Terms & Conditions
By paying your deposit it will be deemed that you understand and accept the following terms and conditions.
PAYMENT CONDITIONS
PRICES
All prices are non-negotiable and priced according to our price list or your customized order.
All cakes prices are non-negotiable and priced according to your exact design and the size of your cake.
Following your enquiry/consultation your quote is valid for 14 days from the point of issue. Paying your deposit will secure the quoted price and time in my diary.
DEPOSITS
A non-refundable 50% deposit (total of your order and delivery price if applicable) is required in order to secure the commission of your catering or cake and chosen date with Kim’s Exclusive Catering.
Orders are not fully confirmed until the deposit has been received and acknowledged by me via the issue of an Order Confirmation.
Deposits are accepted via Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT), Debit or Credit Card or Cash.
PAYMENT
Payment can be made by Electronic Funds Transfer to my nominated bank account (details will be provided).
Final payment for your catering or cake order can be made on the day of collection/delivery by cash, debit or credit card or same day bank transfer. For you own convenience I recommend final payment is made the day before the catering order, or cake, is due for collection or delivery. If full payment is not cleared and received in my account before collection/delivery then the order will not be released.
CANCELLATION
If cancellation of an order takes place more than 7 days before the agreed collection/delivery date I reserve the right to retain your non-refundable 50% deposit. If cancellation takes place less than 7 days before the day of collection/delivery then I reserve the right to seek 100% of the order value.
Cancellation must be made in writing (by letter or email) and will only be deemed to take effect from the date your letter/email is received by me.
Should you need to postpone your event I will endeavour to transfer your order providing the date is suitable for me, otherwise it shall be treated as a cancellation (see above).
I retain the right to cancel the booking in unusual circumstances beyond my control, such as fire, power cut, ill health etc during which I will return the in full any money taken.
LAST MINUTE ORDERS
Due to our understanding that there are often times when last minute catering, events or cakes are required, we will endeavour to assist should we have the time available. All our items and baked goods are freshly prepared and fresh ingredients are bought daily. In these circumstances full payment in cash, EFT (on the day transfers) with proof of payment, or payment by debit or credit card is required on the day of order.
ALTERATIONS AND CHANGES
It is your responsibility to read and check the quote thoroughly. Any amendments to the quote should be made in writing.
CAKES
If requested, I will endeavour to adjust the design of a cake post-approval where possible, but sometimes this is not possible according to the nature of the request or amount of notice given. If the alteration affects the cost, or preparation work for the original design has already been undertaken (such as purchasing of ingredients), then your balance will be adjusted accordingly.
I reserve the right to change or adapt the agreed design at any point if circumstances dictate it, such as unusual weather conditions, unavailability of ingredients for example.
Each cake is made individually by hand, so although every effort is made to ensure consistency, some variation may occur from the design agreed.
ALLERGIES & SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Special requests for nut free, gluten free or vegan catering, including cakes, are available.
All my cakes are suitable for vegetarians. Please be aware that although ingredients such as nuts can be removed from the cakes, they are still used in my kitchen so I cannot guarantee that any of my cakes are completely free of nuts.
NON-EDIBLE ITEMS
While every effort is made to ensure all cakes are fully edible, it is standard practice tor heavily decorated cakes to contain a small proportion of inedible items. It is the client’s responsibility to ensure these are removed by yourself or your guests before consumption eg support dowels and boards in tiered/sculpted cakes, ribbon, wires in sugar flowers, support sticks in modelled figures etc.
Such non-edible items will be highlighted on the quotation or sales order. Please take a moment to read this before consumption and ensure this information is relayed to the person cutting/serving the cake.
DELIVERY CONDITIONS
Delivery charges are calculated as per AA rates and total distance travelled. This includes return travel. Alternatively goods can be collected free of charge from our premises.
If you choose delivery it is my intention that your cake will be delivered in perfect condition prior to the start of your event. However, I ask for patience with factors that may be beyond my control (eg accidents and traffic conditions) as I cannot be held reliable for any such delays. For this reason I recommend all cake orders are delivered at least 1 hour in advance of the event start time. It is your responsibility to ensure you inform me of the correct event time and location plus the pin location of the venue. In the unlikely event of late delivery, the maximum compensation will be a refund of the delivery price.
I cannot be held liable for any damage that is rendered to the cake once it has been collected or delivered.
If you chose to collect the cake, I will not be held liable for any damage to the cake once it has left my possession. Tiered cakes are most at risk during transport and every care should be taken by you to ensure your cake is as safe and secure as possible during transit.
Late requests for delivery (after securing the booking based on collection) will be accommodated where possible, but cannot be guaranteed.
Please not that celebration cakes can be very heavy, particularly fondant covered cakes. Please bear this in mind when collecting/carrying/transporting the cake yourself.
Cakes are presented for collection or delivery in a cardboard cake box. Do not place any objects on top of the cake box. Cake stands are not supplied, but can be hired at an additional cost.
COLLECTION
Any catering or cakes not picked up within 1 hour of the agreed collection time will be held for a maximum of 48 hours. A new collection time (and day) will be arranged at my convenience. Catering or cakes not collected after this time may be destroyed, in which case I reserve the right to seek 100% of the order value.
STORAGE AND CONSUPTION
DAMAGE
Please remember that cake decorations are very delicate items, and I cannot accept responsibility for damage that is done to the cake after it has left my possession.
If any damage is rendered to the cake after it has left my possession, then you can advise me and request a repair, which will be costed accordingly, including transport cost if appropriate.
PORTION GUIDE
Number of servings per cake are a guideline only. Yield will vary dependent upon how the cake is cut, which is the responsibility of the customer.
BEST BEFORE DATE / STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
FONDANT COVERED CAKES
Sugar past (fondant) covered cakes should be stored in the cardboard box the cake is collected/delivered in, and kept in a cool, dark place away from direct natural or artificial lights. Fondant-iced cakes can stay fresh for up to 10 days after receipt if it is stored correctly.
Sugar paste covered cakes and modelled figures should not be refrigerated, as it will cause condensation to form on the surface of the icing and give the cakes a ’wet’ look, though the taste will be unaffected.
My cakes are made of natural ingredients. Because of this they will not have the extended shelf life of most supermarket cakes, which contain additives and preservatives to ensure their prolonged life. Freezing the cake however, preserves the taste of the sponge and icing as much as feasibly possible, and will be perfectly safe to eat, but please bear in mind that as with refrigeration it will affect the visual appearance of the icing, as condensation will form upon defrosting.
Food hygiene regulations recommend that food should only be frozen for a maximum of 3 months.
BUTTERCREAM AND MOUSSE CAKES
Only Buttercream and Mousse cakes should be refrigerated.
COMPLAINTS
Should you have concerns about your catering order or your cake, please notify me immediately upon collection/delivery of the cake so that I have the opportunity to rectify it in time for your event. All other concerns should be made in writing, and evidence of the fault should be included. No refunds are given due to a change of mind.
Refunds are at the discretion of Kim’s Exclusive Catering.
RETURN OF PLATTERS
A refundable breakage fee, or non-return fee, of our platters, crockery, glassware or tableware will be charged.
All items loaned or hired are required to be returned cleaned the following business day.
Should items be lost, broken or not returned, the full replacement cost will be charged.
If platters need to be collected AA rates will be charged as collection fee for the distance travelled, this includes return travel.
Payment in full thereof will be required on the day the breakage invoice is sent. Cash, EFT, Debit or Credit Card payments will be accepted.