Cancellation & Refund Policy
How withdrawals, cancellations, deposits, delivery problems and statutory consumer rights are handled for bespoke artwork.
Before a commission is agreed
You can withdraw an enquiry at any time before a commission contract is formed. There is nothing to refund because the enquiry form itself takes no payment.
After a bespoke commission is agreed
Commissioned portraits are made to the customer’s specifications. Bespoke or clearly personalised goods are generally treated differently from standard goods for distance-selling change-of-mind cancellation rights. This does not affect statutory rights where artwork is faulty, damaged, materially not as agreed, or applicable services are not performed with reasonable care and skill.
Deposits and customer cancellation
A 50% deposit will normally be required before work begins. Its purpose is to confirm the commission and secure the work slot.
If you ask to cancel before work on the artwork has started, the deposit will normally be refunded in full. If Em has already incurred a genuine, non-recoverable cost specifically for your commission and that cost can lawfully be taken into account, Em will explain it rather than automatically retaining the whole deposit.
If you cancel after work has begun, the deposit is not automatically forfeited in full. Any deduction from money already paid will be limited to what is reasonable in the circumstances, taking account of the stage reached, work completed, materials used or committed, the personalised nature of the artwork and other genuine losses caused by the cancellation. Because bespoke artwork may have little or no resale value, the reasonable amount retained can increase as work progresses.
Any remaining refundable balance will normally be returned through the original payment route where reasonably possible.
If Em Curri Art cancels
If Em cannot complete an accepted commission for reasons that are not your fault, she will contact you as soon as reasonably possible. Where the agreed work or goods will not be supplied, amounts paid for them will normally be refunded. If both sides agree, a revised completion date may instead be arranged. This is subject to your statutory rights and the circumstances of the contract.
Faulty or not-as-described work
If you believe the finished artwork is faulty, damaged, or materially different from what was agreed, contact em.curri.art@gmail.com promptly with your commission reference and details. Where relevant, photographs can help Em assess the issue.
Depending on the circumstances and your statutory rights, an appropriate remedy may include repair, redrawing or replacement where reasonably possible, an appropriate price reduction, or a refund. Em may offer a practical correction first where that is appropriate, but this policy does not restrict any remedy to which you are legally entitled.
Artistic interpretation or a minor subjective difference from a reference photograph does not by itself mean a hand-drawn portrait is faulty; the finished work will be assessed against the agreed brief, quotation and applicable consumer rights.
Artwork lost or damaged during delivery
Where delivery is arranged by Em Curri Art, responsibility for the artwork remains with Em Curri Art until you, or a person you identify, takes physical possession of it. If your artwork is lost in transit or arrives damaged, contact Em as soon as reasonably possible with your commission reference. Keep the packaging and provide photographs of the artwork and packaging where available.
Em Curri Art will resolve the issue with you. Depending on the circumstances and your rights, an appropriate remedy may include repair, redrawing or replacement where reasonably possible, an appropriate price reduction, or a refund. Any compensation or insurance claim against the courier will be handled separately by Em Curri Art and does not replace your rights against Em Curri Art.
If you independently choose and arrange a carrier that Em Curri Art did not offer, different statutory rules can apply to when responsibility for the artwork passes to you. If you provide an incorrect delivery address, Em will reasonably try to help recover or redirect the parcel, but responsibility for resulting loss or additional delivery costs will depend on the circumstances.
Payments and refund route
Stripe may be used to collect the deposit and final balance. If a refund of a Stripe payment is agreed, Em Curri Art will normally return it through the original payment route where reasonably possible. Stripe refund events are reconciled with the commission record so the customer payment history can reflect full or partial refunds. Do not send card, bank, wallet or other payment credentials by email.
Stripe fees are an internal business cost and are not deducted from an otherwise refundable customer amount merely because the original payment was made by card. Em Curri Art is currently not VAT registered, so VAT is not charged.
How to request a cancellation or refund
Email em.curri.art@gmail.com and include your name, commission reference and a short explanation of the request or problem. For delivery damage, include photographs of the artwork and packaging where possible.
Nothing in this policy limits your statutory consumer rights. See the Terms & Conditions for the wider commission terms and the Privacy Policy for how payment and enquiry information is handled.