Terms

1. About Hippo Mat™

These Terms & Conditions apply to your use of the Hippo Mat™ website and to orders placed through it.

Hippo Mat™ creates premium illustrated play mats inspired by real places and the natural world. Our products include play mats themed to towns, cities, regions, landmarks, islands, countries and natural habitats.

Registered business name: Hippo Mat LTD
Trading name: Hippo Mat™
Company number: [INSERT COMPANY NUMBER]
Registered in: [INSERT ENGLAND AND WALES, SCOTLAND OR NORTHERN IRELAND]
Registered office: [INSERT REGISTERED OFFICE ADDRESS]
VAT number: [INSERT VAT NUMBER OR REMOVE IF NOT APPLICABLE]
Email: hello@hippomat.uk
Website: https://hippomat.uk

References in these Terms to “Hippo Mat™”, “we”, “us” or “our” mean Hippo Mat LTD trading as Hippo Mat™.

References to “you” or “your” mean the person using our website, submitting information to us or placing an order.

2. About These Terms

These Terms explain:

• how you may use our website;
• how orders are placed and accepted;
• how prices, payment, delivery, pre-orders, returns and refunds work;
• how promotions and Pre-Order Perks operate;
• how website submissions may be used;
• and the rules applying to the Design a Hippo Mat™ Guest Illustrator Programme.

Please read these Terms before using our website or placing an order.

By placing an order, you confirm that you accept the version of these Terms in force at the time of your order.

Nothing in these Terms removes or reduces any consumer right that cannot legally be excluded or restricted.

Our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy also apply when you use our website.

3. Consumers and Business Customers

These Terms are written primarily for consumers purchasing products for personal use.

A consumer is an individual acting wholly or mainly outside their trade, business, craft or profession.

If you place an order on behalf of a school, nursery, company, charity, organisation or other business customer:

• you confirm that you have authority to place the order;
• consumer-only cancellation rights may not apply;
• and any separate written trade or business terms agreed with us will take priority where they conflict with these Terms.

Please contact us before ordering if you require wholesale quantities, purchase-order terms or other business arrangements.

4. Who We Sell To

Hippo Mat™ currently offers products for customers connected with the following markets:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• England
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Ireland
• Isle of Man
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Northern Ireland
• Poland
• Scotland
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Wales

The inclusion of a place in our product catalogue does not necessarily mean that delivery is currently available to every address within that place.

Available delivery destinations will be shown at checkout. If we cannot currently deliver to an address, the order cannot be completed for that destination.

We may add, remove or change delivery destinations from time to time.

5. Age and Authority to Order

You must be at least 18 years old, or otherwise have the legal authority and appropriate permission required to enter into a purchase contract, to place an order through our website.

You must use only payment methods that you are authorised to use.

Separate age rules apply to the Design a Hippo Mat™ Guest Illustrator Programme under section 31.

6. Product Ranges

Hippo Mat™ products may include:

• Location play mats, inspired by towns, cities, regions, landmarks, islands and countries;
• Natural World play mats, inspired by habitats, landscapes, wildlife and natural environments;
• and Guest Illustrated designs, created in collaboration with selected illustrators through the Design a Hippo Mat™ Guest Illustrator Programme.

“Guest Illustrated” describes the creative provenance of a design. It is not a separate product range and does not change the customer’s legal rights.

Country-level and market-level products are intentional parts of the Hippo Mat™ catalogue.

7. Product Information and Illustrations

We aim to describe and display every Hippo Mat™ product accurately.

Product pages may include:

• artwork previews;
• product photographs;
• illustrations;
• measurements;
• material and care information;
• age or use guidance;
• landmark or habitat descriptions;
• estimated dispatch dates;
• and other product-specific details.

Location and Natural World artwork may simplify, stylise or rearrange real geographical features, routes, habitats and landmarks to create a clear and playable design.

Hippo Mat™ artwork is not intended to be used for navigation, route planning or as an exact geographical record.

Because screens and devices display colours differently, the colour shown on your screen may differ slightly from the physical product.

Minor manufacturing and presentational variations may also occur where they do not materially affect the product’s nature, quality, function or overall appearance.

The product supplied should correspond substantially with the artwork and information presented when you place your order.

8. Product Availability

All products are subject to availability.

We may:

• limit the number of products that may be purchased in one order;
• limit promotional quantities;
• close a pre-order once capacity has been reached;
• or remove a product from sale.

Adding a product to your basket does not reserve it.

If a product becomes unavailable after payment but before we accept your order, we will notify you and refund the amount paid for that product.

9. Placing an Order

To place an order, you must follow the checkout process and provide the information requested.

Please check your basket, delivery address, contact details and order information carefully before completing payment.

When you submit an order, you are making an offer to purchase the products in your basket.

An automatic order acknowledgement confirms that we have received your order. It does not necessarily mean that we have accepted it.

A contract is formed when we send an order acceptance, pre-order confirmation or dispatch confirmation that clearly confirms acceptance of your order.

The contract relates only to the products identified in that confirmation.

10. When We May Refuse or Cancel an Order

We may decline or cancel an order before dispatch where reasonably necessary, including where:

• a product is unavailable;
• payment cannot be authorised;
• we cannot deliver to the address provided;
• the order exceeds a stated quantity limit;
• fraud or unauthorised payment is reasonably suspected;
• the order appears to have been placed for unauthorised resale;
• the customer has materially misused a promotion;
• or there is an obvious pricing, description or website error that you could reasonably have recognised as an error.

If we cannot accept an order, we will notify you and refund any payment taken for the affected product.

We will not cancel an accepted consumer order without a legitimate reason.

11. Prices and Currency

Unless stated otherwise, prices on hippomat.uk are displayed in pounds sterling.

Depending on your location and the website configuration, an estimated or converted price may also be displayed in another currency.

The final currency and amount payable will be shown before you complete checkout.

Prices may change at any time. A price change will not affect an order that we have already accepted, except where there has been an obvious pricing error that you could reasonably have recognised.

Delivery charges and any other payable amounts will be displayed before the order is submitted.

12. Payment

Available payment methods will be shown at checkout.

Full payment is normally taken when the order is placed, including for pre-orders.

Payment may be processed by a third-party payment provider. The provider may carry out authorisation, fraud-prevention or security checks.

We do not guarantee that every payment method will remain available at all times.

If payment is declined, reversed or later found to be unauthorised, we may suspend or cancel the affected order.

13. Taxes, VAT, Customs and Import Duties

Hippo Mat™ operates on the basis that the price and delivery charges shown at checkout include the applicable taxes, customs duties and normal import charges that we have agreed to settle for delivery to the selected destination.

You should not normally be asked to pay an additional import charge before receiving your order.

If a courier or customs authority unexpectedly asks you to pay an import charge:

1. contact us before paying the charge or refusing delivery, wherever reasonably possible;
2. provide the order number and a copy or photograph of the request;
3. and allow us a reasonable opportunity to investigate.

Where the charge is confirmed to be our responsibility under the delivery arrangement, we will arrange payment or reimburse a reasonable and properly evidenced charge.

We are not responsible for additional charges caused by matters outside the ordinary import process, such as:

• incorrect or incomplete information supplied by you;
• an unauthorised change to the delivery destination;
• repeated failed delivery attempts;
• storage charges caused by a failure to accept delivery;
• or charges for services separately requested by the recipient.

14. Pre-Orders

Some Hippo Mat™ products may be offered on a pre-order basis.

A pre-order is an order placed and paid for before the product is ready for immediate dispatch.

Before purchasing a pre-order product, you will be shown an estimated dispatch date, dispatch period or production timeframe.

Unless expressly described as guaranteed, pre-order dates are estimates. Product development, manufacturing, freight, customs, quality-control or other circumstances may affect the timetable.

We will take reasonable steps to keep customers informed of a material delay.

You may cancel a pre-order for a full refund at any point before it is dispatched.

If a material delay occurs, you may also choose to continue waiting or cancel the affected product for a refund.

If an order contains products with different estimated availability dates, we may:

• dispatch the order together when all products are ready;
• split the order into separate deliveries;
• or contact you to agree an alternative arrangement.

Any applicable split-delivery information will be shown at checkout, in the product information or communicated to you.

Once a pre-order has been dispatched, the ordinary cancellation and return provisions in these Terms apply.

15. Promotional Codes

We may issue promotional or discount codes from time to time.

Unless the specific promotion states otherwise:

• only one promotional code may be used per order;
• a code cannot be exchanged for cash;
• a code cannot be applied retrospectively;
• a code may have an expiry date;
• a code may apply only to particular products, customers, quantities, destinations or order values;
• and a code may not be combined with another discount.

We may refuse, suspend or withdraw a promotional code where it has expired, been distributed without permission, been applied incorrectly or been used in breach of its stated conditions.

If an invalid discount is applied because of an obvious technical error, we may correct the order before dispatch and give you the option to pay the correct amount or cancel the affected product for a refund.

16. Pre-Order Perks, Free Gifts and Promotional Bonuses

Hippo Mat™ may offer Pre-Order Perks, free gifts, discounts, Hall of Fame recognition or other promotional benefits.

The eligibility rules for each promotion will be displayed on the relevant page, product listing, basket or checkout area.

Eligibility may depend on matters including:

• the number of qualifying products ordered;
• the order value;
• the order date;
• the customer’s delivery destination;
• available promotional stock;
• or completion of a stated action.

Unless stated otherwise:

• promotional benefits are available only while the stated allocation, capacity or stock lasts;
• free gifts and recognition benefits have no cash alternative;
• promotional items may be delivered with the main order or separately;
• we may replace a free gift with a reasonably comparable item if the original item becomes unavailable;
• and promotional benefits are not transferable between orders.

If you cancel or return part of an order and the remaining order no longer satisfies the promotion’s conditions, we may:

• remove the promotional benefit;
• recalculate the order using the promotion that still applies;
• require a free gift to be returned;
• or deduct the reasonable value of an unreturned promotional item from the refund where legally permitted.

Any adjustment will be explained clearly.

Participation in Hall of Fame or other public recognition features remains optional and is also governed by sections 29 and 30.

17. Delivery

Available delivery methods, charges and estimates will be shown at checkout.

We will deliver to the address provided with the order. You are responsible for ensuring that the address, postcode, recipient name, telephone number and other delivery details are accurate.

Delivery dates are estimates unless we expressly agree that a particular date is guaranteed.

Delays may occur because of:

• courier disruption;
• customs or border processes;
• severe weather;
• strikes;
• peak seasonal demand;
• manufacturing delays;
• transport disruption;
• events affecting suppliers;
• or other circumstances outside our reasonable control.

We will take reasonable steps to reduce the effect of a delay and keep you informed where the delay is material.

Nothing in this section affects any legal right you may have where goods are not delivered within an agreed or legally required period.

18. Failed Delivery and Incorrect Addresses

If delivery cannot be completed because the address or contact information supplied was incorrect or incomplete, we may ask you to pay the reasonable cost of redelivery.

If a parcel is returned to us after repeated failed delivery attempts or because it was not collected, we will contact you to discuss redelivery or cancellation.

Any refund may be reduced by reasonable costs caused directly by the failed delivery where permitted by law and where the failure was not caused by us or the courier.

19. Risk and Ownership

The goods remain at our risk until they come into your physical possession or the physical possession of a person you have identified to receive them.

If you independently arrange a carrier that we did not offer as a delivery option, risk may pass when the goods are handed to that carrier, as permitted by law.

Ownership of the goods passes to you when:

• we have received payment in full;
• and the goods have been delivered.

20. Cancelling Before Dispatch

You may ask us to cancel an order before it is dispatched.

Pre-orders may be cancelled for a full refund at any time before dispatch.

For in-stock products, we will try to stop the order. However, we cannot guarantee that a cancellation request will be received before warehouse processing or dispatch.

If the order has already been dispatched, you may use your statutory cancellation rights described below.

21. Consumer Right to Cancel After Delivery

If you are purchasing as a consumer, you will normally have the right to cancel an online order without giving a reason.

The cancellation period ends 14 days after the day on which you, or a person identified by you, receives the goods.

Where products from one order are delivered separately, the cancellation period normally ends 14 days after receipt of the final product or final delivery.

To cancel, you must send us a clear statement confirming your decision before the cancellation period expires.

You may:

• email hello@hippomat.uk;
• use any returns or cancellation method provided on our website;
• or use the model cancellation form at the end of these Terms.

You do not have to use the model form.

22. Returning a Cancelled Order

After notifying us that you are cancelling, you must send the goods back without undue delay and no later than 14 days after notifying us.

Please contact us before returning an item so that we can provide the appropriate instructions and returns address.

Returns address: [INSERT RETURNS ADDRESS OR RETURNS PROCESS]

Unless the product is faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described, you are responsible for the direct cost of returning it.

We recommend using a tracked or otherwise evidenced delivery service. You remain responsible for the return until it is delivered to us, except where we have arranged the return ourselves.

Products should be returned in suitable protective packaging.

You may inspect a product in the same general manner as you could reasonably inspect it in a shop. We may reduce the refund where handling beyond that level has caused a loss in value, to the extent permitted by law.

23. Refunds Following Cancellation

Where you cancel the whole order within the legal cancellation period, we will refund:

• the price paid for the returned goods;
• and the cost of our least expensive standard delivery method offered for that order.

If you selected a more expensive delivery service, we are not required to refund the additional amount above the standard delivery cost.

Where only part of an order is cancelled, the delivery-charge refund will depend on the circumstances and applicable law.

We will issue the refund to the original payment method unless otherwise agreed.

We may withhold the refund until:

• we receive the returned goods;
• or you provide evidence that the goods have been sent back,

whichever happens first.

We will process the refund within the period required by applicable law.

If you cancel before the goods are dispatched or received, we will process the refund without undue delay.

Your bank or payment provider may take additional time to display a completed refund.

24. Faulty, Damaged, Incorrect or Misdescribed Products

Products supplied to consumers must meet the standards required by applicable law, including being:

• of satisfactory quality;
• fit for their ordinary purpose and any particular purpose agreed with us;
• and as described.

If your order arrives faulty, damaged, incorrect or materially different from its description, contact us as soon as reasonably possible at hello@hippomat.uk.

Please include:

• your order number;
• a description of the problem;
• and photographs where they can reasonably help us assess it.

We may ask for reasonable additional information before arranging a remedy.

Depending on the circumstances and your legal rights, the available remedy may include:

• a refund;
• repair;
• replacement;
• price reduction;
• or another appropriate solution.

We will pay reasonable return costs where an item is confirmed to be faulty, damaged, incorrect or not as described.

Nothing in these Terms limits your statutory rights.

25. Parcels Damaged in Transit

If a parcel appears visibly damaged when delivered:

• photograph the parcel before opening it where possible;
• retain the packaging;
• inspect the product;
• and contact us promptly if the product is damaged.

Failure to photograph or retain packaging does not automatically remove your legal rights, but the information may help us investigate the issue with the courier.

26. Gift Purchases

Hippo Mat™ products may be purchased as gifts.

You are responsible for ensuring that the recipient’s name, delivery address and contact information are correct.

Unless a specific gift service is offered at checkout, the order will be processed using our standard packaging and fulfilment process.

Refunds will normally be returned to the payment method used by the original purchaser.

Only the person who placed the order, or someone acting with their authority, should request account changes or refunds.

27. Product Use, Care and Safety

You must follow the care, storage, use and age guidance shown on the product page, packaging or accompanying information.

Products should be used for their intended purpose and on an appropriate surface.

A Hippo Mat™ is not designed to:

• replace adult supervision;
• prevent all slips, falls or injuries;
• function as protective safety flooring;
• or be used as sleeping or bedding equipment.

Children should be supervised where appropriate for their age and activity.

Any toys, vehicles, figures or accessories used with a mat must be suitable for the person using them.

Damage caused by misuse, abnormal wear, unsuitable storage, accidents or failure to follow reasonable care instructions may not qualify for a voluntary return or goodwill remedy.

This does not affect your rights where a product is faulty or does not meet legal requirements.

28. Accounts and Customer Information

You may be able to create an account, save addresses, review orders or use other account features.

You are responsible for:

• providing accurate information;
• keeping login details secure;
• and notifying us if you believe your account has been accessed without permission.

We may suspend or restrict an account where reasonably necessary to protect you, other customers or our website.

How we handle account and order information is explained in our Privacy Policy.

29. Website Submissions and User Content

Our website may allow you to submit:

• location or product suggestions;
• votes or expressions of interest;
• comments;
• testimonials;
• reviews;
• photographs;
• Hall of Fame entries;
• Reg’s Pledge entries;
• Guest Illustrator applications;
• portfolio links;
• social-media details;
• or other content.

You retain ownership of content that you own.

By submitting content for review, publication or use, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to store, review, reproduce, resize, format and use that content for the purpose for which it was submitted.

Where you expressly agree that content may be published or promoted, this licence also allows us to display and share it through Hippo Mat™ websites, emails, social-media accounts, advertisements, printed materials and related promotional channels.

You confirm that:

• you own the content or have permission to submit it;
• the content does not infringe another person’s rights;
• any people identifiable in it have given the necessary permission;
• and it is not unlawful, misleading, defamatory, abusive, discriminatory, obscene or harmful.

We may moderate, edit for length or formatting, decline, hide or remove submitted content where reasonably necessary.

We are not required to publish any submission.

Please do not submit confidential information or material that you do not wish us to review or retain.

30. Request a Hippo Mat™, Hall of Fame and Reg’s Pledge

Request a Hippo Mat™

Submitting or supporting a location or product idea does not:

• reserve a product;
• create a pre-order;
• guarantee that the product will be designed;
• give the submitter ownership of the idea;
• or entitle the submitter to payment, royalties or other compensation.

Hippo Mat™ may already be considering, researching or developing the same or a similar idea.

We may combine similar requests, correct place names, categorise suggestions and use request information to guide catalogue decisions.

Hall of Fame and Reg’s Pledge

Participation in the Hall of Fame, Reg’s Pledge recognition or another public community feature is optional.

Where you opt in, we may display the information you have approved, such as:

• your name or chosen display name;
• your location or local connection;
• your message;
• your supporter status;
• or an approved image.

We may decline or remove an entry where it:

• breaches these Terms;
• contains inappropriate material;
• creates a legal or privacy concern;
• is misleading;
• or no longer fits the purpose of the feature.

Public recognition does not create ownership, employment, partnership or endorsement rights.

Reviews and Customer Photographs

Reviews should reflect your genuine experience.

Where a review or photograph was provided in connection with an incentive, competition or complimentary product, we may identify that fact where required.

We will not materially alter the meaning of a review when shortening or formatting it.

31. Design a Hippo Mat™ Guest Illustrator Programme

The Design a Hippo Mat™ Guest Illustrator Programme allows eligible illustrators, artists and designers to apply for potential paid creative collaborations.

Eligibility

Applicants must be aged 16 or over when they apply.

An applicant aged 16 or 17 may submit an initial application. However, if they are selected:

• a parent or legal guardian must review and co-sign the Guest Illustrator Agreement before commissioned work begins;
• parent or guardian involvement may be required for payment arrangements;
• and separate parent or guardian approval may be required before personal information, photographs, social profiles, artwork or programme updates are published.

Initial Applications

An initial application may request information such as:

• contact details;
• professional or creative background;
• portfolio links;
• relevant experience;
• preferred subjects or locations;
• and social-media or website links.

Applicants are not expected to submit original sketches or unpublished design concepts with the initial application.

Applicants should not send confidential concepts, commissioned third-party work or unpublished original artwork unless we specifically request it.

Submitting an application:

• does not guarantee selection;
• does not create employment or a commission;
• does not oblige Hippo Mat™ to offer work;
• and does not transfer ownership of the applicant’s portfolio or existing work.

The applicant grants us only the permission reasonably required to access, store, copy and internally share the application and linked portfolio material for assessment.

Selection and Commissioned Work

A selected applicant must enter into a separate written Guest Illustrator Agreement before commissioned work begins.

That agreement may cover:

• the design brief;
• deliverables;
• payment or royalties;
• deadlines;
• revisions;
• originality requirements;
• restrictions on AI-generated artwork;
• confidentiality;
• approval and quality-control processes;
• intellectual-property ownership or licensing;
• exclusivity;
• moral rights;
• portfolio use;
• artist credit;
• publicity;
• and termination.

The separate Guest Illustrator Agreement will take priority over these Terms in relation to commissioned work.

No copyright assignment takes place through the initial website application alone.

Public Illustrator Profiles

We may invite selected illustrators to appear in a public illustrator, sneak-peek or work-in-progress area.

Publication is optional and will occur only after the relevant illustrator has approved the information to be displayed.

For an illustrator aged 16 or 17, appropriate parent or guardian approval will also be required.

32. Third-Party Shopping and Social Platforms

Hippo Mat™ products may be advertised, displayed or discoverable through third-party services, including Facebook and Instagram.

Third-party product catalogues, advertisements or shopping features may occasionally display information that has not yet reflected a recent change to:

• price;
• availability;
• imagery;
• delivery;
• or product details.

The information shown on hippomat.uk at the time you place the order is the authoritative information for the sale.

All Hippo Mat™ orders are completed through hippomat.uk unless we expressly state otherwise.

Meta, Facebook, Instagram and other promotional platforms are not the seller and do not form the purchase contract between you and Hippo Mat LTD.

Your use of a third-party platform is also subject to that platform’s own terms and privacy information.

33. Analytics, Advertising and Cookies

We use technology and third-party services to operate, understand, protect, advertise and improve our website.

Subject to your cookie choices and applicable law, these services may include:

• Google Analytics 4;
• Microsoft Clarity, including session recordings and heatmaps;
• Meta Pixel;
• Meta Conversions API;
• Meta product catalogue and shopping integrations;
• and related measurement, attribution and advertising functionality.

These tools may help us understand matters such as:

• which pages and products are viewed;
• how visitors navigate the website;
• where usability problems occur;
• how advertising performs;
• and whether an advertisement contributes to a purchase.

Further information about the data involved, the applicable purposes, third parties, retention periods and your choices is provided in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Where consent is legally required, non-essential analytics or advertising technologies should be controlled through our cookie-consent system.

Accepting these Terms does not itself constitute consent to non-essential cookies or tracking technologies.

You can review or change your cookie choices using the cookie-settings control available on the website.

34. Intellectual Property

The Hippo Mat™ website and its content are owned by Hippo Mat LTD or used under licence, permission or another lawful arrangement.

Protected content may include:

• the Hippo Mat™ name and logo;
• Reg and other brand characters;
• product artwork;
• maps and illustrations;
• photographs;
• graphics;
• written copy;
• product concepts;
• badges;
• videos;
• page layouts;
• software;
• and downloadable materials.

You may use the website for personal, lawful and non-commercial purposes.

Without our prior written permission, you must not:

• copy or reproduce our product artwork;
• manufacture products based on our designs;
• remove ownership or trade-mark notices;
• republish substantial website content;
• sell or commercially exploit our content;
• scrape or systematically extract catalogue data;
• create derivative merchandise;
• or present our work as your own.

Guest Illustrator work may be owned by Hippo Mat LTD or used under contractual rights granted to us. The relevant ownership arrangement does not affect your obligations under this section.

No right to use the Hippo Mat™ trade marks, designs or artwork is granted except as expressly stated.

35. Acceptable Website Use

You must not:

• use the website unlawfully or fraudulently;
• attempt unauthorised access;
• interfere with website security or operation;
• introduce malware or malicious code;
• overload, probe or attack the website;
• misuse forms, voting tools or promotions;
• create false accounts or reviews;
• impersonate another person;
• submit content that infringes another person’s rights;
• or use automated systems to extract or manipulate website data without permission.

We may restrict or suspend access where reasonably necessary to protect the website, customers, contributors or Hippo Mat™.

36. Third-Party Links

Our website may link to third-party websites or services.

Links are provided for convenience or additional information and do not necessarily mean that we endorse the third party.

We do not control third-party websites and are not responsible for their content, availability, security, terms or privacy practices.

You should review the third party’s own information before using its service.

37. Website Availability

We aim to keep hippomat.uk accurate and available, but we do not guarantee that the website will always operate without interruption or error.

We may temporarily suspend or restrict parts of the website for:

• maintenance;
• security;
• technical changes;
• legal compliance;
• or service-provider issues.

We will take reasonable care when operating the website.

Nothing in this section limits our responsibilities in relation to an accepted order.

38. Our Liability to Consumers

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where doing so would be unlawful.

This includes liability for:

• death or personal injury caused by negligence;
• fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
• breach of mandatory consumer rights;
• or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded.

If we breach these Terms, we are responsible for loss or damage that is a foreseeable result of that breach or our failure to use reasonable care and skill.

Loss is foreseeable where it was obvious that it might happen or where both parties knew that it might happen when the contract was formed.

We are not responsible for:

• loss that was not foreseeable;
• loss caused by inaccurate information supplied by you;
• or business losses where you purchased as a consumer.

We do not exclude responsibility for damage to your property where it was caused by a defective product or our negligence and liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

39. Business Losses

If you purchase wholly or mainly for business purposes, then, subject to any separate written agreement and anything that cannot legally be excluded, we are not responsible for:

• loss of profit;
• loss of revenue;
• loss of business;
• loss of anticipated savings;
• loss of goodwill;
• loss of opportunity;
• or indirect or consequential business loss.

This section does not apply to consumer purchases.

40. Events Outside Our Reasonable Control

We are not responsible for delay or failure caused by an event outside our reasonable control.

Such events may include:

• extreme weather;
• natural disasters;
• war or civil unrest;
• transport disruption;
• strikes;
• epidemics or public-health restrictions;
• customs or border disruption;
• internet or infrastructure failure;
• supplier or manufacturing emergencies;
• or government action.

If such an event affects your order, we will:

• contact you where reasonably possible;
• take reasonable steps to reduce the effect;
• and explain the available options.

Your statutory rights, including any applicable right to cancel following a serious or prolonged delay, remain unaffected.

41. Privacy

How we collect, use, disclose and protect personal information is explained in our Privacy Policy.

The Privacy Policy should be read alongside these Terms, particularly when you:

• place an order;
• create an account;
• join a mailing list;
• submit a request or review;
• enter the Hall of Fame;
• participate in Reg’s Pledge;
• or apply to the Guest Illustrator Programme.

42. Country-Specific Consumer Rights

If you live in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland or another country to which we agree to deliver, you may benefit from mandatory consumer protections in your country of residence.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to remove those protections.

Where a provision of these Terms conflicts with a mandatory right that applies to you, the mandatory right will take priority.

43. Complaints

Please contact us first if you have a complaint about:

• an order;
• a product;
• delivery;
• a refund;
• website content;
• or another Hippo Mat™ service.

Email: hello@hippomat.uk

Please include enough information for us to identify the issue, such as your order number, relevant dates and the outcome you are seeking.

We will review the complaint and respond within a reasonable period.

Nothing in this section prevents you from using any statutory complaint, consumer-protection or court process available to you.

44. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms where reasonably necessary, including to reflect:

• changes to our products or services;
• new website features;
• legal or regulatory changes;
• changes to delivery or payment arrangements;
• or improvements in clarity.

The revised Terms will be published on this page with an updated date.

The version in force when we accept your order will normally apply to that order.

A later change will not retrospectively remove rights that you already have.

45. Transfer of Rights

We may transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to another organisation, for example as part of a sale, restructuring or transfer of the Hippo Mat™ business.

We will ensure that a transfer does not reduce your rights under an existing consumer contract.

You may transfer your rights under an order to another person only with our written agreement, except where applicable law permits otherwise.

46. Severability

Each section of these Terms operates separately.

If a court or competent authority finds that part of these Terms is unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply.

47. No Waiver

If we do not immediately enforce a right under these Terms, that does not mean that we have waived it.

A waiver applies only where it is expressly confirmed.

48. Third-Party Rights

Except where these Terms expressly state otherwise, no person other than you and Hippo Mat LTD has a right to enforce the purchase contract.

49. Governing Law and Courts

These Terms and contracts formed under them are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

If you are a consumer resident elsewhere, you will continue to benefit from any mandatory protections provided by the law of your country of residence.

Consumers may bring legal proceedings in the courts that have jurisdiction under applicable consumer law, including the courts of their home country where that right applies.

Customers purchasing for business purposes agree that the courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

50. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms or an order can be sent to:

Model Cancellation Form

Complete and send this form only if you wish to cancel an eligible consumer order.