Terms of Service
Terms of Service

APES CIC Associate Members Portal — Terms and Conditions

Version: 1.0.1

Effective date: 13 September 2025

Jurisdiction: England & Wales

Applies to: https://www.apesmembers.me.uk (the “Portal”)

Important: The Portal is a private, members‑only platform. All content on the Portal is confidential and may be accessed only by active account holders in good standing. Unauthorised sharing is prohibited and may result in termination and legal action.

1. Who we are

The Portal is operated by Association of Protecting Exotic Species CIC (“APES CIC”), a community interest company registered in England and Wales.

Company number: 16253848

Registered office: Cross House, Unit 7, Sutton Road, St Helens, WA9 3YH, United Kingdom

Contact: info@apes.org.uk | 0300 302 0998

These Terms and Conditions (the “Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Portal. By creating an account, logging in, or otherwise using the Portal, you agree to be bound by these Terms and by our Privacy Policy (https://www.apesmembers.me.uk/privacy). If you do not agree, do not use the Portal.

2. Eligibility (age and residency)

  • Age: You must be 18 years or older. By using the Portal, you represent that you are at least 18.
  • Residency: Membership and access are limited to UK residents. By registering, you confirm that you are resident in the United Kingdom.
  • One account per person: Accounts are personal and non‑transferable. Do not create an account on behalf of another person.

3. Accounts and security

You must provide accurate information and keep it up to date. Keep your login credentials confidential and do not share them. You are responsible for all activity on your account. Notify APES CIC promptly if you suspect unauthorised use or a security incident.

4. Membership fees and renewals

  • Annual fee: Associate membership requires payment of an annual fee of £30.00. Payment is mandatory for account validity.
  • Activation and term: Your account becomes active when payment is confirmed and remains active for 12 months from activation.
  • Renewal: To maintain access, pay the £30 renewal fee on or before your expiry date. We may send reminders, but renewal remains your responsibility.
  • Non‑payment: If payment is not received by the due date, your account may be suspended or terminated (see Section 10).
  • Refunds: Membership fees are non‑refundable, except where required by law.
  • Changes to fees: We may change fees for future terms; we will notify you in advance of any change.

5. Confidentiality, intellectual property and permitted use

  • Private and confidential: All content on the Portal (including text, documents, images, audio/video, data, and software) is confidential and owned by APES CIC or our licensors.
  • Licence: We grant you a limited, revocable, non‑exclusive, non‑transferable licence to access the Portal for your personal, non‑commercial use as an associate member.
  • Strict no‑distribution rule: Unless an item is clearly marked as downloadable for personal reference, you must not download, copy, print, screenshot, record, redistribute, publish, or otherwise share Portal content outside the Portal. Unauthorised disclosure is a serious breach and may lead to immediate termination and civil and/or criminal action.
  • Technical restrictions: Do not circumvent security, attempt unauthorised access, or use bots/scrapers/data‑mining tools.

6. Community standards and prohibited conduct

To keep the community safe and respectful, you agree not to:

  • harass, bully, threaten, or discriminate against any person;
  • post unlawful, defamatory, obscene, hateful, or infringing content;
  • impersonate any person or misrepresent your affiliation;
  • use the Portal for advertising, solicitation, spam, or other commercial purposes not authorised by APES CIC;
  • introduce malware or otherwise disrupt or degrade the Portal.

7. User‑generated content (UGC) and moderation

  • Your responsibility: You are responsible for any content you submit ("UGC"). Ensure you have the right to post it and that it complies with these Terms and the law. Avoid sharing personal data about others without consent.
  • Licence to APES CIC: You grant APES CIC a worldwide, royalty‑free, non‑exclusive licence to host, display, and distribute your UGC within the Portal and related member communications for the purposes of operating and improving the Portal. This licence ends when your UGC is deleted, subject to reasonable backups.
  • Moderation: The Portal is moderated by APES CIC staff, identifiable by badge on their profiles. Moderators may remove content, restrict features, or suspend/terminate accounts at APES CIC’s discretion for breaches of these Terms. Serious or repeat breaches may result in immediate action.
  • Reporting: Please report concerns to moderators or via the contact in Section 15.

8. Privacy

Your use of the Portal is subject to our Privacy Policy: https://www.apesmembers.me.uk/privacy. It explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, and your rights under UK data protection law (UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018). We use appropriate measures to protect your data but cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Availability, changes and maintenance

The Portal is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We may update content, features, or security controls and may suspend access for maintenance or for legal/operational reasons. We may also update these Terms under Section 13.

10. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate your account and access without prior notice if:

  • you breach these Terms (including confidentiality and IP restrictions);
  • you engage in unlawful, harmful, or disruptive conduct; or
  • membership fees are not paid when due.

You may cancel at any time; access continues until the end of your paid term. On termination, your licence ends and you must cease all use of Portal content and delete any confidential material in your possession (if any was lawfully downloaded under an express permission).

11. Disclaimers

  • No professional advice: Content is for general information only and is not veterinary, legal, or financial advice. Seek professional advice for your circumstances.
  • Third‑party links/resources: Any third‑party links are provided for convenience only. APES CIC does not endorse and is not responsible for third‑party sites or resources.

12. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, APES CIC and its officers, employees and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive losses, or loss of data, profits, goodwill, or business, arising from or relating to your use of the Portal. Our aggregate liability to you for all claims in any 12‑month period shall not exceed the total membership fees you paid to APES CIC in that period.

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded. Your statutory rights are not affected.

13. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes take effect when posted on the Portal (or a later effective date stated). Your continued use after changes means you accept the updated Terms. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Portal.

14. Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms and any dispute or claim (including non‑contractual disputes) are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except that UK consumers may bring claims in their local courts within the UK where applicable law permits.

15. Contact and complaints

Questions, concerns, or complaints:

16. Miscellaneous

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remainder will continue in full force. No failure to enforce is a waiver. These Terms (together with the Privacy Policy and any posted guidelines) constitute the entire agreement regarding the Portal and supersede any prior understandings.

APES Members Logo

Close