These are the Terms and Conditions on which All Clear Electrical PTY LTD trading as All Clear Electrical ABN 81 054 590 948 will carry out work for you. By accepting our quote, you are deemed to have accepted these Terms and Conditions.
1. DEFINITIONS For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions:
(a) "Additional Fees" means the fees applicable to Work not foreseen or not requested by the Client before commencement of the Work including:
● Do and Charge Work;
● After Hours work as specified in clause 6;
● Latent conditions or obstacles requiring the hire of special equipment to complete the Work.
(b) "Contractor" means All Clear Electrical PTY LTD ACN 054 590 948 trading as All Clear Electrical, its successors and assigns or any person acting on behalf of and with the authority of the Contractor;
(c) "Client" is the person or entity named on the credit application with the Contractor or where no account exists then on the quote or tender provided by the Contractor to the Client;
(d) "Do and Charge Work" means Work performed under direction of the Client without a formal quotation or variation.
(e) "Fees" means the fees payable by the Client as set out in any quotation or tender provided by the Contractor and accepted by the Client in accordance with clause 2.3, as varied in accordance with clause 3.1 and includes any Additional Fees and Cancellation Fees.
(f) "Goods" means electrical equipment and components supplied by the Contractor to the Client and as described on the Contractor’s quotes, tax invoices and other paperwork;
(g) "Site" means the place where the Contractor’s work will be carried out; and
(h) "Work" means the performance of electrical work and associated services.
2. FEES
2.1 The Client shall receive a quote, scope of works or tender specifying the Work to be undertaken by the Contractor in order to fulfill the Client’s instructions.
2.2 Prices shall be valid for thirty (30) days unless otherwise agreed in writing.
2.3 The Client shall accept the quote or tender by signing and returning a copy to the Contractor, emailing the Contractor or continuing to instruct the Contractor to carry out Work.
2.4 The Client acknowledges that where the Contractor’s costs in connection with any quote or tender increase as a result of the introduction of new, or changes to existing government taxes or charges or prime cost items or provisional sums, the Client will be liable for such increases and any quote or tender is provided subject to such variations.
3. VARIATIONS The Client may request a variation to any Work that the Contractor has previously provided a quote or tender in relation to, by notice in writing to the Contractor. If the Contractor accepts such variation, the Contractor will advise the Client of the Fees applicable to such Work.
4. CANCELLATION
4.1 Without prejudice to the Contractor’s other remedies, the Contractor will be entitled to cancel all or any part of the Works which remain unperformed and all amounts owing to the Contractor will, whether or not due for payment, become immediately payable in the event that:
(a) Any Fees become overdue or in the Contractor’s opinion the Client will be unable to meet its payments as they fall due; or
(b) The Client becomes bankrupt or insolvent, convenes a meeting with its creditors or proposes or enters into an arrangement with creditors, or makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors;
(c) a receiver, manager, liquidator (provisional or otherwise) or similar person is appointed in respect of the Client or any asset of the Client; or
(d) the Contractor is unable to carry out the Work for any reason.
4.2 The Client may cancel the Works by notice in writing to the Contractor and shall reimburse the Contractor for any costs, losses or expenses incurred by the Contractor should the Client cancel or vary an accepted quote or scope of works (“Cancellation Fees”)
5. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
5.1 The Client shall provide clear and exclusive Site access for the Contractor to complete any necessary Work and the Client indemnifies the Contractor where any damage to property or person occurs as a result of the Site not being clear and safe.
5.2 Where the Client is an agent for a property owner (e.g. a real estate agent), the agent must notify the Contractor where a change of ownership of the property takes place, or is about to take place.
5.3 The Client must obtain any building or other approvals required for the Work.
6. CONTRACTOR’S TRADING HOURS The Contractor’s normal trading hours are 7am - 3pm, Monday to Friday. Work performed (at the Client’s request) outside those hours or on a public holiday will be at the Contractor’s discretion and will be subject to a surcharge (rates on application).
7. SERVICES BELOW THE GROUND Before any Work is undertaken and where appropriate, the Client shall clearly mark the exact location and identify all services above and below ground at the Site, including, but not limited to drains, pipes, sewers, mains and telephone and data cables, to enable the Contractor to prevent damage to all such services. These plans can be requested from the Dial Before You Dig website at www.1100.com.au or phone 1100. Should the Client fail to provide the Contractor with the appropriate plans for the Site as specified, the Client shall indemnify the Contractor from any claim for costs, expenses or losses incurred should services be damaged.
8. DEFECTS
8.1 The Client shall inspect all Goods on installation and should, where practicable, notify the Contractor within 48 hours of installation of any alleged shortage in quantity, damage, or failure to comply with any agreed scope of works (“Defects”). The Client shall afford the Contractor an opportunity to inspect the Goods within a reasonable time following installation if the Client believes the Goods are defective in any way.
8.2 Where the Client fails to notify the Contractor of any Defects within 48 hours of installation, the Goods will, subject to clause 8.3, be presumed to be free from Defects.
8.3 Nothing in this clause limits or excludes any rights the Client may have under the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) or any other non-excludable right under applicable law.
9. WEATHER DELAYS In the event of adverse weather conditions which require the Work to be suspended, the Contractor will reschedule the Work and use its reasonable endeavours to complete the Work as soon as practically possible. The Contractor is not liable for any delays in completion of the Work due to adverse weather conditions.
10. PAYMENT
10.1 Where the Contractor requests a deposit, the deposit requested by the Contractor is payable before commencement of Work and the balance is payable within 7 days after receipt of the Contractor’s tax invoice.
10.2 Otherwise, Fees are payable within 7 days of receipt of the Contractor’s Tax Invoice.
10.3 For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, Work is deemed complete when the Contractor has substantially completed the scope of works, notwithstanding minor defects or incomplete items that do not prevent use of the installation. The Contractor will issue its invoice upon substantial completion and payment obligations arise from that date.
10.4 The Contractor may elect to issue invoices at the completion of Work or by periodic progress payments.
10.5 The Contractor may suspend or terminate Works immediately where any invoice becomes overdue, without liability to the Client for any resulting delay or damages. Suspension will continue until all overdue amounts, including accrued interest and administration fees, are paid in full.
10.6 Interest on any overdue Fees will accrue daily from the date when payment becomes due until the date of payment at a rate of 2.5% per calendar month and such interest will compound monthly at such rate after as well as before any judgement.
10.7 The Contractor reserves the right to charge a $65.00 administration fee on overdue Fees.
11. DAMAGES The Client must pay to the Contractor any costs, expenses or losses incurred by the Contractor as a result of the Client’s failure to comply with these Terms and Conditions (including debt collection and legal costs on a full indemnity basis).
12. RETENTION OF TITLE
12.1 Notwithstanding the delivery of the Goods or their installation, title in any particular Goods shall remain with the Contractor regardless of whether the Goods are on-sold by the Client, until all Fees are paid. Where Goods have been on-sold by the Client,
the Client will be taken to hold the proceeds of sale of such Goods upon trust for the Contractor and to account to the Contractor for those proceeds. Any payment made by or on behalf of the Client which is later avoided shall be deemed not to discharge the Contractor’s title in the Goods nor the Client’s indebtedness to the Contractor and, in such an event, the parties are to be restored to the rights which each respectively would have had if the payment had not been made.
12.2 The Client acknowledges that it will be in possession of any Goods solely as bailee until all Fees are paid and until that time:
(a) the Client must not encumber or otherwise charge the Goods; and
(b) the Client shall be fully responsible for any loss or damage to the Goods whatsoever and howsoever caused following delivery or installation of the Goods to the Client.
12.3 The Client hereby irrevocably grants to the Contractor the right, at its sole discretion, to remove or repossess any Goods from the Client and sell or dispose of them, where any Fees are not paid within the payment terms set out in clause 10 and the Contractor shall not be liable to the Client or any person claiming through the Client and the Contractor shall be entitled to retain the proceeds of any Goods sold and apply same towards the Client’s indebtedness to the Contractor.
12.4 If the Client commits an act of bankruptcy, enters into any form of administration or liquidation, makes any composition or arrangement with its creditors, ceases to carry on business or breaches any fundamental clause of this agreement, then the Contractor may, without prejudice to any other remedies it may have, repossess any Goods delivered to the Client on any account which has not been paid in accordance with these Terms and Conditions and commence proceedings to recover the balance of any monies owing the Contractor by the Client.
13. PPSR
13.1 In this clause, the following words have the respective meanings given to them in the PPSA: Financing Statement, Financing Change Statement, Proceeds, Register, Security Agreement, Security Interest and Verification Statement.
13.2 The Client acknowledges and agrees:
(a) that these Terms & Conditions constitute a Security Agreement that creates a Security Interest in all Goods (and Proceeds) previously supplied by the Contractor to the Client and to be supplied in the future by the Contractor to the Client;
(b) that the Security Interest created by these Terms & Conditions is a continuing Security Interest in all Goods (supplied now or in the future by the Contractor to the Client) and
Proceeds, which will operate (despite any intervening payment or settlement of account) until the Contractor has signed a release;
(c) to waive its rights in relation to the sections listed in sub-section 115(1) of the PPSA (or as otherwise amended), which will not apply (to the extent, if any, mentioned) to the Security Agreement created by these Terms & Conditions.
13.3 The Client undertakes to:
(a) keep all Goods free of any charge, lien or Security Interest except as created under these Terms & Conditions and not otherwise deal with the Goods in a way that may prejudice any rights of the Contractor under these Terms & Conditions or the PPSA;
(b) sign any further documents and provide any further information (which must be complete, accurate and up-to-date in all respects) that the Contractor may require to register a Financing Statement or Financing Change Statement in relation to a Security Interest on the Register, register any other document required to be registered by the PPSA, or correct a defect in a statement referred to in clause 12.3(b);
(c) indemnify, and upon demand reimburse, the Contractor for all fees (including actual legal fees on a solicitor/own client basis), costs, disbursements and expenses in registering and maintaining a Financing Statement or Financing Change Statement on the Register or releasing any Goods charged thereby, and enforcing or attempting to enforce the Security any Interest created by these Terms & Conditions.
(d) not register, or allow to be registered, a Financing Statement or a Financing Change Statement in respect of the Goods or Proceeds in favour of a third party, without the prior written consent of the Contractor; and immediately advise the Contractor of any material change in its business details (including, but not limited to, its trading name, address, facsimile number) or business practices.
14. WARRANTY
14.1 Any warranty as to the Goods on the part of the Client shall be limited to the Warranty provided by the manufacturer to the Client on or before installation of the Goods. Any labour involved with warranty Work may incur charges as determined by the Contractor.
14.2 The Contractor warrants that the Work will be carried out in accordance with all relevant laws in an appropriate and skilful way, in accordance with plans and specifications (where relevant) using materials that are good and suitable for the purpose for which they are intended to be used. The Contractor is not liable where the Work or the Goods are damaged as a result of the Client failing to maintain the Work or
the Goods as directed by the Contractor or as a reasonable person might do.
14.3 Where the Work relates to repairing a part of an appliance, the Contractor does not warrant that repairing such part will ensure the appliance will function as required, nor that any other parts of the appliance are in good working order.
14.4 The Contractor reserves the right to make null and void the warranty should the Goods be modified, altered, damaged or put to any undue stress other than in the way the Goods were designed to perform.
14.5 In respect of all claims the Contractor shall not be liable to compensate the Client for any delay in either replacing or repairing the workmanship/Goods or in properly assessing the Client’s claim.
14.6 Nothing in this clause excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer guarantee, right, or remedy that the Client may have under the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) or any other non-excludable right under applicable law.
15. LIABILITY
15.1 Non-excludable Rights The parties acknowledge that, under applicable State and Commonwealth law, certain conditions and warranties may be implied in these Terms and Conditions and there are rights and remedies conferred on the Client in relation to the provision of the Work which cannot be excluded, restricted or modified by the contract (“Non-excludable Rights”).
15.2 Disclaimer of Liability The Contractor disclaims all conditions and warranties expressed or implied, and all rights and remedies conferred on the Client, by statute, the common law, equity, trade, custom or usage or otherwise and all those conditions and warranties and all those rights and remedies are excluded other than any Non-excludable Rights. To the extent permitted by law, the liability of the Contractor for a breach of a Non-Excludable Right is limited, at the Contractor’s option, to the supplying of the Work again or payment of the cost of having the Work supplied again.
15.3 Limitation of Liability Cap To the extent permitted by law, the Contractor’s total aggregate liability to the Client arising out of or in connection with the Work or these Terms and Conditions, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), statute, or otherwise, is limited to the total Fees paid by the Client to the Contractor for the specific Work giving rise to the claim.
15.4 Indirect Losses Notwithstanding any other provision of these Terms and Conditions, the Contractor is under no circumstances (whatever the cause) liable in
contract, tort including without limitation, negligence or breach of statutory duty or otherwise to compensate the Client for:
(a) any increased costs or expenses;
(b) any loss of profit, revenue, business, contracts or anticipated savings;
(c) any loss or expense resulting from a claim by a third party; or
(d) any special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any nature whatsoever caused by the Contractor’s failure to complete or delay in completing the Work or to deliver the Goods.
15.5 Force Majeure The Contractor will have no liability to the Client in relation to any loss, damage or expense caused by the Contractor’s failure to complete the Work or to deliver the Goods as a result of fire, flood, tempest, earthquake, riot, civil disturbance, theft, crime, strike, lockout, breakdown, war, the inability of the Contractor’s normal suppliers to supply necessary Goods or any other matter beyond the Contractor’s control.
16. PRIVACY
16.1 The Client hereby authorises the Contractor to collect, retain, record, use and disclose commercial and/or consumer information about the Client, in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and subsequent amendments, to persons and/or legal entities who are a solicitor or any other professional consultant engaged by the Contractor, a debt collector, credit reporting agency and/or any other individual or organisation which maintains credit references and/or default listings.
16.2 The Contractor may give information about the Client to a credit reporting agency for the purposes of obtaining consumer and commercial credit reports and/or lodging consumer and commercial defaults on the Client’s credit file. This information may be given before, during or after the provision of credit to the Client and will be in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and subsequent amendments.
17. SECURITY AND CHARGE The Client hereby charges all property, both equitable and legal, present or future of the Client in respect of any monies that may be owing by the Client to the Contractor under the Terms and Conditions or otherwise and hereby authorises the Contractor or its solicitors to execute any consent form as its attorney for the purpose of registering a caveat over any real property owned by the Client or the Guarantor/s at any time.
18. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
18.1 The Client agrees that the Contractor may take and use photos of any part of the Work for promotional and portfolio purposes.
18.2 The Client authorises the Contractor to place its company logo and case study on its website or promotional collateral for promotional purposes.
18.3 Where the Contractor has designed, drawn or written plans for or associated with the Work, then copyright in those designs drawings, plans and documents will remain vested in the Contractor and will only be used by the Client with the consent of the Contractor (which it may grant at its discretion).
19. GENERAL MATTERS
19.1 Severability Any provision in these Terms and Conditions which is invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction must be read down for the purposes of that jurisdiction, if possible, so as to be valid and enforceable. If that provision cannot be read down then it is capable of being severed to the extent of the invalidity or unenforceability without affecting the remaining provisions of these Terms and Conditions or affecting the validity or enforceability of that provision in any other jurisdiction.
19.2 Governing Law and Jurisdiction These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of Queensland and each party irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Queensland.
19.3 Subcontracting The Contractor may subcontract its obligations under these Terms and Conditions.
19.4 Notices Any notice provided under these Terms and Conditions must be in writing.
19.5 Dispute Resolution The parties agree to attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute regarding these Terms and Conditions through negotiation including negotiation with the assistance of an agreed mediator. If the dispute or difference is not resolved to the satisfaction of the parties within 30 days, either party may request the matter to be heard by an arbitrator. Arbitration shall be effected:
(a) by an arbitrator agreed upon in writing by the parties; or
(b) in the absence of such agreement, by an arbitrator appointed in accordance with the provisions of the law relating to arbitration in force in the State of Queensland; or
(c) by an arbitrator appointed by the National President for the time being of the Institute of Arbitrators Australia. The Contractor may pause the provision of the Works to conduct whatever investigations deemed appropriate and, within 90 days of the given written notice, seek to resolve the dispute.
20. GST
20.1 Unless otherwise stated, all Fees quoted or invoiced by the Contractor are exclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST). GST, where applicable, will be added to the invoice at the prevailing rate and is payable by the Client at the same time as the Fees to which it relates.
20.2 Where any adjustment to the Fees results in a change to the GST payable, the Contractor will issue an adjusted tax invoice accordingly.
21. VERBAL SITE INSTRUCTIONS
21.1 Any direction or instruction given verbally on-site by the Client, the Client’s agent, representative, builder, or site supervisor that results in Work being performed beyond the agreed scope of works will be treated as Do and Charge Work as defined in clause 1(d).
21.2 The Client acknowledges that verbal instructions given to the Contractor’s employees or subcontractors on-site constitute a binding direction for which the Client accepts full financial liability, regardless of whether a formal variation has been issued.
22. BUILDER BACK CHARGES AND SET-OFFS
22.1 The Contractor does not accept back charges, set-offs, or deductions from any builder or head contractor unless:
(a) the Contractor has been given prior written notice of the issue giving rise to the back charge or set-off;
(b) the Contractor has been provided a reasonable opportunity to inspect, remedy, or dispute the matter; and
(c) the Contractor has provided written consent to the back charge or set-off amount.
22.2 Any purported back charge or set-off made without compliance with clause 22.1 shall not reduce the Fees owed to the Contractor and will be treated as an overdue amount subject to the interest and administration fee provisions of clause 10.
23. RECOVERY OF DEBT COLLECTION COSTS
23.1 In addition to the provisions of clause 11, the Client shall be liable to reimburse the Contractor for
all costs and expenses associated with recovery of overdue Fees, including:
(a) third-party debt collection agency fees;
(b) mercantile agent fees;
(c) legal costs on a full indemnity basis; and
(d) any court filing fees or enforcement costs.
24. SITE INDUCTIONS AND ACCESS DELAYS
24.1 Where the Client or a head contractor requires the Contractor’s employees or subcontractors to complete site inductions, safety courses, or access requirements prior to commencing Work, any delay caused by such requirements shall not:
(a) extend the payment terms applicable to any invoice issued by the Contractor; or
(b) reduce the Fees payable by the Client for the Work.
24.2 The Contractor reserves the right to charge for standing time or call-back fees where access to the Site is delayed or denied due to induction or access-control requirements beyond the Contractor’s control.
25. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
25.1 The Client warrants that, to the best of its knowledge, the Site is free from hazardous materials (including but not limited to asbestos, lead paint, or other regulated substances) that would affect the performance of the Work.
25.2 Where the Contractor discovers or reasonably suspects the presence of hazardous materials at the Site during the performance of Work, the Contractor may suspend the Work until the materials are identified, tested, and safely remediated by appropriately qualified persons at the Client’s cost.
25.3 The Client shall indemnify the Contractor against all costs, claims, losses, and liabilities (including those of the Contractor’s employees and subcontractors) arising from undisclosed or unforeseen hazardous materials at the Site.
25.4 Any suspension of Work under clause 25.2 shall not relieve the Client of its payment obligations in respect of Work already performed, and the Contractor shall not be liable for any delay in completing the Work resulting from the suspension.
26. ELECTRONIC AND PORTAL ACCEPTANCE
26.1 In addition to the acceptance methods outlined in clause 2.3, the Client may accept a quote or scope of works by:
(a) SMS or text message from the Client or the Client’s authorised representative;
(b) approval through a builder’s procurement or project management portal (including but not
limited to BuilderTrend, Databuild, CoConstruct, or equivalent platforms); or
(c) any other electronic communication that clearly indicates the Client’s intention to proceed with the Work.
27. SOLAR AND BATTERY SYSTEMS – NETWORK AND REGULATORY DELAYS
27.1 This clause applies where the Work includes the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery storage systems, or associated metering and grid-connection works.
27.2 The Contractor is not liable for any delay in the commissioning, energisation, or export approval of a solar or battery system caused by:
(a) the Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP), including Energex or Ergon Energy, in processing connection applications or issuing approvals;
(b) the electricity retailer in arranging meter reconfiguration, bi-directional meter installation, or feed-in tariff registration;
(c) network export limitations, virtual power plant (VPP) enrolment requirements, or other grid conditions imposed by the DNSP; or
(d) changes to government rebate schemes, feed-in tariff rates, or regulatory requirements occurring after the date of the Contractor’s quote.
27.3 The Contractor’s Fees for installation work are payable upon completion of the physical installation, regardless of whether network approval or metering changes have been completed by third parties.
28. RISE AND FALL – PRICE ADJUSTMENT
28.1 The Contractor’s quoted Fees are based on the cost of materials, labour, fuel, and other inputs at the time of quoting. Where there is a material increase in any of these costs between the date of the quote and the date the Work is performed, the Contractor reserves the right to adjust the Fees accordingly.
28.2 A price adjustment under this clause may be triggered by:
(a) increases in the cost of electrical materials, components, or equipment from the Contractor’s suppliers;
(b) increases in labour costs resulting from changes to applicable awards, enterprise agreements, or statutory obligations;
(c) increases in fuel costs or transport charges affecting the Contractor’s operations;
(d) the introduction of, or changes to, any government tax, levy, or charge applicable to the Work or the Contractor’s inputs; or
(e) any other event outside the Contractor’s reasonable control that materially increases the cost of performing the Work.
28.3 Where the Contractor intends to apply a price adjustment under this clause, the Contractor will provide the Client with written notice of the proposed adjustment and the basis for it prior to, or at the time of, invoicing. Where practicable, the Contractor will provide supporting documentation (such as supplier price increase notices) upon request.
28.4 The Client acknowledges that quotes with a validity period of thirty (30) days under clause 2.2 are particularly subject to price variation where acceptance occurs close to or after the expiry of that period, and that the Contractor’s right to adjust Fees under this clause applies in addition to any re-quoting that may occur.
28.5 For the avoidance of doubt, this clause does not operate to reduce the Fees payable by the Client where input costs decrease after the date of quoting, unless the Contractor elects to pass on such reduction at its sole discretion.
29. EXISTING INSTALLATIONS
29.1 The Contractor is not responsible for faults, defects, non-compliance, or unsafe conditions in existing electrical installations, equipment, or infrastructure not installed by the Contractor.
29.2 Where the Contractor is engaged to perform Work on or in connection with an existing installation, the Contractor will use reasonable care but does not warrant the fitness, compliance, or safety of any part of the installation that was not the subject of the Work.
29.3 Where the Contractor identifies existing non-compliant or unsafe conditions in the course of performing the Work, the Contractor may issue a notice to the Client and, where required by law, may be obliged to take steps to make the installation safe. Any additional work required to remedy existing defects will be subject to a separate quote or will be charged on a Do and Charge basis.
30. COMMISSIONING AND RESPONSIBILITY HANDOVER
30.1 Responsibility for the installed system, equipment, or Works transfers to the Client upon practical completion and, where applicable, energisation of the installation.
30.2 For the purposes of this clause, practical completion occurs when the Contractor has completed the installation in accordance with the agreed scope of works to the point where it is capable of being used for its intended purpose, notwithstanding minor defects or items of Work that do not prevent use.
30.3 Following handover, the Client is responsible for the safe operation, maintenance, and security of the installation. The Contractor is not liable for damage, loss, or injury arising from the Client’s failure to properly operate or maintain the installation after handover.
31. ACCESS AND RETURN VISIT FEES
31.1 Where the Contractor attends the Site and is unable to perform the Work due to incomplete works by other trades, lack of access, site not being ready, or any other Client-caused delay, the Contractor reserves the right to charge a return visit fee at its standard rates.
31.2 Where the Contractor is required to make additional site visits as a result of circumstances outside the Contractor’s control, including but not limited to builder scheduling changes, trade sequencing issues, or site access restrictions, additional charges will apply and will be invoiced on a Do and Charge basis.
31.3 The Client will be notified of any return visit fees prior to or at the time of invoicing.
32. VARIATIONS – WRITTEN APPROVAL AND INVOICING
32.1 The Contractor is not required to proceed with any variation to the agreed scope of works until that variation has been confirmed in writing by the Client or the Client’s authorised representative.
32.2 Where the Contractor performs work that constitutes a variation and written approval has not been obtained prior to commencement, the Contractor may nonetheless invoice for that work based on reasonable rates and actual time and materials incurred.
32.3 The Client’s acceptance of completed variation work, or failure to object within 5 business days of invoice, constitutes acknowledgement that the variation was authorised and the charges are payable.
33. MATERIALS – STORAGE AND THEFT RISK
33.1 The Contractor is not responsible for loss, theft, vandalism, or damage to materials, equipment, or tools delivered to or stored at the Site, unless such loss or damage is directly caused by the Contractor’s negligence.
33.2 The Client is responsible for providing adequate security and storage conditions at the Site for materials delivered by the Contractor. Where materials are lost, stolen, or damaged at the Site through no fault of the Contractor, the cost of replacement will be charged to the Client.
33.3 The Contractor will use reasonable care in securing materials on-site but accepts no liability for theft or damage caused by third parties.
34. PROGRAM DELAYS AND SCHEDULING
34.1 The Contractor is not responsible for delays to the completion of the Work caused by:
(a) other trades, subcontractors, or suppliers not engaged by the Contractor;
(b) the site not being ready or accessible at the agreed time;
(c) builder or head contractor scheduling changes or re-sequencing of works; or
(d) any other matter outside the Contractor’s reasonable control.
34.2 The Contractor will use reasonable endeavours to meet agreed program dates but does not guarantee completion by a particular date where delays are caused by factors outside the Contractor’s control.
34.3 Delays caused by matters referred to in clause
34.1 do not entitle the Client to withhold payment of any invoice that is otherwise due and payable.
35. CONTRACTOR’S RECORDS AS EVIDENCE
35.1 The Contractor’s records, job notes, time sheets, site diaries, photographs, system-generated reports, and other business records shall constitute prima facie evidence of the Work performed, materials supplied, time spent, and charges incurred in connection with any engagement.
35.2 In any dispute regarding the scope, quantity, or value of Work performed, the Contractor’s records will be accepted as accurate unless the Client provides written evidence to the contrary within 14 days of receiving the relevant invoice.
35.3 The Contractor will retain records of all Work performed for a minimum of 7 years and will make such records available upon reasonable written request by the Client.