Terms & Conditions

TERMS

Neighbourhood Vet – Client Terms and Conditions
(Owned by Award Veterinary Sciences Ltd)
Effective from 14 October 2026

Introduction

These Client Terms and Conditions explain how we work with you to care for your pet, what you can expect from us, and what we ask in return. They are designed to ensure clarity, fairness, and mutual understanding.

By registering your pet or requesting veterinary care, you agree to be bound by these terms.

1. Practice information

Neighbourhood Vet is operated by Award Veterinary Sciences Ltd, a small, independently owned veterinary company led by its owner and veterinary surgeon,
Dr Adrian Ward MRCVS. The practice is not part of a corporate group.

Correspondence and trading address: Unit 7, Jollyes Pet Superstore, Brockhurst Gate Retail Park, Gosport, PO12 4FA.

Email: gosport@neighbourhoodvet.co.uk

Out-of-hours emergency care is provided by The Lighthouse, Havant, a fellow independent veterinary practice.

Website: www.lighthousevets.com

2. Veterinary care and consent

All veterinary care is provided in accordance with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Code of Professional Conduct.

By requesting treatment, you authorise our veterinary team to examine and treat your pet as clinically appropriate.

We will always seek your informed consent before performing any procedure, administering medication, or providing anaesthesia, except in genuine emergencies where delay would risk the animal’s welfare.

We may recommend referral to a specialist or referral centre if this is in your pet’s best interests. Responsibility for ongoing care and fees will transfer to that provider once referral has been accepted.

3. Behaviour and conduct

We expect all clients and visitors to treat our staff, clinicians, and other clients with respect at all times. Abusive, aggressive, threatening, or discriminatory behaviour will not be tolerated under any circumstances. This includes, but is not limited to, raised voices, intimidation, offensive language, social-media harassment, persistent lateness, missed appointments without notice, repeated failure to follow clinical advice or instructions, misuse of written prescriptions, or the use of prescription-only medicines (POM-V) in animals other than those for which they were prescribed.

Where an animal poses a risk to staff or other clients, or is excessively fearful or aggressive, we may require pre-visit medication or sedation (administered at home or in the practice) to allow safe handling and to minimise stress for the animal. Clients should not unreasonably refuse such measures. Refusal to follow necessary safety or welfare advice may result in withdrawal of services.

4. Duty of care

Clients are expected to follow veterinary advice and treatment instructions to ensure the best possible outcome for their pet.

While we will always exercise reasonable skill and care and act in accordance with accepted veterinary practice, no outcome, diagnosis, prognosis, response to treatment or recovery can ever be guaranteed. Veterinary medicine is not an exact science and clinical decisions are made using professional judgement based on the information available at the time.

Our responsibility is to provide veterinary services with reasonable skill and care. Complications, adverse reactions, disease progression, recurrence of disease or other unforeseen events may occur despite appropriate treatment and adherence to professional standards. The occurrence of such events does not, by itself, mean that the treatment provided fell below the standard reasonably expected of a veterinary professional.

We cannot accept responsibility for deterioration, complications or adverse outcomes arising where advice has not been followed, medications have been altered or discontinued without guidance, or alternative treatments have been sourced without veterinary approval.

Where a client’s behaviour, refusal to follow essential clinical or safety advice, or other conduct results in a serious breakdown of the professional relationship, we may withdraw veterinary services. Where appropriate, reasonable notice will be given and arrangements made to avoid compromising the animal’s immediate welfare. Serious threats, violence or other conduct presenting an immediate risk to staff, clients or animals may result in immediate withdrawal of non-emergency services and referral to the appropriate authorities.

5. Estimates and fees

We will provide a written estimate for treatment whenever possible. Estimates are based on expected costs but are not binding, as actual costs may vary depending on clinical findings, the individual patient’s needs, complexity or complications. If costs are likely to exceed an estimate materially, we will discuss this with you as soon as practicable where circumstances allow.

Our fees reflect the professional time, expertise, equipment, medicines, materials and other resources involved in providing veterinary care. Fees apply to professional services provided by our veterinary team, including consultations, examinations, re-examinations, clinical assessment and advice. The consultation fee relates to the professional assessment provided during the appointment and is not dependent upon a diagnosis being reached, medication or other products being supplied, a procedure being performed, or further treatment being recommended.

Follow-up and re-examination appointments are separate professional services and are chargeable at the applicable fee unless we have specifically stated that the appointment is included within an earlier fee, treatment package or other arrangement.

Appointments are ordinarily booked to allow the veterinary surgeon to assess one presenting problem or clinical condition safely and thoroughly. If you wish to discuss additional unrelated problems, please tell us when booking. Depending on the clinical issues involved and the time available, these may require an extended or separate consultation and an additional fee. This does not prevent the veterinary surgeon from considering other findings where these are clinically relevant to the presenting problem or the animal’s welfare.

Professional services, procedures, medicines and consumables are charged in accordance with our current fees. The services included within a published fee or estimate depend on the service concerned. A fee for a procedure does not automatically include separate consultations, re-examinations, diagnostic tests, medicines, laboratory fees, hospitalisation, ongoing treatment or other professional services unless these are stated to be included. Where particular elements are included within a published procedure price, these will be identified in our current price information or estimate.

Prices published on our website are our current prices for the services described and, where indicated, relate to a typical case. Veterinary care may vary according to an individual patient’s clinical needs, complexity and circumstances. Where the likely cost cannot reasonably be represented by a standard published price, we will provide an estimate where appropriate.

Our fees may be reviewed and changed from time to time. The current fees applicable to routine services are published on our website and will be updated before any revised price is charged. Unless we have specifically agreed otherwise in writing, the fee applicable will normally be the fee in force when the service is provided. Where we have provided a written estimate, any subsequent change will be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that estimate.

6. Payment terms

Payment is due in full at the time treatment is provided. We accept payment by cash, credit or debit card, or cheque. Where a cheque is used, payment will only be regarded as complete once funds have cleared.

Klarna payment options are available for eligible clients. Eligibility and terms are determined by Klarna at the time of application.

A refundable deposit is required for all appointment bookings. For high-value surgical or diagnostic procedures, a deposit of at least 50 percent of the anticipated fee will be required at the time of booking. This will be credited against the cost of treatment or refunded when the appointment is attended. For clients with active Health Plan membership, deposits remain refundable for included procedures when the appointment is attended. Deposits are forfeited if the appointment is missed or cancelled without sufficient notice.

Clients who fail to attend without notice may be asked to pay in full when booking future appointments. We may waive this requirement at our discretion in exceptional circumstances.

Invoices remaining unpaid after 14 days may be subject to reasonable administrative charges or interest where permitted by law and notified to the client. We reserve the right to suspend non-emergency services where accounts remain overdue and may refer unpaid debts to an external debt recovery agency or pursue recovery through the courts. Clients remain responsible for the original outstanding balance and any additional recovery costs that are reasonably incurred and legally recoverable. Any decision to suspend services will take account of our professional obligations and the animal’s immediate welfare.

Where an insurance direct claim is agreed, any policy excess or items not covered by the insurer remain the client’s responsibility. If a claim is declined or payment delayed by the insurer, settlement in full remains due by the client.

Refunds, including deposits and overpayments, will be processed within 14 days, normally by the same payment method used.

7. Health Plan membership

Our preventive-care Health Plan is administered by Vetsure. It allows clients to spread the cost of routine preventive care such as vaccinations, parasite control and nurse health checks. The Health Plan is not an insurance policy and does not include veterinary consultations or treatment for illness or injury unless expressly stated in the membership benefits.

Enrolment and veterinary examinations

Before joining the Health Plan, your pet must have undergone a satisfactory veterinary health examination at Neighbourhood Vet. This allows us to assess your pet’s health, establish its suitability for the plan and determine whether preventive medication can be prescribed safely and appropriately.

The initial veterinary examination is charged separately at our normal consultation rate, published on our website, and is not included in the membership fee. Where your pet has already undergone a suitable examination at our practice, a further examination may not be necessary, subject to the attending veterinary surgeon’s clinical judgement.

Membership does not provide an entitlement to free veterinary consultations or examinations unless these are expressly identified as included benefits. Any subsequent veterinary examination, clinical assessment or monitoring required to prescribe or continue supplying medication will be charged separately unless specifically included within the plan.

Membership and cancellation

Health Plan membership operates on a rolling monthly basis, with payments collected by Vetsure. There is no fixed minimum membership period, and membership may be cancelled by giving one month’s notice.

Membership fees are calculated by spreading the anticipated value of annual preventive healthcare benefits over 12 monthly payments. Each membership therefore has an annual benefits cycle, beginning on the original enrolment date and renewing on each anniversary.

The discounted membership fees reflect the spreading of these benefits over the annual cycle. Some products and services, including annual vaccinations and advance supplies of parasite treatment, may be provided before their full value has been covered by monthly payments.

Where membership ends before completion of the current annual benefits cycle, the normal retail value of products and services supplied during that cycle will be compared with all membership payments received during the same period, including payments collected during the notice period. The reconciliation will be calculated at the effective date of cancellation, following completion of the applicable notice period.

Where the retail value of benefits received exceeds the payments made, the difference will become payable. The calculation will use the published retail prices applicable when each benefit was supplied. No additional cancellation penalty or administration fee will be charged.

Benefits and payments relating to previous completed annual cycles will not be included in the calculation.

Changes to membership fees

Membership fees may be reviewed and revised from time to time to reflect changes in the costs of providing the included products and services, including supplier prices, staffing costs and other relevant operating expenses.

Clients will receive at least one month’s notice of any increase in their monthly membership fee. The revised fee will apply from the first applicable monthly payment following the notice period.

Products and membership benefits

Products provided under the Health Plan are selected solely by our veterinary team according to clinical suitability. Specific product requests, substitutions or changes of brand are not permitted within the plan.

The products and services included in membership are those specified in the applicable Health Plan benefits schedule. Services not expressly included are charged separately at our normal rates.

Health Plan membership is subject to the separate membership terms and conditions administered by Vetsure. These operate alongside Neighbourhood Vet’s general Client Terms and Conditions, which continue to apply to veterinary services, professional fees and clinical care. Where a service is expressly included as a Health Plan benefit, the applicable membership terms will determine that entitlement.

8. Medications and prescriptions

Prescriptions are available for animals under our care in accordance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations and other applicable legal and professional requirements.

Clients are entitled to request a written prescription for any prescription-only medicine that the veterinary surgeon considers clinically appropriate for their pet, rather than purchasing the medicine directly from the practice. A fee is charged for providing a written prescription, subject to any statutory fee cap in force at the time. The fee reflects the professional work required to review the patient’s medical history, ensure the medicine remains appropriate, complete the necessary documentation and discharge our continuing duty of care.

Where more than one medication is prescribed as part of the same consultation and clinical presentation, fees for written prescriptions will be applied in accordance with the statutory rules applying to the first and any additional medications prescribed within that consultation.

Our consultations are ordinarily booked and charged on the basis of one presenting problem or clinical condition. A request made during an appointment for a prescription relating to a separate or unrelated condition does not, by itself, make that condition part of the consultation already being undertaken. The veterinary surgeon may need separately to review that condition, its clinical history, current treatment, monitoring requirements and the continuing suitability, dose and duration of the medicine. Where separate clinical assessment or prescribing work is required, this may require a separate consultation or other distinct clinical service and the applicable fee.

The same principles apply to requests made outside a consultation. Where several medicines are reviewed and prescribed together as part of the same prescribing event, the applicable statutory rules for first and additional written prescriptions will be followed. Requests concerning separate conditions may require separate clinical review or prescribing work. We will not divide a single genuine consultation or prescribing event artificially for the purpose of increasing prescription fees.

The choice, strength, quantity and duration of any medicine prescribed are clinical decisions. They will not be altered according to whether the medicine is purchased from us or supplied elsewhere under a written prescription. No separate administration or transmission charge will be added to the fee for providing a written prescription where prohibited by applicable requirements.

The frequency of re-examinations will be determined by the veterinary surgeon, taking into account the condition being treated, the medication prescribed, and best practice in line with the product’s Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) or manufacturer’s datasheet. This interval is at the discretion of the attending veterinary surgeon and may vary between patients or conditions.

Clients are responsible for ensuring their pet is presented for re-examination or monitoring as advised by the veterinary surgeon. Ongoing prescriptions, whether written or dispensed by us, may be withheld or modified if re-examinations are overdue or if concerns arise about the animal’s welfare or safety.

9. Product supply and substitutions

Products provided for routine preventive care or treatment are selected by our veterinary team based on clinical judgement, safety, and supplier arrangements that enable competitive pricing. Clients may purchase alternative products privately at the standard dispensing price if preferred.

10. Appointments and attendance

Please arrive on time for your appointment. Late arrivals can delay subsequent patients and impact the level of care we are able to provide. If you need to cancel or reschedule, we ask for at least 24 hours’ notice.

Repeated lateness or failure to attend without notice may result in a missed-appointment fee, and pre-payment in full will be required for any future bookings. Continued non-attendance may result in withdrawal of services.

11. Reminders and client responsibility

We provide appointment and healthcare reminders as a courtesy to help clients manage their pets’ veterinary care. These reminders are not a contractual service and cannot be guaranteed. Delivery may be affected by factors beyond our control, including changes to contact details, spam filters, network or system issues, or third-party service failures. It remains the owner’s responsibility to ensure that appointments are attended as booked and that their pet’s healthcare, including vaccinations, health checks, and parasite treatments, is maintained on schedule. Clients should make a note of appointment times and due dates independently, regardless of whether a reminder is received.

We cannot accept liability for missed appointments, loss of deposits, or the cost of restart vaccinations or treatments resulting from a reminder not being received. Clients are responsible for keeping their contact details up to date and for notifying us promptly of any changes.

12. Out-of-hours emergency care

Outside our normal opening hours, emergency veterinary care is provided by
The Lighthouse 24 Hour A&E Pet Hospital in Havant, a fellow independent practice. Duty of care transfers to The Lighthouse when your pet is under their care, and their clinical team will exercise independent professional judgement in determining the appropriate treatment.

Fees for out-of-hours treatment are set and charged directly by The Lighthouse and must be settled with them. Details of our out-of-hours arrangements, including contact numbers and location, are always available on our website or from our reception team on request.

13. Ownership of records and test results

Clinical and diagnostic records, including laboratory results, remain the property of Neighbourhood Vet. Copies will be provided upon request to another veterinary surgeon or insurer as required. You are entitled to access copies of invoices and relevant records relating to your pet’s treatment.

14. Pet ownership and uncollected animals

The person presenting an animal for treatment is deemed to be the owner or an authorised agent and is responsible for all fees incurred. Unless we have been explicitly informed in writing of a dispute regarding ownership or authority, we will act in good faith on the assumption that the person presenting the animal is authorised to consent to treatment and make financial decisions on the owner’s behalf.

Our premises are not staffed overnight. If an animal is due for collection and is not collected by the agreed time, or if continued care is required outside normal opening hours, we may arrange transfer to our out-of-hours provider or another suitable facility to ensure the animal’s welfare. This transfer will be at the client’s expense. If no arrangement is made and the animal cannot be safely held on-site, it may be transferred to an appropriate welfare organisation after seven days. You will remain liable for all fees and costs incurred during this period.

15. Recording and monitoring

CCTV operates throughout our premises for the safety of clients, patients, and staff. Footage is stored securely and retained for a limited period before automatic deletion, unless required for legal, insurance, or security purposes. Telephone calls are recorded for training, quality assurance, and the accurate recording of instructions or discussions. Recordings are stored securely and only accessed by authorised staff.

16. Use of images and case information

We may occasionally use photographs or anonymised case details for educational or promotional purposes. Identifiable images or details (such as your pet’s name or photograph) will only be used with your explicit consent, which you may withdraw at any time by contacting us.

17. Limitation of liability

Veterinary treatment carries inherent risks. While every reasonable effort will be made to provide the highest standard of care, outcomes can never be guaranteed. The occurrence of a complication, adverse reaction, disease progression, recurrence of disease or other unexpected outcome does not in itself indicate that reasonable skill and care were not exercised.

Reproductive performance, fertility, conception rates, litter size, neonatal survival and future breeding suitability can never be guaranteed, even where treatment and procedures are performed appropriately and in accordance with accepted veterinary practice.

The welfare and ongoing health of the animal remain the owner’s responsibility. Clients must follow veterinary advice, administer prescribed treatments as directed, and seek further advice promptly if the animal’s condition changes or deteriorates.

We cannot accept responsibility for adverse outcomes arising from failure to follow instructions, delays in seeking care, failure to seek recommended re-examination or monitoring, or the use of unapproved medications, treatments or alternative therapies.

Nothing in these terms excludes or restricts liability where doing so would be unlawful, including liability arising from a failure to exercise reasonable care and skill or any other rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under consumer protection legislation.

We are responsible for losses arising from a breach of our legal or contractual obligations to the extent required by law. However, we are not responsible for losses that are not reasonably foreseeable consequences of such a breach, or for losses arising from circumstances outside our reasonable control where we have exercised appropriate professional care.

We do not guarantee any particular clinical outcome, and the occurrence of a complication or adverse outcome does not, by itself, establish that veterinary care has been provided negligently.

18. Complaints and feedback

We aim to provide a professional and compassionate service at all times. If you have a concern or complaint, please raise it promptly with a member of the team or in writing to gosport@neighbourhoodvet.co.uk. We will investigate all concerns fairly and aim to provide an initial written response within 28 days of receipt.

Where a complaint cannot be resolved directly with the practice, independent mediation may be available through the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS). Concerns involving serious professional misconduct may be referred to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Further information is available at www.vetmediation.co.uk and www.rcvs.org.uk.

19. Regulatory requirements

We operate in accordance with the legal and professional requirements applicable to veterinary practices. Information about our services, prices, prescribing arrangements and other matters will be provided and updated as required by applicable regulation.

20. Variation of terms

These terms may be reviewed and updated from time to time to reflect changes in our services, operating arrangements, professional requirements or applicable legislation.

The current version will be published on our website, together with its effective date. Updated terms will normally apply to services requested or provided after that date.

Where a change materially affects an existing ongoing contractual arrangement, clients will be given appropriate notice in accordance with the applicable agreement and legal requirements.

21. Governing law

These terms are governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.