We want you to be completely satisfied with the services you receive from Spines Publishing UK. This Refund Policy explains your statutory right to cancel, when refunds are available, how to request one and how we process refunds. It does not affect your statutory rights under UK consumer law.
Overview
Our services involve skilled professional time, from editors and designers to distribution specialists. After your statutory cancellation period, refund eligibility depends on the stage your project has reached. We always try to resolve concerns first, so please contact your Author Success Manager at any time if you are unhappy with your project.
Your 14-Day Right to Cancel
If you are a consumer, you can cancel your Service Order within 14 days of the day after we accept it, without giving any reason, under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
- If no work has started, you will receive a full refund.
- If you asked us to start work during the 14-day period, we will refund what you paid minus a proportionate amount for the work carried out up to the time you told us you wanted to cancel.
- If the services were fully completed within the 14-day period at your request, the right to cancel no longer applies.
We will refund you within 14 days of receiving your cancellation.
Refunds After the Cancellation Period
Partial refund (50%)
If work has started but your project is still within its first milestone (before delivery of any editing or design draft), a 50% refund of your total payment is available.
After first delivery
Once the first draft of a service deliverable (edited manuscript, cover design concepts, typeset interior) has been delivered to you, refunds for that service are not normally available, because substantial professional work has been completed on your behalf. This does not affect your rights if our services were not carried out with reasonable care and skill.
30-day money-back guarantee
In addition to your statutory rights, if you are not satisfied with our services before your book goes to print, contact your author manager within 30 days of your order and we will work to resolve the issue or process a refund.
Third-Party Costs
Once incurred on your behalf, the following third-party costs cannot be recovered and will be deducted from any refund:
- ISBN fees (ISBNs are purchased from Nielsen, the UK ISBN Agency, and cannot be returned once allocated)
- Distribution setup fees once your book has been submitted to a retailer or wholesaler
- Audiobook narration fees once recording has started
- Any other third-party fees paid on your behalf with your agreement
How to Cancel or Request a Refund
To cancel or request a refund:
- Email info@spinespublishing.co.uk with the subject line 'Refund Request, [Your Order Number]'.
- Include your full name, order number, date of purchase and the reason for your request (a reason is not needed if you are cancelling within 14 days).
- We will acknowledge your request within 2 working days.
- Approved refunds are made to your original payment method.
Processing Times
Once a refund is processed, the time it takes to reach you depends on your payment method:
- Credit and debit cards: usually 5 to 10 working days, depending on your bank
- PayPal: usually 3 to 5 working days
- Other payment methods: up to 14 working days
Quality Concerns and Revisions
If you are unhappy with a deliverable, please use your included revision rounds so we can put it right. Our service packages include:
- Editing: one round of author revisions after delivery of the edited manuscript
- Cover design: three design concepts plus two rounds of revisions on your chosen concept
- Typesetting: two rounds of revisions after initial delivery
If you are still dissatisfied after your included revisions, please email info@spinespublishing.co.uk with the subject 'Quality Review' and our Quality Assurance team will work with you to find a fair outcome. If a service was not carried out with reasonable care and skill, you are entitled under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to ask us to repeat it or, if that is not possible, to a price reduction.
Disputes
If you believe a charge is incorrect or unauthorised, please contact our support team straight away. We are committed to resolving billing disputes quickly and fairly. Any disputes not resolved by our support team may be handled under the complaints and governing law terms in our Terms of Service.
