terms & conditions

Last Updated: [Insert Date]

1. INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Search The Records, a website and service operated by Search The Records Ltd (“we”, “us”, “our”).

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) form a legally binding agreement between you (“you”, “user”) and us, governing your access to and use of our website, services, databases, and related features (the “Service”).

By using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Service.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE SERVICE

Search The Records provides access to historical and genealogical records, including (but not limited to):

• Census records

• Parish registers (baptisms, marriages, burials)

• Military records

• Civil registration records

• Electoral registers

• Probate and archival collections

The Service may include both original images and transcribed data.

3. CHANGES TO THE SERVICE

We may:

• Modify, update, or remove features

• Add or remove record collections

• Restrict access to parts of the Service

We are not obliged to maintain any specific content or feature.

4. ELIGIBILITY

You must:

• Be at least 18 years old; or

• Use the Service under supervision of a parent or guardian

5. USER ACCOUNTS

5.1 Account Creation

You may be required to create an account to access certain features.

You agree to:

• Provide accurate information

• Keep your login details secure

• Accept responsibility for activity under your account

5.2 Account Suspension

We may suspend or terminate accounts that:

• Breach these Terms

• Engage in misuse or abuse

• Provide false or misleading information

6. SUBSCRIPTIONS & PAYMENTS

Where applicable:

• Fees will be clearly displayed before purchase

• Subscriptions may renew automatically

• You may cancel at any time before renewal

Refunds are only provided where required by law or explicitly stated.

7. USE OF THE SERVICE

7.1 Permitted Use

You may use the Service for:

• Personal research

• Family history exploration

• Non-commercial purposes

7.2 Prohibited Use

You must not:

• Copy or extract data in bulk

• Use bots, crawlers, or scraping tools

• Reproduce or resell records

• Create competing databases

• Circumvent security or access controls

We reserve the right to block access or take legal action if misuse occurs.

8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All content, including:

• Databases

• Transcriptions

• Images

• Website design

• Code and structure

is owned by or licensed to Search The Records Ltd.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence for personal use only.

9. USER-GENERATED CONTENT

If you submit or upload content (e.g. corrections, notes, family trees):

You grant us:

• A worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free licence

• To use, display, adapt, and distribute such content

You confirm that:

• You have the rights to submit the content

• It does not infringe third-party rights

10. DATA SOURCES & ACCURACY

Records are derived from historical sources which may:

• Contain errors or omissions

• Reflect outdated or biased information

We do not guarantee:

• Accuracy

• Completeness

• Reliability

Use of records is at your own risk.

11. AVAILABILITY

We do not guarantee that the Service will be:

• Continuous

• Error-free

• Secure at all times

We may suspend access for maintenance or technical reasons.

12. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

The Service may link to third-party websites or services.

We are not responsible for:

• Their content

• Their availability

• Their policies

13. PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy.

We process personal data in accordance with:

• UK GDPR

• Data Protection Act 2018

14. DATA RETENTION

We retain user data:

• For as long as your account is active

• As required for legal or operational purposes

You may request deletion of your account at any time.

15. SECURITY

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect data.

However, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

We shall not be liable for:

• Indirect or consequential losses

• Loss of data or research

• Errors in records

Our total liability shall not exceed the amount paid by you in the previous 12 months.

17. INDEMNITY

You agree to indemnify us against any claims arising from:

• Your misuse of the Service

• Your breach of these Terms

• Your infringement of third-party rights

18. TERMINATION

We may suspend or terminate your access if you breach these Terms.

You may close your account at any time.

19. LEGAL COMPLIANCE

We may disclose information where required to:

• Comply with legal obligations

• Respond to lawful requests from authorities

• Protect our rights or users

20. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS

We may update these Terms from time to time.

Continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of any changes.

21. GOVERNING LAW

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of those courts.

22. CONTACT

Search The Records Ltd
[Insert Address]
[Insert Email]
[Insert Website]