Terms and Conditions

Colin Dawson Ltd — Website use and general trading terms · Effective date: September 2026

1. About these terms

These terms govern:

  • Your use of our website at https://www.colindawsonltd.com/
  • Our supply of services and goods (dairy engineering, electrical engineering, and agricultural and household supplies) when ordered by phone, email, or in person at our Langwathby shop

By using our website or engaging us for work or supplies, you accept these terms. Please read them before booking work or placing an order.

2. No online sales; enquiries only

Our website is for information only. We do not sell goods or services online. All orders, bookings and quotes are handled by phone on 01768 889084, by email at info@colindawsonltd.com, or in person at our trade counter. Prices are not published online and are provided on enquiry.

3. Services overview

We operate three business areas:

  • Dairy engineering: installation, servicing and repair of conventional and rotary milking parlours. 24-hour breakdown cover is provided for dairy customers via our on-call mobiles. Coverage: Cumbria, South West Scotland (Dumfries & Galloway and the Borders) and North Lancashire. Breakdown attendance is as soon as we possibly can; we do not guarantee specific arrival times (see section 6).
  • Electrical engineering: agricultural, domestic and industrial electrical work, including testing and EICRs. Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. There is no out-of-hours electrical service.
  • Agricultural and household supplies shop: a trade counter for farm consumables and dairy spares, plus selected household goods (toilet roll, kitchen roll, washing-up liquid) and pet food (dogs, cats and wild birds only).

4. Quotes, pricing and payment

  • Prices are provided on request and may vary with the scope of the job, materials and travel.
  • Quotes are valid for 30 days unless stated otherwise.
  • We may require a deposit for materials or for larger jobs.
  • Payment terms are typically 7 to 14 days from the invoice date unless agreed otherwise in writing.
  • We accept cash, card (in the shop) and bank transfer. Cheques may be accepted at our discretion.

5. Acceptance of work

A contract is formed when we confirm acceptance of your job or order (verbally, by email or in writing) and you confirm acceptance of our quote and these terms (verbally, by email, or by allowing work to proceed).

For dairy breakdown attendance, your request for us to attend constitutes acceptance of these terms and of our standard charge-out rates, which are available on request.

6. Performance, travel and arrival times

We work across rural Cumbria, South West Scotland and North Lancashire, often a long way from the main roads. Please read this section carefully.

  • All arrival times are estimates. Any date or time we give for arriving at your farm, property or premises is an estimate given in good faith, not a fixed appointment time.
  • What can delay us. Arrival can be affected by circumstances outside our control, including traffic, road closures and diversions, accidents, weather and road conditions, livestock movements, vehicle breakdowns, the location and difficulty of the job before yours, and dairy breakdowns that have to take priority. Late arrival for any of these reasons is not a breach of contract.
  • No cancellation, discount or compensation for lateness. If we arrive later than the estimated time because of circumstances of that kind, you are not entitled to cancel the job without charge, to a reduction in the agreed price, or to compensation for waiting time, lost time or consequential loss.
  • We will keep you informed. Where we know we are running late we will let you know where practical, by phone or text, and give you a revised estimate.
  • Dairy breakdowns: we aim to attend as soon as we possibly can, 365 days a year, but we do not guarantee specific arrival times. Priority is given according to severity and location, and a stopped parlour will normally come before scheduled work.
  • Scheduled work: we will agree indicative dates and times, but these are estimates and may change because of breakdown call priority, weather, safety, or the availability of materials.
  • Electrical work and shop collections: during office hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

7. Cancellations and changes

  • If you cancel a scheduled job with less than one working day's notice, we may charge a cancellation fee to cover travel and lost time.
  • We reserve the right to postpone or reschedule work for safety, weather or operational reasons, giving reasonable notice where we can.

8. Warranties and liability

  • We warrant that services will be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and that goods supplied will be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose, in line with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and Sale of Goods Act principles.
  • Manufacturer warranties apply to equipment we supply and install (for example Dairymaster, FutureCow or Afimilk). We will help with warranty claims but we are not the manufacturer.
  • Our liability is limited to the value of the contract, except for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or anything else the law does not allow us to limit.
  • We are not liable for delay or failure to perform caused by events outside our reasonable control, including the circumstances listed in section 6, strikes, supplier failures, disease-control restrictions on farm access, or severe weather.

9. Customer responsibilities

To help us work safely and efficiently, you agree to:

  • Provide safe access to equipment, buildings and animals
  • Tell us about known hazards, such as asbestos, unstable structures or aggressive animals
  • Make sure power and isolation points are accessible for electrical work
  • For dairy breakdowns, give us an accurate location and contact details, and stay contactable on the number you gave us

If work is delayed or abandoned because of unsafe conditions or lack of access, additional charges may apply.

10. Website use

  • You may access and browse our website for personal, non-commercial information.
  • You must not misuse our site, for example by attempting to gain unauthorised access, introducing malware, or excessive automated scraping.
  • All content (text, logos and images) is our property or licensed to us. You may not copy, reproduce or republish it without permission.

11. Links to other websites

Our site may link to third-party sites, for example equipment manufacturers. We do not control those sites and accept no responsibility for their content or privacy practices.

12. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The latest version will always be posted on our website. For material changes affecting ongoing jobs, we will notify you where practical.

13. Governing law and jurisdiction

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute, unless you are a consumer living in Scotland or Northern Ireland, in which case your local consumer protections apply.

14. Contact

Colin Dawson Ltd, High Mill, Langwathby, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1NB. Phone 01768 889084, email info@colindawsonltd.com.

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