How we charge
We charge by the hour for the work we do. We also make fixed charges for certain types of work that involve a lot of administration, for example filing an initial patent or trade mark application, renewing a granted patent or recording a change of ownership at the UK Intellectual Property Office.
In addition we have to pass on the costs we pay out on your behalf, for instance official patent office fees or the charges that overseas attorneys make if you're applying for protection abroad.
When we charge
Typically we send a bill once a piece of work has been completed. However if charges are building up then we may send an interim bill. Different charging structures may be available to suit your individual needs.
For new clients we usually ask for payment in advance for at least part of our charges. It is also our policy to ask for payment in advance if significant external costs ("disbursements"), such as patent office fees or overseas attorneys' charges, are likely to be incurred in carrying out a piece of work for you.
Our payment terms are 30 days from the date of invoice. We may charge interest on amounts due beyond that point.
Can we supply quotations?
Our charges are largely based on the amount of time we spend. This is difficult to predict in advance and depends on factors such as the type of technology involved, how much information you can supply to help us, whether the Patent Office or Trade Marks Registry object to your application, etc… As a result, we can only give cost indications on a case by case basis.
Note that a cost indication or estimate is not the same as a quote. It is not strictly binding. However, as a matter of courtesy we always try to keep within the cost indication we've given you. If this isn't going to be possible we will let you know, explain the reasons and give you the chance to call a halt to the work. We will keep you informed in advance of likely costs at each stage of the work we're doing for you. Nobody likes nasty surprises.
Please phone us on 01934 745 880 to discuss how we can help you and what it might cost. We make no charge for an initial telephone consultation and you're under no obligation to become our client.
