Terms of Service

Acceptance of terms

These Terms form a legally binding agreement between you ("the client" or "visitor") and SAF Consultancy. They apply to:

• All visitors to the website saf-consultancy.com
• Any individual or organisation that submits an enquiry, books a call, or engages SAF Consultancy for services
• Any individual or organisation that enters into a separate service agreement or contract with SAF Consultancy

Where a separate written engagement letter or service contract exists between SAF Consultancy and a client, that document takes precedence over these Terms in the event of any conflict.

Our services

SAF Consultancy provides professional consultancy services including, but not limited to:

The specific scope, deliverables, timeline, and fees for any engagement will be set out in a separate proposal, engagement letter, or service agreement issued to the client.

SAF Consultancy reserves the right to decline any engagement at its sole discretion, without obligation to provide a reason.

Client engagement

Discovery calls

Initial discovery calls are offered free of charge and without obligation. They are exploratory conversations to understand your needs and assess whether we are a suitable fit. No advice given during a discovery call constitutes a formal engagement or binding recommendation.

Formal engagement

A formal engagement begins only when both parties have agreed in writing to a scope of work and fee arrangement — typically via a signed proposal, engagement letter, or service contract. Verbal agreements, emails, or enquiry form submissions alone do not constitute a binding engagement.

Client responsibilities

To enable SAF Consultancy to deliver services effectively, clients agree to:

• Provide accurate, complete, and timely information as reasonably requested
• Designate a primary point of contact with authority to make decisions
• Review and respond to deliverables within agreed timeframes
• Ensure any third-party access, tools, or credentials required are provided promptly
• Notify SAF Consultancy promptly of any changes that may affect the scope of work

Fees & payment

Fee structure

Fees are agreed in writing prior to commencement of any engagement. SAF Consultancy may charge on a project, retainer, or time-and-materials basis depending on the nature of the work.

Invoicing & payment terms

• Invoices are issued as agreed in the engagement letter — typically monthly in advance for retainers, or at agreed milestones for project work
• Payment is due within 14 days of the invoice date unless otherwise agreed in writing
• All fees are quoted exclusive of VAT (Mehrwertsteuer) where applicable under German law
• Payments shall be made by bank transfer unless an alternative method is agreed

Late payment

In the event of late payment, SAF Consultancy reserves the right to:

• Charge statutory interest on overdue amounts in accordance with § 288 BGB (German Civil Code) — currently 9 percentage points above the base interest rate for business clients
• Suspend work until outstanding invoices are settled
• Terminate the engagement following written notice if payment remains outstanding for more than 30 days

Expenses

Any pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the delivery of services (e.g. travel, software, third-party tools) will be invoiced separately at cost. Expenses above €100 will not be incurred without prior written client approval.

Intellectual property

Client materials

All materials, data, content, and information provided by the client to SAF Consultancy remain the intellectual property of the client. SAF Consultancy will use these solely for the purpose of delivering the agreed services.

Deliverables

Upon receipt of full payment for a project, SAF Consultancy assigns to the client all intellectual property rights in the specific deliverables created for that client under the engagement, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Pre-existing materials & methodologies

SAF Consultancy retains all rights to its pre-existing methodologies, frameworks, templates, tools, and general knowledge. Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of SAF Consultancy's general intellectual property to the client.

Website content

All content on saf-consultancy.com — including text, graphics, logos, and design — is owned by or licensed to SAF Consultancy and is protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from our website content without prior written permission.

Confidentiality

Both parties agree to treat as confidential all non-public information received from the other party in connection with the engagement ("Confidential Information"). This includes business strategies, financial data, client lists, technical information, and any materials marked as confidential.

Obligations

• Neither party will disclose Confidential Information to any third party without the prior written consent of the disclosing party
• Each party will use Confidential Information solely for the purposes of performing or receiving the services
• Each party will take reasonable steps to protect Confidential Information — at least the same steps it takes to protect its own confidential information

Exceptions

Confidentiality obligations do not apply to information that:

• Is or becomes publicly known through no fault of the receiving party
• Was already known to the receiving party before disclosure
• Is required to be disclosed by law, court order, or regulatory authority
• Is independently developed without use of the Confidential Information

Confidentiality obligations survive the termination of any engagement for a period of 3 years.

Liability & warranties

No guarantee of results

SAF Consultancy will perform all services with reasonable skill and care. However, the nature of consultancy means that outcomes depend on many factors outside our control, including client action, market conditions, and third-party platforms. We do not guarantee specific business outcomes, revenue targets, or performance metrics.

Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, SAF Consultancy's total liability to a client arising from or in connection with any engagement shall not exceed the total fees paid by that client to SAF Consultancy in the three months preceding the claim.

SAF Consultancy shall not be liable for:

• Indirect, consequential, or special loss or damage
• Loss of profits, revenue, business, data, or goodwill
• Loss arising from the client's failure to act on advice given
• Loss caused by third-party platforms, tools, or services
• Any loss arising from information provided by the client that is inaccurate or incomplete

Website disclaimer

Our website is provided on an "as is" basis. While we take care to keep information accurate and up to date, we make no warranties as to the completeness, accuracy, or fitness for purpose of any content on saf-consultancy.com. General information on our website does not constitute professional advice.

Termination

Termination by either party

Either party may terminate an engagement by giving 30 days' written notice to the other, unless a different notice period is specified in the engagement letter or service contract.

Immediate termination

SAF Consultancy may terminate an engagement immediately and without notice if the client:

• Fails to pay any invoice within 30 days of the due date following a payment reminder
• Acts in a way that is abusive, threatening, or unlawful towards SAF Consultancy or its representatives
• Asks SAF Consultancy to act in a way that is illegal, unethical, or in breach of applicable regulations
• Becomes insolvent, enters administration, or is subject to insolvency proceedings

Effect of termination

• The client will pay for all work completed up to the date of termination
• SAF Consultancy will deliver all completed work and work in progress to the client within a reasonable timeframe
• Any provisions of these Terms that are intended to survive termination (including confidentiality, intellectual property, and liability clauses) will continue in full force

Website use

By accessing saf-consultancy.com, you agree to use the website lawfully and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of others. You must not:

• Use the website in any way that violates applicable local, national, or international law or regulation
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the website or its underlying systems
• Transmit any unsolicited commercial communications (spam)
• Introduce viruses, malware, or any other malicious code
• Reproduce, copy, or republish any content from the website without written permission
• Use automated tools to scrape, crawl, or extract data from the website

SAF Consultancy reserves the right to restrict or terminate access to the website for any visitor who breaches these conditions.

Third-party links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources. These links are provided for your convenience only. SAF Consultancy has no control over the content or availability of those sites and does not endorse or accept responsibility for them.

Accessing third-party links is at your own risk. We encourage you to review the privacy and terms policies of any third-party site you visit.

Governing law & disputes

Governing law

These Terms and any disputes arising from them are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Jurisdiction

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or any engagement with SAF Consultancy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of Germany, unless mandatory consumer protection laws in the client's country of residence require otherwise.

Dispute resolution

Before resorting to formal legal proceedings, both parties agree to attempt to resolve any dispute in good faith through direct negotiation. If a dispute cannot be resolved within 30 days, either party may escalate to formal mediation or legal proceedings.

Changes to these terms

SAF Consultancy reserves the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

For existing clients under an active engagement, any material changes to these Terms will be communicated in writing with at least 14 days' notice before they take effect.

For website visitors and prospective clients, continued use of the website following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

Contact us

If you have any questions about these Terms, or wish to discuss any aspect of an engagement, please contact us:

These Terms were last reviewed by SAF Consultancy in January 2025 and are written to comply with German law including the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB), the Handelsgesetzbuch (HGB), and applicable EU consumer protection regulations.