EliteDeskCo  ·  Last updated: 5 October 2026

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1. About these terms

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These terms set out how I work with clients. They apply to every package and every trial, together with the confidentiality agreement we sign and any written proposal or order confirmation I send you (together, "our agreement"). If anything in a proposal conflicts with these terms, the proposal wins.

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EliteDeskCo is a trading name of Dora Castro Machado, a sole trader based in London, England. Email: info@elitedeskco.com. A postal address for formal notices is available on request. In these terms, "I" and "me" mean EliteDeskCo, and "you" means the client named in your proposal.

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My services are designed for businesses and professionals. By booking, you confirm you are acting for the purposes of your trade, business or profession.

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2. Getting started

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• Every partnership starts with a free 30-minute discovery call, followed by my package recommendation.

• Our agreement begins when you accept my proposal in writing (email is fine) and pay your first invoice.

• We both sign the confidentiality agreement before I open any file or receive any login.

• During onboarding, we agree how access will be shared (always through a password manager), your priorities, and how you like to communicate.

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3. Packages and what is included

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• Reclaim: 20 hours a month for £840 (£42 an hour)

• Elevate: 40 hours a month for £1,600 (£40 an hour)

• Drive: 60 hours a month (flexible up to 100) for £2,280 (£38 an hour)

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The services included in each package are described on my website and in your proposal. Every package includes support in English, Portuguese and Spanish for everyday communication (such as emails, updates and liaising with overseas suppliers) and a monthly Friction/Focus report. Formal translation of documents and ongoing stakeholder management are part of the Drive package.

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Prices are in pounds sterling. I am not VAT registered, so no VAT is charged.

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For the Drive package, hours above 60 in a month (up to 100) are charged at £38 per hour, agreed in advance and invoiced upfront in the same way as extension hours.

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4. Fees, invoicing and payment

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• Packages are fixed monthly retainers, invoiced in full and in advance at the start of each billing month.

• Invoices are payable within 7 days by bank transfer. Support for a new billing month begins once that month's invoice is paid.

• If an invoice is overdue, I may pause support until it is paid. I may also charge statutory interest and compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

• You are responsible for any bank or currency charges on payments from outside the UK, so that I receive the full invoiced amount.

• I may review my prices once a year. I will give you at least 60 days' written notice of any change, and it will take effect from the start of a billing month.

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5. Hours and how they are used

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• 20 hours a month is the minimum. I do not offer standalone hourly or one-off work.

• Hours are recorded in increments of 15 minutes and summarised in your monthly report.

• Unused hours do not roll over into the next month and are not refunded. If you regularly have hours left over, I will suggest a package that fits better.

• Extension hours: existing clients can add extra hours in any month at their package's hourly rate. Extension hours are invoiced upfront and are guaranteed when you give me at least 48 hours' notice. With less notice, I will do my best but cannot guarantee them.

• Changing package: you can upgrade or downgrade from the start of any billing month by letting me know at least 7 days before the new billing month starts.

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6. The 7-Day Risk-Free Trial 

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Every new partnership begins with the 7-Day Risk-Free Trial.

• Your first month is invoiced upfront in the usual way.

• The 7 days start once access has been set up and I can begin work.

• We have a check-in on day 7 to review how things are going.

• If you decide it is not right for you, tell me in writing by the end of day 7. There is no notice period and no fee. You pay only for the hours I have worked, at your package's hourly rate, and I refund the rest of your first invoice within 48 hours.

• If you do not end the trial by the end of day 7, our agreement continues on a monthly basis.

• The trial applies once, to your first package with me.

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7. Ending our agreement

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• After the trial, either of us can end our agreement by giving 30 days' written notice, ending at the close of a billing month. Fees already invoiced for the notice period remain payable.

• Either of us can end our agreement straight away by written notice if the other seriously breaches it and does not put it right within 14 days of being asked, or becomes insolvent.

• I may end our agreement straight away if you ask me to do anything unlawful, unsafe or unethical.

• When our agreement ends, I will hand back your files and remove my access to your systems, and I will delete any of your information I still hold within 30 days unless the law requires me to keep it. Please change any passwords I have had access to.

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8. Holidays and illness

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• I share planned leave at least 4 weeks in advance, with a handover and auto-replies set up beforehand.

• If I am unexpectedly unavailable, I will let you know the same day. Any hours I could not deliver that month will be credited to the next month or refunded, whichever you prefer.

• I will not pass your work to anyone else without your prior written agreement. If you agree to cover from a vetted associate, they will be bound by the same confidentiality and data protection terms as me.

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9. How we work together

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What I will do:

• provide the services with reasonable skill and care, as your one point of contact

• work during my normal working hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm UK time, and reply to messages within one working day. I am not a 24/7 service.

• follow your reasonable instructions and tell you promptly if I think something will be late or cannot be done

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What I need from you:

• timely access, information and decisions, so I can do the work

• accurate information, and confirmation that you have the right to share it with me.

• your own systems kept secure and backed up.

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I am not responsible for delays caused by late information, access or approvals.

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10. Authority and limits

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• I will only send messages, accept bookings, make payments or commit you to anything on your behalf within the limits you have authorised in writing.

• I provide administrative and operational support. I do not give legal, tax, financial, investment or regulated advice. Financial admin and pre-accounting support do not replace an accountant.

• Formal translations are prepared carefully but are not certified or sworn translations unless we agree otherwise in writing.

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11. Tools and AI

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I use business software and, for some repetitive first-pass work, AI tools. I review everything personally, make the judgement calls myself and remain responsible for the work I deliver. I will not put your confidential information into any AI tool that uses inputs to train its models. If you would prefer I do not use AI tools on your work at all, just tell me.

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12. Third-party costs

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You pay directly for your own software subscriptions, travel, bookings and other third-party costs. If I pay any such cost for you with your agreement, you will reimburse me at cost.

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13. Confidentiality

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Confidentiality is at the heart of how I work. We sign a confidentiality agreement before I open any file, and it continues after our agreement ends. If anything in these terms conflicts with the confidentiality agreement, the confidentiality agreement wins on matters of confidentiality.

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14. Data protection

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When I handle personal information on your behalf (for example, your contacts, clients or suppliers), you are the controller and I am your processor. We will each comply with UK data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. In particular, I will:

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• only process the information on your documented instructions, for the purpose of providing the services

• keep it confidential and secure, using password managers and two-factor authentication

• only use the sub-processors listed in my Privacy Policy, tell you before adding new ones, and make sure they are bound by similar obligations

• only transfer it outside the UK with appropriate safeguards in place

• help you respond to requests from individuals exercising their rights, and with data protection impact assessments where reasonably needed

• tell you without undue delay, and within 48 hours, after becoming aware of a personal data breach affecting your information

• delete or return the information when our agreement ends, unless the law requires me to keep it

• give you the information you reasonably need to show these obligations are being met

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You are responsible for having a lawful basis to share personal information with me. How I handle personal information about you as my client is explained in my Privacy Policy.

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15. Intellectual property

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• You own the work I create specifically for you, such as documents, SOPs, reports and content, once you have paid for it.

• I keep ownership of my own templates, systems, methods and know-how (such as my Four-Folder System) that I used before or develop independently. You may use any of these that form part of your deliverables for your own business.

• I will not mention you as a client or use a testimonial without your permission.

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16. Liability

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• Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or anything else that cannot legally be limited.

• I am not liable for loss of profits, revenue, business, opportunity or goodwill, or for any indirect or consequential loss.

• I am not liable for losses caused by your instructions, by information you provide, or by the failure of third-party software, platforms or suppliers.

• My total liability to you in connection with our agreement is limited to the fees you paid me in the 3 months before the event giving rise to the claim.

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I hold professional indemnity and cyber insurance arranged through PolicyBee.

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17. Events outside our control

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Neither of us is responsible for delays or failures caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as a major power, internet or platform outage. If this happens, whichever of us is affected will tell the other as soon as possible.

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18. Complaints

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If something is not right, please tell me straight away at info@elitedeskco.com. I will acknowledge your concern within 2 working days and aim to resolve it within 10 working days.

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19. General

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• We are independent businesses. Nothing in our agreement creates employment, partnership or agency, except for the specific authority you give me in writing.

• I may update these terms. Changes will apply to existing clients from the next billing month after I give you at least 30 days' notice.

• Neither of us may transfer our agreement to someone else without the other's written consent.

• If any part of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the rest still applies.

• Our agreement is the whole agreement between us about the services.

• Notices must be in writing, which includes email.

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20. Governing law

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These terms and our agreement are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.

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21. Using this website

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• The content on elitedeskco.com, including text, blog posts, images and branding, belongs to EliteDeskCo or is used with permission. You may share links and quote short extracts with credit, but please do not copy or republish content without asking.

• Blog posts and articles are general information only and are not legal, financial or tax advice. Please take professional advice for your own situation.

• I do my best to keep the website accurate and available, but I cannot guarantee it will always be error-free or uninterrupted.

• Links to other websites are provided for convenience. I am not responsible for their content.

• How I use your information is explained in my Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

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