TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Webvet Ltd trading as Duggan Veterinary Consultants
Version: 3.1
Date: 5 November 2026
Website: https://dvconsultants.co.uk
1. Identity and Contact Details
1.1 These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") are issued by Webvet Ltd trading as Duggan Veterinary Consultants ("DVC", "the Company", "we", "us" or "our").
1.2 Our business details are:
Legal entity: Webvet Ltd
Trading name: Duggan Veterinary Consultants
Company registration number: 13825677
Registered office: 167–169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London, W1W 5PF, United Kingdom
VAT registration number: XI399268527
Email: admin@webvetltd.co.uk
Website: https://dvconsultants.co.uk
1.3 Professional services may be delivered by Dr Michael Duggan and appropriately qualified personnel acting on behalf of the Company.
1.4 Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing, Webvet Ltd alone is the contracting provider of professional services. Dr Michael Duggan and other individuals acting for the Company do not contract in their personal capacities merely by providing, signing or communicating professional work on the Company’s behalf. Any engagement letter, quotation, invoice and acceptance should identify Webvet Ltd as the contracting party.
1.5 Nothing in these Terms excludes any personal professional duty or legal liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
2. Scope and Application of These Terms
2.1 These Terms govern:
(a) access to and use of the Website;
(b) enquiries and requests for professional services;
(c) accepted veterinary consultancy, expert witness, forensic, regulatory and related professional instructions; and
(d) associated reports, meetings, examinations, court attendance, expenses and payment arrangements.
2.2 Clauses concerning general Website use apply to Website visitors. Clauses concerning professional services apply only where a professional engagement has been accepted.
2.3 Merely visiting the Website does not constitute acceptance of a professional services contract.
2.4 An instruction becomes binding when the Company accepts it in writing, or otherwise expressly agrees to commence work on an identified scope and contractual basis.
2.5 The Company shall make these Terms available before contract formation and shall draw material financial and liability provisions to the client's attention.
2.6 A signed or electronically accepted engagement letter may supplement or expressly vary these Terms.
2.7 In the event of inconsistency, the engagement letter shall prevail in relation to the particular instruction, subject to mandatory law.
2.8 Nothing in these Terms restricts statutory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.
3. Website Use and General Information
3.1 The Website provides general information about the Company and its professional services.
3.2 Website content is not intended to constitute individual veterinary clinical advice, legal advice, a formal expert opinion or advice tailored to a particular dispute.
3.3 The Website does not provide emergency veterinary services. Urgent animal health concerns should be referred to an appropriate veterinary practitioner or emergency veterinary provider.
3.4 We endeavour to keep Website information accurate and current but do not guarantee that all general content will remain complete or up to date.
3.5 Visitors must not misuse the Website, attempt unauthorised access, introduce malicious code, interfere with its operation or use it for unlawful purposes.
3.6 We may suspend access or take proportionate protective measures in response to misuse or security concerns.
3.7 Links to third-party websites are provided for convenience. We do not control independent third-party content and are not responsible for it except where applicable law provides otherwise.
3.8 Website access does not establish a veterinary surgeon–client–patient relationship, an expert witness engagement or any obligation to accept an instruction.
3.9 Nothing in this clause excludes liability for misleading statements, negligence or other matters where exclusion would be unlawful.
4. Professional Services
4.1 The Company may provide services including:
(a) independent veterinary expert witness opinions;
(b) veterinary clinical negligence and professional conduct assessments;
(c) medico-legal and forensic case reviews;
(d) equine, companion animal, livestock and other veterinary consultancy within the relevant professional's competence;
(e) animal welfare and regulatory assessments;
(f) veterinary records analysis;
(g) insurance and claims consultancy;
(h) specialist reports and supplementary opinions;
(i) conferences with solicitors, counsel, insurers and other experts;
(j) examinations, inspections and site visits;
(k) court, tribunal, arbitration, disciplinary and regulatory hearing attendance; and
(l) other agreed professional services.
4.2 The precise scope, intended purpose, deliverables, deadlines and fees shall be identified in the accepted engagement documents.
4.3 Work outside the agreed scope may be charged separately following appropriate agreement.
4.4 The Company does not provide legal advice.
4.5 Unless specifically agreed, consultancy or expert witness services do not include ongoing clinical care or continuing responsibility for the treatment of an animal.
4.6 No particular legal, regulatory, clinical, commercial or financial outcome is guaranteed.
5. Acceptance, Conflicts and Professional Suitability
5.1 The Company may undertake preliminary enquiries to assess the proposed instruction, including professional competence, availability, conflicts of interest and independence.
5.2 No obligation to perform substantive work arises until the instruction is accepted.
5.3 The Company may decline an instruction where the required expertise, resources or independence are unavailable.
5.4 Any identified conflict of interest shall be assessed and managed in accordance with applicable professional duties and court requirements.
5.5 Where an instruction is accepted subject to stated assumptions or exclusions, those limitations shall be recorded in the engagement documents.
5.6 The Company may require an advance payment or written confirmation of payment responsibility before commencing work.
6. Expert Witness Independence and Duties
6.1 Where a professional is instructed as an expert witness, that expert's overriding duty is to the relevant court or tribunal in accordance with applicable law and procedural rules.
6.2 That duty takes precedence over obligations to the instructing client or any party funding the instruction.
6.3 Opinions shall be independent, objective, impartial and based on the evidence and the expert's professional judgement.
6.4 The Company and the appointed expert shall not be required to modify, suppress or misrepresent an opinion to advance a client's case.
6.5 Where further evidence materially affects an opinion, the expert may be required to amend or supplement it.
6.6 The expert may need to disclose material assumptions, limitations, relevant literature, areas of uncertainty and changes of opinion.
6.7 Expert discussions, joint statements, declarations, statements of truth and court reports shall comply with the procedural requirements of the relevant jurisdiction.
6.8 Fees are not contingent upon the opinion expressed, success in proceedings, settlement or recovery of legal costs.
6.9 Nothing in these Terms restricts compliance with court directions, professional regulatory obligations or lawful disclosure requirements.
6.10 The client acknowledges that the expert may be required to provide evidence or make disclosures inconsistent with the client's preferred litigation position.
7. Client Responsibilities
7.1 The client shall provide complete, accurate and timely instructions.
7.2 The client shall supply all relevant information reasonably required, including veterinary records, clinical histories, correspondence, pleadings, witness statements, photographs, imaging, laboratory results and previous expert reports.
7.3 The client shall identify all relevant deadlines, hearing dates, court directions, funding restrictions and procedural requirements.
7.4 The client shall promptly notify the Company of settlement, adjournment, withdrawal, changes in hearing dates or other material developments.
7.5 The client shall ensure that information supplied to the Company is disclosed lawfully and that appropriate permissions or legal bases exist for sharing personal data and confidential records.
7.6 The Company may reasonably rely upon the authenticity of information supplied, while remaining responsible for appropriate professional assessment.
7.7 The Company shall not be responsible for delay or additional expense attributable to materially incomplete or inaccurate client information, except to the extent caused by the Company's own breach of duty.
7.8 Additional work arising from late evidence, amended instructions or material omissions may be charged at the agreed rates.
8. Fees and Minimum Instruction Charge
8.1 Fees are stated exclusive of VAT and other applicable taxes unless expressly indicated otherwise.
8.2 Professional work is charged at the hourly rate or fixed fee agreed in writing.
8.3 The minimum professional instruction fee is £275 plus VAT, unless expressly waived or varied in writing.
8.4 The minimum instruction fee represents the minimum professional charge for the relevant accepted instruction. It is credited against higher fees for work undertaken under that instruction and is not charged twice.
8.5 Chargeable professional activities may include:
(a) preliminary review and assessment;
(b) review of records and evidence;
(c) research and technical analysis;
(d) report preparation, drafting and revision;
(e) correspondence and telephone calls;
(f) meetings and professional conferences;
(g) expert discussions and joint statements;
(h) hearing preparation;
(i) court attendance and waiting time; and
(j) other agreed professional work.
8.6 Unless otherwise agreed, professional time is recorded in increments of six minutes.
8.7 Estimates are provided in good faith and are not fixed quotations unless expressly described as fixed.
8.8 The Company shall notify the client where reasonably practicable if a material increase in anticipated fees becomes apparent.
8.9 Urgent, evening, weekend or public holiday work may attract an additional charge only where agreed in advance.
8.10 The Company shall not retrospectively impose undisclosed rates or premiums.
9. Court Attendance and Reservation Fees
9.1 Court attendance includes attendance at courts, tribunals, arbitrations, regulatory hearings, professional disciplinary proceedings and equivalent formal hearings.
9.2 The minimum charge for a confirmed court or hearing attendance booking is £750 plus VAT.
9.3 The £750 minimum is credited against the attendance fees for the relevant booking. It is not an additional charge where the attendance fees exceed that amount.
9.4 The engagement letter may specify a higher reservation fee for a full-day, multi-day or otherwise substantial booking.
9.5 Court preparation, travel, waiting time and attendance shall be charged at the agreed rates.
9.6 A hearing date is not reserved until expressly confirmed in writing.
9.7 Where the expert is required to remain available but is not called, the agreed reservation or standby charge may remain payable, subject to applicable law.
9.8 Remote attendance may be charged at the agreed professional rate or another expressly agreed fee.
9.9 No time or expense shall be charged twice.
9.10 Applicable court orders, procedural rules and legal requirements take precedence over inconsistent contractual arrangements.
9.11 Where an expert is appointed as a single joint expert, court-appointed expert or under a comparable procedure, the appointment, instructions, communications, fees and payment arrangements shall be subject to the relevant court order and procedural rules. The engagement letter shall identify the appointment type and the agreed payer or payment mechanism; no person shall be deemed personally liable for fees solely because they communicated an instruction on another party’s behalf.
10. Court Cancellation and Postponement
10.1 Confirmed court dates involve reservation of professional availability and may prevent the Company from accepting other work.
10.2 For business clients, the following schedule states the maximum standard cancellation charge as a percentage of the agreed reserved attendance fee (normally not less than £750 plus VAT). The amount actually charged remains subject to Clauses 10.4–10.13 and applicable law.
(a) 14 calendar days or more before the reserved attendance: No cancellation charge.
(b) 7 to less than 14 calendar days before the reserved attendance: 25% of the reserved attendance fee.
(c) 48 hours to less than 7 calendar days before the reserved attendance: 50% of the reserved attendance fee.
(d) Less than 48 hours before the reserved attendance, but before the hearing day and before travel commences: 75% of the reserved attendance fee.
(e) On the hearing day, after travel commences, or without notice: Up to 100% of the reserved attendance fee.
Where more than one category applies, only the highest applicable maximum charge shall apply. No cancellation charge shall be imposed more than once for the same reserved attendance.
10.3 Notice is effective when received through an agreed written communication channel.
10.4 The schedule protects the legitimate commercial interest in reserved professional availability and is not intended as a penalty. The Company shall assess any charge proportionately in light of the circumstances, including lost availability, work already undertaken, costs avoided and the realistic opportunity to obtain replacement work. The stated percentages are ceilings, not automatic entitlements.
10.5 Charges shall remain subject to applicable law and shall not exceed amounts legally recoverable.
10.6 The Company shall take reasonable steps to mitigate avoidable loss.
10.7 If replacement paid work is secured for the reserved period, an appropriate adjustment shall be made to prevent disproportionate recovery.
10.8 Properly performed work, including report preparation and hearing preparation, remains separately chargeable.
10.9 Reasonable, genuinely non-recoverable travel, accommodation and other expenses already incurred may also remain payable, subject to applicable law.
10.10 No double recovery shall be made for the same time, expense or loss.
10.11 Postponement may constitute cancellation of the original booking and the creation of a new booking, subject to the circumstances and applicable law.
10.12 The Company may waive or reduce cancellation charges where appropriate.
10.13 Where the Company is responsible for failing to provide the agreed attendance, no cancellation charge shall be payable by the client for that failure.
10.14 Mandatory consumer cancellation rights take precedence over this schedule.
11. Cancellation of Other Appointments
11.1 Confirmed business-client site visits, animal examinations, meetings and consultancy appointments are subject to the following maximum standard cancellation charges, calculated as a percentage of the agreed reserved appointment fee:
(a) 14 calendar days or more before the reserved appointment: No cancellation charge.
(b) 7 to less than 14 calendar days before the reserved appointment: 25% of the reserved appointment fee.
(c) 48 hours to less than 7 calendar days before the reserved appointment: 50% of the reserved appointment fee.
(d) Less than 48 hours before the reserved appointment, but before the appointment day and before travel commences: 75% of the reserved appointment fee.
(e) On the appointment day, after travel commences, or without notice: Up to 100% of the reserved appointment fee.
Where more than one category applies, only the highest applicable maximum charge shall apply. No cancellation charge shall be imposed more than once for the same reserved appointment.
11.2 Charges are calculated against the agreed reserved appointment fee. Reasonable, genuinely non-recoverable expenses already incurred may be charged separately where legally recoverable, subject to Clauses 11.3 and 12.7.
11.3 The percentages are ceilings, not automatic entitlements. The Company shall apply charges proportionately, taking account of the legitimate interest in reserved availability, actual circumstances, replacement work, costs avoided, reasonable mitigation and applicable law; no double recovery shall be made.
11.4 Work properly completed before cancellation remains payable.
11.5 Unperformed report work shall not automatically attract a cancellation fee unless a separate lawful and reasonable reservation or cancellation arrangement was expressly agreed.
11.6 Mandatory consumer cancellation rights take precedence.
12. Travel and Disbursements
12.1 Travel time shall be charged at the agreed rate.
12.2 Mileage shall ordinarily be charged at £0.45 per mile, unless otherwise agreed.
12.3 Mileage shall be calculated by reference to a reasonable route from the agreed departure point.
12.4 Reasonable expenses may include transport, parking, tolls, accommodation, subsistence, diagnostic charges, laboratory costs, courier services and specialist third-party fees.
12.5 Expenses shall ordinarily be charged at cost, together with applicable taxes.
12.6 Material expenses shall be approved in advance where reasonably practicable.
12.7 Reasonable non-refundable expenses incurred before cancellation may remain payable to the extent permitted by law.
13. Invoicing and Payment
13.1 Invoices are payable within 30 calendar days of issue unless expressly agreed otherwise.
13.2 The Company may invoice monthly, at agreed milestones, following hearings or upon completion.
13.3 Deposits or payments on account may be required before work begins or attendance is reserved.
13.4 Advance payments shall be credited against properly incurred fees and expenses.
13.5 Any unused balance shall be refunded in accordance with the contract and applicable law.
13.6 For qualifying UK business debts, the Company reserves its statutory rights under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.
13.7 For debts governed by Irish law, applicable statutory rights concerning late payment in commercial transactions may be exercised where available.
13.8 No interest, compensation or recovery charge shall be imposed contrary to applicable consumer law.
13.9 Materially overdue accounts may justify suspension of discretionary work following appropriate notice, subject to court directions and overriding professional obligations.
13.10 Payment is not conditional upon the outcome of proceedings, settlement, recovery of costs or reimbursement by another person unless expressly agreed.
13.11 The client shall notify the Company promptly of any genuine invoice dispute, specifying the amount and reasons.
13.12 Undisputed amounts remain payable in accordance with the agreed payment terms.
14. Contracting Client and Responsibility for Payment
14.1 The engagement letter shall identify the legal person or organisation contracting with the Company.
14.2 It shall also identify the person or organisation responsible for payment.
14.3 A solicitor's firm or other intermediary expressly contracting in its own name accepts responsibility for the agreed fees and expenses.
14.4 Where an intermediary acts solely as agent for a disclosed principal, the principal and the payment arrangements must be expressly identified and accepted by the Company.
14.5 The Company may require a solicitor's firm or other intermediary to accept direct contractual payment responsibility as a condition of engagement.
14.6 Insurance funding, legal aid, litigation funding or other third-party payment arrangements shall be disclosed before acceptance.
14.7 Unless expressly agreed or required by law, the Company's payment entitlement is not conditional upon the client obtaining reimbursement.
14.8 Applicable court orders and mandatory rules governing expert fees and payment responsibility shall prevail.
15. Reports, Opinions and Reliance
15.1 Reports and professional opinions are prepared for the agreed purpose and intended recipients.
15.2 Reports must be considered as a whole, including their assumptions, qualifications, limitations and stated evidential basis.
15.3 The client shall not materially alter or misrepresent a professional opinion.
15.4 Any proposed amendment or correction shall be referred to the Company.
15.5 Supplementary questions, additional evidence, revised instructions and further reports may attract additional fees.
15.6 The Company shall correct material errors attributable to its own work where appropriate and without an unreasonable additional charge.
15.7 No assurance is given that a court, tribunal, regulator or other decision-maker will adopt or accept a professional opinion.
15.8 Unless expressly agreed or required by law, reports are not prepared for reliance by unrelated third parties.
15.9 Nothing in this clause restricts lawful service, disclosure, production or use of expert evidence in proceedings.
15.10 No restriction on reliance shall exclude or restrict liability where doing so would be unlawful.
16. Intellectual Property
16.1 Copyright and other intellectual property rights in original reports, templates, methodologies and materials remain with the Company or the relevant rights holder unless expressly agreed otherwise.
16.2 Subject to payment of the relevant fees, the client receives a non-exclusive licence to use final deliverables for the agreed purpose.
16.3 This licence includes lawful filing, service, disclosure and use in the relevant legal or regulatory proceedings.
16.4 Reports shall not be repurposed for unrelated commercial use or misleadingly republished without permission, except where permitted by law.
16.5 Nothing in this clause restricts statutory intellectual property exceptions, mandatory disclosure or court-directed use.
16.6 Website content, original text, graphics, logos and design materials are protected by applicable intellectual property law.
16.7 Website visitors may view and reproduce reasonable extracts for lawful personal reference, subject to applicable rights.
17. Confidentiality and Legal Disclosure
17.1 The Company shall take reasonable steps to preserve the confidentiality of information received in the course of an instruction.
17.2 Confidentiality obligations are subject to applicable law, court orders, professional duties, regulatory obligations and lawful disclosure requirements.
17.3 Information may be disclosed to appropriately authorised professional advisers, insurers, associates and service providers where lawful and reasonably necessary.
17.4 The client acknowledges that an expert witness may be required to disclose material information, assumptions or changes of opinion.
17.5 No provision requires the Company or an expert to withhold information where disclosure is legally or professionally required.
17.6 The parties shall take reasonable steps to protect legally privileged material, recognising that privilege and disclosure rules vary by jurisdiction and the nature of the material.
18. Data Protection and Privacy
18.1 The parties shall comply with applicable data protection legislation.
18.2 Depending on the relevant activities and jurisdiction, this may include the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, the EU GDPR and applicable Irish data protection legislation.
18.3 The parties shall determine their respective controller and processor roles by reference to the actual processing undertaken.
18.4 Where a data processing agreement is legally required, the parties shall enter into an appropriate agreement before the relevant processing begins.
18.5 Appropriate safeguards shall be used for international transfers of personal data where required.
18.6 Professional records may be retained for legitimate business, insurance, regulatory, evidential and legal purposes, subject to applicable retention requirements.
18.7 The Company's separate Privacy Policy shall explain relevant processing purposes, lawful bases, retention, data subject rights and contact arrangements.
18.8 Clients shall avoid transmitting unnecessary sensitive personal information before appropriate arrangements are established.
18.9 Nothing in these Terms authorises unlawful processing or disclosure of personal data.
19. Website Cookies and Electronic Communications
19.1 The Website may use cookies and similar technologies for necessary operational purposes and, where lawfully permitted, analytics or other disclosed purposes.
19.2 Non-essential cookies or tracking technologies shall be used only where the legally required consent or other lawful basis has been obtained.
19.3 Visitors shall be provided with appropriate information and consent choices where required.
19.4 Further details shall be provided in the Company's Cookie Policy or equivalent notice.
19.5 These Terms do not themselves constitute consent to optional cookies.
19.6 The Company may communicate electronically with clients, subject to applicable law and any agreed security requirements.
19.7 Clients should notify the Company if particular communication methods or information-security arrangements are required.
20. Standard of Care and Limitation of Liability
20.1 The Company shall perform its professional services with reasonable care and skill.
20.2 Nothing in these Terms excludes or restricts liability for:
(a) death or personal injury caused by negligence;
(b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or
(c) any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.
20.3 Business-client liability cap: Subject to Clause 20.2 and applicable law, the total aggregate liability of Webvet Ltd arising out of or in connection with a single matter, including all instructions substantially arising from the same underlying facts, dispute, claim or proceedings (a “Matter”), shall not exceed £250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling). This is intended as one aggregate cap for that Matter, not a fresh cap for each report, supplementary instruction, hearing, invoice, alleged breach or cause of action, whether arising in contract, tort (including negligence), negligent misstatement, breach of statutory duty or otherwise. The intended treatment of distinct Matters may be specified in the engagement letter.
20.4 The limitation in Clause 20.3 applies only to clients acting in the course of business and only to the extent that it is reasonable and enforceable under applicable law.
20.5 In considering the limitation, the parties acknowledge the relevance of the nature and scope of the services, agreed fees, foreseeable risks, bargaining positions, available resources and professional indemnity arrangements.
20.6 The Company maintains professional indemnity arrangements as applicable to its activities. Details of current insurers, insured persons, limits and scope may be provided on reasonable written request, subject to confidentiality and insurer requirements. No statement in these Terms guarantees that a particular activity, jurisdiction, claim or person is covered or that any stated insurance limit will be available for a particular claim.
20.7 The Company shall not knowingly misrepresent its insurance arrangements. The existence of insurance does not guarantee cover for every claim, and insurance limits do not automatically determine the enforceability of the contractual liability cap.
20.8 Where an instruction presents exceptional financial or professional exposure, the parties may negotiate a higher liability limit in writing before the relevant work commences.
20.9 Subject to Clause 20.2 and applicable law, the Company shall not be liable for indirect or consequential loss to the extent that such exclusion is reasonable and enforceable.
20.10 Direct financial loss shall not be treated as excluded merely because it is economic in nature.
20.11 The Company shall not be liable solely because a court, tribunal, regulator or other decision-maker declines to accept a professional opinion prepared with reasonable care and skill.
20.12 Webvet Ltd is the contracting service provider. Dr Michael Duggan and other personnel acting on its behalf do not assume personal contractual liability merely by providing, signing or communicating professional work for the Company. The intended contractual protections for those persons are set out in Clause 29.
20.13 Nothing in Clause 20.12 excludes independent personal liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
20.14 The limitation in Clause 20.3 shall not apply to consumer claims where its application would restrict statutory rights or otherwise be unlawful or unfair.
20.15 Nothing in these Terms restricts the overriding duties of an expert witness or the professional obligations of a veterinary surgeon.
20.16 No contractual limitation shall apply to the extent prohibited by applicable UK or Irish law.
21. Business-Client Indemnity
21.1 This clause applies only to business clients.
21.2 Subject to applicable law, the client shall indemnify the Company against reasonable and legally recoverable third-party losses directly arising from:
(a) a material breach of these Terms by the client;
(b) knowing provision of materially false information;
(c) unlawful disclosure of personal data or confidential information by the client; or
(d) unauthorised alteration or misleading publication of a professional report.
21.3 This indemnity shall not extend to losses caused by the Company's negligence, breach of duty, misconduct or other legal responsibility.
21.4 The Company shall take reasonable steps to mitigate losses for which indemnification is sought.
21.5 This clause does not apply to consumers.
22. Deadlines, Delays and Events Beyond Reasonable Control
22.1 Completion dates are estimates unless expressly agreed as binding deadlines.
22.2 The Company shall use reasonable efforts to meet agreed deadlines.
22.3 Late instructions, missing evidence, amended scope and matters beyond reasonable control may justify an appropriate extension.
22.4 The Company shall notify the client of material anticipated delays where reasonably practicable.
22.5 Neither party shall be liable for failure or delay genuinely caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, except where applicable law provides otherwise.
22.6 Such circumstances may include serious illness, natural disasters, major transport disruption, government restrictions or significant infrastructure failure.
22.7 The affected party shall take reasonable steps to mitigate the consequences.
22.8 The Company shall not retain charges for unperformed work where retention would be unlawful or unfair.
23. Suspension and Termination
23.1 Either party may terminate an engagement on reasonable written notice, subject to accrued rights, properly incurred fees and lawful cancellation provisions.
23.2 The Company may suspend or terminate work where:
(a) material invoices remain unpaid;
(b) essential information is withheld;
(c) a material conflict of interest arises;
(d) professional independence is compromised;
(e) instructions are unlawful or professionally inappropriate; or
(f) a material contractual breach occurs.
23.3 Reasonable notice and an opportunity to remedy a breach shall be provided where appropriate.
23.4 Withdrawal from expert witness work remains subject to court directions and professional obligations.
23.5 Fees for work properly performed and reasonable expenses incurred remain payable.
23.6 Where the Company terminates without client fault, the client shall not be charged for unperformed services and shall receive any refund required by law.
23.7 Termination does not affect accrued rights or obligations intended to survive termination.
24. UK Consumer Rights
24.1 This clause applies where the client is a consumer protected by applicable UK consumer law.
24.2 Nothing in these Terms excludes statutory rights concerning reasonable care and skill, fair contract terms, remedies or cancellation.
24.3 Applicable legislation may include the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
24.4 Where a qualifying distance or off-premises services contract is concluded, the consumer will ordinarily have a 14-day statutory cancellation period beginning when the contract is made, subject to applicable exceptions and extensions.
24.5 The Company shall provide legally required pre-contract information and cancellation instructions.
24.6 Where the consumer requests work to begin during a statutory cancellation period, the Company shall obtain the legally required express request and, where applicable, acknowledgement concerning the consequences of full performance.
24.7 Following a valid statutory cancellation, the consumer shall pay only amounts permitted by applicable law.
24.8 Business cancellation schedules shall not override statutory consumer cancellation rights.
24.9 Outside the statutory cancellation period, any consumer cancellation charge must be fair, transparent, proportionate and legally enforceable.
24.10 No term shall remove or restrict a consumer's non-excludable statutory remedies.
25. Republic of Ireland Consumer Rights
25.1 This clause applies where the client is a consumer protected by applicable law in the Republic of Ireland.
25.2 Nothing in these Terms excludes mandatory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 or other applicable Irish consumer protection legislation.
25.3 Services shall be provided in accordance with applicable statutory standards, including reasonable care and skill.
25.4 For qualifying distance and off-premises services contracts, the ordinary statutory cancellation period is 14 days from contract formation.
25.5 Where the contract is concluded following an unsolicited visit to the consumer's home or during an excursion organised for the relevant promotional purpose, a 30-day period may apply.
25.6 Applicable statutory exceptions and extensions shall be respected.
25.7 The Company shall provide legally required pre-contract information and cancellation instructions.
25.8 Services shall commence during a statutory cancellation period only in accordance with applicable requirements concerning the consumer's express request and any necessary acknowledgement.
25.9 Following a valid statutory cancellation, the consumer shall pay only amounts permitted by Irish law.
25.10 No business cancellation schedule or limitation of liability shall override mandatory Irish consumer protections.
25.11 Contractual terms shall be interpreted and applied consistently with applicable Irish requirements concerning transparency, fairness and consumer remedies.
26. Consumer Cancellation Procedure
26.1 Where a statutory cancellation right applies, the Company shall provide a cancellation notice appropriate to the relevant jurisdiction and contract type.
26.2 The notice shall state the applicable cancellation deadline and how the consumer may exercise the right.
26.3 A consumer may communicate cancellation by a clear statement using the contact details provided.
26.4 A model cancellation form may be supplied for convenience, but its use shall not be mandatory where the law permits cancellation by another clear statement.
26.5 Where a consumer wishes work to begin before the cancellation period expires, the Company shall obtain any legally required express request and acknowledgement.
26.6 Refunds and proportionate charges shall be handled in accordance with the applicable statutory requirements.
26.7 The Company shall not impose cancellation charges or withhold refunds contrary to mandatory consumer law.
26.8 Consumer Liability for Fees Following Cancellation
Where a Consumer cancels an accepted professional instruction, the Company reserves the right to recover fees, expenses and cancellation losses to the extent permitted by applicable consumer law and the terms expressly agreed before the instruction was accepted.
26.9 Cancellation During a Statutory Cancellation Period
Where a Consumer exercises a statutory cancellation right, any payment due shall be determined in accordance with applicable law. If the Consumer has expressly requested that Services commence during the statutory cancellation period, and the Company has complied with the applicable information and consent requirements, the Consumer may be required to pay a proportionate amount for Services actually provided before cancellation. Where Services have been fully performed following the required express request and acknowledgement, the statutory cancellation right may be lost to the extent permitted by law. No charge shall be imposed where applicable law requires the Services to be provided without charge following cancellation.
26.10 Cancellation Outside a Statutory Cancellation Period
Where no statutory cancellation right applies, or the applicable statutory cancellation period has expired, and the Consumer cancels an accepted instruction other than because of the Company's breach or failure to perform, the Company may recover, to the extent reasonable, fair and legally enforceable:
(a) Fees for professional Services properly performed up to the effective date of cancellation;
(b) Reasonable expenses and disbursements already incurred which cannot reasonably be recovered or avoided; and
(c) Reasonable and demonstrable financial loss directly resulting from the cancellation, including loss arising from professional time or attendance specifically reserved for the Consumer, where such loss is legally recoverable.
26.11 Reasonableness and Mitigation
Any cancellation charge shall be fair, transparent and proportionate. The Company shall take reasonable steps to mitigate avoidable loss, account for costs saved and replacement paid work obtained, and avoid double recovery. The minimum instruction fee, court reservation fee or any advance payment shall not automatically become non-refundable solely because the Consumer cancels. Payments already received shall be credited against amounts lawfully due, and any balance refundable under applicable law shall be returned.
26.12 Prior Disclosure and Statutory Rights
Applicable fees, reservation arrangements and potential cancellation charges shall be explained to the Consumer before the contract is concluded. Nothing in Clauses 26.8–26.12 restricts statutory cancellation rights, remedies for defective Services, or any other mandatory protection under applicable UK or Irish consumer law.
27. Complaints and Dispute Resolution
27.1 Complaints should be sent to admin@webvetltd.co.uk.
27.2 The Company shall consider complaints reasonably and respond within a reasonable period.
27.3 The parties shall endeavour to resolve disputes through good-faith discussion where practicable.
27.4 Where appropriate, the parties may agree to mediation or another lawful dispute-resolution process.
27.5 Nothing in these Terms restricts a client's right to bring lawful proceedings, exercise statutory consumer remedies or make an appropriate regulatory complaint.
27.6 Consumers shall not be required to submit to compulsory private arbitration in substitution for non-excludable statutory rights.
28. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
28.1 Unless expressly agreed otherwise, these Terms and professional engagements shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales.
28.2 For business-to-business contractual disputes, the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, subject to mandatory law and any express jurisdiction-specific agreement.
28.3 The parties may agree a different governing law or jurisdiction in the engagement letter where appropriate to a particular instruction.
28.4 The choice of governing law does not displace mandatory legal rules applicable to an engagement.
28.5 The procedural rules and expert witness duties of the court or tribunal receiving evidence shall apply irrespective of the contractual governing law.
28.6 Consumers retain mandatory protections concerning applicable law, jurisdiction and access to legal remedies, including those arising under applicable UK and Irish law.
28.7 Nothing in these Terms prevents a consumer from exercising rights that cannot lawfully be displaced by contractual choice of law or forum.
29. Third-Party Rights and Personnel
29.1 Except as expressly provided in this Clause 29, no third party is intended to acquire contractual enforcement rights under these Terms.
29.2 Dr Michael Duggan and each director, employee or professional associate who performs Services on behalf of Webvet Ltd (each a “Protected Person”) is expressly intended, so far as legally effective, to benefit from and be entitled to enforce Clauses 15.8, 20.2–20.16 and this Clause 29 in connection with the Services. For contracts governed by the law of England and Wales, this is intended to confer enforceable rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.
29.3 To the extent legally permissible, the limitations and defences described in Clause 29.2 are intended to apply to claims brought against a Protected Person arising from their work for the Company. The £250,000 aggregate business-client cap is intended to apply collectively across the Company and Protected Persons for the same Matter, not separately to each person or claim. This provision does not purport to bind claimants who are not legally bound by the contract.
29.4 The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 applies to contracts governed by the law of England and Wales or Northern Ireland, as applicable. The operation of third-party rights under Scottish law or the law of the Republic of Ireland may differ and shall be assessed where relevant.
29.5 No provision excludes an individual's independent liability, regulatory responsibility, overriding duty to a court or other liability to the extent that exclusion or limitation would be unlawful or ineffective. No Protected Person assumes a personal contractual guarantee merely by being identified as an expert or signing a professional report on behalf of the Company.
30. General Contractual Provisions
30.1 These Terms, together with the accepted engagement letter and any expressly incorporated documents, constitute the agreement between the parties concerning the relevant professional instruction.
30.2 Material variations must be agreed in writing.
30.3 If a provision is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue insofar as legally possible.
30.4 Failure or delay in enforcing a contractual right does not automatically constitute waiver.
30.5 Updated Terms shall apply prospectively and shall not retrospectively alter existing engagements without lawful agreement.
30.6 The Company may use suitably qualified associates or subcontractors where appropriate, subject to professional obligations, confidentiality, data protection requirements and any necessary client or court approval.
30.7 Headings are included for convenience and do not determine interpretation.
30.8 References to legislation include applicable amendments and replacements where appropriate.
31. Acceptance of Professional Instructions
31.1 Before professional work begins, the client shall receive an engagement letter or other written confirmation identifying:
(a) the contracting client;
(b) the person responsible for payment;
(c) the scope and purpose of the instruction;
(d) the appointed professional;
(e) the applicable fees and expenses;
(f) relevant deadlines and hearing dates;
(g) any reservation or cancellation arrangements;
(h) the applicable liability limitation, including the aggregate cap and any negotiated variation; and
(i) these Terms.
31.2 By signing or expressly accepting an engagement letter incorporating these Terms, the client agrees to the applicable contractual provisions, subject to mandatory law.
31.3 A person accepting an engagement on behalf of an organisation confirms that they are authorised to bind that organisation.
31.4 Where the client is a consumer, the Company shall provide all required pre-contract information and cancellation notices and obtain any required consents before commencing work.
31.5 Website use alone does not constitute acceptance of a professional instruction.
31.6 The Company shall retain reasonable evidence of the Terms version supplied and the client’s express acceptance. Any material amendment to the liability cap, agreed fees or other contractual allocation of risk for an existing instruction requires written agreement; later Website updates do not retrospectively alter that instruction.
31.7 The engagement letter should identify the relevant Matter, the contracting and paying legal entity, the type of expert appointment, and any unusual foreseeable financial exposure. Where the risk materially exceeds the ordinary scope of an instruction, the parties may agree a different cap or scope before work commences.
32. Contact Information
Webvet Ltd trading as Duggan Veterinary Consultants
Company registration number: 13825677
Registered office: 167–169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London, W1W 5PF, United Kingdom
VAT registration number: XI399268527
Email: admin@webvetltd.co.uk
Website: https://dvconsultants.co.uk
End of Terms and Conditions of Use and Professional Services
Version 3.1 — 5 November 2026