Section 1 Scope
These General Terms and Conditions apply to all contracts between Annemarie Andersen, independent language specialist (hereinafter the “contractor”), and the respective client (hereinafter the “client”) for language services. The focus is on accessibility and Easy Language; Plain Language is offered as a complementary service. Other services include editing, proofreading, translation, clear administrative communication, content writing, and AI quality assurance.
Conflicting or differing terms of the client are not recognized unless the contractor expressly agrees to their application in text form.
Section 2 Conclusion of Contract
A contract is concluded when the client accepts a quote in text form, sends the source text after accepting the quote, or expressly confirms the start of the project. The processing time stated in the quote begins from the actual start of the project.
Section 3 Scope of Services
The scope of services is determined by the respective order confirmation or quote. The contractor provides only the language services specified there. In particular, the scope of services does not include:
- the review of source texts in terms of content or subject matter beyond the agreed language work,
- the organisation, conduct or supervision of target-audience or review-group testing for Easy Language or Plain Language,
- the provision of images, graphics or illustrations,
- technical implementation (web development, layout, technical accessibility),
- the legal review of texts.
Section 4 Obligations of the Client
The client ensures that:
- the source texts provided are correct and complete in terms of content,
- all information required for processing is provided in a timely manner,
- for Easy Language or Plain Language assignments, any intended or required target-audience or review-group testing is organised and carried out under the client’s sole responsibility and at the client’s own expense,
- for translations, the accuracy of subject-specific terminology in the source text is ensured,
- the client holds the necessary copyrights to the source text or has permission to adapt it.
Delays caused by missing or faulty deliverables are at the client’s expense.
Section 5 Responsibility for Content
Responsibility for the factual accuracy, technical correctness and legal admissibility of the source texts lies with the client. The contractor processes texts linguistically and, within the agreed scope, structurally or editorially. Technical, medical, tax, or legal review is provided only if expressly agreed; legal advice is not provided.
When preparing or processing legal or law-related documents, the contractor gives no warranty for their legal validity, completeness, or legal effect. The client is responsible for having such documents reviewed by a lawyer if needed.
Section 6 Revision Rounds
One revision round is included in the fee, unless stated otherwise in the quote. It covers all requested changes that the client submits together in a single pass.
Requested changes must be communicated in text form within 14 calendar days of delivery. After this deadline has passed, the text is deemed to have been accepted, provided no statutory rights prevent this.
A revision round covers adjustments to the delivered text—rewording, cuts, or additions within the scope of the original task. The following do not count as corrections: revisions of content, extensions of the scope of the order, or changes resulting from requirements amended after the fact. These are charged as additional services.
Each additional revision round beyond the number included in the quote is charged at the agreed hourly rate. The additional effort is communicated in advance.
Section 7 Fee and Payment Terms
The fee is determined by the respective quote. The minimum order value is EUR 90. If the order value is below this amount, it is rounded up to EUR 90. For several orders in the same month, the actual costs are charged, provided that these exceed the minimum order value.
Invoices are payable within 14 days of receipt without deduction. For orders above EUR 500 net, an advance payment of 50% may be agreed.
In the event of late payment, reminder fees of EUR 5 (private clients) or EUR 10 (business clients) may be charged per reminder, provided they have actually been incurred and are legally permissible. The client may prove that a lower loss was incurred. Default interest is governed by the statutory provisions.
As a small business under Section 19 UStG, the contractor is exempt from value-added tax. No value-added tax is shown on the invoices.
Section 8 Cancellation
If the client cancels after confirming the quote but before the project has started, a flat handling fee of EUR 90 is charged. The client may prove that no effort, or less effort, was incurred.
In the event of cancellation during performance, the service rendered up to that point is billed according to the actual time spent.
In the event of cancellation after completion, the full service fee is charged, as the agreed service has been rendered in full.
Section 9 Rush Orders
For processing within 48 hours, on weekends, on public holidays or outside regular working hours, a rush surcharge of 50% is added to the agreed price. The client is informed of the surcharge in advance and must agree to it.
Section 10 Liability
The contractor has unlimited liability in cases of intent and gross negligence, and for injury to life, body, or health. In cases of slight negligence, the contractor is liable only for the breach of essential contractual obligations (cardinal obligations), limited to the foreseeable damage typical of the contract.
In all other respects, liability is limited to the amount of the respective order fee, to the extent legally permissible.
To the extent legally permissible and unless liability exists under the preceding paragraphs, the contractor is not liable for:
- errors of content already present in the source text,
- consequential damage arising from the use of the processed texts,
- damage caused by failure to observe the contractor’s advice,
- loss of profit or indirect damage of any kind,
- compliance with the client’s industry-specific regulations or compliance requirements,
- the legal validity, completeness or legal certainty of processed documents.
Force majeure, including technical failures and natural disasters, releases the contractor from the obligation to provide the service on time.
Section 11 Complaints and Cure
Complaints must be communicated in text form within 14 days of delivery. The contractor has the right to cure the defect. Further claims are excluded to the extent permitted by law.
Section 12 Right of Withdrawal
Consumers have a statutory right of withdrawal where provided by law. For individually provided language services or digital deliveries, the right of withdrawal may expire early in accordance with statutory requirements if the client expressly asks for performance to begin before the withdrawal period ends and the further statutory requirements are met. Business clients do not have a statutory right of withdrawal.
Section 13 Copyright and Rights of Use
By sending the source text, the client confirms that it holds the necessary copyrights or has permission to adapt it.
The rights of use to the texts produced pass to the client only upon full payment. Until then, all rights remain with the contractor.
Section 14 Confidentiality
The contractor treats all information received in the course of the order as confidential. It is not passed on to third parties without the client’s express consent.
Section 15 Naming as a Reference
After completion of an assignment, the contractor may identify clients acting in the course of their trade, business or profession by their company or organisation name and may use a factual description of the project and the services provided as a reference on the contractor’s website and in the contractor’s own proposals and presentation materials. This applies only where the information is neither confidential nor personal data and where no conflicting confidentiality agreement is in place.
Before the reference is published for the first time, the contractor will notify the client in text form (Section 126b of the German Civil Code) of the intended wording and place of publication. The client may object in text form within 14 days of receiving the notice. At the beginning of this period, the client will be specifically informed that the reference may be published once the period has expired if no objection is made. If the client objects, the reference will not be published. The client may also object at any later time in text form; the reference will then be removed within a reasonable period.
Naming natural persons or using personal data, logos or other depictions of trade marks, images, quotations, work samples or non-public project content always requires separate express approval in text form. A reference must not imply that the client endorses the contractor or has agreed to any broader advertising use.
Section 16 Final Provisions
The law of the Federal Republic of Germany applies, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. If the client is a merchant, a legal entity under public law, or a special fund under public law, the place of jurisdiction is the contractor’s registered office. Statutory places of jurisdiction for consumers remain unaffected.
Should individual provisions of these General Terms and Conditions be invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions remains unaffected. The statutory provisions apply in place of invalid provisions.
Amendments and additions to these General Terms and Conditions require text form and take effect with the next order.