Terms of Business
Straightforward terms for business advice and consultancy supplied by Greg Paul trading as Business Advice Shropshire.
Your first conversation is free for up to 30 minutes. Nothing becomes chargeable until I have told you my proposed rate and next steps and you have agreed to proceed.
1. Free initial conversation
The initial conversation is free for up to 30 minutes and may take place by telephone or face-to-face. Its purpose is to understand what is happening in your business and whether I may be able to help. It is not intended to be a full consultancy session.
2. Proposal and chargeable work
After the initial conversation, I will normally email you within a few days with how long I think the next meeting should take, the key areas I suggest discussing and the likely cost. Meetings may be by telephone or face-to-face. I do not currently offer video meetings.
My current standard rate is £65 per hour. A different rate or basis of charging may be agreed for particular work. Nothing is chargeable until the relevant rate and proposed work have been agreed with you.
3. Ongoing support
There is no requirement to continue after the first chargeable meeting. If you want further support, it can be arranged as and when required, whether that is another meeting, occasional advice, a sounding board or more regular involvement.
4. Invoicing and payment
Unless agreed otherwise, I will invoice after chargeable work has been carried out. Invoices are payable within 7 days of the invoice date.
5. Cancellations
Please give as much notice as reasonably possible if you need to cancel or rearrange a meeting. I understand that circumstances change. Where a very late cancellation or non-attendance results in significant reserved time being lost, I reserve the right to charge a reasonable amount, but I will aim to deal with this fairly and proportionately.
6. Travel and other expenses
I am happy to travel where appropriate. Any charge for travel time, mileage, fares or other travel expense will be agreed with you beforehand. I will not intentionally incur other material chargeable expenses on your behalf without agreeing them with you first.
7. Confidentiality
I will treat commercially sensitive information you provide as confidential and will not disclose it unnecessarily, except where you authorise disclosure, disclosure is reasonably necessary to provide the agreed service, or I am required to disclose it by law.
8. Nature of the advice
Business Advice Shropshire provides general business advice and consultancy based on experience, the information available and my professional judgement. Unless separately and expressly agreed with an appropriately qualified professional, I am not acting as your accountant, solicitor, tax adviser, regulated financial adviser or other regulated specialist.
9. Decisions and results
I will provide my views and recommendations in good faith, but business decisions remain yours. You are responsible for deciding whether to act on any suggestion and for the management of your business. No particular increase in turnover, profit, cost saving or other commercial result can be guaranteed.
10. Information you provide
You are responsible for giving me information that is reasonably accurate and complete where I rely on it to provide advice. Information supplied to me will be used for the purpose of providing the agreed service and administering the client relationship, subject to the Privacy Policy.
11. Liability
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so. Subject to that, I will not be responsible for losses caused by decisions made without reasonably considering the circumstances, by inaccurate or incomplete information supplied to me, or by matters outside the agreed scope of my work. Any specific scope or additional terms agreed in writing for a piece of work will also apply.
12. Governing law
These terms and any agreement for services are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction, subject to any mandatory rights that apply.
Last updated: 9 September 2026.