Terms and Conditions

Guarantee

National Bee Supplies (NBS)10 Year Guarantee

Buying your hive is a significant investment so our market leading craftsman use only the best quality seasoned Western Red Cedar for all exposed parts. Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) is resistant to all weathers, but also provides high thermal retention qualities, essential for the wellbeing of your colony.

Our 10-year guarantee gives you confidence that if the outer parts of your pre-assembled hive (roof, supers, brood box or stand) fail due to faulty workmanship or wood within 10 years of purchase, we will replace them.

Whilst all the components of our flatpack hives are made to exactly the same standards as our pre-assembled hives, we regret that we are only able to offer guarantees on pre-assembled hives where we can be sure that they have been securely assembled to our exacting standards.

In the event of any claim, the customer must provide proof of purchase in the form of the original sales invoice or the payment method and be prepared to return the goods to the address below in the event of a guarantee claim.

Prior arrangements must have been agreed directly with NBS [Telephone 0344 326 2010 or email info@beekeeping.co.uk] so that a faulty part can be returned, before any repair can be carried out or replacement item provided.

National Bee Supplies
Hameldown House
Hameldown Road
Exeter Road Industrial Estate
Okehampton
Devon
EX20 1UB

The guarantee is non-transferable and valid on only repair or replacements, no refunds will be given. The guarantee is valid from the date of original purchase for qualifying components of all pre-assembled hives only purchased after 13th March 2018 until otherwise stated.

NBS Guidelines for installation, use & maintenance

Hives should be installed and used only for their intended use. Advice and guidance is available from our shop, online or by telephone.

Our hives should be stood on hive stands and kept well clear of the ground. This keeps solid floors dry and ensures there is good air circulation under the hive. Hive stands are permanent structures, yet easy to move with the hives and are made with the same high-quality wood and build standards as the rest of the NBS range. The use of porous blocks is not recommended as they may absorb water and may crumble during frosty weather. Our bespoke stands ensure that the hive stand is large enough to support the whole hive and always recommend that NBS stands are used.

Please remember that a poor or makeshift hive stand can put unnecessary strain on the hive floor and may cause the hive to collapse.

We recommend placing your NBS hive stand onto a level paving slab, as it offers an ideal surface ensuring a flat and stable base for the hive. The removal of vegetation will increase air circulation and will help to keep the hive ventilated and dry.

What our guarantee covers:

We give a full 10-year Guarantee against faulty workmanship or materials for Hives, roofs, supers, brood boxes and stands that have been installed and used within our installation, use and maintenance guidelines. We guarantee that if used under normal conditions your Hive should last a minimum of 10 years and we will either repair or replace your Hive, whichever we deem most appropriate.

This guarantee only covers those rights listed above and does not cover claims for consequential loss or damage, with the amount of any claim under the guarantee being limited to the original purchase price paid for the unsatisfactory product.

What the guarantee does not cover:

  • The product must not have been misused or handled carelessly, nor been damaged, neglected or used in abnormal conditions or any kind of accidental damage.
  • The product must not have been modified or altered in any way and no repairs have been attempted other than by a member of NBS staff.
  • Discolouration of the exterior of the Hive due to exposure to weather.
  • Hive legs, (which are available for replacement) on website www.beekeeping.co.uk
  • Burning the Hive with smokers.
  • Painted hives (the natural oils in the red cedar wood offers the best protection possible)
  • Accidently cutting the Hive when opening the cartons with a sharp knife.
  • Scuffing the Hive by dragging on rough surfaces prior to/during final placement.
  • Bending the frame by standing or placing items on the roof of the Hive.
  • Damage incurred through any physical impact on the hives or damage by wild animals (such as woodpeckers, badgers, mice etc)
  • Metal parts
  • Ply wood


At National Bee Supplies we are always happy to offer advice about looking after your Hive which will give you many years of service. Should you need to replace parts not covered by the warranty, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Your statutory rights are not affected by our statements

Payment

Payment will be taken at the time the order is placed. We accept payment for phone and online orders by Visa (including Visa Electron), Mastercard, Maestro and Delta. Online orders can also be paid for through PayPal.

Gift Vouchers

All gift voucher codes are stored electronically and expire 2 years after the date of purchase, we will not refund any remaining balance and we will invalidate the card.

Order Despatch

Orders are despatched promptly by post or parcel carrier. National Bee Supplies have no influence on delivery times.

Small items are sent by Royal Mail and larger items by courier. When ordering large items please provide your email address for parcel tracking and phone number so that the courier can contact you if necessary.

Please note that when several items are ordered they may not all be delivered at the same time.

Delivery Charge

Scottish Islands, parts of northern Scotland, Channel Islands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man and Scilly Isles: All orders will incur a carriage surcharge of £9.99.

As of 22nd September 2022, Royal Mail are prohibiting the shipping of knives. Uncapping knives will be shipped by DPD at a cost of £13.

Outside of the UK: Customers wishing to purchase goods for delivery outside of the UK, please do so by emailing info@beekeeping.co.uk. We will notify you of the delivery charge prior to taking your order.

We may need to contact you regarding delivery so please provide a contact telephone number with all orders.

We reserve the right to revise our delivery charges in the event of carrier price increases or other unforeseen circumstances. We will advise you of any increased carriage charges before payment is taken.

Collection Only

Some of our products are not suitable for sending via Royal Mail or courier and can only be purchased by visiting our shop. These items are clearly marked on our website.

Prices

Prices include VAT where applicable. We reserve the right to revise any prices in the event of unforeseen circumstances or a change in the VAT rate.

Clothing

Sizing charts are shown as part of the product page information for our range of clothing and gloves.

If an item is not the right fit then it can be returned to us within 14 days, unworn and in the original packaging, for exchange or refund.

Faulty Goods

We hope that you will be delighted with your goods but if they arrive damaged or if you are unhappy in any way then please contact us within 14 days of receipt. We are only liable for the cost of the goods (including carriage) as quoted in our current catalogue.

Product Images

Product Images are as a visual guide and representation only, please refer to the full product description for further details. If you would like to use any of our images for your own use you must gain permission to do so.

Right to Cancel

Orders for goods may be cancelled from the time the order is placed up to 14 calendar days after receipt of the goods. To exercise the right to cancel please make a clear statement by email, fax or posted letter, including your full name, address and contact number.

This right to cancel only applies to items bought online or by post or phone. It does not apply to goods purchased from our shop or from any trade fairs.

Effects of Cancellation

If you cancel your order of goods after they have been delivered then please return them to us, at your own cost, within 14 days of cancellation. Please retain proof of postage. If the item is very large, then we can arrange collection for you and will charge you for this at cost. We will refund the value of the goods on receipt. We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss of value of any goods supplied if the loss is due to unnecessary handling. Please return the items in their original packaging.

The reimbursement will be made without undue delay and not later than:

  1. a) 14 days after the day we received back from you any returned goods
  2. b) (if earlier) 14 days after you provide evidence that you have returned the goods, or
  3. c) If there were no goods supplied, 14 days after the day on which we were informed of your decision to cancel the order.

Complaints

We aim to deliver a quality product and service and to give no cause for complaint. However, if you are unhappy then please contact us on 0344 326 2010 or by email to info@beekeeping.co.uk.

NBSPOTY Competition

Please read and consider the following rules when interacting with our competitions: The National Bee Supplies Photographer of the Year (NBSPOTY) competition is hosted by National Bee Supplies (NBS), and by entering this competition you agree to be bound by NBS’s rules & Terms and Conditions.

This year we have partnered with the Beecraft Magazine photography competition. Meaning double the chance of winning!If successful your entry may be published in the magazine plus the opportunity of winning the grand prize. Entries will be bound by the Beecraft Terms and Conditions. Copies of Beecraft terms and conditions can be requested from editors@bee-craft.com. If you do not wish to enter both competitions. Please email us at marketing@beekeeping.co.uk with your name, and the title of the photograph. In addition, please note the following in relation to NBSPOTY:

1. The Promoter The promoter is BeesDirect Ltd, trading as National Bee Supplies, Hameldown House, Hameldown Road, Exeter Road Industrial Estate, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1UB, United Kingdom. In Conjunction with Beecraft Ltd, Warners Group Publications, 23 King's Road Tonbridge Kent TN9 2HB

2. Eligibility The NBSPOTY competition is only open to persons aged 18 or over. After the contest closing date at the 31st August no one is eligible to enter. Employees or agents of BeesDirect Ltd or Beecraft , their families, or other persons connected with this promotion are not eligible to enter.

3. Submission Rules Entries must be submitted via blog.beekeeping.co.uk and in the format specified, by the closing date for each category.

No entries will be accepted by email or post.

Images (including similar images taken from the same series of photographs) that have previously won a national or international photography award or are entered into a competition where the results are pending, are not eligible for entry. An exception is entries to the Beecraft Magazine Photography entries between January and August, that will also be given the chance to enter NBSPOTY.

4. Prizes Each of the expert-judged and crowd-rated category-winning photographers will receive a prize as stated in the prize pool. Winners will be notified by their preferred contact method, in due course, following the completion of each category.

The photographers given the title of ‘National Bee Supplies’ Photographer of the Year’ will be formally announced across our digital and print platforms in due course, or at an alternative time and venue at the promoter’s discretion.

Please refer to our NBSPOTY page for further information. Unless advised, all NBSPOTY entries will be forwarded to Beecraft for their independent judging. This takes place after their closing date in October. Please refer to the Beecraft Terms and Conditions for further information on prizes and winner announcements.

5. Competition Judging Individual categories will be judged by our internal panel of experts and employees. The Judges’ decision is final and binding in all matters and no correspondence will be entered into.

6. Copyright and permissions You warrant that the entry is entirely your own work and not copied or adapted from any other source. You retain all rights you have in the copyright and other intellectual property rights comprising your entry. Content submitted to NBSPOTY may be published by NBS and its licensees in print and/or digital media (including social media pages) on a worldwide, perpetual basis. Please do not upload any content if you do not agree to these terms.

7. Liabilities The promoter is excluded from liability for any loss, damage or injury (including stings!) which might occur to the winner arising from his or her acceptance of the prize. The entrant will indemnify the Promoter for all liabilities, including legal costs, in relation to any action or complaint taken by any third party against the Promoter in relation to the entrant’s photograph(s).

8. General The promoter reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions. These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by English law. When a photograph is submitted and the entry date has passed, the entry cannot be changed or withdrawn. No refunds will be given. Entry to the Awards shall be deemed full and unconditional acceptance of the terms & conditions.

Win a Hive Competition

Please read and consider the following rules and conditions for our 'Win a Hive' competition

Please note: we do not share your contact details with anyone, unless an order has been placed with us. In such event, we share your contact details with the courier delivering your goods. In no other situation do we share your details with any third party.

1. To enter the 'Win a Hive' competition, one must be subscribed to our mailing list and follow us on either Facebook or Instagram. Any entries that unsubscribe or unfollow and resubscribe/follow will be disqualified.

2. Only one entry permitted per person. Anyone who has entered multiple times will be disqualified from the competition. Only entries that subscribe within the competition start and end date will be considered.

3. The entrant must remain a subscriber and follower (of either Facebook or Instagram) until the competition closing date [30/11/24], to be considered.

4. Competition is open to mainland UK, Scottish Islands, Channel Islands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man and Scilly Isles residents only. Residents of the Scottish Islands, parts of northern Scotland, Channel Islands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man and Scilly Isles: may incur a carriage charge if the competition winner.

5. All entrants must be over the age of 18.

6. Winner will be picked at random and announced 4th December 2024.

7. Competition prize is a complete assembled WBC Hive kit, from National Bee Supplies. The Hive will include: Varroa Floor and Legs, Lift with Entrance Porch and Slides, Brood Chamber with 11x DN4 Frames with Wired Sterilised Foundation, Wire Queen Excluder, 1 Supers with 10x SN1 Frames with Castellated Spacers & Wired Sterilised Foundation, 2 Lifts, Cover Board with 2 Porter Bee Escapes and Gabled Roof.

Bees, Beekeeping Tools, Beekeeping Clothing, Honey Harvesting Equipment and other beekeeping accessories are not included.

8. Prize cannot be exchanged or swapped for another prize

9. WBC Hive will come with our 10 Year Guarantee

10. Winner will be announced via email only.

Other

All products are used at the sole risk of the acquirer of the product and NBS cannot be held liable for any affects howsoever caused including but not limited to allergies to, misuse of, or not following the guidelines of the product. This condition applies equally to any user of the products supplied by NBS, regardless of if the user is the original acquirer of the product.