Terms, made clear.

About these terms

These terms and conditions (“terms”) apply to your use of websites, portals and online services operated by the Association of Construction Quality Professionals (“ACQP”, “we”, “our” or “us”). They also explain general conditions relevant to information about ACQP membership, training and professional services.

By continuing to use the website, you agree to follow these terms. If you do not agree, you should stop using the website. If you create an account, submit an application, make a booking or purchase a service, you may also be asked to accept additional terms.

We may update these website terms when services, legislation or operational requirements change. The latest version will be published here with a revised review date. A material change affecting an existing paid contract will not be imposed retrospectively where doing so would be unlawful or unfair.

Website access and availability

We aim to keep the website and online services available, secure and accurate. However, access may occasionally be interrupted for maintenance, updates, security, supplier failures or events outside our reasonable control.

We may change, suspend or withdraw free website content where reasonably necessary. Where a change affects a paid service, membership or booked course, the applicable service terms and your legal rights will determine the options available.

You are responsible for ensuring that your device, browser, software and internet connection are suitable and secure. You are also responsible for anyone who accesses the website using your device or credentials.

Acceptable use

You may use the website and ACQP online services only for lawful personal, professional or organisational purposes connected with the service provided.

You must not knowingly help another person carry out prohibited activity. We may investigate suspected misuse and take proportionate steps to protect users, systems, intellectual property and professional standards.

Accounts, portals and security

Some ACQP services require a personal account. You must provide accurate information, keep it current and use the account only for its intended purpose.

• Keep passwords, activation links and security codes confidential.
• Do not share an individual account unless ACQP has expressly authorised shared organisational access.
• Tell us promptly if you believe an account has been accessed without permission.
• Do not use another person’s account or attempt to view information you are not authorised to access.
• Sign out of shared devices and maintain reasonable device security.

We may require a password reset, additional verification or temporary restriction where reasonably necessary to protect an account. ACQP staff may access or impersonate an account only for authorised support, administration, security or compliance purposes and subject to internal controls.

Website information and professional advice

ACQP publishes information to support construction quality, professional development, membership and training. We take reasonable care when preparing content, but free website information is general and may not reflect every project, contract, jurisdiction or subsequent change in law, regulation, standards or guidance.

References to third-party standards, qualifications, legislation, organisations or products do not necessarily amount to endorsement. Any views attributed to an author, tutor, member or contributor are their own unless ACQP expressly states otherwise.

Membership and professional designations

Submitting an application does not guarantee admission or a particular grade. Applications are considered against the requirements, evidence and professional criteria applying to the selected route. We may request further information, references or clarification before making a decision.

If membership is approved, the member must comply with the membership rules, professional standards, CPD requirements, payment obligations and any code of conduct applying to their grade.

• Post-nominals, digital badges, certificates and membership descriptions may be used only by an eligible current member and in the form authorised by ACQP.
• Membership status must not be presented in a misleading way or as approval of a particular project, employer, product or service.
• A member must stop using restricted designations or current-member credentials if membership expires, is suspended or ends, subject to any written permission from ACQP.
• Member benefits may be delivered by third parties and may have separate eligibility, availability and usage conditions.

Membership fees, renewal dates, upgrade requirements and applicable review or appeal routes will be shown in the relevant membership information or communicated directly to the applicant or member.

Training, learning and qualifications

Course descriptions identify the intended content, format, duration and any known entry requirements. Learning outcomes and certification depend on the specific course or programme and should not be assumed from a general website description.

Delegates and learners must:

• provide accurate booking and learner information;
• meet published entry, attendance, identity and assessment requirements;
• behave professionally and avoid disrupting or endangering others;
• submit their own work except where collaboration is expressly allowed;
• respect the confidentiality, copyright and privacy of tutors and other participants; and
• follow venue, online-platform, health and safety and examination rules.

We may make reasonable changes to a tutor, timetable, venue, delivery platform or course sequence where necessary. If ACQP makes a material change or cancels a paid course, we will contact the affected customer and provide the options required by the applicable booking terms and law.

Completion, attendance or payment alone does not guarantee a pass, award, professional grade, employment outcome or progression unless the relevant programme expressly says so and all requirements are met.

Prices, payments and cancellation

Current prices, payment schedules and any applicable taxes or additional charges will be shown before you commit to a paid service. Payments may be handled by an independent payment provider under its own secure payment terms.

An online submission or payment request may be treated as an offer. A contract is formed when ACQP issues confirmation or otherwise accepts the application or booking, subject to any stated eligibility or verification requirement.

• You must use an authorised payment method and provide accurate billing information.
• Instalment plans remain payable according to the agreed schedule unless law or specific written terms provide otherwise.
• Refunds, transfers, substitutions, deferrals and cancellations are governed by the specific terms supplied for the membership, course or service.
• ACQP will not apply a charge that was not disclosed or agreed where the law requires consent.

Nothing in these terms restricts rights or remedies provided by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 or other law where those rights apply and cannot be excluded.

Intellectual property

Unless stated otherwise, the website and its text, design, software, databases, course materials, documents, graphics, photographs, video, audio, branding and other content are owned by or licensed to ACQP and are protected by copyright, trade mark and other intellectual-property rights.

You may view the public website and print or download reasonable extracts for your own lawful, non-commercial reference. You must retain copyright and attribution notices and must not materially alter, republish, distribute, sell, license or create a competing resource from ACQP content without written permission.

Access to member or learner material gives you a limited, personal, non-transferable and revocable right to use it for the purpose supplied. It does not transfer ownership or permit sharing with colleagues, clients, students or other organisations unless the relevant licence says otherwise.

The ACQP name, logo, membership badges, certificates, post-nominals and other brand assets may be used only as expressly authorised. Permission ends when the relevant eligibility, membership, licence or written approval ends.

Content and information you provide

You retain ownership of content you submit where you already own the relevant rights. You are responsible for making sure your submission is accurate, lawful and does not infringe another person’s rights or reveal confidential information without authority.

When content is uploaded privately for an application, CPD record, assessment, support request or other service, you give ACQP the limited permission needed to store, review, copy, process and share it with authorised people for that service.

If you submit an article, photograph, testimonial, recording or other material for publication, the agreed permission may allow ACQP to edit for clarity or format and publish it across relevant ACQP channels. We will not use private application or learner evidence as public promotional content without an appropriate lawful basis and permission.

We may remove content that is unlawful, inaccurate, misleading, infringing, unsafe, abusive or inconsistent with professional standards, subject to any contractual or legal procedure that applies.

Third-party links, benefits and services

The website may link to training partners, benefit providers, payment services, professional organisations, social networks and other external websites. Links are provided for convenience and do not give ACQP control over the third party’s content, availability, security or terms.

When you choose to use an external service, your arrangement may be directly with that provider. You should review its terms, privacy notice, eligibility rules and charges before proceeding.

ACQP is not responsible for an external website merely because it is linked from our site. This does not affect any responsibility ACQP has where we expressly supply or contract for the relevant service ourselves.

Our responsibility and liability

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of statutory rights that cannot be excluded, or any other liability that the law does not allow us to exclude.

If you are a consumer

We are responsible for losses that are a foreseeable result of our breach of these terms or our failure to use reasonable care and skill. We are not responsible for a loss that was not foreseeable, was caused by information or action outside our reasonable control, or relates to business activity where you were using a service as a consumer.

Your rights under consumer law are not affected. Any limitation relating to a paid membership, course or service must also be read with the specific terms for that service.

If you are acting for a business or professional purpose

To the fullest extent permitted by law, ACQP is not liable for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profit, revenue, business opportunity, anticipated savings, goodwill or data arising from use of free website content. Any liability relating to a paid service is governed by the applicable specific contract as well as these terms.

Matters outside reasonable control

We are not responsible for delay or failure caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as widespread network failure, supplier outage, industrial action, severe weather, public-health restrictions or government action. We will take reasonable steps to reduce disruption and will preserve any remedies the law requires.

Suspension, termination and ending access

We may restrict or suspend access where reasonably necessary to address a security threat, non-payment, suspected fraud, serious misuse, infringement, risk to another person or material breach of these terms.

Where appropriate, we will explain the concern and provide a reasonable opportunity to resolve it. Immediate action may be necessary where there is a serious security, legal, safety or professional-integrity risk.

Ending a website or portal account does not automatically cancel an underlying membership, training booking, payment obligation or record that must be retained. Those matters are governed by the applicable service terms, privacy policy and legal obligations.

Terms concerning payment, intellectual property, confidentiality, liability, governing law and any other provision intended to continue will survive termination to the extent necessary.

Privacy and general legal terms

Privacy

Our Privacy Policy explains how ACQP collects, uses, shares and retains personal information. Cookie choices may also be provided through the website where non-essential technology is used.

Severability

If a court or competent authority finds part of these terms unlawful or unenforceable, that part will be treated as removed or limited only to the extent required. The remaining terms will continue to apply.

No waiver

If ACQP does not immediately enforce a right, this does not mean that right has been waived. A waiver is effective only where clearly given and applies only to the particular circumstances stated.

Transfer of rights

We may transfer our rights and obligations where reasonably necessary for a lawful restructuring or transfer of services, provided this does not reduce protections or rights that apply to you. You may transfer your rights only where the specific service terms or law permit it, or with our written agreement.

Third-party rights

Unless these terms expressly say otherwise, a person who is not a party to the relevant agreement has no right to enforce it under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

Governing law and courts

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. If you are a consumer living elsewhere in the United Kingdom, you also retain any mandatory protections of the law where you live and may bring proceedings in the courts available to you under applicable consumer law. Business disputes are subject to the courts of England and Wales unless a written contract says otherwise.

Contact, questions and complaints

Please contact us if you have a question about these terms, a website problem, an account concern or a complaint about an ACQP service. We will try to deal with the matter promptly and fairly.