TERMS & CONDITIONS

Last Updated 01 October 2025

General Terms and Conditions

Welcome to Higgins & Rose Apiaries! By purchasing from or engaging with us, you agree to the following terms and conditions. Please read them carefully.

1. General Information

Higgins & Rose Apiaries is a supplier of honey, beeswax products, and other beekeeping-related goods.
All products are handcrafted and sourced with care, ensuring quality and sustainability.

2. Product Descriptions

We strive to provide accurate descriptions of all products. However, due to the handmade nature of our items, slight variations may occur in size, appearance, or weight.
Honey colour, texture, and taste may vary depending on seasonal factors and the natural foraging habits of our bees.

3. Orders and Payments

All orders must be placed through our official website or at designated events.
Payment is required in full at the time of purchase.
Prices are subject to change without prior notice, but you will be charged the price listed at the time of your order.

4. Shipping and Delivery

We aim to dispatch orders within 3–5 working days.
Delivery times may vary depending on the shipping method and destination.
Free local delivery or collection options may be available – please contact us.

5. Returns and Refunds

Due to the nature of our products, we cannot accept returns of food items such as honey unless faulty or damaged.
Refunds for damaged or faulty products will be processed after we receive photographic evidence or inspect the returned item.

6. Sustainability and Provenance

All honey and beeswax products are produced using sustainable practices. Our bees are free-range and forage across Sherwood Forest and surrounding areas.
We prioritise the health and wellbeing of our bees, ensuring ethical and environmentally friendly practices.

7. Privacy Policy

We respect your privacy and will only use your personal information to process your orders and provide updates.

For full details, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

Review Invitations
After completing a purchase, we may send you a one-time follow-up email inviting you to leave a review about your order. These emails help us improve our products and service and assist other customers in making informed choices.

By placing an order with us, you agree that we may contact you for this purpose. You can opt out of receiving review invitation emails at any time by following the unsubscribe link in the message or by contacting us directly.

8. Liability

Higgins & Rose Apiaries is not responsible for any allergic reactions or adverse effects caused by our products. Please check all ingredients if you have allergies.
We are not liable for delays in delivery caused by third-party couriers or unforeseen circumstances.

9. Intellectual Property

All content on our website, including product descriptions and images, is the intellectual property of Higgins & Rose Apiaries and cannot be reproduced without permission.

10. Contact Us

For any questions, concerns, or inquiries, please get in touch.

11. Governing Law

These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

By purchasing from us, you agree to abide by these terms. Thank you for supporting Higgins & Rose Apiaries!

Bee Sales – Terms & Conditions

1. Reporting and Returning Dead Queens

1.1. If a queen bee (mated or virgin) is found dead upon arrival, this must be reported to us within 1 hour of delivery.
1.2. The queen and her attendants must be returned to us the next working day via Royal Mail Special Delivery at the buyer’s expense.
1.3. Queens are dispatched using Royal Mail Tracked 24, and delivery times are automatically recorded by Royal Mail upon receipt.
1.4. The queen must be returned in the original, unopened queen cage, together with all attendants.
1.5. Upon receipt, the queen will be examined to determine the cause of death. If, at our discretion, it is deemed appropriate, a replacement queen will be issued free of charge.
1.6. Each queen will only be replaced once.

2. Mated Queens

2.1. All mated queens are confirmed to have been laying freely for at least four weeks prior to dispatch.
2.2. They are assessed for a consistent brood pattern and verified not to be drone-laying at the time of inspection.
2.3. No liability is accepted for queens that subsequently become drone-laying or non-laying after dispatch.

3. Queen Introduction and Virgins

3.1. No liability is accepted for the introduction or acceptance of a queen by a colony.
3.2. For virgin queens, no liability is accepted regarding their successful mating or safe return from mating flights.

4. Delivery Times and Natural Factors

4.1. Queen delivery and lead times will be adhered to as rigidly as reasonably practicable.
4.2. However, delays caused by weather conditions or natural factors are beyond our control. These may affect:

Collection of mated queens from hives
Acceptance of larvae for queen cell production
Viability of rearing colonies or queen cells (chilling, rejection, or destruction)
Mating flight success (including predation by swifts, swallows, martins, or dragonflies)

4.3. While every effort is made to deliver queens promptly, reasonable delays must be accepted, as we are dealing with live livestock and natural processes, not stock items stored in a warehouse.

5. Agreement to Terms

By purchasing a queen from us, the buyer acknowledges and accepts these Terms & Conditions.