Conditions of Licence
These Conditions Of Licence and its terms relate to Safe Deposit Box Accounts. They should be read in conjunction with the SOTERIA SAFE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT SUMMARY SHEET that we will provide you on entering an agreement with us.
Soteria Safes – Conditions of Licence
These Conditions Of Licence and its terms relate to Safe Deposit Box Accounts.
1.0 Accessing your safe deposit box
1.1
You can access your safe deposit box at any time that Soteria Safes Limited is open.
Our centre is open Monday – Friday 10am – 6pm, Saturday 10am – 5pm
The company reserves the right to alter its trading hours and if it does so, you will be notified in advance.
1.2
Only you and / or an authorised third party key holder may access your safe deposit box.
You may not access anyone else’s box without authorisation.
1.3
We will confirm your identity every time you wish to access your safe deposit box using Facial Recognition software. If we have any doubts about your identity we may ask to see additional forms of identification. We will keep a record of every time you access the safe deposit box.
1.4
You may authorise up to two additional third parties to access your safe deposit box by bringing them into the facility with you and adding their details onto your account opening form and providing Soteria Safes Limited with their identity and proof of address documents. We will require all the same checks and procedures to be followed by additional users as for the main named party. No third parties can be added via phone or any other method than following the same procedures as the main key holder.
We recommend you get independent legal advice before you authorise a third party to access your box. You may also provide a person with a power of attorney over your box, for lasting powers of attorney, we will need to see the signed document stamped by the Office of the Public Guardian.
1.5
If you tell us to allow someone else to access your safe deposit box, we will verify their identity each time they visit the facility in the same way that we verify your identity.
1.6
If you authorise another person to access your safe deposit box, then you will be responsible for their actions or omissions as if they were your own, including complying with these terms and conditions. We will not be responsible for anything that may happen to your safe deposit box as a result of you authorising an individual access to the safe deposit box unless we are at fault.
1.7
We reserve the right to refuse, in our sole discretion, access for any person (including you) to your safe deposit box at any time.
For example we may do this if;
● We suspect unlawful or dishonest activity;
● We have received instructions, notices or orders from an authority (including any court of law) having jurisdiction over us;
● Access is restricted due to unforeseen circumstances, e.g. a fire alarm or the vault is occupied by another customer;
● The person displays abusive behaviour or it is apparent that they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
1.8
We will not be responsible for an act (or failure to act) of anyone you or the law authorises to access the safe deposit box, if we did not know or suspect he or she was acting dishonestly.
1.9
To open the safe deposit box, two different types of key will need to be simultaneously inserted into the door: the customer safe deposit key and the Soteria Safe Limited deposit key.
2.0 Keys to your safe deposit box
2.1
We will give you two copies of the customer safe deposit key at the time of entering into this agreement. These keys will be in a sealed bag.
2.2
You must not make any additional copies of the keys. It is your sole responsibility to look after your keys and who has access to them.
2.3
We will not keep a copy of the customer safe deposit key, we will only keep the Soteria Safe Limited deposit key. We cannot access your safe deposit box using the Soteria Safe deposit key on its own.
2.4
You must take all reasonable precautions to keep safe and prevent misuse of your customer safe deposit keys.
2.5
All keys remain the property of Soteria Safes Limited at all times.
2.6
If your safe deposit keys are lost or stolen, or you suspect that someone has used or tried to use them, you must tell us without undue delay by calling us on: – 0800 1938088
2.7
If you lose your customer safe deposit keys or they are stolen we will change the lock to your safe deposit box and give you a new set of keys. We will charge you the costs for replacing the lock on the safe deposit box. Details of these costs can be found on our website.
2.8
If you find your key after advising us of its loss, you must not use it again.
3.0 Using your safe deposit box
3.1
You may be required to tell us what you have stored in your safe deposit box. You must ensure that your safe deposit box only contains items that belong to you, and never contains any of the following items:
● Anything that is illegal or constitutes the proceeds of crime;
● Chemicals or drugs, or items which are noxious, poisonous, corrosive, inflammable, explosive or unstable;
● Guns, knives, fire-arms or ammunition; plants or plant materials, any living animal or organism;
● Any item prohibited under the laws of the United Kingdom or any other substance or material which may be the subject of any ban, embargo or import restriction;
● Anything that is offensive, immoral, obscene, indecent, defamatory, slanderous or libellous;
● Anything which is otherwise unlawful or which has or may be used in any act of terrorism or which will or may cause any harm whatsoever to any person, premises or place including (without limitation) to the safe deposit box or to any of our offices, employees, agents, contractors, customers or visitors.
3.2
You must fully compensate Soteria Safes and pay us all costs, charges, expenses, claims or damages that we incur or which are made against us in the event of some harm, damage or loss arising as a result of your breach of your obligations in Term 3.1.
4.0 Protecting the items in your safe deposit box
4.1
Keeping valuables in your safe deposit box should not be seen as an alternative to insuring them, and keeping valuables in your safe deposit box is at your sole risk. You should insure the contents of your safe deposit box for their full value. Soteria Safes Limited uses Mysecuritybox.com to provide each box with £10,000 cover paid for by ourselves. We can also organise additional cover for our clients upon request.
4.2
We exclude all liability in respect of loss or damage relating to possessions stored in your safe deposit box in the event of circumstances which are outside our reasonable control and their consequences.
We are not obliged to maintain the safety or security of your safe deposit box in order to keep it free from damage or loss. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to:
● Riot, strike or lock-out;
● Electrical power failures;
● Any Act of God or circumstance beyond our control;
● Threat of or actual terrorism or environmental or health emergency or hazard.
4.3
You should tell us as soon as you can if you:
● Notice anything missing from your safe deposit box;
● Experience any problems with our services;
● You think someone may have accessed your safe deposit box without your authority.
4.4
This contract is between you, the Primary Account Holder and Soteria Safes Limited. In the highly unlikely event that Soteria Safes Limited goes into liquidation the contents of your safe deposit box will remain your property. As you rent your box from us you have tenants rights.
5.0 Terminating Your Safety Deposit Box Agreement
5.1
If you decide to close your safe deposit box all outstanding fees and charges must be settled before the closure can be completed.
5.2
If you choose to terminate the agreement early , you will not be entitled to a refund
5.3
Your initial deposit listed in 6.1 will be returned on collection of items and return of Soteria Safes keys.
6.0 Setting up payment for your safe deposit box services
6.1.
Soteria Safes will take a deposit on each box agreement you enter into. You will also need to pay in advance for your 3/6 or 12 month agreement in advance and in total. We do not accept monthly direct debit payments.
6.2
Unless stated otherwise, and where applicable the fees for your safe deposit box include VAT.
6.3
Whether you pay for a 3/6 or 12 month agreement, we will remind you when your annual charge for the next renewal period is due by giving you at least thirty calendar days’ notice. In that notice, we will inform you if we intend to change the charges. Those changes will apply automatically to your next payment date unless we state otherwise.
7.0 If you do not pay our charges
7.1
If you fail to pay the safe deposit box fees on time, you may incur an administrative charge for late payment (late payment charge) and we may not allow you to access your safe deposit box until you pay any outstanding amount owed.
7.2
After 30 days from renewal date, we will write to you again stating that we are terminating the agreement with you and you have an additional 30 days to come and clear your balance and remove your contents from your Soteria Safe deposit box and return our keys.
7.3
On termination of this agreement by us, you are required to remove all contents of your safe deposit box, return the customer safe deposit keys and any outstanding fees and charges will become immediately due and payable.
7.4
If we do not hear from you within 30 days of writing to you to terminate your safe deposit box account as set out in Term 7.2 then we are entitled to use a locksmith to open your safe deposit box and take possession of all the items inside the safe deposit box. An inventory of all items found in your safe deposit box will be made. We then have the right to sell your items, although we may not do this straight away. We will apply a charge to cover the cost of the locksmith and storage of your items.
7.5
If we choose to sell any items as described in Term 7.4, we will deduct from the proceeds of sale the amount that you owe to us, plus any costs incurred by us in opening the safe deposit box and selling the items. If after deducting those amounts, there are any proceeds of sale remaining, we will pay the remaining sums into an account of your choice.
We will take into account your deposit also.
8.0 Death or permanent incapacity of customer
8.1
In the event of your death or should you become permanently incapacitated we are under no obligation to allow access to the safe deposit box to any person unless they can provide a valid grant of probate or letters of administration appointing them as your executor or administrator.
8.2
We may, however, in our absolute discretion, upon production of such evidence, as we shall determine suitable and in such form as we shall reasonably require, allow access to the safe deposit box to such person or persons requiring access.
9.0 Our obligations and rights
9.1
If a problem occurs and your safe deposit box is affected we will tell you personally as soon as we can so that you can come into the store to check your safe deposit box and its contents.
9.2
We may take whatever action we consider appropriate to meet our obligations under general law including relating to prevention of fraud, money laundering and terrorist activity.
9.3
If we receive instructions, notices or orders from an authority (including any court of law) having jurisdiction over us we may allow that authority access to our offices and to any safe deposit box (including by breaking it open) and to all or any other information, notes, correspondence and records that we may hold in whatever form. We may also provide such information, notes, correspondence and records to any relevant authority when required by them to do so.
9.4
In certain circumstances, the law may require us to allow someone else to access the safe deposit box. In these circumstances, any third-party mandates or powers of attorney you have given may become ineffective. We recommend you get independent legal advice on how to prepare for these circumstances.
9.5
Any delay in us exercising any of our rights under this agreement will not affect our rights or be a waiver of those rights.
10.0 Changes to this agreement and other important information
10.1 We may change our fees and charges and other provisions of this agreement and will notify all clients as and when providing reasonable notice.
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