Terms of service
Adopted 27 October 2026. Application: new quotations expressly incorporating this version from launch of the new AAA website. Existing accepted agreements are not retrospectively changed. The aligned client agreement, registration rules and complaints/appeals procedure form the controlled contract set.
1. Who we are and what these terms cover
Assess Audit Assure Limited trades as AAA Certification. You can contact us at info@aaa-cert.co.uk. These terms cover use of our website and client portal and the independent certification services described in your accepted quotation. They are intended for organisations obtaining services for their business. Assess Audit Assure Limited is registered in England and Wales under company number 13256969. Its registered office is 3b Westfield Road, Cardiff, Wales, CF14 1QQ. The company trades as AAA Certification.
2. Quotations and your application
An online price or readiness check is indicative. We confirm the organisation, sites, activities, standards, applicable editions, audit scope, fees and payment arrangements in a written quotation. Please check the quotation and provide accurate business and turnover information. If information changes, tell us promptly. Any resulting change to scope, price or timing must be explained and agreed before additional work or charges are incurred. Submitting an enquiry does not itself award certification. The quotation must identify the versions of these terms and the applicable client agreement, registration rules and complaints/appeals procedure, which must be available to review and retain before acceptance or payment. AAA records the authorised acceptance and document versions. Mandatory law prevails. The accepted quotation defines the agreed scope, fees, payment schedule and audit arrangements; these terms govern the commercial cancellation, refund and legal-rights provisions. The aligned client agreement and registration rules govern the certification process, with the complaints/appeals procedure governing that process. A conflict must be clarified and agreed before acceptance; an older policy must not silently reinstate superseded commercial clauses.
3. Independent audit and certification
You are responsible for designing, implementing and operating your management system, keeping suitable evidence and meeting your legal and contractual obligations. AAA independently assesses the system; we do not design or implement the system we certify. Auditors report findings, technical review considers the audit evidence, and an authorised decision-maker makes the certification decision. Paying a fee, uploading evidence or completing an audit does not guarantee certification.
4. Your responsibilities
Provide complete and accurate information, arrange access to the people, sites and records needed for the agreed audit, and respond to findings within the agreed timescales. Tell us about material changes that may affect the certification scope. Only submit documents you are entitled to share. Do not include unnecessary personal information, passwords or other secrets in evidence files. Any certificate or certification mark may be used only within its valid scope and the applicable certification rules.
5. Client portal and communications
Use your own authorised account and keep sign-in links private. The portal provides the workspaces, evidence requests, messages, reports and payment information assigned to your role. Invite or access only authorised users. Uploaded files may be held pending security review before they are available for use. Contact AAA if you suspect unauthorised access or cannot use the portal; we will agree an appropriate way to continue the work.
6. Fees and payments
The accepted quotation states the charge, any VAT and when payment is due. Payments may be collected through Stripe. A payment receipt confirms a payment, not a certification outcome. We will explain and agree any additional audit work or changes to the quoted service before charging for them. A payment failure or dispute should be raised with AAA so that the next steps and any effect on scheduling can be agreed.
7. Changes, cancellation and refunds
Contact AAA in writing if you need to reschedule or cancel. For new quotations that expressly incorporate these terms, we will refund the unused balance after deducting the agreed charge for work already completed and unavoidable costs disclosed before booking. We will provide an itemised explanation and will not charge twice for the same work or cost. There is no automatic percentage penalty. Any additional rescheduling charge must be explained and agreed before it is incurred. If AAA cannot provide the agreed service, we will explain the available next steps and refund any amount due, subject to your applicable rights. A refund and closure of a certification programme are separate actions: AAA will confirm the programme status, future work and portal access in writing. Your statutory rights are unaffected.
8. Certification rules, suspension and withdrawal
The certification rules supplied for your programme explain ongoing obligations, surveillance, changes to scope, use of marks, suspension and withdrawal. A financial refund does not by itself issue, suspend or withdraw a certificate. Certification status is determined and recorded through the applicable certification process. If access needs to be restricted for misuse or a security incident, we will explain the position and the appropriate contact route, subject to any legal or security restrictions.
9. Confidentiality and personal information
We handle audit material and personal information under the applicable confidentiality arrangements and privacy notice. Authorised personnel receive access appropriate to their work. Information may also need to be disclosed where required by law or the applicable certification or accreditation arrangements. Our privacy notice explains the service providers, international processing, retention criteria and rights relevant to the website, portal and certification service.
10. Website information and materials
Articles and readiness information provide general context and may describe historical events or earlier standard editions. They do not replace the applicable standard, professional advice or your own assessment of legal duties. Check the current edition and the certification arrangements relevant to your proposed audit with AAA. Website materials and any separately supplied templates remain subject to their applicable intellectual-property rights. A separate template licence applies only where it is expressly supplied and agreed; purchasing certification does not itself include an implementation consultancy or template-system licence.
11. Problems, complaints and appeals
Contact info@aaa-cert.co.uk with your organisation name and the relevant programme or quotation reference. Certification complaints and appeals are handled through the applicable published certification policies. There is no fee for submitting or having AAA review a complaint or appeal under these terms. An appeal is considered by authorised people independent of the original decision. Clients may appeal directly within 90 calendar days of notification of the challenged decision, without a prior complaint. The service targets are a complaint response within 10 working days and an appeal outcome within 60 calendar days, with progress updates if longer is needed. A complaint or appeal does not automatically change a certification decision. We will explain the relevant process and keep an appropriate record. These internal timescales do not remove ordinary legal rights.
12. Responsibility
Certification is an assessment of a management system within a defined scope. It is not a guarantee that every product or service will be fault-free, that an incident cannot happen, or that all legal obligations have been met. Nothing in these terms excludes liability or rights that cannot lawfully be excluded. These terms create no monetary liability cap and do not require compulsory arbitration. Ordinary legal remedies remain available.
13. Changes and applicable law
Any material change to an existing service agreement must be communicated and agreed as required by that agreement and applicable law. Website edits do not retrospectively alter an accepted quotation. The governing law is that of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory rights. There is no compulsory arbitration requirement; ordinary legal remedies remain available. Version 2026-10-27.1 applies to new quotations that expressly incorporate it from launch of the new AAA website, adopted 27 October 2026. AAA will record the actual adoption and launch date. Earlier accepted customer agreements retain their applicable versions unless validly varied.