Cleaning & Repair Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions apply to all sneaker and footwear cleaning, restoration, and repair services provided by Sneaker Pharm Ltd ("we", "us", "our"). By submitting footwear to us, you ("the customer") agree to the following terms.

1. Nature of Repair, Worn & Vintage Footwear, and Inherent Risk

1.1 Footwear repair and restoration is not an exact science. All shoes we receive are used, worn, or vintage, and may contain hidden wear, material fatigue, dry rot, oxidised plastics, degraded foams, weakened stitching, stretched uppers, previous repair attempts, or any damage caused by the customer's own actions prior to submission that are not visible until work has commenced.

1.2 Vintage, heavily worn, or customer-damaged shoes carry a significantly higher risk of failure. Materials may crumble, crack, separate, bleed dye, or react unpredictably during cleaning or repair due to age, wear, or pre-existing conditions. These risks exist regardless of skill or care.

1.3 Repairs are performed under a working handicap. We must work with the condition, construction methods, tolerances, and adhesives already present in the shoe. All services are carried out to the standard of a reasonably competent shoe repair and cleaning specialist, not to the standard of a new, unused, or factory-manufactured product. Outcomes can vary and results will not replicate brand-new or factory-fresh condition.

2. Sole Regluing & Adhesive Limitations

2.1 Sole separation repairs involve bonding new adhesive to existing materials and/or old adhesives. Adhesive bonding over previous glues, factory cement, or unknown substances may reduce bond strength and longevity.

2.2 New glue application cannot always be applied with factory-level precision and may spread, wick, or cure unpredictably. Glue may:

Show through or around bonded areas
Dry with visible lines, residue, or sheen
Create additional or uneven glue lines
Stain, darken, or mark uppers and surrounding materials
React differently with various materials
Adhere unevenly due to old glue layers or material fatigue

2.3 Reglued soles may fail again due to normal wear, flexing, moisture, heat, or material breakdown. This is not considered a fault of workmanship.

3. Cleaning & Repair Process Risks

3.1 Cleaning and repair processes may involve water, solvents, heat, pressure, abrasion, deconstruction, and specialised adhesives. These processes can affect the uppers, soles, and overall appearance of the shoe.

3.2 Due to the construction of modern footwear, it is often impossible to perform fully invisible repairs. Glue lines, texture changes, colour variation, or surface marks may be visible after repair, particularly around soles, midsoles, and bonded areas.

3.3 Cleaning may reveal or worsen pre-existing issues including but not limited to:

Discolouration or dye bleed
Glue stains or factory flaws
Cracks, peeling, or weakened panels
Material shrinkage, warping, or stiffness
Damage caused by the customer prior to submission

3.4 We are not responsible for cosmetic changes or failures caused by the repair or cleaning process where such changes are unavoidable, necessary to complete the service, or arise from pre-existing conditions or customer actions.

4. Damage & Liability Disclaimer

4.1 While reasonable care and skill are always exercised, we are not liable for damage, failure, or adverse outcomes resulting from:

Aged, vintage, worn, or customer-damaged materials
Material fatigue, dry rot, or oxidation
Previous repairs or factory defects
Adhesive failure due to old glue layers
Necessary repair or cleaning processes

4.2 Cosmetic changes, further separation, cracking, tearing, delamination, staining, or dye bleed that occur during or after service are considered accepted risks, not faults.

4.3 Our liability, where applicable under law, is limited strictly to the value of the service provided, and does not extend to the replacement value of the footwear.

5. No Guarantee of Factory Finish, Returns, or Refunds

5.1 Our services aim to improve wearability, hygiene, and appearance where reasonably possible. We do not offer, imply, or guarantee a brand-new, factory-level, or retail-ready finish.

5.2 Variations in finish, alignment, texture, colour, glue visibility, or overall appearance are a normal and accepted outcome of repair work on used, worn, vintage, or customer-damaged footwear.

5.3 Due to the unpredictable nature of footwear repair and cleaning, and in accordance with UK consumer law:

All services are bespoke and irreversible once commenced
Refunds are not provided for dissatisfaction relating to cosmetic outcome, longevity, or future performance

5.4 Nothing in these terms excludes liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, in line with the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.

6. Lead Times, Process Duration & Post-Repair Responsibility

6.1 All quoted lead times are estimates only. Footwear repair and cleaning involves drying, curing, bonding, inspection, and testing periods that cannot be rushed without compromising results.

6.2 During the repair or cleaning process, additional issues may become apparent that require:

Extended drying or curing time
Additional preparation or corrective work
Pausing work to reassess viability

6.3 We reserve the right to extend lead times where necessary to ensure work is carried out using reasonable care and skill. Delays do not constitute grounds for cancellation, refund, or compensation.

6.4 Customers agree not to rush, pressure, or request shortcuts in the repair or cleaning process. Any attempt to rush work may result in refusal of service.

6.5 Once shoes are collected or returned, all responsibility transfers to the customer. We are not responsible for post-service failure caused by wear and tear, improper use, exposure to water or heat, heavy flexing, sports activity, or issues originating from customer actions prior to submission.

7. Refusal of Service

7.1 We reserve the right to refuse or discontinue service on any footwear deemed too fragile, unsafe, or unsuitable for repair.

7.2 If repair is attempted and deemed unviable mid-process, labour costs may still apply.

8. Customer Acknowledgement

By submitting footwear to Sneaker Pharm Ltd, you confirm that:

You understand and accept all risks outlined above
You authorise us to proceed using professional judgement
You waive any claim for compensation beyond the original service fee

Sneaker Pharm Ltd reserves the right to update these Terms and Conditions at any time.