About SCM Fire & Safety Ltd

SCM Fire & Safety Ltd provides commercial fire, life-safety and security services including installation, servicing, maintenance, testing, remedial works, surveys and associated support.

References to “SCM”, “we”, “us” or “our” in these terms mean SCM Fire & Safety Ltd.

Quotations & Estimates

Quotations are based on the information available to us at the time of preparation, including site information, drawings, specifications, surveys and instructions supplied by the customer.

• Quotations remain valid for the period stated on the quotation.
• Prices may be revised if the scope, specification or site conditions change.
• Unless stated otherwise, VAT will be added at the applicable rate.
• Work not included within the stated scope will be treated as additional work.
• Errors or omissions may be corrected before a binding contract is formed.

Acceptance & Formation Of Contract

A contract is formed when the customer accepts our quotation or proposal and SCM confirms acceptance of the order, or when we begin work following the customer’s instruction.

The customer is responsible for ensuring that the person placing the order has authority to instruct the work.

Scope Of Work

Our obligations are limited to the work described within the quotation, proposal, service agreement or agreed written instruction.

Any additional items identified during attendance, including defects, damaged equipment, non-compliant existing installations, inaccessible equipment, concealed wiring problems or additional equipment requirements, are not automatically included unless specifically stated.

Site Access & Customer Responsibilities

The customer must provide reasonable and safe access to the premises and areas required for completion of the work.

• Suitable access must be available at the agreed attendance time.
• Relevant keys, permits and access arrangements must be provided.
• The customer should advise us of known hazards and site restrictions.
• Work areas should be reasonably clear and accessible.
• Suitable electrical supplies and other required building services should be available where applicable.
• Other contractors should not prevent or materially obstruct our work.

Additional attendance or waiting time caused by circumstances outside our control may be chargeable.

Existing Installations

When working on an existing fire, life-safety or security system, SCM is not responsible for defects, design issues, non-compliance, deterioration, concealed faults or previous workmanship that existed before our attendance unless correction of those matters forms part of our agreed scope.

Testing or alteration of an existing system may reveal faults that were not previously apparent.

Additional & Remedial Works

Where additional work is identified, we may provide a further quotation or request written approval before proceeding.

Where the customer authorises additional work during attendance, that work may be charged in addition to the original quotation.

Programme & Completion Dates

Any attendance, commencement or completion date provided is given in good faith based on information available at the time.

Dates may be affected by matters outside our reasonable control, including:

• Material availability
• Manufacturer delays
• Site access restrictions
• Other contractors
• Changes to the agreed scope
• Existing faults or unforeseen site conditions
• Weather or events outside our reasonable control

We will use reasonable efforts to minimise avoidable delay.

Payment Terms

Invoices are payable in accordance with the payment terms stated within the quotation, invoice, service agreement or other agreed commercial document.

Where staged payments, deposits, pro-forma payments or interim invoices are specified, payment must be made in accordance with those agreed stages.

SCM reserves all rights available under applicable law in relation to overdue commercial payments, including rights relating to interest, compensation and reasonable recovery costs where applicable.

Title To Goods & Materials

To the extent permitted by law, title to equipment and materials supplied by SCM will not pass to the customer until all sums properly due in respect of those goods have been paid in full.

Risk in installed equipment may pass when it is delivered to or installed at the premises, subject to the applicable contract and circumstances.

Cancellation & Postponement

If a confirmed attendance, project or order is cancelled or postponed, the customer should provide as much notice as reasonably possible.

SCM may charge reasonable costs already incurred as a result of the order, including specially ordered materials, manufacturer charges, labour already undertaken or unavoidable costs arising from late cancellation or postponement.

Testing, Commissioning & Certification

Testing, commissioning and certification will be provided where included within the agreed scope and where the installation is in a condition that permits the relevant work to be completed.

Certification may be withheld or qualified where:

• Required work remains incomplete
• Relevant equipment is inaccessible
• Existing defects prevent satisfactory completion
• Works outside SCM’s scope remain outstanding
• Third-party installations or interfaces have not been completed

Standards & Compliance

Where our quotation specifies work to a particular British Standard, fire strategy, specification, design or other requirement, our work will be undertaken with that agreed requirement in mind.

Responsibility for the overall compliance of a building may involve multiple parties, including the responsible person, building owner, designer, principal contractor, electrician, specialist contractors and other dutyholders.

Design & Third-Party Specifications

Where SCM is instructed to design a system, the scope of our design responsibility will be as stated within our quotation or appointment.

Where we install to drawings, specifications, fire strategies or designs supplied by others, SCM is entitled to rely on that information unless obvious errors or concerns become apparent during the course of our work.

Warranty & Defects

Any warranty applying to equipment or workmanship will be as stated within the relevant quotation, proposal or contract.

Warranty cover does not normally apply to faults caused by misuse, accidental damage, vandalism, third-party alteration, water ingress, unsuitable environmental conditions, power supply issues, normal consumable replacement or failure to maintain equipment appropriately.

Manufacturer warranty conditions may also apply to individual products.

Service & Maintenance Visits

Routine maintenance is intended to inspect and test equipment within the agreed service scope. It does not guarantee that a system will remain fault-free between visits.

Where defects or recommendations are identified during servicing, remedial works may be quoted separately unless included within the applicable maintenance agreement.

Emergency & Call-Out Work

Where SCM provides fault attendance or emergency call-out services, attendance does not guarantee that the fault can be permanently repaired during the first visit.

Further parts, specialist equipment, manufacturer support, additional labour or follow-up attendance may be required and may be quoted or charged separately.

Subcontractors & Specialists

SCM may use suitably competent subcontractors, specialist engineers, manufacturers or other service providers where reasonably required to deliver the agreed work.

Customer-Supplied Equipment

Where the customer supplies equipment or materials, SCM is not responsible for defects, compatibility issues, manufacturer faults, missing components or warranty limitations associated with those products unless specifically agreed otherwise.

Liability & Limitations

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so.

Subject to applicable law, SCM will not be responsible for indirect or consequential losses arising from matters outside our reasonable control, existing defects, third-party acts, inaccurate information supplied to us or failures outside the agreed scope of work.

Customers remain responsible for maintaining suitable insurance and for carrying out their own legal and operational responsibilities in relation to the premises.

Health & Safety

SCM will undertake work with appropriate regard to health and safety requirements applicable to our activities.

We reserve the right to stop or postpone work where conditions are considered unsafe or where suitable access, isolation or other necessary safety arrangements are not available.

Complaints & Queries

If you have a concern regarding our work or an invoice, please contact SCM Fire & Safety as soon as reasonably possible so that the matter can be reviewed.

Where appropriate, we may request reasonable access to inspect the work before any third-party remedial work is carried out.

Force Majeure

SCM will not be liable for delay or failure to perform an obligation where caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including severe weather, supply-chain disruption, industrial action, utility failure, government action, transport disruption or other exceptional events.

Data Protection

Personal information associated with enquiries, quotations and contracted work will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Our Privacy Policy is available at:

SCM Fire & Safety Privacy Policy

Website Information

Information published on this website is provided for general information and should not be treated as a substitute for project-specific professional advice, fire-risk assessment, fire strategy or site-specific design.

Fire-safety requirements can vary depending on the building, occupancy, risk, legislation, design and relevant authority requirements.

Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions and any dispute or claim arising from them will be governed by the laws of England and Wales, unless another jurisdiction is required by applicable law or expressly agreed in writing.

The courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction subject to any mandatory legal rights that apply.

Changes To These Terms

SCM Fire & Safety Ltd may update these website Terms & Conditions from time to time.

The version published on this page applies to website use and to transactions where these general terms are incorporated into the relevant agreement.