Terms & Conditions

Website Terms of Use

If you browse and use our website, whether as a guest or a registered user, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms of website use, which together with the other applicable terms listed above govern Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce’s relationship with you in relation to this website www.hastingschamber.co.uk.

Use of this website includes accessing, browsing, or registering to use this website.
If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.

Other Definitions:

  • “this website” or “site” refers to all internet pages in the www.hastingschamber.co.uk domain and our other domains that are linked to these terms and conditions.
  • “www.hastingschamber.co.uk” refers to any person or organisation, whether or not commercial, involved in any part of the design, development, management, response-handling, marketing, promotion or other similar aspects of this website;
  • The term ‘you’ refers to the user or viewer of our website;
  • “Content” refers to any text, photograph or other image or content presented on this Site to Users by either www.hastingschamber.co.uk or Users.

The use of this website is subject to the following terms of use:

  • Updates: We may update this website from time to time, and may change the content at any time. However, please note that any of the content on our website may be out of date at any given time, and we are under no obligation to update it.
  • General information: The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on this website. Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements. Although we make reasonable efforts to update the information on this website, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on this website is accurate, complete or up-to-date.
  • Access: We do not guarantee that our website, or any content on it, will always be available or be uninterrupted. Access to our website is permitted on a temporary basis. We may suspend, withdraw, discontinue or change all or any part of our website without notice. We will not be liable to you if for any reason our website is unavailable at any time or for any period. You are responsible for making all arrangements necessary for you to have access to our website. You are also responsible for ensuring that all persons who access our website through your internet connection are aware of these terms of use and other applicable terms and conditions, and that they comply with them.
  • Passwords: If you choose, or you are provided with, a user identification code, password or any other piece of information as part of our security procedures, you must treat such information as confidential. You must not disclose it to any third party. We have the right to disable any user identification code or password, whether chosen by you or allocated by us, at any time, if in our reasonable opinion you have failed to comply with any of the provisions of these terms of use. If you know or suspect that anyone other than you knows your user identification code or password, you must promptly notify us at info@hastingschamber.co.uk.
  • Technology: We do not guarantee that our website will be secure or free from bugs or viruses. You are responsible for configuring your information technology, computer programmes and platform in order to access our website. You should use your own virus protection software. You must not misuse our website by knowingly introducing viruses, trojans, worms, logic bombs or other material which is malicious or technologically harmful. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to our website, the server on which our website is stored or any server, computer or database connected to our website. You must not attack our website via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of service attack. By breaching this provision, you would commit a criminal offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. We will report any such breach to the relevant law enforcement authorities and we will co-operate with those authorities by disclosing your identity to them. In the event of such a breach, your right to use our website will cease immediately.
  • Contributions: Whenever you make use of a feature that allows you to upload content to our website, or to make contact with other users of our website, you must comply with the content standards set out in our Acceptable Use Policy below. You warrant that any such contribution does comply with those standards, and you will be liable to us and indemnify us for any breach of that warranty. If you are a consumer user, this means you will be responsible for any loss or damage we suffer as a result of your breach of warranty. Any content you upload to our website will be considered non-confidential and non-proprietary, and we have the right to use, copy, distribute and disclose to third parties any such content for any purpose. We also have the right to disclose your identity to any third party who is claiming that any content posted or uploaded by you to our site constitutes a violation of their intellectual property rights, or of their right to privacy. We will not be responsible, or liable to any third party, for the content or accuracy of any content posted by you or any other user of our website. We have the right to remove any posting you make on our website if, in our opinion, your post does not comply with the content standards set out in our Acceptable Use Policy below. The views expressed by other users on our website do not represent our views or values.
  • Cookies: This website uses cookies. A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer’s hard drive. You block cookies by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our site.
    • Some cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. It is only used to improve how the website works.
    • Our website also uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
  • Performance: Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  • Intellectual property: We are the owner or the licensee of all intellectual property rights in our website, and the material published on it. These works are protected by copyright laws and treaties around the world. All such rights are reserved. You may print off one copy, and may download extracts, of any page(s) from our website for your personal use and you may draw the attention of others within your organisation to content posted on our website. You must not modify the paper or digital copies of any materials you have printed off or downloaded in any way, and you must not use any illustrations, photographs, video or audio sequences or any graphics separately from any accompanying text. Our status (and that of any identified contributors) as the authors of the content on our website must always be acknowledged. You must not use any part of the content on our website for commercial purposes without obtaining a licence to do so from us or our licensors. If you print off, copy or download any part of our website in breach of these terms of use, your right to use our website will cease immediately and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made.
  • Links to our website: You may link to our home page, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it. You must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval or endorsement on our part where none exists. You must not establish a link to our site in any website that is not owned by you. Our site must not be framed on any other site, nor may you create a link to any part of our site other than the home page. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice. The website in which you are linking must comply in all respects with the content standards set out in our Acceptable Use Policy below. If you wish to make any use of content on our site other than that set out above, please contact info@hastingschamber.co.uk.
  • Links to other websites: From time to time, this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information only. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s) or the entities detailed on those website(s). We have no control over the content of those websites or resources and we have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).
  • Liability: Nothing in these terms of use excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury arising from our negligence, or our fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by English law. To the extent permitted by law, we exclude all conditions, warranties, representations or other terms which may apply to our website or any content on it, whether express or implied. We will not be liable to any user for any loss or damage, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, even if foreseeable, arising under or in connection with:
    • use of, or inability to use, our website; or
    • use of or reliance on any content displayed on our website.
  • If you are a business user, please note that in particular, we will not be liable for:
    • loss of profits, sales, business, or revenue;
    • business interruption;
    • loss of anticipated savings;
    • loss of business opportunity, goodwill or reputation; or
    • any indirect or consequential loss or damage.
  • If you are a consumer user, please note that we only provide our website for domestic and private use. You agree not to use our site for any commercial or business purposes, and we have no liability to you for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption, or loss of business opportunity.

We will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by a virus, distributed denial-of-service attack, or other technologically harmful material that may infect your computer equipment, computer programs, data or other proprietary material due to your use of our website or to your downloading of any content on it, or on any website linked to it.

We assume no responsibility for the content of websites linked on our website. Such links should not be interpreted as endorsement by us of those linked websites. We will not be liable for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them.

Acceptable Use Policy

This acceptable use policy sets out the terms between you and us under which you may access our website www.hastingschamber.co.uk (“our site”). This acceptable use policy applies to all users of, and visitors to, our site.  Your use of our site means that you accept, and agree to abide by, all the policies in this acceptable use policy, which supplement our terms of website use (see above).

Prohibited Uses

You may use our site only for lawful purposes.  You may not use our site:

  • In any way that breaches any applicable local, national or international law or regulation.
  • In any way that is unlawful or fraudulent, or has any unlawful or fraudulent purpose or effect.
  • For the purpose of harming or attempting to harm minors in any way.
  • To send, knowingly receive, upload, download, use or re-use any material which does not comply with our content standards (see below).
  • To transmit, or procure the sending of, any unsolicited or unauthorised advertising or promotional material or any other form of similar solicitation (spam).
  • To knowingly transmit any data, send or upload any material that contains viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time-bombs, keystroke loggers, spyware, adware or any other harmful programs or similar computer code designed to adversely affect the operation of any computer software or hardware.

You also agree:

  • Not to reproduce, duplicate, copy or re-sell any part of our site in contravention of the provisions of our terms of website use (see above).
  • Not to access without authority, interfere with, damage or disrupt:
    • any part of our site;
    • any equipment or network on which our site is stored;
    • any software used in the provision of our site; or
    • any equipment or network or software owned or used by any third party.

Content Standards

These content standards apply to any and all material which you contribute to our site (“contributions”), and to any interactive services associated with it.  You must comply with the spirit of the following standards as well as the letter. The standards apply to each part of any contribution as well as to its whole.

Contributions must:

  • Be accurate (where they state facts).
  • Be genuinely held (where they state opinions).
  • Comply with applicable law in the UK and in any country from which they are posted.

Contributions must not:

  • Contain any material which is defamatory of any person.
  • Contain any material which is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory.
  • Promote sexually explicit material.
  • Promote violence.
  • Promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age.
  • Infringe any copyright, database right or trade mark of any other person.
  • Be likely to deceive any person.
  • Be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence.
  • Promote any illegal activity.
  • Be threatening, abuse or invade another’s privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.
  • Be likely to harass, upset, embarrass, alarm or annoy any other person.
  • Be used to impersonate any person, or to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person.
  • Give the impression that they emanate from us, if this is not the case.
  • Advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse.

Suspension and Termination

We will determine, in our discretion, whether there has been a breach of this acceptable use policy through your use of our site.  When a breach of this policy has occurred, we may take such action as we deem appropriate.

Failure to comply with this acceptable use policy constitutes a material breach of the terms of use (see above) upon which you are permitted to use our site, and may result in our taking all or any of the following actions:

  • Immediate, temporary or permanent withdrawal of your right to use our site.
  • Immediate, temporary or permanent removal of any posting or material uploaded by you to our site.
  • Issue of a warning to you.
  • Legal proceedings against you for reimbursement of all costs on an indemnity basis (including, but not limited to, reasonable administrative and legal costs) resulting from the breach.
  • Further legal action against you.
  • Disclosure of such information to law enforcement authorities as we reasonably feel is necessary.

We exclude liability for actions taken in response to breaches of this acceptable use policy.  The responses described in this policy are not limited, and we may take any other action we reasonably deem appropriate.

Other Relevant Terms, Conditions and Policies

Membership

These terms apply to the payment obligations of members and are in addition to any other terms and conditions that HACC provides you with when becoming a member, or on renewal, that will then apply to your membership.

Membership renewal fees are payable by GoCardless (monthly or annually) or BACS (annually).  We no longer accept payment by cheque or cash.

You will receive an email notification approximately 4 weeks before your renewal payment is due.

If you do not wish to renew your membership, please let us know within 7 days of receipt of the notification email. Call us on 01424 205500 or email info@hastingschamber.co.uk

If you do not wish to renew your membership and have a direct debit set up we will cancel our records upon receipt of your cancellation notice.  You will however still need to contact your bank to cancel the direct debit record with them.

If you wish to cancel your membership has been paid, our cancellation policy for membership is as follows:

Annual Payments

  • Cancellation within 1 month of joining or renewal and having paid : full refund less a £20 + VAT administration charge,
  • Cancellation after 1 month of joining or renewal : no refunds will be made

Monthly Direct Debit

  • Cancellation within 1 month of joining is allowed but no refund of memberships fees paid will be made
  • Cancellation after 1 month of joining is not allowed within the first year of membership; we will continue to claim payments by direct debit until the first 12 months fees have been paid in full unless you settle the balance owed in full.
  • Cancellation after 12 months of membership 30 days’ notice is required but no refunds will be made

HACC reserves the right to not unreasonably cancel, not renew or accept new membership applications for any reason it considers this appropriate.

Non Members

Non-members, also described as guests or visitors are welcome to book and attend up to two events before they need to join.  Please note our cancellation policy below.

Cancellation Policy

Our cancellation policy for events, is that a full refund will be given if cancellation is 3 working days or more before the event. If you cancel within 3 working days of the event, or do not attend, no refund will be provided.

Taxes

We have made every effort to make clear whether the quoted prices for goods and services available through our site include any relevant tax or duty. Where in any case it is not clear please note that before you place an order that you might be required to bear a liability to tax or duty (for example VAT) that is in addition to the price.

Changes to these Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

We may revise our terms and conditions of use, including acceptable use policy, privacy policy or other terms and conditions at any time by amending this page or, where appropriate, notifying you by email. You are expected to check this page from time to time to take notice of any changes we make, as they are legally binding on you. Some of the provisions contained in these terms of use and other policies may also be superseded by provisions or notices published elsewhere on our site.

Contact

Questions, comments and requests regarding these terms of use, acceptable use, privacy policy and/or other terms and conditions should be addressed to info@hastingschamber.co.uk.

Phone: 01424 205500

Post: Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce, 3rd Floor, The Palace Workspace, 1-3 Robertson Street, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1HN.

Last updated December 2023