Here are the (boring but necessary!) details of my voice recording terms.
I’ve done my best to keep them short and sweet, and in plain English to avoid misunderstandings and provide clarification.
If anything is unclear or if you have any questions at all don’t hesitate to ask. There are no silly questions with an authentic relationship like ours!
So let’s get started. In order for me to start working on your project, we need you to confirm that you have read and agree to these terms:
The Contract
The relationship between Mike O’Brien and the client will be that of an ‘independent contractor’. My time will therefore be limited to the project at hand, including any consultation time (beyond the initial free consultation) warranted by the project.
My Pricing Terms
Before each project, we will agree on the price based on our discussion of your unique requirements. I will provide a quote so that you know exactly how much the work will cost.
Any changes to the original brief initiated by the client may require us to adjust the cost. The total price of your project in each case will include:
- A free consultation and quote
- The completed audio file and a maximum of 2 revisions
- Any minor amendments to your project
- Advice and consultation by email as necessary
Any additional work requested that isn’t covered in the original brief will be quoted separately and added to the original invoice.
The Voice Recording Brief
The Brief will be supplied by the client and must clearly outline the project requirements. I suggest that you complete and share my project form to ensure that I have all the necessary requirements beforehand.
Commencement of Work
Before your project is undertaken, I require a confirmation email, stating:
- You have read and agree to my terms and conditions
- You are authorised to commission the project
- You agree to my fees
Timescale and Deadlines
I will make every effort to ensure your project is delivered on time.
In the unlikely event that I cannot meet the agreed deadline, I will let you know as soon as possible. I will not be held liable for any loss or damages to any party as a result of missing a deadline.
Payment Terms for Direct Clients and Agencies
For all new clients, I require a 50% non-refundable deposit of the total fee before commencing work. I then invoice for the remaining 50% at the project end point.
For larger projects, I will arrange staggered payments, to be paid when we meet project milestones.
For smaller projects, under €100, I require the project to be paid in full before commencement of work. All invoices are sent electronically, unless agreed otherwise and are payable within 7 days of receipt.
I accept payments through Stripe and PayPal but unfortunately I do not accept cheques.
I understand that with agencies, voiceover usually forms part of a bigger project and can often take several months to complete.
When working with agencies, I still require a 50% non-refundable deposit to be made before I start work.
When the voiceover part of the project is complete, the remaining payment should be paid within 7 days of receiving the invoice, whether the client has signed off on the project or not.
Termination of Copywriting Contract and Pause Clause
In the unlikely case that a client fails to respond to communication within 14 days of paying the non-refundable deposit, the remainder of the project will be terminated automatically unless communication continues, in which case the project timeline will be adjusted.
In the unlikely case that a client fails to provide feedback as per the project schedule milestones, the project will be considered ‘on hold’ and rescheduled depending on current workload and availability.
Late Payment Terms
In the unlikely case that it is required, I understand and will exercise my statutory right to interest and compensation for debt recovery costs under the late payment legislation if we are not paid according to agreed credit terms.
The EU adopted Directive 2011/7/EU on combating late payment in commercial transactions in February 2011. To protect European businesses, in particular SMEs, against late payment and to improve their competitiveness, Directive 2011/7/EU on combating late payment in commercial transactions was adopted on 16 February 201.
- Public authorities have to pay for the goods and services that they procure within 30 days or, in very exceptional circumstances, within 60 days
- Enterprises have to pay their invoices within 60 days, unless they expressly agree otherwise and provided it is not grossly unfair
- Automatic entitlement to interest for late payment and €40 minimum as compensation for recovery costs
- Statutory interest of at least 8% above the European Central Bank’s reference rate
- The penalties and interest apply to all businesses regardless of size.
International Payment Fees (PayPal and Stripe)
International clients are expected to cover any additional currency conversion charges to the service provider (Mike O’Brien) with the payment method of choice.
With certain Banks, payments are charged with a transaction fee.
PayPal fees are currently charged thus (comparable to Stripe):
International payment fee + fully funded payment fee + fixed fee + cross border fee + currency conversion fee.
(Exact amounts are subject to the amount in question and the country of origin of the sender).
Working example:
The client is based in the USA and the project fee is $257.49 USD/£200 UK
3.9% International payment fee + 0.5% fully funded payment fee + $0.30 fixed fee + 1.0% cross border fee + 3.0% currency conversion fee = 10.04 + 1.28 + 0.30 + 2.57 + 7.72 = 21.91.
So $257.49 + $21.91 = $279.40 (£217.03).
PayPal’s current cross border and currency conversion fees can be found here.
Please note that international clients may also be subject to their own transaction fees for sending money overseas by PayPal or Stripe.
Intellectual Property Rights
Upon completion of the project and once I have received payment, all copyrights are automatically transferred to the client.
I reserve the right to use any extracts of my work for my portfolio.
Whilst I make every effort not to breach any copyright, you agree to indemnify me against action that may arise as a result of using my services.
Indemnity
By using my services, you agree to indemnify me against any claim, including that of a third party, for compensation or damages resulting from the use of my recorded material or from unsought permissions to use my material.
Although every piece of written content I produce is original, the client accepts full responsibility for checking the authenticity of the project, including research materials and citations supplied and indemnify me of any compensation for loss or damages.
If you have any questions about my terms and conditions, just ask!