Terms and conditions for a gutter cleaning business

A gutter cleaning business gets paid to clear debris and then gets blamed for a leak it did not cause, a cracked downpipe that was already brittle, or a blockage that returned after the first autumn gale. Your terms need to say what you are clearing, what you are not repairing, and who carries the risk of old plastic and awkward access. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995 in five working days.

Who this is for

Gutter cleaning and roofline maintenance businesses in England and Wales, whether you work from ladders, towers or a vacuum system from the ground. Most of you clean for homeowners, which brings consumer law into play, and also for landlords, letting and managing agents, schools and commercial premises, who pay on invoice and read the small print. One set of terms can cover both if it is written with both in mind.

What matters in gutter cleaning terms

What you are clearing, and what you are not fixing

The customer booked you because water is coming over the front of the gutter. You are selling debris removal, not a cure. Your terms should define the visit as clearing accessible gutters, downpipe tops and outlets, and exclude sagging brackets, failed joints, sealing, realignment, fascia and soffit repair and underground drainage, each of which you quote separately. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 information a consumer relies on is binding, so what your website and your operative promise on the day becomes part of the contract. Write the scope down and keep the sales patter consistent with it.

Access, height and the visit you cannot complete

Locked side gates, parked cars on the only footing for a ladder, conservatory roofs blocking the rear elevation, overhanging trees, overhead cables and neighbouring land you have no right to stand on will all stop a job that was quoted from a photograph. Your terms should put the obligation to provide safe access and any neighbour's permission on the customer, allow you to decline work that cannot be done safely, and set a wasted visit charge. For consumers, keep that charge proportionate: disproportionate default charges sit on the grey list in the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Brittle plastic, conservatories and solar panels

Old PVC brackets snap, downpipe clips crumble, and a dislodged ridge of moss can crack a glass roof below. Your terms should record that you do not warrant the existing condition of the roofline, that you photograph before and after, and that components already at the end of their life may fail when cleared despite reasonable care. Cap liability to business customers at a sensible figure and exclude consequential loss; under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 that cap must be reasonable, and it can never cover death or personal injury caused by negligence. For consumers, liability for the service cannot be limited to less than the price.

Annual plans, callbacks and the storm two weeks later

Twice yearly or annual plans on standing order are good business and a common source of argument. State the visit frequency, the approximate season for each visit, what ends the arrangement and how much notice either side gives, and whether the price can rise. A one-sided right to vary terms is on the grey list in the Consumer Rights Act 2015, so link any increase to something the customer can see. Above all, say whether a return visit is included when the gutters fill again, and over what window, because a blockage after a gale is new debris, not defective work.

Homeowners, doorstep bookings and the fourteen days

A job agreed at the door, over the phone or by email falls within the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, and the customer has fourteen days to cancel. Off-premises contracts of £42 or less sit outside them. Since most gutter cleaning is done the same week, you need the customer's express request to start inside the period and their acknowledgement, and a proportionate charge if they then cancel. Where the cancellation information is never given, the period can extend by up to twelve months, which turns a completed clean into unpaid work.

Payment, agents and where the moss goes

Show one price that includes everything the customer must pay, because drip pricing is banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, and do not add a card surcharge for consumers, which the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 prohibits. For agents and commercial clients, name the contracting party in the terms: a managing agent instructing you for a landlord will say the landlord owes the money unless the paperwork says otherwise. Business customers attract interest and fixed compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. If you take moss and silt away, you need waste carrier registration with the Environment Agency.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted around your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want to know how much of a problem they are. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of terms drafted around your business, not a template with your name inserted
• A covering note in plain English explaining every commercial choice I made and why, so you can defend the terms in a negotiation without ringing me
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions set at a level that will survive a procurement review
• Consumer-facing wording drafted to be enforceable where you sell to consumers
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly, which is where most businesses actually fail
• One round of amendments after you have read them

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country

Questions I am often asked

A customer says the gutter still leaks after we cleaned it. Where do I stand?

That depends on what you sold. If the terms define the visit as debris clearance and exclude joints, brackets and alignment, a continuing leak is evidence of a defect you were not engaged to repair. Photographs taken on the day, plus a written note of any defect you spotted and reported, usually end the discussion before it becomes a refund claim.

Can I charge when I turn up and cannot reach the back of the house?

You can, provided the terms say so before the booking is made and the amount reflects a wasted slot rather than punishing the customer. It helps to give the customer a clear list of what access you need when they book, so a failed visit is plainly their omission and not a surprise condition produced afterwards.

Should letting agents sign the same terms as homeowners?

The same document can serve both, with a consumer section that applies only to householders. What matters more with agents is establishing who your customer is, who is liable for the invoice, whether the agent has authority to instruct, and how you get access to tenanted properties without an argument about missed appointments.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Employment contracts and handbooks, £595
• Ask Caesar, £495 a month
• Terms and conditions for a roofing business
• Terms and conditions for a gardening and grounds maintenance business

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.