Terms & Conditions

MASTER TERMS & CONDITIONS

Effective Date: 18 February 2026 Last Updated: 18 February 2026

1. LEGAL IDENTITY

Dog Business School is a trading name of Polka Dot Consulting Limited.

Registered in England and Wales: Company Number 10747574.

VAT Number: 269010415.

Registered Office: 45 Manor Chase, Beddau, RCT, CF38 2JD.

ICO Registration: ZB666227.

These Terms & Conditions govern your purchase, participation, and responsibilities as a learner in any course provided by Dog Business School (“we,” “us”).

By purchasing, enrolling, or accessing a course, you agree to abide by these terms.

2. OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES

  • Compliance: Fully aligned with regulated qualification standards (Ofqual).
  • Transparency: Designed for a clear and professional user experience.
  • Evidence-led: Processes designed to verify that student work is authentic.
  • Legally Robust: Supporting fair dispute resolution and quality assurance.

3. DEFINITIONS

  • Course: Any regulated or non-regulated training programme offered by us.
  • Student/Learner: The individual enrolling in a course.
  • Course Materials: Digital or physical learning content provided with your course.
  • Learning Platform: The online system where materials, assignments, and tutor interactions occur.

4. ELIGIBILITY & REGISTRATION

By enrolling, you confirm you have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account login details and for all activities that occur under your account.

You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.

5. COURSE ACCESS & COMPLETION

Regulated Courses (e.g., iPet Network, AIM Qualifications)

  • Access begins at the time of registration with the awarding body (not purchase).
  • Access duration: 24 months (12 months for Functional Skills).
  • Most courses must be completed within 6 months of registration.
  • A one-time 6-month extension is available for a fee of £90 (incl. VAT).

Bespoke Courses

  • Access begins at the time of purchase.
  • Access duration: 24 months (12 months for Functional Skills).
  • Most courses must be completed within 6 months of purchase.

6. COURSE EXTENSIONS & LEAVE

Additional extensions may be considered in exceptional cases at our sole discretion.

You must notify us in writing if taking a leave of absence longer than 3 months.

7. REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS (CONSUMER RIGHTS)

  • The 14-Day Rule: In accordance with the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you have 14 days from the date of purchase to request a refund, provided you have not accessed the digital course materials.
  • Waiver of Cancellation Right: By logging into the Learning Platform and accessing digital content, you expressively request immediate access and acknowledge that your 14-day right to cancel is waived.
  • Returns: If physical materials were provided, they must be returned in original condition at your expense before a refund is processed.

8. PAYMENTS & INSTALMENTS

  • Full payment is required for access to final certification or graduation.
  • Instalment Plans: Access is contingent on up-to-date payments.
  • Missed payments may result in immediate suspension of access and potential legal recovery action.
  • Time is of the essence for all payments.
  • Third-Party Finance (e.g., Klarna): In cooperation with third-party providers such as Klarna Bank AB, we may offer you the option to pay in instalments. You acknowledge that any such finance agreement is a separate contract between you and the provider; Dog Business School is not a party to that agreement and has no influence over credit approvals.
  • Indemnity: You agree to indemnify Dog Business School against any claims, loss, or damage (including impact on credit scores or interest charges) arising from your use of third-party finance.
  • Finance Refunds: Refunds for purchases made via finance will be processed back through the finance provider to ensure your credit account is updated correctly.

9. COURSE TRANSFERS

  • You may request a course transfer; an administration fee may apply.
  • Transfers are subject to availability and the requirements of the relevant awarding body.

10. PRACTICAL TRAINING (IF APPLICABLE)

  • All course fees must be settled in full before attending any in-person practical training.
  • Resources (e.g. handbooks) are typically provided on your first practical day.

11. ASSIGNMENTS, FORMATS & SUBMISSIONS

  • Learners must follow all instructions and use the provided templates.
  • Word count tolerance is +/-10%.
  • Two submission attempts are included.
  • A third attempt requires a £25 reassessment/re-marking fee.
  • If work fails to meet the required standard after three attempts, we reserve the right to withdraw the student without a refund.

12. CERTIFICATION & QUALITY ASSURANCE

  • Certificates are issued only upon successful completion and passing both Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) and External Quality Assurance (EQA) by the awarding body (e.g., iPet Network or AIM).
  • Third-Party Delays: While we aim for delivery within 6 months, we are not liable for delays caused by the processing times of external awarding organisations.
  • Replacement certificates are subject to a £40 reissue fee.
  • Data Sharing for Certification: By enrolling, you consent to us sharing your personal data (including name, date of birth, and assessment results) with relevant Awarding Bodies (e.g., iPET Network or AIM Qualifications) for the purposes of registration, quality assurance, and certification.

13. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY & AI POLICY

  • All work must be your own original creation.
  • AI Policy: AI tools may assist research but must not be used to generate assignment content. Submitting AI-generated work as your own is strictly prohibited.
  • Misconduct may result in disqualification and reporting to the relevant awarding body.
  • Appeals: Learners have the right to appeal an assessment decision. A copy of our formal Appeals Policy, which outlines the stages and timelines for challenging a grade, is available on the Learning Platform.

14. VIVA REQUIREMENT (REGULATED COURSES)

  • To ensure the authenticity of work, learners on regulated courses may be required to attend a recorded “viva” (oral assessment) via Zoom.
  • Participation is mandatory if requested.
  • Failure to attend or demonstrate personal understanding of the submitted work may result in a “Fail” grade or investigation for misconduct.
  • Recording and Storage: Vivas are recorded and stored securely for Internal (IQA) and External (EQA) Quality Assurance purposes. These recordings may be shared with the relevant Awarding Body to verify the authenticity of your work.

15. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP)

  • You are granted a non-transferable, personal licence to use course materials for your own learning.
  • Dog Business School retains full IP rights.
  • Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, or use of our materials for teaching others is a breach of contract and may lead to legal action.

16. TECHNICAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Learners are responsible for their own internet access and hardware.
  • We recommend a desktop/laptop (PC/Mac); mobile devices are not recommended for completing assessments.
  • We are not liable for technical issues arising from personal device limitations.

17. ACCESSIBILITY & EQUALITY

In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, we provide reasonable adjustments for learners with disabilities or additional needs.

Please contact Info@DogBusinessSchool.co.uk to discuss your requirements.

18. TERMINATION & SUSPENSION OF ACCESS

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Learning Platform immediately, without refund, if:

  • You breach any significant provision of these Terms.
  • You engage in behaviour that is deemed abusive, offensive, or harassing toward staff or other learners.
  • We have reasonable grounds to suspect fraudulent activity or unauthorised sharing of login credentials.
  • You fail to remedy a missed payment within a specified timeframe.

19. FORCE MAJEURE

We shall not be held liable for any delay or failure to perform our obligations if the delay or failure results from events or circumstances outside our reasonable control. This includes, but is not limited to, acts of God, strikes, accidents, war, fire, the act or omission of government, or any telecommunications carrier failure.

20. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

  • Our total liability is limited to the course fees paid.
  • Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

21. CHANGES TO TERMS

We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms & Conditions at any time. Continued use of the Learning Platform following such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

22. DISPUTE RESOLUTION & GOVERNING LAW

  • Dissatisfied learners should contact us first to resolve the matter.
  • Unresolved disputes may be escalated to the relevant awarding body.
  • These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.

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