1. The Service

Heritage Script provides historical document transcription and palaeography services. The service consists of the faithful reading and transcription of handwritten historical documents, together with editorial notes, annotation of uncertain readings, and — where requested as an add-on — plain English summaries and basic historical context.

Heritage Script is a transcription service only. I am not a professional genealogist, solicitor, archivist, or legal adviser, and nothing in a transcription or accompanying notes constitutes legal, genealogical, financial, or professional advice of any kind.

2. Accuracy and Limitations

Every care is taken to ensure that documents are transcribed as accurately and precisely as possible. However, the legibility of historical documents varies considerably, and I cannot guarantee that every word or character can be transcribed with certainty. Factors affecting legibility include:

• The quality, resolution, and lighting of photographs or scans provided
• The condition of the original document — fading, staining, water damage, or physical deterioration
• The complexity and density of the handwriting
• Heavy abbreviation or unusual scribal conventions
• Damage, loss, or obscuring of text in the original

All uncertain readings are clearly marked using the following conventions: [?word] for a best-guess reading, [?] for a single illegible word, and [?...] for an illegible passage. You will always know exactly what is certain and what requires further verification. I will never present a guess as a confirmed reading.

If significant portions of a document prove illegible — for reasons beyond my control — I will contact you before completing the transcription to discuss how to proceed. You will not be charged for work that cannot be delivered to a reasonable standard.

3. Disclaimer of Liability

Transcriptions are provided in good faith as reference documents to assist with historical and genealogical research. They are not verified legal documents and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any legal, financial, probate, property, or other formal proceedings.

Heritage Script accepts no liability for:

• Any loss, damage, or consequence arising from reliance on a transcription or any notes provided
• Errors or omissions resulting from illegible, damaged, or ambiguous source material
• Any decision — legal, financial, genealogical, or otherwise — made on the basis of a transcription
• The accuracy of any plain English summary, which is provided for ease of reference only and does not constitute a legal translation

Where liability cannot be excluded by law, my total liability to you in respect of any claim arising from this service is limited to the fee paid for the specific commission in question.

4. Copyright and Intellectual Property

The transcription, editorial notes, palaeographer's commentary, and any supporting materials I produce are the intellectual property of Heritage Script and are licensed to you for personal, research, and non-commercial use only.

You may not resell, publish, or reproduce the transcription in any commercial context without prior written permission. Academic citation and attribution to Heritage Script is appreciated.

It is your responsibility to ensure that commissioning a transcription does not infringe the policies or intellectual property rights of the institution or archive from which you obtained the document. Some institutions — including The National Archives and county record offices — have their own terms regarding reproduction of documents in their collections. Please check with your document provider before commissioning work you intend to publish or share publicly.

Heritage Script accepts no responsibility for any copyright infringement arising from material submitted for transcription.

5. Confidentiality

All documents submitted to Heritage Script are treated as strictly confidential. I will not share, publish, discuss, or otherwise disclose the contents of any document you send me, or any information about your commission, without your explicit consent.

Completed transcriptions are shared only with the commissioning client via a secure Google Docs link. Access is not granted to any third party.

If I wish to use a transcription as a portfolio sample, case study, or teaching example — for example on the Heritage Script website or in a journal article — I will always ask your permission first and will not proceed without it.

6. Data Protection and Privacy

Heritage Script is operated as a sole trader and complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

The personal data I collect — your name, email address, and any information you provide about your document or research — is used solely for the purpose of delivering the service you have requested. I do not share your data with third parties, use it for marketing without your consent, or retain it longer than necessary.

Document images you send me are stored securely and deleted once the commission is complete and payment has been received, unless you ask me to retain them.

You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of any personal data I hold about you. To exercise these rights, please contact me at .

7. Payment

All prices are quoted in British Pounds (£). A no-obligation quote is provided before any work begins. For complex documents, a paid assessment fee of £25 may apply — this is deducted from your final invoice if you proceed.

Once the transcription is complete, I will send you a preview (the first page, or approximately 25% of shorter documents) so you can verify quality and accuracy before making any payment. Payment is due only once you are satisfied with the work.

Payment is accepted via PayPal (to invoice@heritagescript.com — please select "Send to a Friend" to avoid unnecessary fees) or by bank transfer. Payment details are provided with your invoice. For large projects over £100, a 50% deposit may be arranged by prior agreement.

The complete transcription is delivered via Google Docs link immediately upon receipt of payment.

If you are not satisfied with the transcription, please contact me before making payment to discuss any concerns. Minor revisions are included in the price. If a significant dispute cannot be resolved, I will not require payment for work you do not consider fit for purpose.

8. Cancellation

You may cancel a commission at any time before work has begun at no charge. If work has already commenced, a partial fee reflecting time already spent may apply — I will discuss this with you fairly and transparently.

If I am unable to complete a commission — due to the document proving entirely illegible, or unforeseen circumstances on my part — I will inform you promptly and no charge will be made for incomplete work.

9. Contact

Heritage Script is operated by Maxine Collins, sole trader, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, England.

For any queries regarding these terms, or to exercise your data protection rights, please contact me at .

These terms were last updated in March 2026 and may be revised from time to time. The current version will always be available at heritagescript.com/terms.html.