Terms & Conditions

John Castell – Housing Health & Compliance
Last updated: 1 December 2025

These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of the website johncastell.co.uk (“the Site”) and, where indicated, set out the basis on which I provide information and services.

By using this Site, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, you should not use the Site.

1. Who I am

The Site is operated by:

John Castell
Housing Health & Compliance Consultant
(“I”, “me”, “my”)

I provide independent advisory services to landlords and letting agents, including:

Property Health & Compliance Reviews
Solar PV Performance & FiT Protection Reviews

I operate primarily in Devon and Cornwall.

Contact details:
Email: john.castell@icloud.com
Website: johncastell.co.uk

2. Purpose of this Site (no advice)

The content on this Site is provided for general information only. It:

Is not intended to be legal, financial, technical or professional advice, and
Should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific advice tailored to your situation.

You must take your own professional advice (for example from a solicitor, accountant, engineer or other appropriate professional) before making decisions based on information on this Site or any reports I provide.

Nothing on this Site creates a professional advisor–client relationship between you and me. That only arises where we explicitly agree terms of engagement in writing.

3. Scope and limitations of my services

3.1 General scope

My services are advisory. Unless explicitly agreed otherwise in writing, my services:

Do not replace statutory inspections, certificates or reports such as:
- Gas safety checks
- Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs)
- EPCs (Energy Performance Certificates)
- Fire risk assessments
- Asbestos surveys
- Formal HHSRS assessments by a local authority
Are based on visual, non-destructive inspections (where I visit the property) and information you provide.
Are provided on a reasonable skill and care basis, but no inspection or report can guarantee the complete absence of defects or hazards.

Further detail on scope and limitations will usually be set out in any quote or engagement letter we agree before work begins. If there is any conflict between these Terms and specific written terms we agree for a piece of work, the specific written terms will take precedence for that work.

3.2 Solar PV Performance & FiT Protection Reviews

For Solar PV Performance & FiT Protection Reviews:

I do not provide regulated financial advice or run mis-selling or compensation claims.
I do not make decisions about your eligibility for the Feed-in Tariff (FiT); final decisions rest with Ofgem and your FiT licensee.
Any upgrade or modification decisions are your responsibility, and you must obtain confirmation from your FiT provider where necessary.

3.3 Damp and mould investigation and diagnostic reports

3.3.1 Advisory role only
Where you (the “Client”, usually a landlord or letting agent) engage me to investigate reported damp and mould issues at a property (the “Property”), my role is strictly advisory. I will:

Identify the likely root causes of the issues based on non-invasive building pathology techniques and diagnostic data collected during site visit(s), and
Recommend appropriate remedial actions.

I am not a remediation contractor and do not undertake any physical works.

3.3.2 Client’s responsibility for remediation
The provision of suitable remedy and the ultimate resolution of the damp and mould issues remain the sole statutory responsibility of you as the property owner/manager (or your appointed agents). My involvement does not transfer or reduce your legal duties under housing, health and safety, or other applicable legislation.

3.3.3 Limitations of inspection and diagnostics
My report is based on observable conditions and data collected at the time of inspection. While every effort is made to identify the primary cause(s):

Some building defects or tenant-related lifestyle factors may be latent, intermittent or may evolve over time.
I cannot guarantee that all contributing factors will be identified.

I will not be liable if the recommended remedies, when implemented by third parties, fail to resolve the issue entirely, unless a failure is proven to be a direct result of negligence in my diagnostic assessment. Nothing in this clause overrides the limitation of liability provisions in section 10.

3.3.4 ‘Hard to treat’ and complex cases
In instances where issues are deemed exceptionally complex or “hard to treat” (for example:

Certain heritage or non-standard construction properties with significant ventilation or thermal-bridging challenges, or
Persistent tenant behaviour and lifestyle factors that are beyond your reasonable control to address through structural or management measures),

I will clearly outline these limitations and mitigating factors within the final report. In such cases, my report will provide an assessment of all reasonable and practicable options explored, but it may not be possible to guarantee a complete or permanent resolution without major structural works or wider management changes.

3.3.5 Implementation of recommendations and tenant cooperation
The effectiveness of any remediation relies on you:

Implementing all recommendations made in my report in full,
Doing so without undue delay, and
Ensuring that any contractors engaged are suitably qualified and follow good practice.

I accept no liability for unresolved or recurrent issues where:

You have failed to implement any or all recommended actions,
You have implemented them only in part, incorrectly or to a poor standard, or
The issue is exacerbated or re-occurs due to tenant non-cooperation or behaviour, after you have taken reasonable steps within your control to manage and address such matters.

4. Using this Site

You agree that you will:

Use the Site lawfully and only for its intended purposes.
Not attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Site, the server on which it is hosted, or any related systems.
Not introduce viruses, malware or other harmful code.
Not use the Site in any way that could damage, disable, overburden or impair it, or interfere with any other user’s use of the Site.

I reserve the right to suspend or restrict access to the Site, without notice, where I reasonably believe these Terms have been breached or where maintenance or security requires it.

5. Intellectual property

Unless otherwise stated:

All content on this Site (including text, graphics, logos, photos and layout) is owned by me or used under licence.
You may view, download and print pages from the Site for your own personal or internal business use.

You must not, without my prior written consent:

Copy, reproduce or distribute substantial parts of the Site or its content;
Use any content for commercial purposes;
Remove any copyright or proprietary notices;
Claim or imply ownership of any content.

6. Accuracy and availability of the Site

I try to keep the information on this Site accurate and up to date, but:

I do not guarantee that the content is complete, accurate or current at all times.
I may update, change, suspend or withdraw any part of the Site without notice.

Use of information from this Site is at your own risk, and you are responsible for verifying any information that is important to your decisions.

7. Links to other websites

This Site may include links to third-party websites or resources. These links are provided for convenience only.

I have no control over, and am not responsible or liable for:

The content of those websites;
The accuracy, security or availability of those resources;
Any loss or damage arising from your use of them.

You should review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

8. Privacy and cookies

Your use of this Site is also governed by my Privacy Policy, which explains:

How I collect, use and protect personal data;
Your rights under UK data protection law;
How cookies and similar technologies may be used.

You can read the Privacy Policy here: Privacy Policy page

By using this Site, you acknowledge that you have been given the opportunity to review the Privacy Policy.

9. Enquiries, bookings and payment (online contact)

Contact forms and email links on this Site are provided so you can:

Make general enquiries
Request more information
Discuss potential services

Submitting a form or sending an email does not create a contract between us.

A binding agreement for services only arises when:

We agree the scope of work, fees and any special terms, and
You confirm your acceptance (for example by email, signing a document, or paying an agreed fee).

Unless we agree otherwise in writing:

Fees will be quoted before work is undertaken.
Payment terms will be specified in the quote or invoice.
You are responsible for any bank charges or other fees associated with payment.

Cancellation rights and any applicable refund policies for booked work will be set out in the specific terms provided with your quote or engagement email.

10. Limitation of liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits my liability for:

Death or personal injury caused by my negligence;
Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
Any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Subject to the above:

I will not be liable for any indirect or consequential loss, including loss of profit, loss of business, loss of savings, loss of data or loss of goodwill arising from your use of this Site or reliance on its content.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, my total liability to you in connection with your use of this Site shall be limited to £1.

Any separate contract for services may contain its own limitation of liability clause, which will apply to that work and may differ from the above.

You remain responsible for:

Obtaining appropriate professional advice where necessary;
Complying with your own legal obligations as a landlord, agent or property owner;
Decisions you make based on information from this Site or any reports I provide.

11. No guarantee of outcomes

While I will use reasonable skill and care in providing services:

I do not guarantee any specific commercial, legal, financial or regulatory outcome.
Compliance decisions by local authorities, courts, insurers, FiT licensees or other bodies are outside my control.
My reports represent a professional opinion based on the information available at the time, not a guarantee that no issues will arise in future.