Professional Development Terms and Conditions

By booking online or submitting a booking form you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.

We may modify these terms and conditions at any time by publishing the revisions on the website*.

Making a booking

If you would like to make a booking for a course, seminar, forum or regional forum, please click ‘book now’ on each event page. 

Alternatively, complete a manual booking form and send this, with clear payment details, to the address/email address stated.

Your place on your chosen event will be confirmed to you via email.

However you book, you will always receive a confirmation email from RQA - if you do not receive this within 5 working days of making your booking please email courses@therqa.com immediately.

Group booking offer for courses

When booking five or more places on RQA courses, either for 5 or more individual delegates, 1 delegate on 5 or more different courses or a mixture thereof, the cheapest delegate registration fee will be given for free. To take advantage of this offer all bookings must be received at the same time. Any accommodation and/or dinners booked in conjunction with these bookings will be charged in full for all delegates.

To make a group booking please email courses@therqa.com.

This offer is not valid in conjunction with any other offer or discount.

Programme and Tutor/Speaker alterations

All course, seminar, forum and regional forum programmes and tutors/speakers are correct at the time of producing these pages. Due to unforeseen circumstances, occasionally it is necessary to make alterations to presenters and programme content.

Special requirements

If you have any special needs or requirements, please ensure they are detailed clearly when you make your booking. Alternatively, please contact the RQA office to discuss further.

Dress code

The suggested dress code is smart casual.

Delegate contact details

All delegate contact details will be listed in the course, seminar or forum delegate material, unless we are advised otherwise. The online booking process and manual booking forms give the option to opt out of this.

Payment

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Compliant.

Online bookings have the choice of paying immediately by credit/debit card, nominating somebody else to pay on your behalf or requesting an invoice for all other payment methods.

Invoices must be paid thirty days from the invoice date, or before the start of the course, seminar, forum or regional forum, whichever is the soonest.

If booking manually and paying by credit or debit card, it is essential that all relevant sections of the booking form are completed, including the last three digits of the security code on the reverse of the card, or four digits on the front of AMEX cards.

Currency and Exchange Rate

You may book in GBP, USD or Euros and the default currency will be selected by our website according to your location, but can be altered if you choose. RQA exchange rates used are those published by The Financial Times and will generally be updated daily. 

Concessions

The member rate is available as a concession to those working in relevant charities and academic institutions or for the National Health Service. If you are unsure whether you qualify for this concession please contact courses@therqa.com

VAT on Course Fees

All course fees include VAT at the standard prevailing rate (currently 20%). If you make your booking from a business outside the UK you may be able to reclaim the Value Added Tax. All the advice and forms that you need to reclaim Value Added Tax can be found at www.hmrc.gov.uk

Please contact finance@therqa.com for further information if required.

VAT on Additional Requirements

The additional charges for accommodation and/or dinners offered fall under the Tour Operator’s Margin Scheme, a special scheme for VAT purposes. This is because the accommodation/catering provider charges RQA for these items, and they are recharged to you the delegate. The amount we recharge reflects the VAT inclusive amount charged to us by the provider, but VAT is not separately shown on our invoices, and it cannot be reclaimed by you as input VAT. This is in accordance with the rules of the Tour Operator’s Margin Scheme.

Cancellation procedures

Cancellation by delegates

Fees will be refunded or invoices credited (excluding a £129 administration fee in respect of courses and a £59 fee for seminars) if cancellation is made three weeks, or more, before the course, seminar or forum. 

Please note that:

• fees will not be refunded for any cancellations made less than three weeks before the event 
• payment of event fees will still be due on unpaid invoices for any cancellations made less than three weeks before the event
• you will be liable for accommodation and/or catering costs which the RQA incurs but is unable to recoup.
• regional forums cannot be cancelled at any time, we can however offer substitutions at any time.
• if cancellation(s) of a course place(s) booked as part of a group booking results in less than five places remaining in this group the booking offer will no longer be applicable and any discounts originally given will be invoiced in full.

Cancellations must be received in writing to the RQA office or by email to courses@therqa.com

Cancellation by RQA

Events may be cancelled if bookings fail to meet minimum numbers. In such circumstances, all course, seminar, forum or regional forum fees and accommodation/catering fees (if booked direct through RQA) will be refunded.

Substitutions

Delegates may be substituted at any time.  Where substitution takes place less than three weeks before the start of an event a £59 administration fee will be charged.

Transfers

The transfer of delegates from one event date to another or from one event to a different event will be treated as a cancellation of the original booking and a separate new event booking. As such all transfers will be subject to the terms and conditions set out under ‘Cancellation by delegates’ above.

What is and isn't included in your event booking:

All event fees include:

• Presentations
• Workshops and/or Discussions
• Delegate Materials
• Coffee and tea
• Lunch if listed on the event programme

Event fees do not include any accommodation or evening meals.

You will note that, where applicable, the costs for accommodation and/or dinners are detailed on the relevant event pages. Prices charged for accommodation and/or dinners booked directly with RQA cover the amount RQA is charged for the provision.

Terms and conditions for accommodation bookings made with a venue directly will vary, please check for details of these when booking.

 

* Last amended 30th May 2017