Platform Terms and Conditions

IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE — PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS PLATFORM

By creating an account or using this platform, you enter into a legally binding contract with Gitwix Limited. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the platform.

1. About Us and the Platform

1.1 FieldFinders (the "Platform") is operated by Gitwix Limited, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 15817715, with its registered office at 9 Owen Street, Manchester, M15 4AU, United Kingdom ("we", "us", "our", the "Company").

1.2 The Platform is an online introduction and booking marketplace that connects registered landowners ("Landowners") with registered metal detectorists ("Detectorists") (together "Users", or individually "you"). The Platform does not own land, does not conduct detecting activities, and is not a party to any Search Agreement entered into between a Landowner and a Detectorist.

1.3 We act solely as a technology intermediary and facilitator. We provide the tools, interface, and payment processing infrastructure that enables Landowners and Detectorists to find each other, agree terms, and conduct bookings. We do not supervise, direct, or control the activities carried out on any land booked through the Platform.

1.4 These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding your use of the Platform. They are governed by the law of England and Wales.

2. Definitions

In these Terms:

• Booking means a confirmed arrangement between a Landowner and Detectorist facilitated through the Platform, including a Search Agreement and associated payment.
• Company means Gitwix Limited.
• Detectorist means a User who registers on the Platform to search for metal detecting permissions on land listed by Landowners.
• Finds means any object, artefact, coin, metal item or material discovered through metal detecting activities on Listed Land.
• Landowner means a User who registers on the Platform to list their land and offer Permissions.
• Listed Land means any land that a Landowner has listed on the Platform for Detectorists to book.
• Permission means the authorisation granted by a Landowner to a Detectorist to enter and conduct metal detecting activities on Listed Land, subject to a Search Agreement.
• Platform Fee means the fee charged by us for facilitating the Booking, as set out on the Platform.
• Search Agreement means the direct contractual arrangement between a Landowner and Detectorist governing the terms of entry and detecting on the Listed Land, as facilitated through the Platform.
• Treasure has the meaning given to it by the Treasure Act 1996.
• User Content means any text, images, descriptions, or other material submitted by Users to the Platform.

3. Eligibility and Registration

3.1 Age. You must be at least 18 years of age to register and use the Platform. By registering, you warrant that you are at least 18 years old. We reserve the right to verify your age at any time and to suspend or terminate accounts where this requirement is not met.

3.2 Capacity. If you are a Landowner, you warrant that you are the legal owner of the Listed Land, or that you have the lawful authority of the legal owner to grant Permission to Detectorists. You must also have the consent of any tenant or leaseholder where applicable.

3.3 Account Accuracy. You must provide accurate, current, and complete information when registering. You must keep your account information updated. We may suspend or terminate your account if information is found to be inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete.

3.4 Account Security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials. You must not share your account with any other person. You are responsible for all activity conducted through your account.

3.5 One Account. Each User may hold one account only. Creating multiple accounts is prohibited and may result in immediate termination of all accounts held by you.

3.6 Verification. Detectorists are required to provide a photograph of their current NCMD or FID membership card at the point of booking. This membership includes the £10,000,000 public liability insurance required to detect on private land, and the photograph is the only proof of cover we ask for. We may, at our discretion, require additional proof of identity or membership before or after booking. Provision of false documents will constitute a material breach of these Terms.

4. Our Role as Intermediary

4.1 Introduction Service Only. The Platform provides an introduction and facilitation service only. We are not a party to any Search Agreement between a Landowner and Detectorist. We do not become a party to such agreements merely by facilitating a Booking or processing payment.

4.2 No Control Over Land Activities. We have no control over, and accept no responsibility for, the activities conducted by any Detectorist on any Listed Land. We do not supervise, monitor, or inspect activities carried out during any Booking.

4.3 No Warranties Regarding Users. We do not verify, warrant, or represent the identity, qualifications, honesty, reliability, or suitability of any User. Any information provided by Users on the Platform is their own responsibility. We are not responsible for the accuracy of land listings, permissions, or User profiles.

4.4 No Employment or Agency Relationship. Nothing in these Terms creates an employment, partnership, agency, joint venture, or franchise relationship between the Company and any User. We are not the agent of either party to a Search Agreement.

4.5 Platform Availability. We do not guarantee that the Platform will be available at all times, error-free, or uninterrupted. We may suspend or withdraw the Platform for maintenance, updates, or any other reason at our discretion, with or without notice.

5. Landowner Obligations

5.1 By listing land on the Platform, each Landowner warrants, represents, and undertakes that:

• They are the legal owner of the Listed Land or have full and lawful authority to grant Permission;
• The Listed Land is not a Scheduled Monument, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a World Heritage Site, a site subject to a Historic Environment Scotland designation, a National Trust or similar heritage property where detecting is prohibited, or any other protected or legally restricted area under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 or any successor legislation;
• The Listed Land is not subject to any Countryside Stewardship Scheme or Agri-environment agreement that prohibits or restricts metal detecting without written consent from the relevant authority;
• They have checked and are aware of any utilities, pipelines, unexploded ordnance risk, contamination, drainage, or other land hazards that may affect the safety of persons entering the land;
• They will inform Detectorists of known land hazards before or at the time of Booking confirmation;
• They understand their obligations as an occupier under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 in relation to lawful visitors and acknowledge that these obligations are their sole responsibility;
• They will comply with the Treasure Act 1996 and will cooperate with any Detectorist in reporting Treasure finds to the relevant Coroner within the statutory 14-day period;
• The listing is accurate and not misleading;
• They will honour confirmed Bookings except in circumstances beyond their reasonable control.

5.2 The Landowner is solely responsible for ensuring their land is safe and suitable for metal detecting. We accept no liability for any failure by a Landowner to comply with the obligations set out in Clause 5.1.

5.3 Landowners must not list any land that they do not own or have authority over. Fraudulent listings are a criminal matter and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

6. Detectorist Obligations

6.1 By making a Booking through the Platform, each Detectorist warrants, represents, and undertakes that:

• They hold a current NCMD or FID membership (which includes public liability insurance of at least £10,000,000) and will share their membership card photograph with the Landowner at the point of booking as evidence of cover;
• They will comply with the Treasure Act 1996 and will report any Treasure (or suspected Treasure) finds to the relevant Coroner within 14 days of discovery, or within 14 days of realising a find may constitute Treasure;
• They will comply with the Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting in England and Wales (or the equivalent for Scotland and Northern Ireland) and the NCMD Code of Conduct;
• They will not detect on any Scheduled Monument, SSSI, protected site, or any area outside the boundaries specified in the Search Agreement;
• They will fill all excavated holes properly and reinstate the ground to its prior condition;
• They will remove all rubbish and leave the land in the condition in which they found it;
• They will immediately stop digging and seek expert assistance if they discover anything unusual including potential unexploded ordnance, human remains, or archaeological hoards, and will contact the appropriate authorities;
• They will obtain the consent of both the landowner and any tenant or leaseholder before detecting;
• They will comply with all conditions set out in the Search Agreement and any reasonable instructions given by the Landowner;
• They acknowledge that the Landowner owns all non-Treasure finds made on the land unless otherwise agreed in writing in the Search Agreement;
• They will not trespass beyond the agreed area and will respect the Countryside Code;
• They are physically fit and capable of safely undertaking the detecting activities booked.

6.2 Detecting without permission on any land — including outside the agreed area — constitutes trespass and may constitute theft or the offence of being "equipped to steal". The Detectorist alone bears criminal and civil liability for any such conduct.

7. Bookings and Search Agreements

7.1 A Booking becomes confirmed when both parties have agreed to the terms on the Platform and payment has been authorised. Confirmation is sent by email to both parties.

7.2 The Platform facilitates but does not draft, review, or validate the specific terms of any Search Agreement between a Landowner and Detectorist. Users are solely responsible for ensuring the Search Agreement adequately covers their respective requirements.

7.3 Each Search Agreement is a direct contract between the Landowner and Detectorist only. The Company is not a party to the Search Agreement and has no obligations or liability arising from it.

7.4 The Search Agreement must, at minimum, specify:

• The exact land area to be searched (including a map or boundary description)
• The permitted access times and dates
• The agreed split of Finds (including Treasure reward allocations, if any)
• Reporting obligations for Treasure and significant finds
• Conditions relating to vehicle access, parking, and gates
• Confirmation that the Detectorist holds a current NCMD or FID membership (which includes the £10,000,000 public liability insurance required to detect on private land)
• Any specific land hazards the Landowner has disclosed

7.5 We provide a standard form Search Agreement template as a convenience. Use of this template does not constitute legal advice, and we accept no liability for any deficiency or dispute arising from its use. Users should seek independent legal advice if they have specific concerns.

7.6 Any modification to a confirmed Booking must be agreed by both parties through the Platform.

8. Payment Terms

8.1 All payments for Bookings are processed through our third-party payment processor (currently Stripe or equivalent). By making a payment, you agree to the payment processor's terms of service.

8.2 Platform Fee. Gitwix Limited's Platform Fee is 5% of the gross Booking value (and 5% of the gross value of any voluntary Tip paid to a Landowner through the Platform). The Platform Fee is deducted from the amount the Landowner receives and is displayed to both parties before the Booking is confirmed.

8.3 Payment hold and capture timing. When a Detectorist confirms a Booking, their payment card is authorised but not captured. Funds are placed on a temporary hold by our payment processor. The payment is captured (and released to the Landowner, less the Platform Fee) 24 hours after the Booking has been marked as completed following the dig. This hold protects both parties in the event of a dispute, no-show, or cancellation.

8.4 Payments to Landowners will be made in accordance with our payout schedule, which is set out in the Platform. We reserve the right to withhold payment where there is a dispute, a suspected breach of these Terms, or a fraudulent transaction.

8.5 Cancellations:

• If a Detectorist cancels more than 48 hours before the Booking date, the authorisation is voided and no funds are captured.
• If a Detectorist cancels within 48 hours of the Booking date, the Platform Fee may still be captured to cover processing costs unless the Landowner agrees otherwise.
• If a Landowner cancels a confirmed Booking, the authorisation is voided in full and the Detectorist is charged nothing.
• We reserve the right to void any authorisation and cancel any Booking where we have reason to believe a breach of these Terms has occurred or is likely.

8.6 We are not a bank, a payment services provider in our own right, or a money transmitter. All payment services are provided by our licensed payment processor. We hold no client funds on a fiduciary basis.

8.7 In the event of a payment dispute between a Landowner and Detectorist, we may assist in facilitating resolution but we are under no obligation to do so and accept no liability for payment disputes arising from a breach of any Search Agreement.

9. Prohibited Conduct

9.1 Users must not:

• Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose, including to facilitate detecting on protected or restricted sites;
• Circumvent the Platform by making direct arrangements outside the Platform with Users they have met through the Platform for the first time (fee avoidance), within 12 months of the initial introduction;
• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent listings or profiles;
• Harass, abuse, threaten, or intimidate any other User;
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Platform or any User's account;
• Use automated tools, bots, or scrapers to access the Platform;
• Infringe any third party's intellectual property rights;
• Post User Content that is defamatory, obscene, offensive, or in violation of any applicable law;
• Attempt to defraud the Platform or any User;
• Share the Platform's proprietary data, user lists, or contact information.

9.2 Breach of this Clause may result in immediate account suspension or termination, withholding of payments, and/or referral to law enforcement authorities.

10. Finds, Treasure, and Legal Obligations

10.1 The parties acknowledge that:

• Under English law, all non-Treasure finds on private land belong to the landowner unless a written agreement to the contrary has been made;
• Treasure, as defined by the Treasure Act 1996, is Crown property and must be reported by the finder to the local Coroner within 14 days. Failure to report Treasure is a criminal offence under s.8 of the Treasure Act 1996, punishable by up to 3 months' imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine;
• Treasure reward payments are administered by the relevant government department and are shared between the finder and landowner in accordance with their agreement;
• The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) provides a voluntary (but strongly encouraged) mechanism for recording non-Treasure finds.

10.2 The Company has no involvement in, and accepts no responsibility for, the lawful reporting, handling, storage, ownership, or distribution of any Finds. All such responsibilities lie solely with the Landowner and Detectorist as appropriate.

10.3 Any dispute between a Landowner and Detectorist regarding Finds, ownership of Finds, or the distribution of Treasure rewards is a matter solely between those parties.

11. User Content

11.1 You retain ownership of User Content you submit to the Platform. By submitting User Content, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, store, display, and distribute that content for the purpose of operating the Platform.

11.2 You warrant that your User Content does not infringe any third party's rights, is accurate, and complies with all applicable laws.

11.3 We reserve the right to remove any User Content that we consider, in our sole discretion, to be in breach of these Terms or applicable law.

12. Intellectual Property

12.1 All intellectual property in the Platform, including its design, software, trade marks, and content (excluding User Content), belongs to the Company or its licensors. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the Platform for its intended purpose only.

12.2 You must not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any part of the Platform without our prior written consent.

13. Limitation of Liability

13.1 No Exclusion of Mandatory Rights. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by our own negligence;
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
• Any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under English law (including under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977).

13.2 Platform Intermediary Status. We are an intermediary platform only. We accept no liability for:

• Any act, omission, negligence, breach of contract, or unlawful act of any Landowner or Detectorist;
• Any injury, death, loss, or damage suffered by any person during or in connection with a Booking;
• Any loss or damage to property (including agricultural land, crops, livestock, fences, or equipment) arising from a Booking;
• Any Finds dispute, Treasure dispute, or failure to comply with the Treasure Act 1996;
• Any criminal activity by any User;
• Any inaccuracy in any land listing or User profile;
• Any failure by a Landowner to maintain their land in a safe condition;
• Any failure by a Detectorist to hold appropriate insurance.

13.3 Aggregate Cap. To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total aggregate liability to you arising out of or in connection with these Terms or your use of the Platform (whether in contract, tort, including negligence, or otherwise) shall not exceed the greater of:

• The total Platform Fees paid by you to us in the 12-month period preceding the relevant claim; or
• £100.

13.4 Consequential Loss. We shall not be liable for any:

• Loss of profits, revenue, or business;
• Loss of anticipated savings;
• Loss of or damage to data;
• Indirect, consequential, incidental, or special losses,

whether or not such losses were foreseeable or we had been advised of their possibility.

13.5 User-to-User Disputes. All disputes between Landowners and Detectorists arising from a Search Agreement, Finds ownership, injury, damage, or any other matter are solely between those parties. We are not responsible for resolving such disputes and will not be held liable for their outcome.

14. Indemnity

14.1 Each User agrees to fully indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, and licensors from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with:

• Any breach of these Terms by the User;
• Any unlawful or negligent act or omission by the User;
• Any injury, death, or property damage caused by the User during or in connection with a Booking;
• Any failure by a Detectorist to comply with the Treasure Act 1996 or any other applicable law;
• Any dispute between a Landowner and Detectorist arising from a Search Agreement or Booking;
• Any misrepresentation made by the User on the Platform;
• Any third party claim arising from the User's activities on Listed Land.

15. Insurance

15.1 The Platform requires that:

• All Detectorists hold a current NCMD or FID membership. This membership includes public liability insurance of £10,000,000, which is the cover the Detectorist relies on when detecting on a Landowner's land. We do not operate a separate insurance verification process — the Detectorist's membership card photograph, shared with the Landowner at the point of booking, is the only proof of cover the Platform asks for.
• All Landowners check their existing property insurance and, if necessary, notify their insurer that they are granting access to third parties for metal detecting purposes.

15.2 The Platform does not provide, underwrite, or arrange any insurance and holds no responsibility for ensuring any User maintains adequate cover. Failure by a Detectorist to hold a current NCMD or FID membership is solely at their risk. Failure by a Landowner to check their insurance position is solely at their risk.

16. Termination and Suspension

16.1 We may, at our sole discretion and without liability to you, suspend or terminate your account immediately if:

• You breach any provision of these Terms;
• You provide false or misleading information;
• We have reason to believe you have engaged in fraudulent, illegal, or harmful conduct;
• We receive a credible complaint or legal notice concerning your activities;
• Required to do so by law or a competent authority.

16.2 You may close your account at any time by contacting us, subject to any outstanding Booking commitments.

16.3 Termination does not affect any rights or obligations that have accrued prior to termination.

17. Dispute Resolution

17.1 User-to-User Disputes. Any dispute between a Landowner and a Detectorist arising from a Booking or Search Agreement must be resolved directly between those parties. We are not an arbitrator or adjudicator.

17.2 Disputes With Us. If you have a complaint about our services, please contact us at admin@fieldfinders.co.uk. We will attempt to resolve the complaint within 30 days. If we are unable to resolve the complaint, we will provide you with details of an appropriate Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider.

17.3 ADR. We are not currently obligated to use ADR, but we will provide you with details of a certified ADR provider in our final response letter if your complaint remains unresolved. You are not obligated to use ADR.

17.4 Governing Law and Jurisdiction. These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute between you and us that cannot be resolved through ADR shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

18. Changes to These Terms

18.1 We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you by email and/or by displaying a prominent notice on the Platform at least 14 days before the changes take effect.

18.2 Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms. If you do not accept the new Terms, you must cease using the Platform and close your account.

19. General

19.1 Entire Agreement. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and us relating to your use of the Platform and supersede all prior agreements, representations, or understandings.

19.2 Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

19.3 Waiver. Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

19.4 Assignment. We may assign our rights and obligations under these Terms to any third party at any time. You may not assign your rights or obligations without our prior written consent.

19.5 Third Party Rights. Nothing in these Terms confers any benefit on any third party. The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 does not apply to these Terms.

19.6 Force Majeure. We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations under these Terms to the extent that such failure or delay is caused by a Force Majeure event (an event beyond our reasonable control).

Gitwix Limited is registered in England and Wales. Registered Number: 15817715. Registered Office: 9 Owen Street, Manchester, M15 4AU, United Kingdom. Gitwix Limited is not VAT registered.