise may rely on supplied information unless an inconsistency is apparent.

Chargewise may draft correspondence and analysis with software or AI assistance, but consequential actions remain behind recorded human approval. The customer portal is the canonical secure channel. Chargewise will not accept a binding outcome or begin formal proceedings without a separate decision and, where necessary, an appropriately regulated professional.

The customer may withdraw future authority in the portal or by written notice. Withdrawal cannot undo correspondence already sent and does not affect a fee earned before withdrawal. Chargewise may stop work where evidence is insufficient, a conflict or legal risk arises, instructions are misleading or abusive, security is threatened, invoices remain unpaid, or continuing would be improper. The case record will state the outcome.

Each party will protect confidential information and use it only for the engagement, professional advice, security, insurance, payment or legal compliance. Chargewise may use contracted subprocessors under appropriate terms as described in the privacy notice. Signed authorities, correspondence, financial records and audit events may be retained for applicable contractual, tax, limitation and defence periods.

Nothing limits liability that cannot lawfully be limited. Subject to that and any case-specific written variation, neither party is liable for indirect or consequential loss, and Chargewise is not responsible for loss caused by inaccurate or withheld information, action taken without its approval, missed deadlines not disclosed in time, or reliance on a preliminary checker result. These provisions require review by the company's UK solicitor and insurer before public launch.

The complaints procedure forms part of these terms. The parties will first try to resolve a dispute through a documented complaint and good-faith discussion. The law of England and Wales governs the engagement and its courts have jurisdiction. Contact support@getchargewise.com.