Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("Customer," "you," or "your") and Etellect Ltd, trading as ePostcode ("Etellect," "we," "us," or "our"), governing your access to and use of the ePostcode web services, APIs, and data products (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing or using our Services, registering for an account, or clicking "I Accept" or similar acknowledgment, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the Services.

If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind such entity to these Terms, and "you" and "your" shall refer to such entity.

2. Definitions

"API"

means the application programming interface provided by Etellect for accessing the Services programmatically.

"Address Validation"

means the real-time verification service for validating and standardizing UK postal addresses against official Royal Mail PAF data.

"Credits"

means the prepaid units purchased by Customer for consuming API requests and data services.

"Data Cleansing"

means the batch processing service for cleaning, standardizing, and enriching address databases.

"PAF" or "Postcode Address File"

means the Royal Mail's Postcode Address File, the definitive database of UK addresses containing over 30 million addresses with daily updates.

"Portal"

means the customer portal accessible at https://portal.epostcode.com for account management, credit purchases, and usage monitoring.

"Postcode Lookup"

means the real-time service for retrieving full UK addresses from postcodes with type-ahead and autocomplete functionality.

"Royal Mail"

means Royal Mail Group Ltd, the owner and provider of the Postcode Address File (PAF) data.

3. Description of Services

Etellect provides the following web-based address lookup and validation services:

3.1 Postcode Lookup Service

Real-time UK postcode to address lookup with instant access to over 30 million addresses, including:

• Full postcode to address lookup (e.g., SW1A 1AA returns all addresses)
• Type-ahead and autocomplete functionality
• Partial postcode search (outward code lookup)
• Address component breakdown (line 1, line 2, city, county, postcode)
• Latitude and longitude geocoding data
• UPRN (Unique Property Reference Number) where available

3.2 Address Validation Service

Real-time address verification and standardization service providing:

• Address verification against Royal Mail PAF database
• Address matching with fuzzy logic and error correction
• Address standardization to Royal Mail format
• Validation confidence scores and match quality indicators
• Suggested corrections for invalid or incomplete addresses
• Support for business premises, flats, and complex addresses

3.3 Data Cleansing Service

Batch processing for cleaning and enriching address databases including:

• Bulk address validation and standardization
• Duplicate detection and removal
• Address data enrichment (adding missing postcodes, correcting formats)
• Geocoding (adding latitude/longitude coordinates)
• Support for CSV, Excel (XLSX), and database formats
• Detailed processing reports with match statistics

3.4 API Access

RESTful API endpoints providing programmatic access to all services with:

• HTTPS/TLS 1.3 encryption for all requests
• API key-based authentication
• JSON response format
• Rate limiting and usage monitoring
• Comprehensive API documentation and code examples
• SDKs for popular programming languages

4. Royal Mail PAF Authorization

4.1 Authorized Partner Status

Etellect Ltd is an authorized partner of Royal Mail with proper licensing to distribute and provide access to the Postcode Address File (PAF). The PAF is the definitive database of UK postal addresses maintained by Royal Mail Group Ltd, containing:

• Over 30 million UK residential and business addresses
• Daily updates reflecting new builds, demolitions, and address changes
• Comprehensive address data including postcodes, streets, localities, towns, and counties
• Building names, numbers, sub-premises, and organization names

4.2 PAF Data License

By using our Services, you acknowledge and agree that:

• The PAF data is owned by Royal Mail and is licensed, not sold, to you through Etellect
• You receive a non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use PAF data solely as part of our Services
• You may not extract, download, or store PAF data beyond transient technical copies necessary for service operation
• You may not redistribute, resell, or sublicense PAF data to third parties without express authorization
• Royal Mail retains all intellectual property rights in the PAF data

4.3 Data Accuracy and Updates

We receive regular updates to the PAF database from Royal Mail to ensure data accuracy. However:

• Address data reflects the information provided by Royal Mail at the time of our most recent update
• New addresses may take time to appear in the database following construction completion
• Demolished or decommissioned addresses may temporarily remain until the next update cycle
• We implement updates as soon as practicable upon receipt from Royal Mail

4.4 PAF Certification

Etellect operates under Royal Mail's "Powered by PAF" certification program, demonstrating our commitment to data quality, service standards, and compliance with Royal Mail's licensing requirements.

5. Account Registration & Security

5.1 Account Creation

To access the Services, you must register for an account by providing:

• Accurate and complete registration information (name, email, company details)
• A secure password meeting our minimum security requirements
• Acceptance of these Terms and our Privacy Policy
• Valid payment information for credit purchases

You represent and warrant that all information provided is accurate, current, and complete, and you agree to maintain and promptly update this information.

5.2 Account Security

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials (username, password, API keys)
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breach
• Ensuring your API keys are stored securely and not exposed in client-side code or public repositories

5.3 Account Restrictions

You may not:

• Create multiple accounts to circumvent usage limits or billing requirements
• Share your account credentials with third parties
• Transfer or assign your account without our prior written consent
• Use automated scripts to create accounts or consume credits fraudulently

6. License Grant & Restrictions

6.1 License Grant

Subject to your compliance with these Terms and payment of applicable fees, Etellect grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable license to:

• Access and use the Services for your internal business purposes
• Integrate the API into your applications and websites
• Use address data returned by the Services within your systems and customer-facing applications
• Display Royal Mail PAF addresses to end users as part of your services

6.2 License Restrictions

You may NOT:

• Extract or Download: Systematically extract, download, or store large portions of the PAF database
• Redistribute: Resell, redistribute, or provide access to the Services or PAF data to third parties
• Reverse Engineer: Decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer the Services or API
• Circumvent Limits: Attempt to bypass rate limits, usage quotas, or technical restrictions
• Create Derivatives: Create derivative databases or competing address lookup services using our data
• Remove Attribution: Remove, obscure, or alter any proprietary notices, trademarks, or branding
• Misuse Data: Use the Services for unlawful purposes, spam, fraud, or harassment

6.3 Reseller and Agency Use

If you are a reseller, agency, or service provider integrating our Services into solutions for your clients:

• You must maintain an active reseller account with appropriate credit allocation
• You may provide access to our Services as part of your solutions, but may not present it as your own data source
• You must clearly attribute data as "Powered by Royal Mail PAF" or display our PAF certification logo
• Your clients' usage counts against your credit allocation
• You remain responsible for your clients' compliance with these Terms

7. Service Level Agreement (SLA)

7.1 Uptime Guarantee

Etellect commits to maintaining a 99.9% monthly uptime for the ePostcode Services, measured as the percentage of time the Services are available and operational in any given calendar month.

7.2 Exclusions from SLA

The uptime guarantee does NOT apply to service unavailability caused by:

• Scheduled maintenance (announced at least 24 hours in advance, limited to 4 hours per month)
• Emergency maintenance (unscheduled, security-critical updates)
• Force majeure events (natural disasters, wars, terrorism, acts of government)
• Third-party network or infrastructure failures beyond our control
• Customer's internet connectivity, hardware, or software issues
• Denial-of-service attacks or other malicious activities
• Suspension or termination of Services due to Terms violations

7.3 Service Credits

If we fail to meet the 99.9% monthly uptime guarantee, you may be eligible for service credits calculated as follows:

7.4 Claiming Service Credits

To claim service credits:

• You must submit a claim within 30 days of the end of the month in which the outage occurred
• Claims must be sent to legal@etellect.com with subject "SLA Credit Claim"
• Include your account details, affected time period, and supporting evidence
• Credits are applied to your account as additional credits, not cash refunds
• Service credits are your sole and exclusive remedy for service unavailability

7.5 Performance Targets

While not guaranteed, we strive to maintain:

• Response Time: Average API response time under 50 milliseconds (50ms)
• Throughput: Support for high-volume requests with appropriate credit allocation
• Support Response: Initial response to support tickets within 4 business hours

8. Fees & Payment Terms

8.1 Credit-Based Pricing

The Services operate on a prepaid credit system:

• You purchase credits in advance through the Portal
• Each API request consumes one credit (unless otherwise specified)
• Credits do not expire (unless your account is terminated for cause)
• Unused credits remain in your account for future use
• Pricing per credit varies based on purchase volume (volume discounts apply)

8.2 Pricing and Volume Discounts

Current pricing is published on our website at www.epostcode.com. Volume discounts apply automatically based on the number of credits purchased in a single transaction. We reserve the right to modify pricing with 30 days' notice to existing customers.

8.3 Payment Methods

We accept the following payment methods:

• Credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
• PayPal
• Direct Debit (for recurring credit purchases)
• Bank transfer (for enterprise customers with custom agreements)

All payments are processed securely through PCI DSS-compliant payment processors (Stripe, PayPal).

8.4 Invoicing and VAT

• All prices are exclusive of VAT unless stated otherwise
• UK VAT (currently 20%) applies to UK customers unless a valid VAT number is provided for reverse charge
• Invoices are issued automatically upon credit purchase and available in the Portal
• VAT-registered customers must provide their VAT number during registration

8.5 Refunds

Due to the digital nature of our Services:

• Credits are generally non-refundable once purchased
• Refunds may be provided at our sole discretion for technical issues preventing service use
• Service credits (issued for SLA breaches) cannot be exchanged for cash refunds
• Enterprise customers with custom agreements may have different refund terms

8.6 Auto-Renewal (Optional)

You may optionally enable auto-renewal for automatic credit replenishment:

• Set a credit balance threshold trigger (e.g., replenish when balance drops below 1,000 credits)
• Specify the number of credits to purchase upon auto-renewal
• Configure per API key for multi-client management
• Disable auto-renewal at any time through the Portal
• You will receive email notification before each auto-renewal charge

9. Data Protection & Privacy

9.1 UK GDPR Compliance

Both parties agree to comply with applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

9.2 Data Processing

When you use the Services:

• Address Queries: Postcodes and partial addresses submitted via API are processed transiently and not permanently stored beyond operational logs (retained 90 days for troubleshooting)
• Account Data: Your registration information, payment details, and usage records are processed as described in our Privacy Policy
• API Logs: Request metadata (timestamps, IP addresses, API keys) are logged for security and billing purposes

9.3 Data Controller vs Processor

For personal data contained in address lookups (e.g., names of residents at addresses):

• You are the data controller (determining purposes and means of processing)
• Etellect acts as a data processor (processing data on your instructions via API calls)
• You must have a lawful basis for processing personal data through our Services
• You are responsible for complying with data subject rights requests

9.4 Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures including:

• HTTPS/TLS 1.3 encryption for data in transit
• Encryption at rest for sensitive data
• Regular security audits and penetration testing
• ISO 27001 information security management certification
• Access controls and principle of least privilege

For full details on how we process personal data, please see our Privacy Policy.

10. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree to use the Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You may NOT:

10.1 Prohibited Activities

• Illegal Use: Use the Services for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable laws or regulations
• Fraud: Use the Services to commit fraud, identity theft, or other criminal activities
• Spam: Use address data for unsolicited marketing, spam, or harassment
• Data Scraping: Systematically extract or scrape the PAF database to build competing services or datasets
• Abuse: Engage in excessive API requests designed to overwhelm or disrupt the Services
• Circumvention: Attempt to bypass rate limits, usage quotas, or billing mechanisms
• Unauthorized Access: Access accounts, systems, or data that you are not authorized to access

10.2 Rate Limits and Fair Use

To ensure service quality for all customers:

• API requests are subject to rate limiting (specific limits vary by account tier)
• Excessive burst traffic may be temporarily throttled
• We reserve the right to impose additional limits to prevent abuse
• Enterprise customers may request increased rate limits

10.3 Monitoring and Enforcement

We reserve the right to:

• Monitor usage patterns for compliance with these Terms
• Investigate suspected violations
• Suspend or terminate accounts that violate the Acceptable Use Policy
• Report illegal activities to law enforcement authorities
• Cooperate with legal investigations

11. Intellectual Property Rights

11.1 Etellect's IP Rights

Etellect retains all intellectual property rights in:

• The ePostcode website, Portal, and API
• Our software, algorithms, and technology infrastructure
• Our trademarks, service marks, logos, and branding (including "ePostcode," "Etellect")
• Documentation, code samples, and technical materials
• Service improvements, enhancements, and derivative works

11.2 Royal Mail's IP Rights

Royal Mail Group Ltd retains all intellectual property rights in:

• The Postcode Address File (PAF) data and database
• Royal Mail trademarks, including "Royal Mail," "PAF," and "Powered by PAF"
• Address data structure, format, and organization

11.3 Customer's IP Rights

You retain all intellectual property rights in:

• Your applications and websites integrating the Services
• Your customer data (excluding PAF-derived address data)
• Your trademarks, branding, and content

11.4 Attribution Requirements

When displaying address data powered by our Services, you must:

• Include the "Powered by PAF" logo or text attribution where reasonably visible
• Not imply that address data originates from your own proprietary database
• Comply with Royal Mail's brand usage guidelines

We can provide approved logos and attribution guidance upon request.

12. Warranties & Disclaimers

12.1 Our Warranties

Etellect warrants that:

• We have the right and authority to provide the Services and grant the licenses described herein
• The Services will be provided with reasonable skill and care
• We will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the uptime SLA
• We are properly authorized by Royal Mail to distribute PAF data

12.2 Data Accuracy Disclaimer

IMPORTANT: While we use official Royal Mail PAF data, we do not warrant that:

• Address data is 100% accurate, complete, or up-to-date at all times
• The Services will meet your specific requirements or expectations
• Service operation will be uninterrupted or error-free (beyond the SLA commitment)
• All newly constructed addresses appear immediately (dependent on Royal Mail update cycles)

12.3 Disclaimer of Warranties

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY STATED IN THESE TERMS, THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that the Services will be suitable for your business purposes, will achieve particular results, or will be compatible with all systems and software.

12.4 Third-Party Services

The Services may integrate with or link to third-party services (payment processors, analytics, etc.). We are not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or functionality of third-party services.

13. Limitation of Liability

13.1 Exclusion of Consequential Damages

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ETELLECT SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Loss of profits, revenue, or business opportunities
• Loss of data or information
• Business interruption or downtime
• Loss of goodwill or reputation
• Cost of substitute services

This exclusion applies regardless of the legal theory (contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise) and whether or not Etellect has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

13.2 Cap on Total Liability

Etellect's total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising from or relating to these Terms or the Services shall not exceed the GREATER of:

• The fees paid by you to Etellect in the 12 months preceding the claim; OR
• £500 (five hundred pounds sterling)

13.3 Exceptions to Limitations

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by negligence
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
• Gross negligence or willful misconduct
• Any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by applicable law

13.4 Your Indemnification Obligations

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Etellect, its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your breach of these Terms
• Your violation of applicable laws or regulations
• Your misuse of the Services or PAF data
• Infringement of third-party rights caused by your use of the Services
• Claims by your end users or customers related to address data accuracy

14. Term & Termination

14.1 Term

These Terms commence on the date you first access the Services or create an account and continue until terminated by either party in accordance with this Section.

14.2 Termination by Customer

You may terminate these Terms at any time by:

• Closing your account through the Portal
• Sending written notice to hello@epostcode.com
• Ceasing all use of the Services and API

Note: Unused credits are forfeited upon voluntary account closure and are not refundable.

14.3 Termination by Etellect

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately, without notice, if:

• You breach these Terms (especially Acceptable Use Policy or License Restrictions)
• Your account is used for fraudulent or illegal activities
• You fail to pay undisputed fees when due
• We are required to do so by law or court order
• Continued provision would expose us to legal liability

We will provide reasonable notice before termination except in cases of material breach, illegal activity, or legal requirement.

14.4 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your right to access and use the Services immediately ceases
• Your API keys will be deactivated
• Unused credits are forfeited (unless termination is due to our material breach)
• You must cease all use of PAF data obtained through the Services
• Provisions intended to survive termination will remain in effect (see Section 14.5)

14.5 Survival

The following sections survive termination: Definitions, License Restrictions, Fees & Payment (for unpaid amounts), Data Protection, Intellectual Property Rights, Warranties & Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability, and General Provisions.

15. General Provisions

15.1 Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of Scotland and the United Kingdom. Any disputes arising from these Terms or the Services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish courts.

15.2 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and Etellect regarding the Services and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and communications.

15.3 Amendments

We may modify these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be notified via:

• Email to your registered email address
• Notice in the Portal
• Updated "Last Updated" date at the top of this page

Continued use of the Services after notification constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using the Services and close your account.

15.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your account without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms to any affiliate or in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets with notice to you.

15.5 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15.6 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative.

15.7 Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond their reasonable control, including acts of God, war, terrorism, riots, embargoes, acts of civil or military authorities, fire, floods, accidents, pandemics, strikes, or shortages of transportation, facilities, fuel, energy, labor, or materials.

15.8 Notices

All notices under these Terms must be in writing and sent to:

15.9 Third-Party Beneficiaries

Royal Mail Group Ltd is an express third-party beneficiary of the PAF-related provisions in these Terms and may enforce those provisions directly against you.

15.10 Interpretation

Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. "Including" means "including without limitation." References to "days" mean calendar days unless specified as "business days."