TERMS & PRIVACY
Website and Service Terms
These terms explain how you may use our website, resources and services, and how we agree paid subscriptions and commissioned work.
Version 1.0 · Effective 19 October 2026
1. Who we are and when these terms apply
We are Thornton & Lowe Limited, registered in England and Wales under company number 07600205. Our registered office is The Wellsprings, Howell Croft South, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 1SB. Contact hello@thorntonandlowe.com or 01204 238 046. T&L Procurement and Procurement Desk are service names of this company. Your contract is with Thornton & Lowe Limited unless the order states otherwise.
“Services” means our website, accounts, digital resources, tools, information, learning, introductions and commissioned support. “Materials” means content we provide. “Your content” means information or documents you submit. An “order” is the checkout confirmation or written service agreement identifying what you are buying.
These terms apply to services for businesses, public bodies and other organisations. If you accept on behalf of an organisation, you must have authority to do so. Existing signed agreements continue to apply unless we both agree a change in writing. Our Privacy Notice explains personal data use; optional consent is requested separately where needed.
2. Accounts and access
You must provide accurate account details, keep your password secure and tell us promptly if you suspect misuse. Accounts are for named users and must not be shared. An organisation may replace an authorised user through the account management process or by contacting us.
Your access depends on the free or paid service specified in your order or account. Registering for free access does not authorise a charge or start a paid subscription. Future or preview features are included only when expressly made available to your account.
3. How our materials and tools may be used
You may use the services for your own work or your organisation’s activities. You may adapt templates and generated working documents and share them with colleagues, advisers, tender participants and delivery partners as reasonably needed for that work. You may continue using documents lawfully prepared during your access after it ends, subject to third party rights.
We or our licensors retain ownership of the platform and underlying materials. You must not resell the library, republish it as your own product, share paid access, remove required third party attribution, scrape or bulk extract data, or train a model on our materials without permission. This does not restrict uses that the law permits despite a contractual restriction. An open data or third party licence identified with a source continues to apply.
4. Guidance and responsibility for decisions
Our online guidance, tools, learning resources and generated documents help you prepare and carry out your work. They may contain errors, depend on incomplete information or need updating. Check the sources, applicable rules, figures and output before relying on them or issuing documents. You remain responsible for approvals, procurement decisions, scores, notices and contract commitments made by your organisation.
The services do not automatically certify compliance, approve a procurement route, establish framework eligibility, guarantee savings or guarantee a successful outcome. Your learning record shows activity completed through the service. It is not an accredited qualification or confirmation of professional competence unless we expressly state this for a particular course.
These limits do not remove our obligation to exercise reasonable care and skill in services we have expressly agreed to provide. Procurement consultancy does not create a retainer with a solicitor.
5. Information about other organisations
Directory entries, contract histories and suggested suppliers, partners or purchasing arrangements may use public information, licensed data or information provided by an organisation. An entry does not by itself confirm current capacity, willingness to participate, financial standing, eligibility, endorsement or suitability. Any verification label applies only to the checks specifically described with it.
Carry out the checks appropriate to your requirement before contacting, appointing or contracting with another organisation. An introduction does not make us a party to that organisation’s contract. Where you commission us to source, assess or manage a provider, our responsibilities are those stated in the order. We will identify an applicable referral or commercial interest before you make a commitment.
6. Your content and confidentiality
You retain your rights in your content. You give us permission to use it only as reasonably necessary to provide, secure and support the agreed service, meet legal duties and follow your instructions. You must have the rights and lawful authority needed to submit it. Provide only information relevant to the task and use anonymised material where practical.
Each party will protect the other’s confidential information and limit access to people and service providers who need it and are bound by appropriate duties. This does not cover information already public, lawfully obtained independently or required to be disclosed by law. Notify the other party of a required disclosure where legally permitted.
Do not submit sensitive personal information or restricted procurement material through a general tool unless the service explicitly supports that use and suitable arrangements have been agreed. Private project content is not a public directory submission. Processing of personal data on a client’s instructions requires an applicable Data Processing Schedule.
7. Technology and working files
Some features generate files on your device; others transmit information to our systems or a technology provider. Follow the explanation shown for the feature. Locally downloaded working files are your responsibility to store, protect and back up. Do not assume that a file has been saved to your account unless the service confirms this.
Before using a feature that involves AI, read the information provided about how your data will be used. Check the output before relying on it. We may use appropriate service providers under confidentiality and data protection arrangements. Our Privacy Notice explains how providers may process personal information, including processing outside the UK.
8. Paid subscriptions
Before you order, we will explain the price, whether VAT is included, the number of users, the subscription period, payment arrangements and how renewal works. Automatic renewal applies only if clearly stated and accepted. A free account or preview does not automatically become paid. We will not charge for an upgrade or additional service without agreement.
You may stop a future renewal using the stated account process or by contacting us before the renewal date or any clearly disclosed notice deadline. Ending renewal normally leaves access in place until the paid period ends. Business subscriptions are not normally refundable merely because they are unused, but this does not affect remedies for our breach, any agreed refund or mandatory legal rights.
We will give advance notice of a renewal price change. A change will not increase the price already agreed for the current paid period. If we withdraw a material paid service without providing a reasonable equivalent, you may end the affected service and receive a proportionate refund for the unused period.
9. Commissioned services and changes
An accepted order will identify the scope, deliverables, assumptions, client responsibilities, timetable, fees, expenses, payment dates and any particular standards. We will perform that work with reasonable care and skill, comply with applicable law, take reasonable care of your materials and observe reasonable site safety and security requirements you have given us. You will provide the information, access, decisions and approvals reasonably needed to deliver it.
We will agree material changes to scope, fees or deadlines in writing before undertaking additional work. Tell us promptly if information is incomplete or circumstances change. We will discuss the effect on delivery rather than assume an extension or additional charge. If a deadline is essential, record it expressly in the order.
The signed order takes priority for a specific issue it expressly varies. The Data Processing Schedule takes priority for processing personal data. Otherwise these terms apply. An order may incorporate an existing client agreement instead, in which case that agreement governs the commissioned work.
10. Payment for commissioned work
Pay the fees and approved expenses on the dates in the order. If no payment period is stated, business invoices are due seven days after issue. VAT is additional where chargeable and not already included. Raise an invoice query promptly and pay any undisputed amount when due.
We may charge interest or reasonable recovery costs only as agreed or permitted by law. If an invoice is not paid, we will give written notice and a reasonable opportunity to resolve the issue before suspending work. Suspension does not authorise extra work or charges outside the agreement.
11. Acceptable use and service availability
Do not misuse accounts, circumvent restrictions, introduce malicious software, infringe others’ rights, upload unlawful material, send unsolicited bulk messages or overload the service. We may apply reasonable published usage limits and investigate misuse. We will not impose an additional fee without agreement.
We aim to keep the services available and secure, but maintenance, changes and faults can cause interruption. Any particular service level must be expressly agreed. We may suspend access immediately where reasonably necessary for security, legal compliance or serious misuse; otherwise we will normally explain the issue and allow a reasonable opportunity to put it right.
12. Ending access or an engagement
You may close a free account by contacting us. Paid services end under the order and these terms. Either party may end an engagement for a material breach that cannot be corrected, or is not corrected within 15 days after written notice. Other termination rights or project cancellation charges must be stated in the order.
On ending an engagement, pay for work properly delivered and costs expressly agreed that cannot be cancelled. We will return any prepaid amount for work we will not provide, after allowing for lawful agreed charges. Agree handover and data return or deletion. Confidentiality, rights already acquired, rights to use documents and any provisions intended to continue will remain in force after termination.
13. Liability
Nothing excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or anything else that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Nothing restricts an individual’s statutory data protection rights or mandatory consumer rights.
Subject to those exceptions and to any expressly agreed project limit, our total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the relevant service is limited to the value of three months’ use of that service.
For business customers, subject to the same exceptions and applicable law, we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, or loss of profit, anticipated savings or business opportunity. These provisions apply only to the extent lawful and reasonable. They do not excuse failure to supply the service expressly agreed. Please tell us promptly about a problem so that we can investigate and reduce any loss. These terms do not shorten the legal deadline for bringing a claim.
14. Changes, complaints and legal matters
We may update these terms for new services or legal and operational changes. We will notify affected account holders of material changes and explain when they take effect. We will not retrospectively reduce paid contractual rights. If a material adverse change is necessary during a paid period, we will provide an appropriate right to end the affected service and a proportionate refund.
For help, complaints or contractual notices, contact hello@thorntonandlowe.com or our registered office. We will investigate and explain our response. The Privacy Notice gives the separate route for data protection concerns.
The contract is governed by the law of England and Wales and, for business contracts, the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction. Mandatory legal rights are preserved. If a provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue. A failure to enforce a right immediately does not waive it. No other person obtains a contractual right under these terms unless expressly agreed.
Need help?
Email hello@thorntonandlowe.com or call 01204 238 046.