Refund and Cancellation Policy

Last updated: 24 October 2026 · Version: 1.0 · Biz History Check, a trading name of Smudgestone Ltd (company 12756947), Chatterton House, Little Catterton Lane, Islington, Tadcaster, England, LS24 8EA. Contact: [email protected].

This policy forms part of our Terms of Service. It doesn't limit your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, including your right to ask us to redo a report that wasn't prepared with reasonable care and skill, or to a price reduction.

When you get a full refund

We cannot deliver your report (for example, we cannot identify the business even after a re-run).
A major source (Companies House, insolvency records/The Gazette, the premises licence register or HM Land Registry title) stays down for more than 14 days, so we can't complete your follow-up report (see Terms section 4A).
You cancel before we start work.
We decline your order. We refund in full within 14 days.
You don't send the extra information we ask for after a "business not identified" result within 14 days, and you choose a refund rather than a credit.

If a source is down

If any public register or source is temporarily offline when we run your check, we send your report straight away with all available checks completed, and automatically send a free follow-on update as soon as that source is back online.
If a source remains offline for more than 24 hours, you can choose the automatic free follow-on check within 14 days or a partial refund of £10 per missing source.
Paid searches (such as HM Land Registry titles) are not charged unless their result is delivered.

When we fix it or refund

If your report contains a material error of fact that is our mistake (not an error in the public source, and not caused by information you gave us), please tell us as soon as you can, ideally within 30 days of delivery. We will correct and re-issue the report, or give you a price reduction or refund if a fix won't put it right.

When we don't refund

Once a report has been fully delivered and is materially correct, we do not refund simply because you disagree with its findings, the business turns out differently later, or you decide not to buy.

Cancelling (consumers)

You usually have 14 days to cancel. If you asked us to start straight away (by ticking the separate box at checkout), you lose that right once the report is fully delivered. If you cancel after we start but before delivery, we may keep a proportionate amount for the work done.

How the proportionate amount is worked out. It is a fair share of the total price for the work done before you told us you were cancelling. As a guide: business identified and source checks completed but report not yet drafted: 50% of the price; report drafted but not yet reviewed and sent: 85% of the price.

£79 report: full refund before we start; partial after we start; none once delivered.
£179 3-pack: each delivered report counts as used. Unused reports expire 12 months after purchase. You can ask for a pro-rata refund of unused reports at any time before they expire.
£349 full buyer pack: partial refund if cancelled before the whole pack is delivered, reflecting the work done.
Trade Account checks and Monthly Agency Partner Plan (as set out in your Trade Rate Card — business customers only): cancel a monthly plan at any time; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current month and no further payments are taken. Part months and unused monthly reports are not refunded.
Free teaser: nothing to refund.

How to ask

Email [email protected] with your order number. You can use this form, but you don't have to:

To Smudgestone Ltd t/a Biz History Check, Chatterton House, Little Catterton Lane, Islington, Tadcaster LS24 8EA, [email protected]:
I/We hereby give notice that I/We cancel my/our contract for the supply of the following service: [ ]
Ordered on [ ] / received on [ ]
Name of consumer(s): [ ]
Address of consumer(s): [ ]
Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper): [ ]
Date: [ ]

How refunds are paid

To the card you paid with, through Stripe, within 14 days of us agreeing the refund. Your bank may take a few more days.