Payment
I charge an hourly rate for research and report writing and the minimum number is two hours. I always agree a budget or a set number of hours with a client in advance. Copies of documents and travel are charged at cost and will be agreed with you before the project starts.
For research under £150 payment must be made in advance; for projects over £150, the deposit is half the amount or a minimum of £150. The balance is due before the final report is sent out. Bank transfer is my preferred means of payment but I can accept PayPal or cheque payments.
Reports are normally sent out by email but can be sent out by post for an additional £12 (or £4 if just certificates are being sent).
Research
A deadline will be agreed once the deposit is received. If in the unlikely event of there being a delay in completion of the research, for example, if a record office is closed, I will contact you.
With research in archives, sometimes there are no matching records and while this is disappointing it can also be useful in eliminating a particular line of enquiry. However, even if the research yields no results, the time taken to carry out the research must be paid for.
I need to be aware of any research already carried out, otherwise research may be duplicated. If research is duplicated because I was not aware of work previously carried out the research time will still be charged for.
Confidentiality and copyright
All work is carried out confidentially and I will not disclose any details of the work I am doing for you or pass your details on to anyone else without your agreement. I agree to abide by AGRA’s (Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives) code of practice. I am registered on the Data Protection Register and take the protection of data seriously.
All reports are copyright of Evergreen Ancestry and must not be passed on or published without permission. If any records are provided which are copyright of the Archives supplying them an appropriate copyright disclaimer must be signed.