Terms of service for translation, proofreading, editing, subtitling, localization work

1. Assignment

 

1.1. By accepting a Translation Task from the Client, the Translator acknowledges and agrees that the performance of the Task will not infringe upon any Third Party rights. Accordingly, the Client warrants to the Translator that:

 

1. The Client possesses full right and authority to enter into this Agreement, having obtained the necessary rights and license to translate and publish the Source Material; and
2. The Source Material does not violate the copyright or any other rights of any individual or entity.

 

1.2. The Client shall indemnify the Translator against any loss, injury, or damage (including legal costs, expenses, and compensation paid by the Translator to resolve any claim) resulting from any breach or alleged breach of the above warranties or arising from any claim that the Source Material contains objectionable, libelous, blasphemous, obscene content, or constitutes an infringement of copyright or any other rights of any Third Party.

 

2. Quotation

 

2.1. In the absence of a specific agreement, the fee charged shall be determined by the Translator based on the Client’s description of the Source Material, the purpose of the Translation, and any instructions provided by the Client.

 

2.2. The Translator shall not provide a fixed quotation until they have reviewed all the Source Material and received clear and comprehensive instructions in writing from the Client.

 

2.3. Any fee quoted, estimated, or agreed upon by the Translator based on the Client’s description of the Translation Task may be subject to amendment by mutual agreement if, upon reviewing the Source Material, the Translator deems the description materially inadequate or inaccurate.

 

2.4. If a Translation presents latent special difficulties that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time of offer and acceptance, both parties shall renegotiate the fee, provided that the circumstances are promptly disclosed to the other Party upon becoming apparent.

 

2.5. A binding quotation, once provided after the Translator has reviewed all the Source Material, shall remain valid for a period of five (5) working days from the date of issuance, after which it may be subject to revision.

 

2.6. The costs of delivering the Translation shall typically be borne by the Translator. However, if the Client requests delivery methods incurring greater costs (e.g., courier, recorded or special delivery), the additional expenses shall be charged to the Client, unless caused by the Translator’s actions or inactions, unless otherwise agreed.

 

2.7. Supplementary charges, such as those arising from discontinuous text, complex layouts, poorly legible copy, or work outside normal office hours to meet the Client’s deadline, may be applicable and shall be agreed upon in advance.

 

2.8. Should any changes be made to the text or the Client’s requirements while the Translation Task is in progress, adjustments to the Translator’s fee, applicable supplementary charges, and terms of delivery shall be made for the additional work.

 

2.9. Standard translations will be charged per word in the source text. Certified translations will be charged per page of the source document. Proofreading and editing services are priced per word or per hour based on the volume of the assignment. Subtitling or time-spotting services are charged per minute of audiovisual material.

3. Delivery

3.1. Any agreed-upon delivery date or dates between the Translator and the Client shall be binding only after the Translator has reviewed all of the Source Material to be translated and has received comprehensive instructions in writing from the Client.

3.2. Unless otherwise specified, the Translator shall dispatch the Translation in a manner that reasonably ensures the Client receives it no later than the normal close of business at the Client’s premises on the agreed-upon delivery date.

3.3. The project will be considered delivered upon emailing or posting to the Client.

3.4. If needed, certified translations will be sent by post unless otherwise agreed upon in writing.

3.5. The Translator shall not be held accountable for any loss of documents by the postal service. In the event of non-delivery by the postal service, the Translator will resend the document, and the Client will bear the costs associated with delivery and any additional fees.

3.6. The Translator will make every effort to deliver the project on time. However, if any unforeseen circumstances arise that significantly impact the Translator’s ability to complete the work on time (e.g., computer failure, serious illness), the Translator shall promptly notify the Client.

3.7. In the case of certified translations of official documents, names will be transliterated according to the ELOT 743 transliteration standard. For example, Κωνσταντίνος becomes Konstantinos. The Client shall provide the Translator with the exact manner in which their names are written in official identification documents such as passports or IDs. The Client shall not alter or amend the information in the original or translated document from which the translation is derived. If the Client identifies an error in the translated text, they must inform the Translator immediately.

4. Payments

4.1. Payment in full to the Translator shall be made no later than thirty (30) days from the invoice date, unless otherwise specified on the invoice or the agreement.

4.2. The Translator accepts payments in cash, by POS payment, IRIS payment, or by bank transfer in Euro (EUR) or US dollars (USD). Payments via PayPal may be accepted if agreed upon in writing by both the Client and the Translator prior to commencing any work.

4.3. For lengthy assignments, the Translator may request an initial payment and partial payments in one or more installments, with terms to be mutually agreed upon.

4.4. Settlement of any invoice, part-invoice, or other payment shall be made by the agreed-upon due date between the Parties or within the agreed-upon period in the absence of such agreement.

4.5. In cases of delivery in installments where notice has been given of an overdue interim payment, the Translator reserves the right to suspend work on the ongoing Translation Task until the outstanding payment is made or alternate terms are agreed upon.

4.6. New clients may be required to make full or partial upfront payments for lengthy assignments.

5. Complaints and Disputes

5.1. Should the Translator fail to meet the agreed order requirements or deliver a Translation unfit for its stated purpose, the Client may:

1. With the Translator’s consent, deduct from the fee payable for work done a sum equal to the reasonable cost necessary to rectify the deficiencies; and/or
2. Cancel any further instalments of work being undertaken by the Translator. This entitlement shall only apply after the Translator has been given the opportunity to bring the work up to the required standard.

5.2. Any complaint related to a Translation Task must be communicated to the Translator by the Client (or vice versa) within 30 working days from the date of delivery of the Translation, accompanied by specific examples illustrating the nature of the complaints. After this period, the Translation will be considered accepted.

5.3. Complaints regarding the transliteration of names are not considered translation errors. Full names are transliterated, not translated, in accordance with the Greek transliteration standard ELOT 743, as utilized by Greek authorities.

5.4. There is no available transliteration code for converting Latin letters to Greek letters.

5.5. Complaints will be thoroughly investigated by the Translator only if they are raised by an individual proficient in both the source and target languages and have been provided access to all pertinent documents.

5.6. In the event that a dispute cannot be amicably resolved between the Parties, or if either Party refuses arbitration, the Parties shall submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Greece. Regardless, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with Greek law.

6. Responsibility and Liability

6.1. The Translator shall execute the Translation Task with reasonable skill and care, adhering to the provisions and ethos of the Code of Professional Conduct of the Panhellenic Association of Professional Translators Graduates of the Ionian University (PEEMPIP).

6.2. Time and resources permitting, the Translator shall exert reasonable commercial efforts to perform the work to the best of their ability, knowledge, and belief, consulting relevant authorities as reasonably available at the time.

6.3. The Translator’s liability under or in relation to this Agreement, whether in tort, contract, or otherwise, shall be limited to the cost of the Translation Task being undertaken when the liability arises.

6.4. If the Translator retains copyright in a Translation or if a Translation is intended for legal purposes, no amendment or alteration may be made to the Translation without the Translator’s prior written consent. The right of integrity may be specifically waived in advance by the Translator in writing.

6.5. Neither Party shall be liable to the other for any consequential or indirect loss whatsoever.

6.6. The Translator shall not be held liable if an authority or institution rejects the Official Certified Translation due to their lack of awareness or information. Translators, graduates from the Department of Foreign Languages, Translation, and Interpreting of the Ionian University in accordance with P.D. 169 of 17.06.2002 (Government Gazette 156/2.7.02), have the legal right in Greece to provide official certified translations that are universally recognized and accepted by both public and private entities.

6.7. The Client is responsible for ensuring awareness of any specific requirements set forth by institutions or authorities in Greece or abroad regarding official certified translations originating from Greece.