1. About BuildConnect UK
BuildConnect UK is an online construction-project introduction marketplace operated by Oberon Engineering Ltd, company number 14106874, registered office 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London, England, W1W 5PF (we, us, our).
These Terms govern use of the BuildConnect UK website, accounts, project listings, introductions, messaging, document exchange, award records, commission invoicing and related services.
2. Acceptance and electronic records
By creating an account or continuing to use the platform after being asked to accept an updated version, you agree to these Terms. We record the version, date and time, account, IP address and browser information associated with acceptance for evidential and security purposes.
A project-specific Introduction & Success Commission Agreement is a separate binding record and forms part of the contractual framework between the relevant contractor and us.
3. Eligibility and accounts
You must be at least 18 years old and have legal capacity to use the platform. Contractors must use the platform in the course of a trade or business and must have authority to bind the company or business they represent.
You must provide accurate, current information, keep login credentials secure and tell us promptly if you believe an account has been compromised. You are responsible for activity carried out through your account unless caused by our breach.
4. What the platform does
We provide technology that helps clients publish construction opportunities and allows eligible contractors to request controlled introductions. We may provide company checks, project documents, messaging, award recording, commission invoicing and payment facilities.
We do not act as architect, engineer, quantity surveyor, contract administrator, principal designer, principal contractor, insurer, lender, escrow agent or legal adviser unless a separate written appointment expressly says otherwise.
5. Client responsibilities
Clients must have authority to publish a project and share the information uploaded to the platform. Project descriptions, budgets, programmes, addresses, documents and contact details must be accurate to the best of the client's knowledge and must not be unlawful, misleading or infringe another person's rights.
Clients remain responsible for contractor selection, tender evaluation, due diligence, appointments, building contracts, statutory approvals, payment obligations and project management.
6. Contractor responsibilities
Contractors are responsible for the accuracy of company information, competence, qualifications, insurance, licences, health and safety compliance, tax status, pricing, tender submissions, programmes, workmanship and contractual performance.
Contractors must keep insurance and verification information current and must notify us of material changes that could affect eligibility or verification status.
7. Company verification
A Companies House check or a VERIFIED badge is evidence of checks performed by the platform at a point in time. It is not a warranty, recommendation, credit assessment or guarantee of competence, solvency, insurance cover or future performance.
We may request further evidence, suspend verification or require re-verification where information is incomplete, expired, inconsistent or appears unreliable.
8. Controlled introductions and private information
Private client contact information and exact project details are restricted. They may be released to an approved contractor following the introduction process and any required commission acceptance.
Users must use private information only for the relevant project and must not scrape, resell, publish or misuse contact details or project documents.
9. Success commission
Before a contractor requests an introduction, the platform displays the applicable success-commission rate and requires acceptance of the current Introduction & Success Commission Agreement. The accepted agreement records the rate, basis, version, document hash, account and acceptance evidence.
If there is a conflict between these Terms and a project-specific accepted commission agreement about commission, the project-specific commission agreement prevails for that introduction.
10. Awards, invoices and payment
Clients may record the contractor awarded a project and the awarded contract value. Contractors must also notify us promptly where work arising from an introduction is awarded, including where the award is made outside the platform.
Commission invoices are payable by the due date stated on the invoice. Payments may be processed by Stripe or another disclosed payment provider. We do not store full payment-card details. VAT is charged only if and to the extent we are VAT registered and VAT is legally chargeable.
11. No circumvention
A user must not bypass, conceal or restructure an introduced opportunity, award, variation, phase, associated-company appointment or communication for the purpose of avoiding an agreed platform fee. This does not prevent the parties from negotiating the underlying building contract directly.
12. Construction contracts are separate
Any building contract, consultancy appointment, subcontract or other project agreement is between the client and contractor (or other appointed parties). We are not a party to that contract merely because the introduction, documents, messages, award or payment record appears on BuildConnect UK.
We do not guarantee that a project will proceed, that a contractor will win work, that information supplied by another user is complete, or that either party will perform its separate contract.
13. Documents, messages and content
You retain ownership of content you upload, but grant us a non-exclusive licence to host, copy, process and make it available as necessary to operate, secure and evidence the platform service.
You must not upload malicious code, unlawful material, unnecessary special-category personal data, or material you do not have the right to share.
14. Acceptable use
You must not interfere with platform security, impersonate others, create deceptive accounts, automate scraping, reverse engineer protected functionality, send spam, misuse project information, or use the service for unlawful or fraudulent activity.
We may investigate suspected misuse and preserve relevant records where reasonably necessary for security, disputes, legal claims or regulatory obligations.
15. Availability and changes
We aim to keep the service available but do not promise uninterrupted or error-free operation. We may change, maintain or withdraw features where reasonably necessary, including for security, legal, technical or commercial reasons.
Material changes to these Terms will be versioned. Where appropriate, we will require users to accept the updated version before continuing to use protected platform functions.
16. Suspension and termination
We may suspend or restrict an account where we reasonably believe there is fraud, security risk, serious breach, non-payment, inaccurate verification information, unlawful conduct or risk to other users. Where appropriate we will explain the reason and allow the user to contact us.
Termination does not remove accrued payment obligations, accepted commission obligations, confidentiality duties, audit records or provisions intended to survive termination.
17. Liability
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where the law does not allow it, including liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or death or personal injury caused by negligence.
To the extent permitted by law, we are not responsible for the acts, omissions, insolvency, pricing, workmanship or contractual performance of clients, contractors or other third parties, nor for losses arising from a separate construction contract to which we are not a party.
Nothing in these Terms affects mandatory statutory rights that apply to a user acting as a consumer.
18. Complaints and disputes
Please raise platform complaints promptly by emailing costi.i@oberonplc.co.uk with sufficient detail for us to investigate. Project-quality or building-contract disputes remain primarily matters between the parties to that separate contract.
These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory consumer protection that applies. The courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction except where applicable consumer law gives a user the right to bring proceedings elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
19. Company information and contact
Oberon Engineering Ltd is a private limited company registered in England and Wales under company number 14106874. Registered office: 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London, England, W1W 5PF.
Contact: costi.i@oberonplc.co.uk. BuildConnect UK is a service operated by Oberon Engineering Ltd.