Terms & Conditions

1. Scope & Applicable Law

These terms apply to all purchases made from GICS-UK via our website, telephone, invoice, or other distance sales channels. This policy complies strictly with:
1. Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (Cooling-Off & Distance Sales)
2. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (Faulty, Damaged, or Misdescribed Goods)
3. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Regulations 2015
4. HMRC Notice 701/7 (VAT Relief for Disabled People)
5. IATA/ADR Dangerous Goods Regulations (Lithium Batteries)

2. Product Categories

Products sold by GICS-UK are categorized to determine warranty, shipping, and return criteria:
Category A — Power Wheelchairs: Main motorized mobility units (registered Class 2 Medical Devices).
Category C — Mobility Accessories & Related Items: Individual lithium batteries, chargers, joystick controllers, storage bags, and seat cushions.
Note: Rollators and walking aids are excluded from VAT Relief and follow separate processing terms.

3. 14-Day Cooling-Off (Change-of-Mind)

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, customers purchasing online or via telephone have a statutory right to cancel their order for any reason within 14 calendar days from the day after delivery. To qualify for a full change-of-mind refund, goods must be:
✔ Strictly unused and never driven outdoors.
✔ Complete with all original parts, accessories, chargers, and manuals.
✔In a pristine, resaleable condition inside the original packaging.r change-of-mind returns.

Customers are fully responsible for the logistics return/collection costs associated with change-of-mind returns.

4. Fixed Collection & Return Fees (Change-of-Mind)

To simplify large mobility returns and ensure transparent pricing, GICS-UK applies fixed logistics, collection, and transportation fees for change-of-mind returns:
Category A — Power Wheelchairs
• UK Mainland: £120
• Scotland Mainland: £170
• UK Islands: £200
• Extended UK Regions: £120
Category C — Accessories & Small Goods
• Customer pays return postage £30
• On both Category : Collection / Transportation / Depreciation (if applicable)

5. Condition & Depreciation (Used Market Integration)

Returned mobility goods enter a highly regulated second-hand market. In accordance with UK distance selling laws, if an item has been handled beyond what is reasonable to inspect it inside a home, a deduction will be made from the refund to reflect the diminished value:
• As New / Unused (Pristine original packaging): 0% Depreciation deduction.
• Light Indoor Test Use (Minor cosmetic signs): 10% – 25% Depreciation deduction.
• Visible Outdoor Usage (Tyre wear, dirt, minor scuffs): 30% – 40% Depreciation deduction.
• Unsanitary, Damaged, or Unsafe Condition: Refund may be completely refused.
* Used mobility products typically retain ~50% residual value in UK resale markets.
Refund Formula:
Refund = Product Price − Depreciation − Collection Fees − Transportation Fees − Handling Fees(if applicable).

6. Refused Delivery & Failed Collection Attempts

Outward delivery is legally deemed completed once a courier attempts delivery at the customer’s specified address.

Refusing a delivery or failing to be present for a confirmed, pre-arranged collection attempt causes immediate return-to-sender logistics costs.

Any refused or failed delivery/collection will immediately incur the fixed regional logistics fees outlined in Section 4 (£120 for UK Mainland, £170 for Scotland Mainland, £200 for UK Islands, and £30 for Category C items).
• Power Wheelchairs: • UK Mainland: £120
• Scotland Mainland: £170
• UK Islands: £200
• Extended UK Regions: £120
• Small Goods: £30.

7. After the 14-Day Cooling-Off Period

Beyond the statutory 14-day window, all change-of-mind return requests are entirely discretionary and are not automatically accepted. If a late return is authorized by GICS-UK management, it will be strictly assessed against:
✔ Depreciation : Accrued product depreciation and current secondary market value.
✔ Collection cost : Incurred regional collection and handling costs.
✔ Hygiene & safety : Strict compliance with hygiene and safety protocols.
✔ Secondary market value

8. Hygiene & Safety Requirements

Because our products are medical mobility devices, all returns must be safe, clean, and hygienic for our warehouse staff to handle. Returns will be flatly refused and sent back at the customer’s expense if they are found to be:
❌ Contaminated, soiled, or muddy
❌ Wet, damp, or exposed to bio-hazards
❌ Emitting strong odors (e.g., cigarette smoke, pet odors)
❌ Mechanically unsafe due to user alteration, These conditions reflect industry hygiene standards.

9. Intended Use & Class 2 Mobility Restrictions

Category A Power Wheelchairs are registered Class 2 Medical Devices with a maximum speed limit of 4 mph. They are intended strictly for pedestrian-designated environments and are not road-legal vehicles. They must never be driven in public road traffic.

• ✅ Certified Suitable Surfaces: Pavements, pedestrian pathways, firm/level outdoor surfaces, short manicured grass, and flat, compacted gravel paths.
• ❌ Prohibited Terrains: Public highways, steep hills/slopes, loose stone, deep sand, mud, mountain paths, and rugged off-road terrain.

10. Normal Operational Sound Characteristics

Our power wheelchairs utilize a heavy-duty, direct motor-to-gearbox engagement drive system.
An audible mechanical whirring, clicking, or engagement sound during acceleration, deceleration, and turning is a completely normal, intended operational characteristic of this mechanical drive system.
The presence of normal operational drive sounds does not indicate a defect, does not affect the safety of the unit, and does not qualify as a product fault under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

11. Maximum Gradient & Slope Limitations

To protect the motors, electrical system, and user safety, our power wheelchairs are engineered with a strict mechanical threshold.
The device must never or is not suggested to go beyond a maximum slope/gradient of 9 degrees.
Climbing hills, steep driveways, or mountain inclines exceeding 9 degrees overloads the electrical system, constitutes operational misuse, and immediately voids the product warranty. Performance on any slope varies based on user weight and surface traction.

12. Faulty, Damaged, or Misdescribed Goods (CRA 2015)

If a product develops a genuine manufacturing defect in materials or workmanship under normal, intended use, it will be resolved in strict accordance with the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA). Cosmetic wear, normal wear and tear, accidental damage, or issues arising from exceeding operational limits (such as the 9-degree slope rule) are entirely excluded. Validated faults may be remedied via:
Repair
Replacement
Refund (Subject to the statutory timelines in Section 13)

13. Statutory Timeline for Fault Remedies

Where a genuine manufacturing defect is reported to GICS-UK, the available remedies follow the strict legal tiers of the CRA 2015:
Within 30 Days of Delivery: If a manufacturing fault is professionally validated, the customer is entitled to a short-term right to reject the goods for a choice of a repair, a replacement, or a full refund.
Between 31 Days and 6 Months: The customer must give GICS-UK the first opportunity to repair or replace the item. A refund will only be issued under the law if our professional repair attempt is unsuccessful or impossible.
After 6 Months: The legal onus shifts to the customer to prove the defect existed at the point of delivery. Issues are managed under our standard manufacturer’s warranty terms.

14. Product Reporting & Fault Validation Process

To process any claim efficiently, customers must report suspected issues immediately upon identification. To allow our engineering team to diagnose the matter, we may request:
1. A brief written description of the operational issue.
2. Clear photographs or a short video clip showing the components or demonstrating the specific sound.
3. Explicit permission to collect the item for physical inspection at our service centre if remote diagnostics are inconclusive.
This allows us to accurately determine whether the issue is a mechanical fault, an adjustment matter, or a usage-related condition before proceeding with the correct remedy.

15. VAT Relief Compliance (HMRC Notice 701/7)

Eligible disabled or chronically ill individuals may claim VAT Relief on qualifying mobility goods (Category A and qualifying Category C items):
A formal VAT Relief Declaration must be filled out and signed electronically via GICS-UK.
The declaration must be completed and signed before the order can be dispatched. A family member or carer may sign on behalf of the user if required.
Completed records are securely retained for 6 years to satisfy HMRC statutory requirements. Non-completion will delay order dispatch or result in standard UK VAT being charged.

16. Lithium Battery Policy (IATA & Dangerous Goods Compliance)

GICS-UK units include high-capacity lithium battery packs designed and certified to comply with UN3481 and IATA/ADR Dangerous Goods Regulations.
Battery Return Rules: For safety and transport compliance, the lithium battery must remain installed inside the device during transit.
Strict Prohibitions: Loose lithium batteries are classified as hazardous materials and cannot legally be accepted for transit on standard networks. Damaged, swollen, or punctured batteries must not be shipped under any circumstances.

17. Product Warranty Coverages (New vs. Used)

Units sold by GICS-UK carry distinct limited functional warranties covering core components (motors, controllers, batteries, and internal mechanical parts). It strictly excludes cosmetics, capacity degradation over time, or wear items like tyres.
New Products Warranty:
Power Wheelchair Main Unit: 12 Months limited manufacturer’s warranty.
Battery Pack & Charger: 6 Months limited warranty.
Used / Certified Refurbished Products Warranty:
Device + Battery Pack: 30 Days functional warranty. The exclusive remedy for used products is repair or replacement parts, not a refund.
Note: Extended warranties, where purchased, apply only to structural components already covered under the standard warranty and do not alter the consumable nature of the battery.

18. Return Facility, Refund Timelines & Disputation

Return Address: Our return facility addresses are not publicly displayed online for security, hazardous battery handling, and logistical safety reasons. A dedicated return address label will be officially provided to the customer upon written approval of a return request.
Refund Timeline: Once a return is delivered to our hub, it undergoes strict engineering inspection. All validated refunds are processed within 14 working days from the date of inspection.
Dispute Resolution: GICS-UK supports Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes. This policy is written to protect both parties and does not reduce your statutory consumer rights under UK law.

19. Contact Channels

For any warranty inquiries, return authorization, or parts support, contact our compliance team directly:
Phone: 07522560104
Email: info@gics-uk.com