Client Terms & Important Information

Appointments are used to inspect garments, discuss the requested alteration, take measurements or pin the garment, and provide a quotation or estimate where possible.

A standard alteration consultation is intended for up to three garments. If you have more items, bridal or formalwear, or work that is likely to require an extended fitting, you may be asked to book a longer or separate appointment.

A consultation fee of £10 applies where a consultation, fitting, measuring or pinning service is provided but no alteration work is subsequently commissioned. Where alteration work does proceed, the consultation is included in the price of that work and is not charged in addition.

A minimum charge of £15 applies to small repairs or alterations carried out without a fitting, and £20 where a fitting is required. Where a different fee or minimum charge is stated at booking or in the current price list, that stated charge will apply.

Afina Alterations may decline work where a requested alteration is technically inappropriate, may damage the garment, cannot reasonably produce the requested result, or falls outside the services offered.

All garments must be clean and hygienic when presented. Items should be freshly laundered or dry-cleaned as appropriate. Afina Alterations may refuse to handle or work on items that are soiled, unhygienic, contaminated or otherwise unsuitable for safe handling.

Pockets must be emptied before a garment is left. Afina Alterations cannot be held responsible for money, jewellery, documents or other personal items left in pockets or attached to garments.

The customer should point out any known damage, weakness, staining, previous repairs, alterations or other condition that may affect the work.

New garments made from fabrics that may shrink, including cotton, linen and wool, should be washed or otherwise treated in accordance with the care label before alteration where appropriate.

Provided reasonable care and skill have been exercised, Afina Alterations cannot be held responsible for a later change in fit or length caused by shrinkage, stretching, laundering, dry cleaning, pressing, steaming or other normal fabric behaviour after the alteration has been completed.

Some fabrics and finishes may react unpredictably when unpicked, pressed, steamed, stitched or re-stitched. Every reasonable care will be taken, but an exact restoration of the original factory finish cannot always be guaranteed.

For alterations where fit or length depends on what will be worn with the garment, the customer must bring the intended shoes and, where relevant, the intended underwear, shapewear or foundation garments to the fitting. This is particularly important for wedding dresses, eveningwear, formalwear, fitted dresses and trousers.

The fit and hang of a garment may change with footwear, underwear, posture, weight fluctuation, body shape, fabric behaviour and personal preference. Provided the agreed fitting has been followed with reasonable care and skill, Afina Alterations cannot be held responsible for a later change in fit caused by such changes.

Where Afina Alterations measures or pins a garment during a fitting, the agreed measurements, pinning and fitting position form the basis of the work.

Where the customer provides measurements, instructions or pinning carried out by the customer or a third party, the work will be completed on the basis of that information. Provided reasonable care and skill have been exercised, Afina Alterations cannot be held responsible for an unsatisfactory result that arises because those measurements, instructions or pinning were inaccurate or unsuitable.

A length, fit, shape or position approved by the customer during fitting is treated as the agreed instruction for the alteration.

If the completed work follows the agreed fitting, pinning or measurements but the customer later changes their preference — for example, wishes the garment shorter, longer, tighter, looser or differently shaped — the further alteration is a new job and will be charged separately.

Alterations are carried out using professional methods considered appropriate for the garment and requested result unless a particular construction method or finish has been specifically agreed in advance.

No alteration can guarantee that a garment will look or fit exactly like a different garment, photograph, online image or visual reference where the original garment construction, seam allowance, fabric, size or design does not permit that result.

When a garment is opened, unpicked or dismantled, previously hidden conditions may become apparent. These may include weakened or degraded fabric, old adhesive, dry rot, moth or insect damage, damaged interfacing, previous repairs, manufacturing defects, insufficient seam allowance, needle damage or deterioration concealed inside seams or linings.

Provided reasonable care and skill have been exercised, Afina Alterations cannot be held responsible for deterioration or damage resulting from a pre-existing or hidden weakness that could not reasonably have been identified before work began.

Vintage, antique, heavily worn, delicate, embellished, beaded, sequinned, lace, silk, satin, coated, bonded, fused or otherwise fragile garments may carry an increased risk during alteration or repair. By asking Afina Alterations to proceed, the customer accepts the reasonable risks inherent in working with such materials.

Previous alterations or repairs carried out by the customer or another service may restrict what can safely or successfully be achieved. Provided reasonable care and skill have been exercised, Afina Alterations cannot be held responsible for defects or limitations arising from earlier work by third parties.

Website, Google Business and marketing prices are guide prices and are normally stated as 'from' prices. Each garment is assessed individually. The final price depends on garment construction, fabric, finish, access to seams, the amount of work required and any materials needed.

A quotation is based on what can reasonably be identified before work begins. Complex work may instead be given as an estimate.

If hidden construction, previous alterations or other unexpected difficulties are discovered after work begins, and these would require a material increase in the agreed price, Afina Alterations will pause the affected work, explain the issue and obtain the customer's agreement to the revised price before proceeding with that additional work.

If the customer requests extra work or changes the original instruction after the order has been accepted, that work will be priced separately and may affect the completion date.

Any concern about the quoted or agreed price must be raised before work begins. Once authorised work has started, the agreed price for that work is not subject to retrospective negotiation merely because the customer later changes their mind about the cost.

Minimum charges may apply and are shown in the current price list or confirmed at the time of booking or fitting.

Unless another arrangement is expressly agreed, payment for completed work is due in full no later than collection or handover of the garment.

Where a deposit or advance payment is requested, work may not begin until the required payment has been received.

If the customer cancels an order before alteration work begins, reasonable charges may still apply for consultation, fitting, measuring, pinning, sourcing or other work already carried out.

Once cutting, unpicking, sewing, fitting preparation, sourcing of specifically requested non-returnable materials or other alteration work has begun, cancellation does not remove the customer's obligation to pay a reasonable amount for authorised work already carried out and reasonable costs already incurred.

If the customer asks Afina Alterations to stop part-way through an order, the garment may be returned in the condition reached at the point work is stopped, where it is reasonably safe and practical to do so. Afina Alterations is not required to restore the garment to its original condition free of charge.

Completion dates and collection times are estimates unless Afina Alterations has expressly confirmed a guaranteed deadline in writing.

If a garment is required for a wedding, event, holiday, journey or any other fixed date, the customer must disclose that date when the order is placed. A deadline is guaranteed only if Afina Alterations expressly accepts it in writing.

Completion may be affected by complexity, availability of materials, unexpected garment construction, equipment problems, illness, peak workload or other circumstances outside reasonable control.

If Afina Alterations contacts the customer for approval, clarification, an additional fitting or a decision about extra work, any delay in the customer's response may extend the completion date.

Unless a guaranteed deadline has been expressly agreed in writing, Afina Alterations cannot be held responsible for consequential losses arising solely because an estimated completion date changes.

The normal service is collection from the studio. Delivery, posting, courier collection or handover at another location is not included unless specifically agreed in advance, and may carry an additional charge.

The customer is responsible for arranging timely collection once notified that the order is ready.

Garments left uncollected for three months after the agreed or notified collection date may be subject to further action after reasonable attempts have been made to contact the customer where contact details are available.

Any action taken in relation to uncollected goods will be carried out in accordance with applicable law. This may include disposal or donation where legally permitted. Afina Alterations does not become the owner of an uncollected item merely because the three-month period has expired.

Afina Alterations is not required to store garments indefinitely. Any outstanding balance for authorised work remains due notwithstanding late or failed collection.

Customers are encouraged to inspect and, where appropriate, try on the garment at collection before leaving the studio.

If there is a concern about the workmanship or whether the agreed alteration has been carried out, please notify Afina Alterations as soon as reasonably possible and make the garment available for inspection.

The garment should not, where reasonably avoidable, be altered, repaired, washed, dry-cleaned or otherwise changed by another person before Afina Alterations has had a reasonable opportunity to inspect the issue.

Where the agreed service has not been carried out with reasonable care and skill, Afina Alterations will be given a reasonable opportunity to repeat or correct the relevant work where repeat performance is appropriate and possible.

Where repeat performance is impossible or cannot be provided within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience, any further remedy will be dealt with in accordance with the customer's statutory rights.

A change of mind about an agreed length, fit, style or result is not, by itself, evidence of defective workmanship and may require a new paid alteration.

Afina Alterations will take reasonable care of garments while they are in its possession and will perform services with reasonable care and skill.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or restricts liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including rights and remedies that cannot be excluded under consumer law.

Provided reasonable care and skill have been exercised, Afina Alterations cannot be held responsible for loss or damage caused by a pre-existing defect, hidden weakness, inaccurate customer-supplied instruction, normal fabric behaviour, or a risk that was inherent in and reasonably necessary for the authorised alteration.

If a claim for loss or damage is made, the customer may be asked to provide reasonable evidence of the garment's identity, age, original purchase price, condition and current value, such as a receipt, order confirmation, photographs or other proof.

Any compensation or remedy will be assessed in accordance with applicable law and the actual circumstances of the garment. The original retail price will not automatically be treated as the garment's current value.

Afina Alterations may ask permission to take photographs of garments before, during or after alteration for record-keeping, portfolio, website or social-media purposes.

Identifiable photographs of a customer will not be used for marketing without permission. A customer may decline marketing use of garment photographs by saying so before collection or by contacting Afina Alterations.

Afina Alterations provides textile alteration and repair services. Bags, shoes and other non-textile specialist items are not accepted unless specifically agreed.

Afina Alterations may refuse or discontinue service where a request is unsafe, unlawful, technically unsuitable, outside the scope of the business, or where the customer's conduct is abusive, threatening, discriminatory, harassing or otherwise makes it unreasonable to continue the service.

If service is discontinued after work has begun for a legitimate reason, the customer remains responsible for authorised work already completed and reasonable costs already incurred.

Services will be provided with reasonable care and skill as required by applicable consumer law. Nothing in these Terms affects the customer's statutory rights.

These Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. Any dispute will be dealt with by the courts having jurisdiction under applicable law.

Afina Alterations may update these Terms from time to time. The version applicable to an order will normally be the version in force when that order is accepted, unless a later change is required by law or expressly agreed with the customer.