Terms and conditions
1. Introduction
The terms “Refiner”, “we”, “us” and “our” all refer to the company Refiner Translations OÜ, business registry code 10894180, whose registered business address is Pärnu mnt 10, Tallinn 10148, Estonia.
The term “service(s)” refers to any of the services provided by Refiner described in the Services section of our website and governed by these Terms and Conditions.
The terms “client(s)” and “you” refer to any person or entity that inquires about the services provided by Refiner or makes an agreement with Refiner for the provision of services.
The term “job” refers to the one-time provision by Refiner to the client of one or more of Refiner’s services.
The term “provider(s)” refers to professional linguists employed by Refiner on a permanent or freelance basis for the purpose of carrying out jobs.
The term “original text” refers to any documents or material submitted by the client to Refiner for processing according to one of Refiner’s translation or editing services or for the purpose of making an inquiry about a possible editing or translation job.
The term “completed text” refers to the documents and material that Refiner will return to the client once our providers have processed the original text according to the job brief and their work has been through Refiner’s quality assurance process.
“Working hours” are defined as the hours between 9:00 and 17:00 Eastern European Standard Time.
These Terms and Conditions apply to all translation and editing services provided by Refiner. By ordering any of these services from Refiner, the client agrees to be bound by these terms.
Refiner offers a range of services in addition to translation and editing. These Terms and Conditions apply to those services in part, as follows:
Machine translation and pre-editing/post-editing, proofreading, document formatting, reference formatting, indexing and language assets: sections 1 and 3–11.
2. Service descriptions
2.1. Editing services
Editing (more specifically, copyediting) involves reviewing and amending a text to improve clarity, readability and overall quality, ensuring consistency in style and formatting, and correcting grammar, punctuation and spelling while maintaining the text’s original tone and intent. We offer four levels of editing services: (1) light edit, (2) premium edit, (3) substantive edit and (4) deep edit.
As we go up each service level, we consider more features of the text, as described in the service descriptions below. All the elements of lower service levels are included in higher service levels.
With all levels, the client is allowed unlimited reviews of the completed text within 14 days of delivery, as outlined in section 5 of this document, unless otherwise agreed in the contract or quote.
There are two methods that we can use to deal with possible issues in the text:
Flagging. We add a comment to the text to describe the possible issues in the section.
Resolving. We determine whether there is a problem, what kind it is and how to resolve it. This may involve making corrections or other changes to the text.
2.1.1 Light edit
For all light editing jobs, we correct grammar and spelling and flag parts of the original text that we believe could be refined to increase clarity.
While individual providers may work at different speeds, the average rate of a light edit is 10,000 words per day.
2.1.2. Premium edit
Our premium editing service includes all the features of the light edit service. Additionally, for any premium edit job, we may make minor changes where doing so will improve clarity, tone and register. We flag possible factual errors, logical inconsistencies or incorrect use of technical terms, as well as where sentences or passages could be rewritten to improve the overall quality of the completed text.
While individual providers may work at different speeds, the average rate of a premium edit is 5,000 words per day.
2.1.3. Substantive edit
Our substantive edit service includes all the features of the premium edit service. Additionally, we resolve possible factual errors, logical inconsistencies and incorrect use of technical terms. Where doing so will improve the overall quality of the completed text while retaining the original text’s tone and intent, we may make minor changes to individual sentences and flag where passages could be rewritten or where the original text could be restructured.
While individual providers may work at different speeds, the average rate of a substantive edit is 3,000 words per day.
2.1.4. Deep edit
Our deep edit service includes all the features of the substantive service. Additionally, we may add to, remove content from, change or restructure the text where doing so will improve the overall quality of the completed text while retaining the original text’s tone and intent.
While individual providers may work at different speeds, the average rate of a deep edit is 2,000 words per day.
2.2. Translation services
Professional translation is the process of changing text from one language (“the source language”) to another (“the target language”) while making sure that the translated content preserves the meaning of the original and has a coherent style and tone. We provide four levels of translation services: (1) basic translation, (2) premium translation, (3) adaptation and (4) transcreation.
As we go up each service level, we consider more features of the text, as described in the service descriptions below. All the elements of lower service levels are included in higher service levels.
With all levels, the client is allowed unlimited reviews of the completed text within 14 days of delivery, as outlined in section 5, unless otherwise agreed in the contract or quote.
There are two methods that we can use to deal with possible issues in a section of text:
Flagging. We add a comment to the text to describe the possible issues in the section.
Resolving. We determine whether there is a problem, what kind it is and how to resolve it. This may involve making corrections or other changes to the text.
2.2.1. Basic translation
For any basic translation job, we translate the original text from the source to the target languages, keeping the meaning of the original text intact and ensuring a neutral tone and coherent style. We make sure that the completed text has no grammar, spelling or punctuation mistakes.
While individual providers may work at different speeds, the average rate of our basic translation service is 2,500 words per day.
2.2.2. Premium translation
Our premium translation service includes all the features of the basic translation service. Additionally, we ensure that the completed text preserves the tone and intent of the original text while also sounding natural in the language it is translated into. We also ensure that any technical terminology is rendered in its correct form in the target language. We flag possible factual errors or logical inconsistencies, as well as passages where the style or tone of the completed work could be improved, given the details of the job.
While individual providers may work at different speeds, the average rate of our premium translation service is 1,250 words per day.
2.2.3. Adaptation
Our adaptation service includes all the features of the premium translation service. Additionally, we resolve possible factual errors or logical inconsistencies. We may make minor changes for the purpose of improving the style or tone of the completed text, given its genre and intended use. We may also flag sections where content could be added or removed or the text could be restructured to improve the overall quality of the completed text given its genre and intended use.
While individual providers may work at different speeds, the average rate of our adaptation service is 750 words per day.
2.2.4. Transcreation
Our transcreation service includes all the features of the adaptation service. Additionally, we may add to, remove content from, change or restructure the text where doing so would improve the overall quality of the completed text, given its genre and intended use.
While individual providers may work at different speeds, the average rate of our transcreation service is 500 words per day.
2.3. Style guides
For all translating, editing and translating services, the client may request that we format the draft and revised texts according to a style guide of their choice. If we do not have access to the guidelines for the style requested, we will ask the client to supply us with those guidelines. If the client does not request that another style guide be used, we will format the draft and revised texts according to our house style.
3. Ordering process
3.1. Initial contact
3.1.1. When making an initial query about a potential job, we ask you to supply us details of the text, including its nature and purpose, and the general service required (e.g. editing or translation). For translations, you will indicate the source language(s) and the target language(s).
3.1.2. You will propose a deadline by which we shall send you the completed text. When suggesting a deadline, we recommend that you allow enough time to complete the review process outlined in section 5 of this document before you need to use the completed text.
3.1.3. We strongly recommend that you send us a copy of the original text and any other materials required for the job to be completed with the initial inquiry. Not doing so may delay us in offering a quote for the proposed job.
3.1.4. If you submit a query through the contact form on our website and fill out all relevant fields correctly, we will send you a quote; if not, we will ask you for more information.
Please note that while we seek to reply to queries made through the contact form within 3 hours, circumstances may affect our ability to do so. Circumstances that may affect our response time include public holidays in Estonia, staff holidays and illness, and queries that are submitted outside working hours or within 3 hours of the close of working hours.
3.2. Quotation
3.2.1. In order to give a realistic quote, we need you to provide us access to the original text. Once we receive the text, we will evaluate how much work is needed to complete the job based on the brief and suggest the appropriate service level for this work. We will provide you a quote and propose a preliminary deadline based on this suggestion. We might also give you a quote for different services with an explanation of the pros and cons of each.
3.2.2 If, for any reason, you are unable to provide access to the original text at this stage, an alternative arrangement for providing a quote may be agreed on. However, this may result in us quoting a higher price and longer deadline than we would were we to have access to the original text.
3.2.3. If you require the job to be completed faster than the average working speed listed on our website, we may issue a quote based on rush rates. Rush rates are applied as a 25%–50% surcharge, depending on the word count of the original text, the average working speed for the service proposed, the availability of qualified linguists and your proposed deadline. A 50% surcharge will apply to any part of a job that requires our providers to work between the end of the business day on Friday and the beginning of the business day on Monday. (To illustrate: If you request a light edit of a 12,500-word document at 9:00 on Friday to be completed by 9:00 on Monday and a qualified linguist is available to start the job immediately, a 50% surcharge will be applied to 2,500 words of the document to be edited over the weekend.)
3.2.4. Quotes and deadlines are not binding until a job has been ordered (see section 3.3.5. of this document).
Please note that our ability to work to a preliminary deadline depends on when you confirm a job and when you send us all the details and documents required to complete it.
3.3. Placing an order
3.3.1. Once we have issued you a quote, you may accept it, request a different level of service (resulting in a new quote) or reject it.
3.3.2. If you request a lower service level than we deem appropriate, we will explain why we do not recommend that service level and what a higher service level would add. If you still wish to request the lower service level, we may accept the job, but we cannot guarantee that the completed text will satisfy all the requirements of the brief to the level of a competent native speaker of the language of the completed text.
3.3.3. All our services guarantee at least a basic quality standard. We deliver texts that accurately convey the meaning of the original text at the level of a competent native speaker of the language of the completed text and that are free from spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes. If at this stage we deem that we cannot deliver a completed text that meets this basic standard, we will let you know that we cannot accept the job.
3.3.4. If you accept a quote, we will agree with you on a delivery deadline and any other terms of the contract according to which the job will be carried out.
3.3.5. The job is considered ordered once both sides have confirmed in writing that they agree to be bound by the terms of the contract according to which the job will be carried out.
4. Delivery and deadlines
4.1. Once a job is ordered, you will give us access to any material that is required to complete the job that you have not already shared in the ordering process. On receipt, we will prepare the documents and forward them to our provider(s). The provider(s) will carry out the service ordered and return the completed text to us. We will then perform quality assurance checks on the completed text before sending it to you by or before the delivery deadline.
4.2. We are responsible for carrying out the job to our best knowledge and abilities.
4.3. We must deliver the completed text by the delivery deadline, but only if the client has provided all the necessary information or materials essential to finish the job.
4.4. We may ask for additional information or material if we think it is essential to finish the job and specify a time limit in which we need to get this material to finish the job by the delivery deadline. If we do not get such information within that time limit, we reserve the right to change the delivery deadline based on the delay.
4.5. If for any reason we are unable to deliver the completed text by the delivery deadline, we must notify you immediately.
5. Review and revisions
5.1. While we never deliver a draft, you have the opportunity to review the completed text and request revisions or ask us about any aspect of it without additional cost. Unless agreed otherwise in the contract or quote, you are entitled to unlimited questions and requests within 14 days of delivery of the completed text.
5.2. For the purposes of the review process, the term “revision” refers to a change to some section of the completed text on the basis that it contains errors, fails to convey the meaning of the original text, removes information that was included in the original text, adds information that was not included in the completed text or falls below the level of a competent native speaker of the language of the completed text.
5.3. The scope of your right to review is limited to the content of the original and completed texts (i.e. you do not have the right to request that we add, edit or revise any text that was not a part of the original or completed texts).
5.4. Having reviewed any request for revisions, we will either amend the completed work according to your request, offer an alternative revision or provide an explanation of why the suggested revisions would not improve the work.
5.5. We will answer any questions about the completed text to the best of our knowledge.
5.6. If you forgo the opportunity to review the completed work for any reason, you will be deemed to have accepted it.
5.7. While we typically aim to resolve all questions and requests for revisions within one to five business days (including delivering a text revised to your satisfaction where necessary), we cannot guarantee a specific timeframe. Factors that may influence the speed with which this process can be carried out include reviews sent outside of working hours, the number and length of revisions requested, and requests for additional reviews.
5.8. Requesting revisions to or asking questions about the completed text does not entitle you to delay payment beyond the payment deadline (see section 11 of this document).
6. Cancellation
You may cancel a job after it has been ordered. If you cancel a job, you are obliged to pay Refiner for the amount of work completed by the time of cancellation.
7. Complaints
7.1. If the client is unhappy with the quality of the text after the review process outlined in section 5 they have the right to make a complaint and request a price reduction or annul the contract.
7.2. Possible grounds for complaint include, but are not limited to:
Refiner failed to deliver the completed text by the delivery deadline.
Refiner failed to deliver a completed text that meets the requirements of the brief after the review process outlined in section 5 of this document.
Refiner failed to deliver a completed text that meets our basic quality standards as described in clause 3.3.3.
7.3. The following are not grounds for complaint:
Changes to the original text that do not change its meaning, tone or intent.
Issues in the original text that have not been flagged or resolved, where doing so does not fall within the scope of the service ordered (e.g. uncorrected factual errors are not grounds for complaint if the client ordered a light edit).
7.4. The client has the right to submit a complaint within and not after the payment deadline indicated on the invoice. If the payment deadline is longer than one month, the complaint can be submitted up to and not after one month, counting from the end of the review process as described in section 5 of this document.
7.5. The client must provide a reason for any complaint. Otherwise, they are deemed to have accepted the completed work.
7.6. If the client submits a complaint in accordance with clauses 7.4 and 7.5. of this document, Refiner’s management team will assess the complaint, taking into account the details of the complaint, the job brief and the service ordered. If the management team deems the complaint to be legitimate, Refiner will suggest a revised price or agree to annul the contract. Refiner reserves the right to suggest a revised price for any complaint deemed legitimate (including when the client has requested to annul the contract).
7.7. If Refiner and the client agree on a revised price, Refiner will issue a revised invoice for the job. The client must pay Refiner for the amount specified on the revised invoice and within the payment deadline on the revised invoice according to the payment terms described in section 9 of this document.
7.8. If Refiner and the client agree to annul the contract, neither party will continue to be bound by the conditions of that contract.
7.9. If the client and Refiner cannot agree on a resolution to a complaint (i.e. a revised price or annulment of the contract), the dispute will be directed to a committee acceptable to both.
8. Liability
8.1. Any content created by Refiner as part of a job will become the copyright of the client from the moment that the client has accepted the completed text and has paid Refiner the invoice in full.
8.2 The client is responsible for ensuring that querying about, ordering, carrying out or completing a job does not violate any copyright laws.
8.3. The client is responsible for ensuring that no confidential information is disclosed to Refiner, other than information that the client has the authority to disclose to Refiner.
8.4. Where such content was a part of the original text, Refiner is not responsible for any threatening, libellous, obscene, harassing or offensive content in the completed text.
8.5. Refiner is not responsible for any use of the completed text by the client.
9. Payment terms
9.1. The client must pay for services rendered by Refiner in accordance with an invoice. This invoice will be prepared based on one of three sources, in order of prevalence: the contract between the client and Refiner, a price quote provided by Refiner or Refiner’s standard price list.
9.2. Unless agreed otherwise, payments are to be made via bank transfer. Refiner reserves the right to request advance payment or instalment payments.
9.3. The payment deadline is determined by the date specified on the invoice, issued either upon order delivery or in accordance with terms agreed on with the client. This deadline remains enforceable regardless of whether the client has retrieved the completed order.
9.4. If the client fails to provide payment by the payment deadline, Refiner reserves the right to suspend the processing of any subsequent orders from the client. Additionally, Refiner may extend the delivery deadline for any existing orders by the length of the payment delay.
9.5. If the client fails to provide payment by the payment deadline, the client must pay interest at the rate outlined in their contract with Refiner or as indicated on the invoice.
10. Confidentiality
10.1. You may disclose certain confidential information to us about you, your clients, your employees, or other entities mentioned in materials sent to us for the provision of services.
10.2. We undertake to process confidential information you disclose to us only as is necessary for purposes for which you have given us prior written consent or where legally obliged to do so.
10.3. We will not disclose confidential information to any person, institution, or entity that is not us or you without prior written consent from you or where legally obliged to do so.
10.4. We undertake to apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that we, our providers or any other person, institution or entity to whom it is necessary for us to transmit confidential information you disclose to us will keep that information confidential.
10.5. We will erase or destroy at your first request any confidential information you have disclosed to us.
10.6. We will return at your first request any media that you have shared with us that contains confidential information that you have disclosed to us.
11. Data use and privacy
To provide our services we collect and process personal data according to our Privacy Policy.