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Terms & Conditions

All clients with whom I work must sign my terms and conditions. A copy is stored here but I send it as an email attachment as part of my initial correspondence.

This document describes the agreement between us regarding this request for genealogical research and related services. If you are satisfied with these terms, please sign this document, take a copy for your records, and return the whole document. This agreement will become effective when CB Genealogy has received:

  • a copy of this contract with your signature indicating acceptance of the terms;
  • payment of deposit as indicated in the initial quote

The services to be undertaken by CB Genealogy will include:

  • reviewing any information provided by the Client
  • creation of a research plan
  • specific genealogical research and/or DNA test result analysis, related historical research
  • evaluation of evidence
  • production of a written report

CB Genealogy will use her professional judgment to carry out the research in the most productive manner to achieve the Client’s goals within budget. 

CB Genealogy will produce a written report for the Client detailing:

  • a summary of the sources consulted and the degree to which searches of these sources were deemed successful or unsuccessful
  • computer-generated family tree for both direct ancestry and the complete discovered pedigree
  • detailed evidence to support any conclusions reached
  • copies of documents such as census records, birth, death or marriage certificates, etc
  • Possible further avenues of research

Please note many documents are provided via a third party repository such as Irishgenealogy.ie or commercial genealogy sites. Occasionally, only a transcription will be available and this will be made clear.

It is not always possible to commit to a particular time frame for a completed report, as repositories may impose restrictions, or due to other work commitments. Regular updates will be provided to the Client.

CB Genealogy will discuss with the Client, at the outset, whether or not any potentially distressing or uncomfortable discoveries should be disclosed or included in any material intended to be read by other parties.  These may include but not be limited to:

  • family secrets – illegitimacies, adoptions, time spent in Mother & Baby homes
  • court and legal events – criminal charges, arrests, imprisonments
  • evidence of slavery, either as an enslaved person or an enslaver
  • medical details – physical and mental illnesses, causes of death (including murders and suicides)
  • Revelations made through a commercial DNA test and researched on behalf of the Client – this might include a discovery about a misattributed parentage, extra-marital affair, previously unknown siblings, etc

An initial deposit is chargeable at the agreed fee outlined in the initial quote. Please be aware that the time estimated for research includes travel as well as all forms of communication with the Client incurred subsequent to the signing of this agreement.

Should the Client require additional work, further schedules of research and costs will be agreed on consultation.  

Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed by the Client and will be billed on completion of the agreed work. This may include but not be limited to;

  • Any costs associated with postage, photocopying, printing, acquisition of photographs and documents, certificates, transcriptions or grave records. Such charges are usually small.

Fees and expenses may be settled via direct bank transfer, Revolut or Stripe for which appropriate details will be provided. All invoices which remain unpaid 3 months after their invoice date will be pursued legally.

CB Genealogy cannot guarantee to discover significant or indeed any evidence associated with the Client’s ancestry due to circumstances beyond her control e.g. missing or inaccessible data. All best endeavours will be made to conduct the research commissioned as far as is practicable within the budget agreed but should it become clear at any point that little information is likely to be found, the Client will be informed and a joint decision will be made whether to end the research. 

The Client becomes the owner of the report in its physical form.  However, it remains the copyright of the CB Genealogy, and the Client must obtain her permission to publish any part of the report in any format, printed or electronic. Such permission will be subject to the Client agreeing to report all research accurately in its entirety and credit CB Genealogy as the acknowledged source.

The Client should also be aware that copies of any documents or other materials supplied with the report may be subject to third-party copyright and should not be reproduced or sold on in any way without the express written permission of the copyright holder.

Clients are also directed to my Privacy Notice and Data Retention Policy on my website.

The applicable law relating to this agreement is the law of the Republic of Ireland.