Terms and Conditions of Service

1. Acceptance of terms

By accessing and using the Civicore website and services (the "Service"), you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use the Service.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Carderra Limited, the owner and operator of the Civicore Service.

2. Service description

Civicore is an AI-powered service assistant designed to help UK local councillors and Members of Parliament automate routine constituent inquiries. The Service uses artificial intelligence to provide immediate draft responses to common questions by accessing official government information sources.

Key features

AI-generated draft responses to constituent inquiries
Access to verified official information sources
Constituent inquiry management tools
Response tracking and analytics

The Service is provided as a productivity tool to assist public officials in their duties. By using our Service you accept that AI-generated content may contain errors and you accept those and any related risks. Civicore is in no way liable for any errors.

3. User registration and accounts

3.1 Account creation

To use the Service, you must register for an account. You agree to:

Provide accurate, current and complete information during registration
Maintain and promptly update your registration information
Keep your password confidential and secure
Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account

3.2 Eligibility

The Service is available only to:

Currently serving UK local councillors
Currently serving Members of Parliament
Authorised staff members of UK local authorities or parliamentary offices (with appropriate verification)

We reserve the right to verify your eligibility and to refuse service to any individual for any reason.

4. Fees, payments and subscriptions

4.1 Subscription plans

The Service is offered on a subscription basis, with monthly or annual billing options. Full details of current plans and pricing are on our pricing page.

4.2 Free trial

New users are eligible for a 7-day free trial from the date of account registration. During the free trial:

You will have full access to the Service features
No payment information is required to try our demonstration site
Payment information may be required to start a free trial
Unless you cancel within the trial period, your account will automatically transition to a paid subscription

4.3 Payment processing

All payments are processed securely through Stripe, our third-party payment processor. By subscribing, you agree to Stripe's terms of service and privacy policy. We do not store your full payment card details on our servers.

4.4 Billing and cancellation

Monthly subscriptions: billed monthly in advance. You may cancel at any time via your account settings; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.
Annual subscriptions: billed annually in advance. You may cancel at any time; no refunds are provided for the remaining portion of the annual term, except where required by law.
Cancellation: access to paid features continues until the end of the current billing period, after which your account reverts to limited access.

4.5 Price changes

We reserve the right to change subscription fees at any time and will provide at least 30 days' notice of any change affecting your subscription. Continued use after a price change constitutes acceptance of the new fees.

5. Acceptable use policy

5.1 Prohibited data inputs

You must not input into the Service:

Personally identifiable information (PII): names, addresses, dates of birth, national insurance numbers, or any information that could identify an individual constituent, unless explicitly permitted by your local authority's data protection policies and with appropriate safeguards in place.
Special category data: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health data, sexual orientation, or criminal records, as defined under Article 9 of the UK GDPR.
Sensitive government information: confidential, classified or otherwise restricted government information.
Legal or medical advice requests: inquiries requiring professional legal or medical advice, as the Service is not qualified to provide such guidance.

5.2 Human oversight requirement

AI-generated content is provided at your own risk and we are in no way liable for it. You agree that:

You will not rely solely on the Service for any decision-making that could affect constituents' rights or well-being
You remain fully responsible for all communications sent using or influenced by the Service
The Service is a supplementary tool and does not replace your professional judgment or obligations as a public official

5.3 Prohibited uses

Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or in a way that violates applicable laws or regulations
Attempt to circumvent or disable any security features
Use the Service to generate discriminatory, defamatory or harassing content
Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the source code of the Service
Use the Service to train competing AI models
Share your account credentials with unauthorised individuals

5.4 Transparency and declaration

Where you use AI-generated content in official communications, you should consider declaring this in accordance with your local authority's policies on AI usage and transparency.

6. Intellectual property

6.1 Ownership

The Civicore Service, including all content, features, functionality, source code, algorithms, trademarks and logos, is owned by Carderra Limited and protected by international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret and other intellectual property laws.

6.2 User content

You retain ownership of any content you input into the Service. By using the Service, you grant us a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to process your content solely to provide and improve the Service.

6.3 AI outputs

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, AI-generated outputs are licensed to you for use as a draft response to constituents. We make no warranties regarding their accuracy, completeness or reliability.

7. Privacy and data protection

Please review our Privacy Policy, which also governs your use of the Service, to understand our practices regarding the collection and use of your personal information. By using the Service, you consent to the processing of your personal data as described there.

8. Disclaimer of warranties

8.1 "As is" and "as available"

The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

8.2 No warranty of accuracy

We do not warrant that:

The Service will be uninterrupted, secure or error-free
The AI-generated content will be accurate, complete or reliable
Any errors in the Service will be corrected
The Service will meet your specific requirements

8.3 No professional advice

The Service is not a substitute for professional legal, medical or financial advice. You should consult appropriate qualified professionals for such guidance.

9. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

9.1 Exclusion of damages

Carderra Limited shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, revenues, data, use, goodwill or other intangible losses resulting from your use of the Service.

9.2 Cap on liability

Our total aggregate liability for all claims arising from or relating to the Service or these Terms shall not exceed the total amount you have paid us in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, or £100, whichever is greater.

9.3 Non-excludable rights

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for:

Death or personal injury caused by our negligence
Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
Any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under English law

10. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Carderra Limited and its officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses or fees (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or relating to:

Your violation of these Terms
Your use of the Service, including any AI-generated content
Your violation of any applicable laws or regulations
Your infringement of any third-party intellectual property rights

11. Termination

11.1 Termination by you

You may terminate your account at any time by cancelling your subscription through your account settings, or by contacting us at support@civicore.co.uk.

11.2 Termination by us

We may suspend or terminate your access immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including:

Breach of these Terms
Non-payment of subscription fees
Unauthorised or unlawful use of the Service
Requests by law enforcement or government agencies

11.3 Effect of termination

Your right to use the Service ceases immediately
We may delete or retain your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy
Any outstanding payment obligations survive termination

12. Service availability and maintenance

While we strive to provide continuous availability, we do not guarantee that the Service will be available at all times. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate the Service for:

Scheduled maintenance (we will endeavour to provide advance notice)
Emergency maintenance or security updates
Operational reasons beyond our control

13. Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

14. Changes to terms

We may modify or replace these Terms at any time. If a revision is material, we will provide at least 30 days' notice before new terms take effect, by email to the address associated with your account, a prominent notice on our website, or a notification within the Service. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

15. General provisions

15.1 Entire agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Carderra Limited regarding the Service.

15.2 Severability

If any provision is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.

15.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

15.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction.

15.5 Third-party beneficiaries

These Terms do not confer rights on any third party, except as expressly stated.

16. Contact information

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us at:

Civicore, c/o Carderra Limited
128 City Road, London, United Kingdom, EC1V 2NX
Email: legal@civicore.co.uk
Phone: 07482 760228
Company registration number: 14061262