Terms and Conditions

2. PAYMENT TERMS – a. 50% Deposit payable upon booking to secure the date – b. Remaining balance payable – 21 days before the Client’s booking date. – d. A 10% late payment fee may apply if the remaining balance is not paid 21 days before the event’s date. – e. Any additional and/or last-minute items from Clients’ Bookings will need to be paid in full before the event or up to 7 days from the event’s date.

2.1 Ezi Debit, Interest-Free Payments: a. The total number of instalments will be set based on the customer’s event date, ensuring that the final payment is made 21 days prior to the event. Customers must confirm their final guest count to HLB at least 28 days before the event, allowing HLB to adjust the final instalment accordingly.- b. Should there be a need to increase the number of guests within 21 days of the event, HLB will issue a new invoice for the additional guests, which must be paid immediately. – c. The total invoice amount will be divided into a number of instalments/monthly payments as determined by HLB and agreed upon by the customer. The booking is confirmed once the first instalment is paid. – d. Payment Charges: The first instalment will include a surcharge of $2.5 for administrative fees. For bank direct debits, Visa, or Mastercard direct debits, there will be a $1 surcharge per instalment. – e. Dishonoured Payment Fee: In the event of a dishonoured payment, a fee of $10 will be added to the next instalment.

3. DEPOSIT AND BOOKING – Deposits and Booking – a. A deposit of 50% is payable at the time of the booking for any order over $500. Bookings of $500 or less must be paid at the time of the booking in full. – b. A Booking will not be considered ‘Confirmed’ until a deposit or payment has been received and subsequently may be subject to cancellation. – c. The menu is to be provided by the client to HLB, 28 days before the event’s date. d. Change to menu/beverage selection/location/hire equipment can be done at any stage up to 28 days before the Booking date. – e. Final numbers will need to be provided to HLB Catering 21 days before the Booking date. – f. It is the Clients responsibility to confirm the running sheet/quote has the correct date and contact information.

4. CANCELLATION POLICY – a. Customers are entitled to a full deposit refund if the cancellation occurs more than 60 days before the event date. – b. If the event is canceled between 21 to 60 days before the event date, following the booking date, 25% of the deposit will be retained. – c. Cancellations made within 21 days of the booking date will result in a forfeiture of the entire deposit, as provisions for the event will have already been ordered and prepared. – d. Changing the event date within 21 days of the booking date will result in the forfeiture of any payments made. – e. Date changes are permitted once, provided they are made at least 21 days before the event. Any subsequent date changes, regardless of timing, will result in a 100% forfeiture of the deposit. – f. Failure to provide your chosen menu to HLB at least 21 days prior to your event may lead to an additional charge of 10% or the cancellation of your event if HLB cannot accommodate the catering service. In such cases, the deposit will be forfeited. – g. Ezi Debit, Interest-Free Instalments: In the event of a cancellation where the customer is eligible for a refund as per the conditions outlined above, any Ezi Debit fees from past instalments will not be refunded.

5. STAFF HIRING – a. It is the client’s responsibility that the function will run according to the running sheet/times provided to HLB by the client. In case staff is needed to work more than the original hired time, a new invoice will be issued to the client with the extra staff-worked hours, and it is the client’s responsibility to pay it within 48 hours from the event’s date. – b. Staff numbers may be updated once the function’s running times are provided to HLB by the client, or if the client chooses to change the type of menu. – c. A minimum of 4 hours paid is required for any staff even if hiring for less time.

6. PRICES – While all attempts are made to maintain quoted prices, they may be subject to change at the discretion of HLB. If prices differ, the client will be informed before the event date. Prices quoted include GST unless otherwise specified. All prices are prepared based on the best estimation at the time of submission taking into account information supplied by the client. Should this be found to be inaccurate, HLB will quote an additional charge based on accurate information and evidence to settle the difference, and this must be agreed upon by both parties before catering commences.

7. FINAL NUMBERS – If your guest’s number drops by more than 10%, the price per person may be increased.

8. GRAZING TABLE – Minimum numbers, 40 paying guests – it’ll be charged for 40 people even if numbers go below 40. It excludes table setup, delivery fee and collection fee, and any other service cost/fee.

9. GRAZING TABLE/BUFFET – table, boards, ramekins, cutlery, crockery, chafing dish, etc are to be returned free of food. Wooden boards cannot go to the dishwasher, please just wipe off with a paper towel all the food or wash under cold water and dry it. A washing fee of $8 per board/platter/dishes and $3 per crockery/cutlery may be charged in case of returning any equipment dirty with leftover food.

10. BROKEN OR LOST EQUIPMENT – Any broken or lost equipment that belongs to HLB Catering, that occurs at/during your event, by you, or any of your guests will be charged at current and new replacement costs.

11. ALLERGIES – a. While we do our best to avoid cross-contamination, cereals, flour (gluten), dairy, nuts, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, lupin, corn, grains, crustacea, are present in our kitchen, therefore traces of these products may occur in case of dietary requirement, so we cannot guarantee food 100% free of any ingredient. b. Final dietary requirements must be provided no later than 21 days before the booking date. Requests for changes or additions within 21 days before a function will be considered at the sole discretion of HLB. We will do everything possible to facilitate your requests, but not all changes can be guaranteed and substitutions may be suggested where items are not available.

12. FOOD – HLB Catering is fully compliant with Victoria’s food health & safety laws. To avoid any potential health risks, HLB Catering will remove any food that is remaining after a Function, and no food will be left at the Venue.

13. RESPONSIBLE SERVICE OF ALCOHOL – HLB upholds the principle of Responsible Service of Alcohol and in accordance with the applicable liquor license, reserves the right to refuse service to persons suspected to be under the age of eighteen years and to any person who shows signs of intoxication. HLB reserves the right to remove the offending guest/s from the premises or to close the bar entirely.

14. CATERER PERMISSION TO USE PHOTOGRAPHS AND/OR VIDEOS FROM EVENTS:
Client hereby grants to HLB Catering, its employees, representatives and the like the absolute and irrevocable right to use and reproduce their photograph and/or video in all forms, media, and manners without restriction as to changes or alterations unless restricted by copyright law. Client waives the right to inspect or approve the photographs and/or video that may be used in conjunction with them now or in the future, whether that use is made known to the Client or not, and waives the right to royalties or other compensation arising from or related to the use of said photographs and/or video. HLB Catering shall be authorised to use the photographs and/or video with or without Client’s first names taken by Caterer, its employees, representatives and the like as well as photographs provided by the Photographer (with credit) and video provided by the Videographer (with credit) in our marketing, promotional and public relations efforts. This includes, but is not limited to, our website, different social medias, submission to online blogs, submissions to print magazines, etc. for the purpose of advertising and marketing HLB Catering services.

15. QUOTE – All quotes from HLB are valid for 10 days from the sent date. Acceptance of the quotation automatically signifies acceptance of the terms and conditions set out here and indicates an agreement between HLB Catering and the client.