Your data will be held in the UK and not shared outside our organisation. We'll make sure we keep your personal information private and secure, and we will only use it in context with your enquiry. Our processes are fully compliant with EU/UK privacy laws.

Personal information will not be held for longer than is necessary, or if your consent is removed. If your enquiry proceeds to a quotation/order, our full Customer Privacy Notice will be issued.

Should you have any further queries, or to request access to or amendment/erasure of your personal data, please contact: privacy@batesoffice.co.uk

Please note a change to our returns policy. Goods ordered incorrectly can only be returned within 7 days of receipt and will incur a 20% restocking fee.

For product enquiries please contact Sales on 01322 550 167 or email sales@batesoffice.co.uk

For help with online issues email csrochester@batesoffice.co.uk

Returns Policy

Damaged

Where delivered supplies are faulty or damaged, Bates will resolve the situation speedily and efficiently with little impact on the Participating Public Sector Body. We operate an efficient and effective returns policy. The Participating Public Sector Body has 14 days to declare goods as faulty or damaged. Once our customer service team has been notified of a fault, they will raise a collection request. The delivery driver will pick up the faulty goods the next working day whilst delivering the replacement items. We will be wholly responsible for the collection of the goods and will never charge a collection fee. A credit note will be raised for the faulty goods linked to the original order/PO number for full traceability.

For the incorrect delivery of items, the Public Sector Body will need to raise a collection via the customer service team. The goods must be returned unused, including all original packaging. The team will raise a collection note and an order for the correct goods. A collection and delivery of correct item will be conducted the next working day.

All returns will be detailed in our internal and customer-facing management information reports. Any trends will be analysed and assessed to ensure a continued high-level of service and quality of goods.

Order Cancellation

Bates have flexible policies in place to deal with the cancellation of orders. Where orders are non-bespoke, cancellation will be free of charge. The Public Sector Body will need to cancel, ahead of delivery, by contacting the customer service team either via email or telephone. The team will cancel the order, free of charge, in line with our policy. Our team will ask the Public Sector Body a reason for cancelling the order which aids Bates in producing reliable reports and trends in ordering and cancellations to mitigate the risk going onwards.

For furniture items, Bates will assess on a case-by-case basis depending on the product. For instance, fast-moving 'everyday' furniture orders can be cancelled, however, furniture in bespoke size and colours will not be able to be cancelled unless charged for. Bates can offer to store the furniture until needed, or Bates will provide the Public Sector Body a credit if the furniture is sold.

Bespoke and personalised items cannot be cancelled. Upon ordering, the Public Sector Body confirms acceptance of our bespoke item cancellation policy. Bates can, should it be necessary, put the order into storage and the Public Sector Body could call-off the goods as and when needed. This is beneficial if they have ordered something that they cancelled because it is not needed at that time but may be needed in the future (i.e business cards, leaflets etc).