Cancellation & Refund Policy

01Scope of this policy

This policy applies to research and information-review services supplied by GREENFIELD ENQUIRIES LTD (“we”, “us” or “our”) where the policy forms part of the agreed service terms. It should be read alongside the relevant quotation, assignment confirmation and our Terms & Conditions.

Our assignments may include reviewing available company records, published business information and relevant materials supplied lawfully by a client; comparing information sources; noting apparent inconsistencies; and preparing a written report describing findings, source references and unresolved points.

The cancellation and refund position may depend on whether the client is a consumer or a business customer, how the agreement was made, whether work has started, the progress achieved and any applicable statutory rights.

02When an assignment is confirmed

An initial enquiry is a request to discuss a possible assignment. It is not, by itself, acceptance of a quotation, a confirmed booking or authorisation to begin chargeable work.

Before work is treated as confirmed, the parties should agree in writing, such as by email, the relevant details, including:

• The entity, subject or commercial question to be researched.
• The scope, exclusions and intended purpose of the research.
• The agreed fee, any applicable tax and the payment arrangements.
• The expected delivery date or timeframe and the form of the report.
• Whether work is to start during any applicable statutory cancellation period.
• Any assignment-specific milestones, cancellation terms or additional charges.

If these details remain unresolved, we may request clarification before confirming the assignment. Any payment request should identify the relevant assignment and the agreed amount.

03How to cancel an assignment

To request cancellation, contact us using the email address below. Please include the name used for the enquiry, the assignment reference if one was provided, and a clear statement that you wish to cancel.

We will use the time we receive your cancellation notice to assess the assignment, subject to any statutory rules governing when cancellation takes effect. If you are exercising a statutory right to cancel, a clear statement of that decision is sufficient; you do not have to use a particular form.

Please do not assume an assignment has been cancelled merely because you have stopped replying or have not supplied requested information. Contact us directly so the position can be confirmed.

04Consumer cancellation rights

Where an individual enters into a qualifying distance or off-premises service contract as a consumer, UK consumer law will generally provide a 14-day cancellation period starting on the day after the contract is entered into. The precise rules depend on the type of agreement and the circumstances.

This statutory right is separate from any additional cancellation arrangement we may agree for a particular assignment. Business customers acting for business purposes will not normally have the same consumer cancellation right, although other contractual or legal rights may apply.

Requesting work during the 14-day period

If you are a consumer and ask us to begin work before the end of the applicable cancellation period, we will seek the required express request and provide the relevant information about potential payment for work carried out. Where the law requires specific consent or acknowledgement, we will obtain it before relying on it.

If you then cancel within the statutory period after requesting an early start, you may be required to pay a proportionate amount for services actually supplied up to cancellation, where the applicable legal requirements have been met. That amount must be based on the agreed price and the work supplied, not an arbitrary cancellation penalty.

Where the service has been completed

For a consumer service contract, the statutory right to cancel may be lost once the service has been fully performed only where the required prior express request and acknowledgement of the consequence have been obtained. Completion of a report alone does not automatically remove a statutory right if those requirements have not been met.

Nothing in this policy requires a consumer to waive a statutory right or authorises us to charge for work during a cancellation period where the law does not permit that charge.

The statutory framework is set out in the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 .

05When a refund may be available

Refunds are assessed against the agreed assignment terms, the work actually performed and the client’s statutory rights. Depending on the circumstances, a full or partial refund may be due in the following situations.

Before chargeable work begins

If an assignment is cancelled before work begins, any amount paid for that assignment will normally be refunded in full, subject to any lawful and clearly agreed treatment of third-party costs already incurred at the client’s request. Any deduction must be lawful, properly explained and supported by the relevant agreement; it will not be imposed as an automatic penalty.

After work has begun

If the client cancels after work has begun, we will consider the work completed up to the effective cancellation time, the agreed pricing structure and the applicable legal requirements. A refund may be available for the portion of the service not supplied, after accounting for any amount lawfully payable for work already performed.

Where we cannot provide the agreed service

If we determine that we cannot carry out a material part of the agreed scope, we will explain the position and discuss an appropriate outcome. Depending on the circumstances, this may include an agreed revised scope, an alternative delivery arrangement or a refund for work not supplied.

Where the delivered work does not match the agreement

If a report materially fails to meet the expressly agreed deliverables, please contact us with the relevant details. We will review the issue and, where appropriate, correct an identifiable omission, agree a reasonable remedy or provide a refund or partial refund where required by law or the contract.

A refund is not automatically due merely because the research findings are inconclusive, identify a concern, differ from the client’s expectations or do not lead to a particular commercial decision. The service is the agreed research and reporting work, not a guarantee of a particular finding or business outcome.

06How refunds are calculated

We will use the agreed quotation and available assignment records to determine the amount due. The calculation will take account of the contractual scope, the work supplied, any agreed milestones and any statutory rules that apply.

These examples describe the approach, not a fixed tariff. If a partial refund is proposed, we will explain the basis of the calculation. We will not charge twice for the same work or introduce a new cancellation fee retrospectively.

07Changes or cancellation by us

We may need to discuss a change to an assignment if relevant information is unavailable, the agreed scope proves impracticable, a lawful source cannot reasonably be accessed, or a material clarification is needed.

Where possible, we will contact the client before making a material change and explain the options. We will not treat a materially different service or an additional charge as accepted without the client’s agreement.

If we must cancel an assignment and cannot provide the agreed service, we will explain the reason and refund amounts due for services not supplied, subject to any lawful entitlement for work already performed and any applicable statutory rights. If we have received payment for work that will not be undertaken, that unearned amount will be returned.

We will not describe an assignment as completed if the agreed report has not been supplied. If only part of the agreed scope has been completed, we will explain what has and has not been delivered.

08Delays and incomplete work

The expected delivery timeframe should be confirmed for each assignment. It may depend on the scope, availability of relevant records, the volume of information to review and whether the client supplies requested material promptly.

If a material delay becomes apparent, we will explain the reason where reasonably possible and discuss a revised timeframe or another suitable arrangement. A revised delivery date does not remove any legal remedy the client may have.

If a report is incomplete or an agreed deliverable has not been supplied, contact us with a description of the missing item. We will review the agreed scope and the work provided. Where appropriate, we may complete the missing agreed work, correct an omission, agree a revised arrangement or provide a refund for the undelivered portion.

Our findings reflect the sources available and the position at the time of research. We do not guarantee that every relevant record exists, is publicly accessible, is current or is free from error. Such limitations do not excuse a failure to perform the work expressly agreed.

09Refund method and timing

Where a refund is due, we will normally return it using the original payment method. If that method is unavailable or a different method is required, we will contact the payer to agree an appropriate lawful alternative. We may need to verify payment details before processing a refund.

For cancellations governed by statutory consumer rules, refunds will be made within the applicable statutory deadline. For a qualifying distance or off-premises service contract, this will generally be no later than 14 days after we are informed of the consumer’s decision to cancel, subject to the applicable rules and any lawful amount payable for services supplied.

For other agreed refunds, we aim to confirm the outcome in writing within 5 working days after receiving the information reasonably needed to assess the request, and to process an approved refund within 10 working days after confirming the amount. These are service targets, not a replacement for a shorter statutory deadline. The time taken by a bank or payment provider to display the credit may be outside our control.

A “working day” means Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays in England. If additional information is needed, we will explain what is required. We will not use an internal review target to extend a statutory refund deadline.

10Scope changes and additional work

A request to investigate a different entity, add a new research question, expand the source range or materially change the report is a scope-change request rather than an automatic part of the original assignment.

Before carrying out chargeable additional work, we will explain the proposed change, any extra fee and any effect on the delivery timeframe, and seek the client’s agreement. If the client does not accept the proposal, we will continue with the original agreed scope where practicable or discuss an appropriate alternative.

A scope-change request does not automatically cancel the original assignment. If the client wishes to cancel instead, the cancellation provisions above apply. Any additional charge already agreed will be assessed according to the work actually authorised and supplied and applicable law.

11Non-refundable items and limits

There is no blanket “no refunds” rule for our services. Any amount retained after cancellation must have a proper contractual or legal basis and must remain consistent with applicable consumer protections.

Depending on the circumstances, a refund may not be due for:

• Research work properly completed and supplied in accordance with the agreed scope, where the client has no applicable right to cancel or obtain a refund for that work.
• A completed stage of a business assignment where the agreed fee for that stage is properly payable under the contract.
• A result that is inconclusive or commercially disappointing, where the agreed research and reporting service was nevertheless supplied as promised.

These examples do not override statutory cancellation rights, rights relating to services not performed with reasonable care and skill, or other remedies available under applicable law. We will not automatically retain the entire fee merely because an assignment has started.

Any third-party expense, access charge or other cost will only be considered where it was relevant to the assignment, properly disclosed and agreed where required, actually incurred or otherwise lawfully payable, and permitted by applicable law. We will not invent a processing fee or impose an undisclosed charge after cancellation.

12Questions and complaints

If you disagree with a cancellation decision or refund calculation, please email us and explain which part you believe is incorrect. If available, include the quotation, assignment confirmation, payment reference and relevant correspondence. Please do not send unnecessary sensitive personal information.

We will review the information, consider the agreed scope and applicable rights, and provide a written response. Where more time is needed, we will explain why and give an update on the expected response timeframe.

For details of how to raise a broader concern about our service or handling of an assignment, see our Complaints Policy. For information about personal data, see our Privacy Policy.

13Applicable rights and law

This policy is intended to be read consistently with applicable UK law, including relevant consumer protection legislation. It does not exclude or restrict a right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

Where the client is a consumer, nothing in this policy affects any mandatory consumer rights that apply to the agreement. Where the client is a business, the agreed contract terms and applicable law determine the parties’ rights and obligations.

Any governing-law or jurisdiction provision applicable to a particular assignment should be set out in the relevant Terms & Conditions or assignment confirmation. This policy does not remove any mandatory protections that apply to a consumer.