Terms of Commission

A commission is bespoke professional work: archival and database research, analysis of sources, correlation of evidence and documented conclusions, assembled into material made to be kept. It is not legal, immigration or advisory work.

Each commission is confirmed in writing before work begins: the question to be answered, the professional hours included, the archives and regions to be consulted, and the deliverables. Work outside that scope is agreed separately.

• Historical records may be incomplete, damaged, lost, closed or never created.
• Archive access, opening hours and response times are outside our control.
• Names, spellings and borders change across generations and jurisdictions.
• Where evidence does not support a conclusion, we report that honestly rather than assume it.

What is commissioned is a defined scope of professional genealogical work, not a particular discovery. Fees reflect the work performed and documented, including work that demonstrates a record cannot be located. No specific finding, lineage or outcome is guaranteed.

• Provide accurate information and any documents already held.
• Confirm that you are entitled to share information about living relatives included in your materials.
• Respond to questions that materially affect the direction of the commission.

Payment is requested only after the scope and the appropriate commission have been confirmed. The payment structure for each commission is stated on the site and repeated in the written confirmation of your commission.

Accepted payment methods and currency: [bank transfer — secure online payment via Stripe planned]. Any applicable taxes: [VAT number, if applicable].

Findings, dossiers, trees and timelines prepared for your commission are delivered for your personal and family use. Roots by Vera retains authorship of its written reports and design work; underlying archival documents remain the property of the holding institution and are subject to its own terms.

Permitted reuse, publication and credit: [to be confirmed in the engagement letter].

A commission may be cancelled by either party in writing. Work already performed and documented remains payable; amounts paid for professional hours not yet performed are treated as follows: [cancellation and refund terms to be confirmed].

Legal review note: Consumer withdrawal rights for distance services in the EU should be reviewed here.

Every commission remains private. Family information and documents are used only for the agreed work and are never published, shared or referenced without your written permission.

Work is carried out with professional care and in line with accepted genealogical standards. Liability is limited to the fees paid for the affected commission, to the extent permitted by law: [limitation of liability wording to be confirmed].

These terms are governed by [Governing law and competent courts], without affecting mandatory consumer protections in your country of residence.

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