Effective Date: August 12, 2026

Company Name: Vortex Ice Labs Limited

Operating Base: Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK (100% Mobile Division)

Governing Law: England and Wales

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1. ACCEPTANCE & CONTRACT FORMATION

• Agreement to Terms: By requesting a quotation, issuing a Purchase Order, booking a mobile service window, paying a deposit, or accessing the Vortex Client Roadmap / Lab Log Portal, the client ("the Client") agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Terms").

• Precedence / Exclusion of Buyer Terms: All quotations issued and services rendered by Vortex Ice Labs Limited are subject strictly to these Terms to the exclusion of all other terms and conditions. Any terms or conditions which the Client purports to apply under any Purchase Order, confirmation of order, or similar documentation shall be null and void unless expressly agreed in Writing by an authorized director of Vortex Ice Labs Limited.

• Contract Formation: A binding contract is formed only once Vortex Ice Labs Limited ("we," "us," or "our") receives and clears the required booking deposit or receives formal written quotation sign-off.

• Scope of Service: Vortex Ice Labs Limited operates strictly as a mobile dry ice blasting and cryogenic decontamination specialist. We provide specialized cleaning services for automotive chassis/engine bays and B2B industrial/commercial assets. We do not provide chemical protective undercoating, wax application, paint sealing, or rust-proofing treatments.

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2. QUOTATIONS, BOOKING DEPOSITS & PAYMENT TERMS

• Quotation Validity: All formal quotations issued via Xero, email, or our online estimate system are valid for 30 days from the date of issue and are subject to reconfirmation thereafter.

• Deposit Requirement: A booking deposit is required to secure your scheduled mobile service window.

• Cancellation & 100% Refund Window: Cancellations or rescheduling requests made at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled service start time will receive a 100% full refund of the booking deposit.

• Deposit Forfeiture: Solid carbon dioxide (CO2) pellets are perishable cryogenic media ordered specifically for your booking. If a booking is cancelled or rescheduled within less than 48 hours of the start time, the deposit will be forfeited in full to cover non-refundable media sublimation and lost route capacity.

• Balance Payment & Withholding of Deliverables: The remaining balance is due immediately upon completion of on-site services. Vortex Ice Labs Limited reserves the right to withhold digital deliverables, including high-resolution project photography, technical reports, and Lab Log Client Portal access, until all outstanding invoices are paid in full.

• Late Payment Interest & Recovery Fees: In accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, interest will be charged on overdue balances at a rate of 8% above the Bank of England base rate. Statutory late payment compensation fees will also apply (£40 for debts under £1,000; £70 for debts under £10,000; £100 for debts of £10,000 or more) alongside recovery of any associated legal or bank charges incurred.

• Right of Lien: Vortex Ice Labs Limited reserves the legal right to exercise a lien over any Client asset or equipment in our physical possession until all outstanding balances are settled.

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3. FORENSIC CLEAN & PRE-EXISTING DEFECT EXPOSURE

• Nature of Cryogenic Blasting: Cryogenic dry ice blasting operates via thermal shock (-78.5°C) and supersonic kinetic energy to strip failing rust scale, bitumen, dirt, grease, and non-factory coatings without abrading sound substrate or metal.

• Discovery Authorization: The Client acknowledges that removing dead iron oxide, filler (bondo), fiberglass, or heavy historical underseal is an intentional and necessary outcome of a forensic cryogenic clean.

• Exposure of Perforations & Weak Points: If underlying metal or material has already oxidized through or has been compromised by historical repairs, blasting will expose pre-existing perforations, thin metal, or hidden structural defects.

• Limitation of Substrate Liability: Vortex Ice Labs Limited accepts no liability for structural failures, holes, or perforations exposed on pre-oxidized, corroded, or modified substrates during the blasting process.

• Stop-Work Protocol: If critical load-bearing structural integrity is compromised during blasting, operations on that section will pause immediately. The area will be documented in the Lab Log Client Portal, and the Client will be notified before proceeding.

• Remediation Responsibility: Any fabrication, welding, body repair, or mechanical remediation resulting from exposed pre-existing defects remains the sole financial responsibility of the Client.

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4. MOBILE OPERATIONS, SITE ACCESS & EQUIPMENT LIABILITY

• Site Access & Ground Conditions: The Client must provide a stable, level surface (concrete, asphalt, or firm hardstanding) and a clear, safe exclusion zone around the vehicle or machinery.

• Off-Hard-Road & Ground Subsidence Liability: If the Client directs Vortex Ice Labs Limited to operate or maneuver vehicles, heavy mobile units, or diesel air compressors off a paved road onto unpaved, gravel, grass, or soft ground, the Client shall accept sole financial liability for any ground subsidence, surface damage, vehicle immobilization, or third-party towing and recovery costs incurred.

• Autonomous Utility Support: Our mobile unit is fully autonomous, equipped with high-output diesel air compression and independent power systems. We do not require site electricity or water connections.

• Vehicle Elevation: Where no fixed two-post or four-post vehicle lift is available on site, Vortex Ice Labs Limited will deploy its own heavy-duty portable tilting lift system. The Client must ensure the driveway or surface is suitable to support elevated vehicle loading.

• On-Site Equipment Loss & Theft Indemnity: All mobile equipment, blast machinery, containment systems, portable lifts, and media containers deployed to the Client's premises remain the sole property of Vortex Ice Labs Limited. Where equipment remains on site overnight or during multi-day deployments, the Client shall be responsible for securing the site and shall indemnify Vortex Ice Labs Limited against any loss, theft, vandalism, or damage to such equipment.

• Environmental & Waste Compliance: Dry ice pellets sublimate directly into harmless atmospheric gas, leaving zero blast media behind. Dislodged surface contaminants (e.g., grease, paint flakes, bitumen, dirt) will be contained using ground sheets or bunds and collected using HEPA vacuums. Transport and legal disposal of trade debris generated directly from our cleaning operation are handled under our Lower-Tier Waste Carrier registration rules.

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5. PACKAGE SCOPE & EARLY TERMINATION

• Discount Recalculation: Quotations and package discounts are offered on the basis of the full agreed Scope of Work. In the event that the Client cancels, reduces, or terminates the scope of work prior to or during deployment, Vortex Ice Labs Limited reserves the right to recalculate all completed labor and media consumption at standard, un-discounted daily or hourly rates.

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6. MEDIA, PHOTOGRAPHY & CLIENT PRIVACY

• Documentation: Vortex Ice Labs Limited documents project stages using high-resolution macro photography and video for quality control and entry into the private Client Roadmap / Lab Log.

• Public Marketing Consent: We will explicitly request Client permission before publishing identifiable photos or videos of the vehicle or asset on our social media platforms, marketing materials, or website.

• Anonymity: When permission is granted, vehicle registration marks (VRNs/license plates) will be digitally obscured unless otherwise agreed in writing.

• Internal Media License: The Client grants us a non-exclusive license to maintain project media within our private database for asset provenance and historical tracking.

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7. VEHICLE & ASSET INSURANCE

• Client Insurance Coverage: Vehicles and assets must remain fully insured by the Client against fire, theft, accidental damage, and third-party risks at all times during mobile service delivery on site.

• Personal Belongings: Clients must remove all valuable personal items from the vehicle or site area prior to service commencement. Vortex Ice Labs Limited accepts no liability for loss of or damage to unattached personal belongings.

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8. STATUTORY RIGHTS & GOVERNING LAW

• Consumer Rights: Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes any statutory rights provided under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

• Jurisdiction: These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, and both parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.