Terms of Sale

Hello there. Thank You for considering purchasing from me. This page is here to answer a few commonly asked questions regarding the buying / delivery / guarantee / tuning etc process and to list the terms of sale that you are bound by if you go through with a purchase.

What Payment Methods are Accepted?
I accept a variety of payment methods. Most customers pay by cheque or bank transfer. I then arrange a suitable delivery day/time whilst waiting for the funds to clear. I can accept debit card payments over the phone (no charge) or Credit card payments (1.5% charge). There may be 0% finance available but it depends on your situation so please ask me about that.

Delivery Times
I can typically deliver your piano within 7-10 days of receiving your cleared payment. Cheque payments must clear into my bank before delivery can be carried out. In many instances we can deliver your piano within a couple of days but it may take up to 2 weeks.

Exception to Free Delivery
Nationwide delivery is free to most parts of the UK. If you live in a remote or hard to reach area there may be a charge. Also, if you pay with 0% finance you lose the free delivery offer and will be asked to pay the full national delivery charge. Please ask me about that

Do Your Pianos Carry a Guarantee?
My modern pianos such as Yamaha and Kawai come with a guarantee to cover various mechanical breakages (strings, hammers, for example). Basically, if anything snaps or falls off then I’ll pay to have it replaced. Problems caused by environmental conditions in the new owner’s house are not covered. Therefore, placing a piano too near a window or directly next to a radiator etc. can affect tuning stability and sometimes cause “sticky notes” and my warranty does not cover such things. Please note that you must have your piano tuned every 6 months in order for your guarantee to remain valid. You must keep receipts from your piano tuner to show that these tunings took place. The cabinets of my renovated pianos are not covered under the guarantee as this would leave me wide open to customers who expect absolute perfection from a 2nd hand piano. Other things that are not covered are tonal preferences (voicing) or action regulation issues. These issues are largely subjective and depend on taste to some extent so there is no black & white way to cover such things. I am happy with the overall toning and regulation of my pianos before they leave and you should take into account that if you want a piano to suit your individual needs perfectly then it is reasonable for you to expect to have some work done at your own expense to achieve this.

My lower-priced uprights (under £1000) and various types of older grand pianos (Bechstein etc.) do not carry warranties of any kind. They are sold “as seen” but in an honest manner – I won’t act dishonestly and will try and point out any problems with the piano before the sale.

Free Tuning included?
A 1st tuning in your home is included when you buy one of my renovated Yamaha upright pianos. The onus is on you to contact me around 6 weeks after delivery. Often, the piano will hold its tune so well after delivery that a customer will decide not claim the free 1st tuning. Please bare in mind that you must claim your 1st tuning within 3 months of purchase otherwise the offer expires. The reason for this is that the free 1st tuning is designed to correct any tuning or regulation issues that may have arisen as a direct result of the piano being moved from A to B. It is not meant to replace the periodical tuning that all pianos require every 6 months or so.

Are the Yamaha uprights lockable?
The Yamaha U1 and U3 pianos do have locks in them. However, the original keys always get lost so with that in mind I order replacement keys directly from Yamaha and am happy to supply those if needed. The important thing to bear in mind is that as these keys are not original, they are not guaranteed to fit or work the lock. The keys I have are all identical and they usually do work but in the event of a key not operating the lock, a lock not working or the lock not lining up, this is not covered by any kind of guarantee. The locks are very simple and are not coded like front door locks are and so your local locksmith should be able to help you sort out any problems.

Returns/Refund Policy
It is your responsibility to check that your piano is to your satisfaction before it is delivered and you are welcome to visit my shop at any time to make sure you are happy with your purchase. There is no option to obtain a refund or to return the piano unless your statutory rights provide such an option for you. The distance selling act gives you some rights to cancel your order after delivery but only if you bought “sight unseen” via mail order or telephone. If you visited the piano and chose it in person then I don’t believe you are covered by that law. If you have asked us to fit a silent system to the piano then the distance selling law becomes irrelevant as the law does not cover items that have been modified at the request of the customer.

Any Special Offers?
I offer discounts for students (NUS) and also a discount for reading some promotional material (mainly Yamaha related information) but please bear in mind that only 1 special offer or discount can be used during the purchase of any individual piano. You may choose the offer/discount that benefits you the most.

More Questions?
Please see the Contact me page to get in touch.

Thanks
Mark