T & C

Terms and Conditions for Truffle Land Surveys

1. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions:

“Trufflemen” means Trufflemen, its employees, agents, contractors, surveyors, handlers and trained truffle dogs.

“Landowner” means the owner, occupier, tenant or authorised representative granting access to land.

“Survey” means any inspection, assessment, exploration, sampling, mapping or investigation undertaken by Trufflemen to identify the presence, suitability or potential occurrence of truffles.

“Land” means the property, woodland, estate, farmland or other area made available for survey.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By granting access to the Land, the Landowner agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

Access to the Land shall constitute acceptance of these Terms whether or not a separate agreement has been signed.


3. Scope of Survey

3.1 Trufflemen shall carry out a non-invasive or minimally invasive survey of the Land for the purpose of identifying potential truffle habitats and locating naturally occurring truffles.

3.2 Surveys may include:

Visual inspection of trees, soils and vegetation.
Soil sampling.
GPS mapping and recording.
Use of trained truffle dogs.
Limited excavation where necessary to confirm the presence of truffles.

3.3 Trufflemen does not guarantee that truffles will be found during any survey.

3.4 Any findings, estimates or recommendations are provided in good faith and represent professional opinion based on conditions at the time of the survey.

4. Access Rights

4.1 The Landowner grants Trufflemen permission to enter and inspect the Land during agreed dates and times.

4.2 The Landowner confirms they have the legal authority to grant such access.

4.3 The Landowner shall identify any hazards, restrictions, livestock, protected areas, biosecurity requirements or access limitations before the survey commences.

4.4 Trufflemen reserves the right to suspend or terminate a survey where conditions are unsafe.

5. Trained Dogs

5.1 Trufflemen may use trained truffle detection dogs during surveys.

5.2 Dogs will remain under the control of their handlers at all times.

5.3 The Landowner shall notify Trufflemen of any livestock, working animals, conservation restrictions or sensitive areas that may affect survey operations.

6. Environmental Protection

6.1 Trufflemen will take reasonable care to minimise disturbance to soils, vegetation, wildlife and habitats.

6.2 Any excavation undertaken shall be limited to the minimum necessary and where practicable, restored upon completion.

6.3 Trufflemen shall comply with applicable environmental legislation and countryside access requirements.


7. Ownership of Truffles

7.1 Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all truffles located on the Land remain the property of the Landowner.

7.2 Any samples removed for identification, testing or analysis shall only be taken with the Landowner’s consent.

7.3 Any future harvesting, commercial agreements or cultivation arrangements shall be subject to separate written agreements.


8. Survey Reports and Intellectual Property

8.1 All survey reports, maps, photographs, GPS records, data, methodologies and recommendations remain the intellectual property of Trufflemen unless otherwise agreed in writing.

8.2 The Landowner is granted a non-transferable licence to use the survey report for their own internal purposes.

8.3 Reports shall not be reproduced, distributed or relied upon by third parties without the prior written consent of Trufflemen.


9. Confidentiality

9.1 The location of any truffle-producing areas shall not be disclosed to third parties without the Landowner’s consent except where required by law.


10. Fees and Payment

10.1 Survey fees shall be as stated in the quotation or engagement letter.

10.2 Unless otherwise agreed, invoices are payable at least 24 hours prior to the land visit. 

10.3 Trufflemen reserves the right to charge interest on overdue amounts at a rate of 4% above the Bank of England base rate.


11. Cancellation

11.1 The Landowner may cancel a survey by providing written notice.

11.2 Cancellations made less than 48 hours before the agreed survey date may be subject to a cancellation charge covering reasonable costs incurred.

11.3 Trufflemen may reschedule surveys due to weather, access restrictions, safety concerns or circumstances beyond its reasonable control.


12. Limitation of Liability

12.1 Trufflemen shall exercise reasonable skill and care in carrying out surveys.

12.2 Trufflemen shall not be liable for:

Failure to locate truffles.
Future truffle productivity.
Changes in soil, weather, forestry or environmental conditions.
Loss of profit, business opportunity or consequential losses.

12.3 Trufflemen’s total liability arising from any survey shall not exceed the fee paid for that survey.

13. Entire Agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with any quotation, engagement letter or written agreement, constitute the entire agreement between the parties and supersede all previous discussions, representations or agreements relating to the survey.

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