Terms of Business
1. Introduction and Definitions
These Terms of Business govern the relationship between COP3.net and any client, referrer, professional, or organisation engaging our services. By booking or using our services, you agree to be bound by these terms.
In these Terms, the following definitions apply:
• "COP3.net", "we", "us" or "our" refers to the COP3.net assessment service and its team of assessors.
• "Client" refers to the person who is the subject of the capacity assessment (the person being assessed).
• "Referrer" refers to the professional, family member, or organisation engaging COP3.net to carry out the assessment.
• "Assessment" refers to the remote COP3 capacity assessment conducted via Microsoft Teams.
• "Report" refers to the written COP3 report produced following the Assessment.
• "Service" refers collectively to all services provided by COP3.net, including the Assessment and Report.
2. About the Service
COP3.net provides a rapid, remote COP3 capacity assessment service. All assessments are conducted online via a secure Microsoft Teams link, the same secure platform used by the NHS. Our team comprises registered professionals drawn from medicine, nursing, social work, and occupational therapy.
Our standard service includes:
• Pre-assessment case preparation by our admin and clinical care teams.
• A remote capacity assessment of up to 1 hour in duration.
• A written COP3 report, quality-checked by a senior clinician and delivered within 72 hours of the assessment.
COP3.net is suitable for Property and Affairs assessments only. We may deem that we can provide a PA14 Probate Medical Certificate assessment, but this is at the discretion of the clinical lead. We are unable to accept referrals for assessments relating to personal welfare decisions or where the client’s total estate exceeds £1m in value, and recommend you contact our expert partner, Nova Care Consultations.
3. Eligibility for the Online Service
The online COP3 service is suitable where all of the following conditions are met:
1. The referrer is a professional, family member, or other concerned party acting in the client’s interests.
2. The COP3 is required for Property and Affairs only (or a PA14, where a clinical lead has given agreement that this is appropriate to conduct remotely)
3. The client’s total estate is under £1,000,000 in value.
4. The client is not living with an impairment or disturbance in the functioning of the mind or brain (including but not limited to a stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, or Huntington’s disease). Note: such conditions do not automatically disqualify a client from in-person assessment.
5. The client can be seen alone via video call, with the assessor able to view the room, for up to 1 hour.
6. There is no professional, family member, or third party who may seek to challenge the report or its outcome in legal proceedings.
Where one or more of these conditions are not met, we may be unable to provide the online service. In such circumstances, we will seek to refer you to an appropriate alternative, and we recommend Nova Care Consultants, a leading UK provider of face-to-face assessment services across England and Wales.
4. Fees and Payment
Our standard fee for a COP3 assessment and report is £499 (inclusive of all charges). There are no hidden fees and no tax (VAT) to pay.
An urgent or same-day assessment and report service is available from £899, subject to assessor availability. Urgent requests should be made directly via email to admin@cop3.net and not booked online.
Payment terms:
• Payment is required in full prior to the assessment being carried out.
• We accept payment by bank transfer. Bank details will be provided upon booking confirmation.
• Assessments will not be confirmed until payment has been received and cleared.
• Invoices will be issued to all instructing parties.
• A schedule of terms will be sent along with the invoice to agree on the service booked.
5. Booking and Confirmation
Assessments may be booked via our online booking system at www.cop3.net/booking or by emailing admin@cop3.net. A booking is not confirmed until:
• We have confirmed eligibility for the online service.
• Payment has been received in full.
• A date and time has been agreed and confirmed in writing by COP3.net.
It is the Referrer’s responsibility to ensure the client is available, prepared, and able to engage in the video assessment at the agreed time. The client must be seen alone during the assessment, without other persons present in the room unless prior agreement has been obtained from COP3.net.
6. Cancellations, Rescheduling and Refunds
The following cancellation policy applies:
• Cancellations made more than 5 working days before the scheduled assessment: full refund.
• Cancellations made between 2 and 5 working days before the scheduled assessment: 50% refund.
• Cancellations made within 2 working days of the scheduled assessment: no refund.
Where the client is unavailable or unable to proceed at the time of the assessment without prior notice, the full fee is forfeited.
Where the client is unavailable or unable to proceed at the time of the assessment due to a sudden clinical emergency, we may agree to rebook at a later date/time at our discretion. We reserve the right to charge for another assessment, or we may reduce this fee by up to 50% if we are provided evidence of the clinical emergency.
Rescheduling requests made more than 5 working days before the assessment will be accommodated.
Rescheduling requests made between 1 and 4 working days before the assessment will incur an administration fee of £100.
7. Conduct of the Assessment
All assessments are conducted remotely via a secure Microsoft Teams link provided by COP3.net. The assessor will:
• Introduce themselves and explain the purpose of the assessment to the client.
• Conduct the assessment in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the associated Code of Practice.
• Require the client to be seen alone and in a private space for the duration of the assessment.
• Take reasonable steps to verify the client’s identity before proceeding.
COP3.net reserves the right to terminate an assessment where it is not possible to conduct it fairly, safely, or in accordance with professional standards. In such cases, no refunds are offered.
8. The COP3 or PA14 Report
Following the assessment, a written COP3 / PA14 report will be prepared by the assessing clinician and quality-checked by a senior member of the COP3.net team. The report will normally be delivered within 72 hours of the assessment being completed.
The report reflects the independent clinical opinion of the assessing professional. COP3.net cannot guarantee any particular outcome or finding. The Court of Protection and/or Probate Registry retains the right to accept or reject any COP3 or PA14 report submitted.
Reports are provided to the Referrer (instructing party) only. Additional copies can be provided, which may incur an additional admin fee of £10 per report.
COP3.net will not share the report directly with any third party without the consent of the Referrer or the person assessed, except where required by law.
9. Professional Standards and Independence
All COP3.net assessors are registered professionals regulated by their respective professional bodies (including, but not limited to, the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Social Work England, and the Health and Care Professions Council).
All assessors maintain appropriate professional indemnity insurance.
Our assessors act independently and in accordance with their professional duties. COP3.net does not accept instructions to reach a particular outcome. Any attempt to influence the outcome of an assessment may result in the assessment being terminated and the referral being declined without refund.
10. Data Protection and Confidentiality
COP3.net takes its data protection obligations seriously. We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
By engaging our services, you consent to COP3.net processing personal data (including sensitive clinical information) for the purposes of:
• Carrying out the capacity assessment.
• Preparing and delivering the COP3 report.
• Maintaining records as required by professional and legal obligations.
• Communicating with the Referrer in connection with the assessment.
Personal data will not be shared with third parties except where required by law or professional regulation. All data is stored securely and retained in accordance with applicable data retention requirements.
11. Limitation of Liability
COP3.net’s liability to any Referrer or client shall be limited to the fee paid for the relevant Assessment. COP3.net shall not be liable for any indirect, consequential, or special loss arising from the use of our services, including but not limited to decisions made by the Court of Protection or any third party relying on our report.
Nothing in these Terms shall limit or exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
12. Complaints
COP3.net is committed to providing a high-quality service. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, please contact us in the first instance by emailing admin@cop3.net. We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to provide a full response within 20 working days.
Where a complaint relates to the professional conduct of an individual assessor, you will be directed to raise the matter with the relevant professional regulatory body, as we do not have the power to investigate matters on the practitioners’ professional conduct, but we shall assist and aid any complaint, where required.
13. Governing Law
These Terms of Business are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
14. Changes to These Terms
COP3.net reserves the right to update or amend these Terms of Business at any time. The current version will always be available at www.cop3.net. Continued use of our services following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about these Terms of Business, please contact us:
Email: admin@cop3.net
Website: www.cop3.net