Terms of service

Terms of Service

These terms apply to purchases made by private individuals ("consumers") through www.houseoftimeuk.co.uk. If you are buying as a business, our separate Trade Terms apply instead.

Who you're contracting with

You are buying from House of Time. You can contact us at houseoftimeuk@gmail.com.

Our products

We sell new, pre-owned and vintage watches and fine jewellery. Every item is verified before listing through our authentication process: in-house inspection, serial number and papers verification, independent watchmaker or laboratory verification, and manufacturer confirmation where possible. We describe condition, service history and any imperfections accurately, and say clearly where something isn't confirmed.

Photographs are of the actual item for sale, not stock images, unless stated otherwise. Colours may vary slightly depending on your screen.

Prices and payment

All prices are shown in GBP (£). We accept payment via Shopify Payments (major debit/credit cards), PayPal, and bank transfer for high-value orders. Payment must clear before we dispatch your order.

We account for VAT under the second-hand margin scheme. VAT is included in the price where applicable but is not shown separately, and we cannot issue an invoice showing VAT separately for margin scheme items.

When a contract is formed

Adding an item to your basket and checking out is an offer to buy, not a confirmed sale. A contract between us is formed when we send you a dispatch confirmation, not before. We can decline or cancel an order — for example, if an item is no longer available, we suspect fraud, or a pricing error occurred — in which case we'll refund you in full.

Fraud prevention, security and disputes

Given the value of what we sell, we carry out fraud-prevention checks on orders, which may include address verification and ID checks for high-value or international orders (see our Shipping Policy). We keep photographs and a condition report for every item before dispatch, along with proof of delivery (courier tracking and signature).

If you have any concern about an order, please contact us first at houseoftimeuk@gmail.com so we can resolve it directly — this is usually faster than a card chargeback, and avoids delays while a chargeback is investigated. Where a chargeback or payment dispute is raised, we will respond to the card issuer or payment provider with the evidence we hold: order records, ID/address verification, condition photographs, and tracking and signature confirmation.

Warranty

Every item carries a 12-month House of Time warranty as described in our Refund & Returns Policy, in addition to your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which are not affected by our warranty.

Our liability

We are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breaking this contract or failing to use reasonable care and skill, but not for loss or damage that isn't foreseeable. Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded.

Intellectual property

All content on this website — text, images, logos and the House of Time name — belongs to us or our licensors. You may not copy or reuse it without our permission.

Acceptable use

You agree to use this website lawfully, and not to misuse it — for example, by interfering with its operation or placing fraudulent orders.

Complaints and dispute resolution

If you're unhappy with anything, contact us first at houseoftimeuk@gmail.com and we'll do our best to put it right. We are not currently signed up to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme. If we cannot resolve a complaint between us, you may bring a claim through the courts.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and any dispute will be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales, though if you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland you may also bring proceedings in your local courts.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time; the version in force when you placed your order is the one that governs it.