Terms of Business

By submitting a vacancy brief, receiving a candidate CV, or otherwise engaging ARG\'s services, the Client accepts these Terms in full. No additional or conflicting terms introduced by the Client will apply unless agreed in writing by a director of ARG.

Vacancy instructions may be given verbally, by email, or via the ARG website. ARG will confirm the agreed job specification, target profile and fee terms prior to commencing a search.

Unless a retained search is agreed, ARG operates on a contingency basis alongside other agencies the Client may engage. ARG makes no guarantee of exclusivity unless a retained agreement is signed.

ARG\'s standard fee for permanent placements is calculated as a percentage of the Candidate\'s agreed first-year gross base salary (excluding bonuses, commission, car allowances and other benefits), as confirmed in writing prior to search commencement.

Indicative fee bands: 15%–22% depending on seniority, sector and search complexity. The agreed percentage will be confirmed in writing before the search begins.

The fee becomes due upon the Candidate\'s first day of employment with the Client, not upon offer acceptance. ARG invoices on the start date.

Should a Candidate accept a counter-offer and not commence employment, no fee is payable. Should the agreed start date be delayed by more than 60 days, ARG reserves the right to re-invoice at the updated salary if it has changed.

If the Client engages a Candidate introduced by ARG within 12 months of the original introduction — regardless of whether the original vacancy was filled — the full standard fee applies.

For contract and temporary placements, ARG charges a margin on top of the Candidate\'s agreed pay rate. This margin covers employer\'s NI, holiday pay, pension contributions (where applicable), and ARG\'s commercial margin. The all-inclusive rate will be confirmed in writing before the assignment begins.

Contract placements are invoiced weekly in arrears based on timesheets approved by the Client. Payment is due within 14 days of invoice.

If the Client wishes to convert a contract Candidate to permanent employment, a transfer fee applies. The fee will be calculated on a sliding scale based on the duration of the contract assignment to date, and agreed in writing with the Client before conversion.

For senior, highly specialist or time-critical roles, ARG may agree a retained search arrangement. Retained searches involve exclusive engagement of ARG and a structured search methodology with defined deliverables and timelines.

Retained fees are typically structured in three instalments: one-third on engagement, one-third on presentation of a shortlist, and one-third on placement. The total retained fee is agreed in writing before commencement.

If the Client withdraws the vacancy after commencement of a retained search without cause attributable to ARG, the instalments paid to date are non-refundable. ARG will use reasonable endeavours to re-apply the engagement fee to a future vacancy where possible.

All invoices are payable within 30 days of the invoice date unless otherwise agreed in writing. Permanent placement invoices are raised on the Candidate\'s first day of employment.

ARG reserves the right to charge statutory interest on overdue invoices under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, at 8% above the Bank of England base rate. A fixed recovery charge may also apply in accordance with the Act.

Any invoice dispute must be raised in writing within 7 days of receipt. Undisputed portions of an invoice remain payable on the original due date.

ARG provides a 12-week staggered replacement guarantee on permanent placements, structured as follows:

• Weeks 1–4: 100% free replacement or full credit note
• Weeks 5–8: 75% credit note against a replacement search
• Weeks 9–12: 50% credit note against a replacement search

The guarantee applies provided that: (a) the invoice has been paid in full; (b) the Client notifies ARG in writing within the guarantee period; (c) the reason for termination is not redundancy, structural change, or a role change initiated by the Client; and (d) the original agreed role, salary and working conditions were offered as presented during the recruitment process.

Where a replacement is agreed, ARG will use reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable replacement Candidate within an agreed timescale. A credit note, not a cash refund, will be applied against the replacement search fee.

An Introduction is deemed to have occurred from the moment ARG provides the Client with a Candidate\'s CV, profile, or identifying information — regardless of the channel used. Once introduced, the Candidate is considered an ARG Introduction for a period of 12 months.

The Client must not refer an ARG-introduced Candidate to a third party (including a subsidiary, parent company, or associated business) without ARG\'s written consent. A fee will be payable if engagement results from such a referral.

If a Candidate introduced by ARG is engaged by the Client through any means — including via another agency, direct application, or third-party referral — within 12 months of ARG\'s introduction, the full placement fee applies.

The Client must provide ARG with an accurate and complete job description, salary range, working conditions, and any material information relevant to the Vacancy. ARG accepts no responsibility for placements that fail due to inaccurate or incomplete briefs provided by the Client.

The Client agrees to provide timely interview feedback (within 48 hours of interview) to enable ARG to manage Candidate experience and maintain market reputation on the Client\'s behalf.

The Client is solely responsible for conducting Right to Work checks in compliance with UK immigration law before any Candidate commences employment. ARG may assist but does not carry legal responsibility for this compliance obligation.

The Client confirms it will not discriminate against any Candidate on grounds of age, gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

Candidate CVs and profiles shared by ARG are confidential and may only be used for the specific Vacancy for which they were submitted. They must not be shared externally, retained longer than reasonably necessary, or used for any other purpose without ARG\'s written consent.

Both parties agree to keep the commercial terms of this engagement confidential and not to disclose fee arrangements to third parties without mutual written consent.

ARG processes Candidate and Client personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. ARG acts as a Data Controller in respect of Candidate data.

By engaging ARG, the Client confirms it has a lawful basis for processing personal data received from ARG and will handle such data in accordance with UK GDPR obligations. The Client must not retain Candidate personal data beyond the period necessary for the specific recruitment purpose.

ARG\'s full privacy policy is available at andrews-recruitment.com/legal.

ARG shall not be liable for any indirect, consequential, special or punitive loss arising from a Placement, Introduction, or failure to fill a Vacancy, including but not limited to loss of profit, loss of business, or business interruption.

ARG\'s total liability to the Client in connection with any single Vacancy or Introduction shall not exceed the fee paid or payable to ARG in respect of that Vacancy.

ARG makes reasonable efforts to verify Candidate credentials and conduct reference checks where requested. However, ARG does not warrant the accuracy of information provided by Candidates and accepts no liability for Candidate conduct post-placement.

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising from these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between ARG and the Client in respect of recruitment services, superseding all prior representations, discussions and agreements unless varied in writing and signed by a director of ARG.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.