Making a Purchase

We accept payment through our website via World-pay who accept the majority of major credit and debit cards. You can also send payment by BACS to our company bank account if this is your preferred method of payment, please contact us for details.

This Web Site and E- Commerce Facility does not constitute an offer. Prices are subject to change without notice, subject to stock, E&OE.

Shipping and Handling

FREE DELIVERY ON ALL ITEMS delivered to England and Wales (mainland only).

For delivery charges to Scotland, Ireland, other UK islands and anywhere else in the world please contact us for a quote.

Delivery Schedule

We aim to deliver within two weeks of receipt of payment. During busy periods this may be three weeks. On our garden buildings and bespoke products please allow three to six weeks.

Tax Charges

All prices quoted INCLUDE VAT, currently at 20%.

Credit Card Security

We utilise an industry Standard SSL (secure certificate), enabling you to provide your credit card details at the checkout with confidence. You may also provide card details by phone if you so wish.

Guarantee

We endeavour to respond to all complaints within five working days. As soon as we are notified about a problem a “Customer Service Report” is made out which details the name, address, telephone number, date of purchase and order number as well as the nature of complaint from the customer. In addition it is noted what action in response is agreed including a timescale to resolve the problem.

Customer service type calls are received on our general telephone number which is answered during normal office hours 9.00am to 5.00pm on weekdays.

Cancellation Refunds

Where a customer exercises their right to cancel, all purchase monies received will be returned (less any cost of collecting the goods as set out herein) within fourteen days of return.

Statutory Rights

None of these terms of business shall affect any rights as a consumer.

Reaching Us

If you need to reach us, please email us on customerservice@cvgf.co.uk, alternatively, you can call on 01538 371548 or write to us at Churnet Valley Garden Furniture, Belle Vue Mill, Belle Vue Rd, Leek, ST13 8EP

Privacy Policy

Churnet Valley Garden Furniture do not disclose buyers’ information to third parties. Cookies are used on this site to physically facilitate the shopping cart and checkout functions, and to recognise returning visitors (with or without logging on).

Data collected by this site is used to:
a. Take and fulfil customer orders
b. Administer and enhance the site and service
c. Only disclose information to third-parties for goods delivery purposes or if legally obliged

Returns Policy

Customers have the right to cancel an order within fourteen days of receiving the goods without giving any reason. A customer wishing to cancel must give notice in writing sent at the customer’s cost by recorded delivery. The company will acknowledge receipt of the notice to cancel upon receipt.

The customer must then return the goods at their own expense. If the customer fails to return the goods within two weeks of cancelling an order then the company will charge the cost of returning the goods which must be paid in full before collection takes place. The cost of collection is 50 within a radius of 100 miles of the office address and 75 within a 200 miles radius. The charge will be 10 for every 20 miles over the 200 mile charge of 75. Goods sent on by a customer to a non UK mainland address are not covered by the cancellation policy.

Goods must be made ready for collection in the original packaging or similar packaging and must be complete not altered or damaged in any way. Items found to be missing from returned goods when checked back in the company’s warehouse will be charged for however small in value.

We will always comply with “The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000” which can be found at http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2000/20002334.htm

This statement is made pursuant to s.54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and sets out the steps that Churnet Valley Garden Furniture Ltd has taken and is continuing to take to ensure that modern slavery or human trafficking is not taking place within our business or supply chain.

Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, human trafficking and forced labour. Churnet Valley Garden Furniture Ltd has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all business dealings and to putting effective systems and controls in place to safeguard against any form of modern slavery taking place within the business or our supply chain.

We operate several internal policies to ensure that we are conducting business in an ethical and transparent manner. These include:

• Recruitment policy. We operate a robust recruitment policy, including conducting eligibility to work in the UK checks for all employees to safeguard against human trafficking or individuals being forced to work against their will.

Whistleblowing policy. We operate a whistleblowing policy so that all employees know that they can raise concerns about how colleagues are being treated, or practices within our business or supply chain, without fear of reprisals.

Churnet Valley Garden Furniture Ltd operates a supplier policy and maintains a preferred supplier list. We conduct due diligence on all suppliers before allowing them to become a preferred supplier. This due diligence includes an online search to ensure that particular organisation has never been convicted of offenses relating to modern slavery. Our anti- slavery policy forms part of our contract with all suppliers and they are required to confirm that no part of their business operations contradicts this policy.

In addition to the above, as part of our contract with suppliers, we require that they confirm to us that:

• They have taken steps to eradicate modern slavery within their business
• They hold their own suppliers to account over modern slavery
• (For UK based suppliers) They pay their employees at least the national minimum wage / national living wage (as appropriate)
• (For international suppliers) They pay their employees any prevailing minimum wage applicable within their country of operations
• We may terminate the contract at any time should any instances of modern slavery come to light.

What kind of wood is it, and why choose that one?

We use Scandinavian Redwood which is a naturally durable timber and is perfect for use outdoors and at the price point that we are selling our products for, it is the most expensive timber we can use. If not pressure treated the timber is prone to rot which can set in in as little as 6 months, this is why we have the wood pressure treated as if stops rot setting in for up to 20 years. Scandinavian Redwood is a soft wood, but is has a tight grain and is slow grown in the forests of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, where conditions are harsh and the trees are strong and tall, meaning the timber coming from them is also very durable and strong.

Should I add a further treatment?

If you want your product to stay looking its best and you choose not to go for the natural weathered look then it is advised that you add a further treatment to your product. Most aftercare treatments can be used on this kind of wood and we advise if unsure then asking at your local hardware store what is best to use, as it depends on the finish you are trying to achieve.

Are the dimensions given on the descriptions accurate?

All of our products are handmade, one at a time by real people in our workshop, and are made from a natural product. So it should be born in mind that the sizes and dimensions may differ slightly to those given in the product descriptions, and these should be used as a guide only. Please allow for size variances due to wet/dry timber and typically occurring differences to be expected with hand made items, especially when installing permanent bases. We would recommend allowing for at least 10cm variance as a guide.

Sheds and Buildings Aftercare

If you have acquired one of our fabulous garden sheds or buildings, you should have a friend for life. Our buildings are made to a high standard and are built to stand the test of time, but you will need to maintain your shed and look after it too.

Waterproofing

When your shed arrives you will need to paint it with a waterproof paint, wood protector or other timber care treatment. We would recommend using a spririt/oil based product.

if unsure please ask at your local hardware store or ask the company who supply the paint if it is suitable for purpose as we cannot be held responsible for use of the wrong treatment.

It is best to add two coats to ensure full protection. To fully protect your building you will need to remove the corner trims and paint the corners of the building ensuring that anywhere the wood has been cut is painting before fixing the corner trims back in place. Add extra paint around windows, doors and anywhere else that there may be open ends of the timber.

When we put your building/shed up we will put silicone sealant around the window to seal the glass in place, however, once you have fully painted it, you may need to add more silicone where you think necessary.

We recommend that you apply an extra coat of treatment every 12 months, preferably at the end of the summer or in the autumn months so that your building is fully protected ready for winter.

Preventing Damp Issues

There are a few things that you can do to prevent and minimise the damage which can be caused by moisture.
A major cause of rot in garden sheds is rising damp, this is caused by ground water being absorbed through the floor bearers and into the floor.  To prevent this from happening it is best sorted during the initial planning stages of siting and building the shed. You will need a barrier between the ground and the floor of the shed, to stop the moisture entering.

How you do this will depend on what type of base you are using on which to position the shed…

Bases made using gravel allow any rain water to flow freely through it and prevent water from pooling. This reduces the chances of water being soaked up by the floor bearers.

Timber bases can be used to raise the shed completely off the ground, so that it is almost impossible for water to penetrate the floor bearers.

Concrete and paving slab bases need to be a level as possible to allow water to run off and prevent it from pooling. A shed that sits in puddled water will inevitably absorb water.

Not only can sheds suffer from ground moisture, but also from moisture in the air. This issue is particularly prevalent in Winter. Moisture, caused by damp, wet conditions can get trapped inside sheds, especially if they are not used often. If the outside temperature drops, any moisture inside the shed will cause condensation on the inside of the shed panels, roof, floor and possibly other items stored in the shed. This condensation will cause mould and mildew to form very quickly.

To combat this issue, it is advised to allow the shed to vent as often as possible throughout the winter. This will enable fresh air to circulate around the building and stop moisture from building up. To do this, you can open the windows if you have them or leave the door open from time to time. It is also a good idea to not store wet or damp items in the shed, like garden tools or bikes etc. Try to dry them off before returning them to the shed. If you do get mould forming, it is advisable to remove it as quickly as possible with an anti-mould cleaner, before it penetrates and permanently damage the timber.

Tolerances

Due to the nature of the timber and the fact that it is for use outside in a ever-changing climate that we have in the UK, we can not guarantee that items will remain perfectly straight and that warping or twisting will not happen. Also when making the products we do not focus on throwing out every piece of timvber that has a split, shake or twist in it, however, we do have tolerance levels that our operatives consider. Timber is a natural resource and these are outdoor natural products and not made from plastic or metal!

Thank you for reading.

We hope this guide has been helpful and hope you get many years of service and enjoyment out of your new product.