terms and conditions / information
Terms & Conditions
AA Piano Tuners UK (AAPT or AAPTUK for short) is a privately run service for piano tuning & repairs. The owner is Colin Nicholson who is a sole trader. Mainly working in the North East of England, covering a radius of around 20 - 25 miles.
[1] BOOKING TUNING ENQUIRIES (mainly for new clients)
Please telephone Colin on 0791 485 4072 for any piano enquiry, such as a tuning. Please do NOT use text messages or emails for your first enquiry. Please make a note of the following, and have a piece of paper & pen to take notes.
I will need to know >>>
1. Your full name + title
2. Your village/ town/ city name + post code. (I do not need to know your house number/ name just yet).
3. Piano NAME (usually printed/ embossed or inlaid into the centre - inside of the keys piano lid); e.g. Bechstein.
4. State if your piano is UPRIGHT or GRAND. (If you own a mini upright piano (eg Eavestaff), photos may be needed.
5. Approx. age of the piano / or serial number. (Don't worry if you are not sure).
6. Approx. when your piano was last tuned? (I only need to know if the piano was last tuned more than 2 years ago.)
7. Your Email address (for sending your pro forma/ booking details & approx. costs.)
8. Nature of your enquiry? (Tuning, repair, service, cleaning etc.)
A provisional booking may be made at this stage over the phone. An estimated price of the tuning will be offered (without travelling expenses unless obvious), but the pro forma will provide the full costs and show your answers to most of above. Any booking at this stage is pending until a payment is made. See [9]
[2] PAYMENT
Full payment of the visit (inc. travelling expenses) will be shown on your pro forma, and must be paid in advance by Internet Banking only (BACS).
Sorry, but payment by cheque or cash cannot be made for the initial stages.
The payment will be shown on your pro forma (email attachment) including my bank details.
Payment must be received within 2 working days (ex. weekends) before your visit date.
Should a booking remain unpaid, your appointment will be cancelled.
When payment is made by you, it is a gesture of goodwill to let me know. Once paid, your booking will be confirmed/ fixed.
Should extra work be needed during your visit, a "top up" fee will apply by cash only (mainly for new clients/ unknown piano).
If you wish to pay any top up by BACS, I must be informed before your visit. (Access to my account requires a PINSentry machine for checking).
Any payment is always estimated until the work is complete.
[3] UNKNOWN PIANOS?
Even after a detailed description of your piano (perhaps including photos) will always remain unknown until I physically inspect the piano face-to-face. The visit will tell me the overall condition, mechanism type (inc. wear & tear), pedal mechanism, and PITCH of the instrument. Also, any photo offered is only for general purposes, as any photo cannot display hidden parts/ behind & underneath.
After the piano has been successfully tuned/ repaired, only then will the piano be fully known to me (for future visits).
Please do not send any photos unless I ask for them.
[4] TRAVELLING EXPENSES
All journeys and milage is calculated from NE63 9PY using GOOGLE MAPS.
The first 5 miles are FREE (local).
6 - 10 miles = £1.00 per mile.
Over 10 miles = £2.00 per mile.
All milage is rounded UP to the nearest whole mile, and may not include adverse weather, delays/ road works or detours.
Depending on the journey time & distance, a return fee may be charged
[5] House names/ Farms etc.
If your home does not have a house number, I will need to know the following:
a. Name of an adjacent street/ building name (e.g. Public House)
b. Your vehicle name & colour, including the last THREE digits of a number plate.
NB: Some house names are not visible from a main road, and some names are on the back of an open gate!
[6] PIANO REPAIRS
Any piano repair must be VISUALLY inspected (face-to-face) first with the instrument.
Some small repairs may be carried out on-site and incorporated into a tuning, but others may require a separate visit.
If a piano tuning is not possible at this stage, a call-out fee will be charged. For example, if a piano part needs to be ordered, this is to be charged separately, and paid before your 2nd visit.
* NB: AAPT reserves the right to refuse a tuning/ repair, depending on the condition and age of the piano.
A piano repair is also subject to access to the piano, space around the piano and light conditions.
................................................................................
All pianos should be kept away from any direct source of heat such as, direct sunlight, large floor-to-ceiling glass windows/ doors, centrally heated radiators/ underfloor heating/ conservatories. Pianos are best kept in a temperature of 16 - 20 degrees Celcius, and a humidity of around 55%. Separately sold piano thermometers & hygrometers are available on-line.
All pianos (even new) should be tuned every SIX MONTHS, and serviced every 2-3 years.
[7] THIRD/ FOURTH PARTIES
A 'third party' is someone who contacts me to book a visit for a piano, but they do not own the piano.
A 'fourth party' is a company who arranges payment via the third party and do not own the piano.
At this stage, anyone booking a visit (on behalf of a company) will be deemed as the "owner" of the piano.
For example, a third party may be a school, college, university or other education establishment. Other third parties may include
wedding/ function/ party venues, hotels, public houses, theatres, Art - studio buildings, cafes, restaurants, Stately Home and so on.
In any case of a third party booking, the person making that booking over the phone is therefore responsible for the booking, including access, giving clear details about the piano, and accepting to arrange payment themselves. Unfortunately, I do not accept payment on a "fourth party" basis. Here are some fourth party examples: Head office accounts, Secretary, Admin, Pay-role (or wages) departments, or any kind of situation where the payment is passed on from the third party.
I am happy to accept a third party booking, but in all cases, they must arrange payment themselves (usually from their own bank account, paid in advance), then get reimbursed by their fourth party at a later date.
[8] ABSOLUTE SILENCE/ other
All piano tunings require absolute silence please. I can not tune a piano if there is background noise.
Examples: Sound testing equipment/ Assembling tables & chairs/ Any kind of machinery / Outside building work / Neighbouring concerts (i.e. music colleges)/ Vacuum or floor cleaners / Washing machines / Excessive dog barking/ Loud - ticking clocks, and so on.
[9] PRICE OFFERS/ DEADLINES/ OTHER INFO
Any prices, offers, discounts, incentives, deposit & balance info, deadline dates, package deals, or any information previously submitted by email or phone, may change or become invalid at the discretion of AAPTUK without notice.
AAPTUK reserves the right to change any part of the T&C without notice.
All piano tuning & repairs are different procedures for upright & grand pianos.
<<BACK
AA Piano Tuners UK (AAPT or AAPTUK for short) is a privately run service for piano tuning & repairs. The owner is Colin Nicholson who is a sole trader. Mainly working in the North East of England, covering a radius of around 20 - 25 miles.
[1] BOOKING TUNING ENQUIRIES (mainly for new clients)
Please telephone Colin on 0791 485 4072 for any piano enquiry, such as a tuning. Please do NOT use text messages or emails for your first enquiry. Please make a note of the following, and have a piece of paper & pen to take notes.
I will need to know >>>
1. Your full name + title
2. Your village/ town/ city name + post code. (I do not need to know your house number/ name just yet).
3. Piano NAME (usually printed/ embossed or inlaid into the centre - inside of the keys piano lid); e.g. Bechstein.
4. State if your piano is UPRIGHT or GRAND. (If you own a mini upright piano (eg Eavestaff), photos may be needed.
5. Approx. age of the piano / or serial number. (Don't worry if you are not sure).
6. Approx. when your piano was last tuned? (I only need to know if the piano was last tuned more than 2 years ago.)
7. Your Email address (for sending your pro forma/ booking details & approx. costs.)
8. Nature of your enquiry? (Tuning, repair, service, cleaning etc.)
A provisional booking may be made at this stage over the phone. An estimated price of the tuning will be offered (without travelling expenses unless obvious), but the pro forma will provide the full costs and show your answers to most of above. Any booking at this stage is pending until a payment is made. See [9]
[2] PAYMENT
Full payment of the visit (inc. travelling expenses) will be shown on your pro forma, and must be paid in advance by Internet Banking only (BACS).
Sorry, but payment by cheque or cash cannot be made for the initial stages.
The payment will be shown on your pro forma (email attachment) including my bank details.
Payment must be received within 2 working days (ex. weekends) before your visit date.
Should a booking remain unpaid, your appointment will be cancelled.
When payment is made by you, it is a gesture of goodwill to let me know. Once paid, your booking will be confirmed/ fixed.
Should extra work be needed during your visit, a "top up" fee will apply by cash only (mainly for new clients/ unknown piano).
If you wish to pay any top up by BACS, I must be informed before your visit. (Access to my account requires a PINSentry machine for checking).
Any payment is always estimated until the work is complete.
[3] UNKNOWN PIANOS?
Even after a detailed description of your piano (perhaps including photos) will always remain unknown until I physically inspect the piano face-to-face. The visit will tell me the overall condition, mechanism type (inc. wear & tear), pedal mechanism, and PITCH of the instrument. Also, any photo offered is only for general purposes, as any photo cannot display hidden parts/ behind & underneath.
After the piano has been successfully tuned/ repaired, only then will the piano be fully known to me (for future visits).
Please do not send any photos unless I ask for them.
[4] TRAVELLING EXPENSES
All journeys and milage is calculated from NE63 9PY using GOOGLE MAPS.
The first 5 miles are FREE (local).
6 - 10 miles = £1.00 per mile.
Over 10 miles = £2.00 per mile.
All milage is rounded UP to the nearest whole mile, and may not include adverse weather, delays/ road works or detours.
Depending on the journey time & distance, a return fee may be charged
[5] House names/ Farms etc.
If your home does not have a house number, I will need to know the following:
a. Name of an adjacent street/ building name (e.g. Public House)
b. Your vehicle name & colour, including the last THREE digits of a number plate.
NB: Some house names are not visible from a main road, and some names are on the back of an open gate!
[6] PIANO REPAIRS
Any piano repair must be VISUALLY inspected (face-to-face) first with the instrument.
Some small repairs may be carried out on-site and incorporated into a tuning, but others may require a separate visit.
If a piano tuning is not possible at this stage, a call-out fee will be charged. For example, if a piano part needs to be ordered, this is to be charged separately, and paid before your 2nd visit.
* NB: AAPT reserves the right to refuse a tuning/ repair, depending on the condition and age of the piano.
A piano repair is also subject to access to the piano, space around the piano and light conditions.
................................................................................
All pianos should be kept away from any direct source of heat such as, direct sunlight, large floor-to-ceiling glass windows/ doors, centrally heated radiators/ underfloor heating/ conservatories. Pianos are best kept in a temperature of 16 - 20 degrees Celcius, and a humidity of around 55%. Separately sold piano thermometers & hygrometers are available on-line.
All pianos (even new) should be tuned every SIX MONTHS, and serviced every 2-3 years.
[7] THIRD/ FOURTH PARTIES
A 'third party' is someone who contacts me to book a visit for a piano, but they do not own the piano.
A 'fourth party' is a company who arranges payment via the third party and do not own the piano.
At this stage, anyone booking a visit (on behalf of a company) will be deemed as the "owner" of the piano.
For example, a third party may be a school, college, university or other education establishment. Other third parties may include
wedding/ function/ party venues, hotels, public houses, theatres, Art - studio buildings, cafes, restaurants, Stately Home and so on.
In any case of a third party booking, the person making that booking over the phone is therefore responsible for the booking, including access, giving clear details about the piano, and accepting to arrange payment themselves. Unfortunately, I do not accept payment on a "fourth party" basis. Here are some fourth party examples: Head office accounts, Secretary, Admin, Pay-role (or wages) departments, or any kind of situation where the payment is passed on from the third party.
I am happy to accept a third party booking, but in all cases, they must arrange payment themselves (usually from their own bank account, paid in advance), then get reimbursed by their fourth party at a later date.
[8] ABSOLUTE SILENCE/ other
All piano tunings require absolute silence please. I can not tune a piano if there is background noise.
Examples: Sound testing equipment/ Assembling tables & chairs/ Any kind of machinery / Outside building work / Neighbouring concerts (i.e. music colleges)/ Vacuum or floor cleaners / Washing machines / Excessive dog barking/ Loud - ticking clocks, and so on.
[9] PRICE OFFERS/ DEADLINES/ OTHER INFO
Any prices, offers, discounts, incentives, deposit & balance info, deadline dates, package deals, or any information previously submitted by email or phone, may change or become invalid at the discretion of AAPTUK without notice.
AAPTUK reserves the right to change any part of the T&C without notice.
All piano tuning & repairs are different procedures for upright & grand pianos.
<<BACK
