Terms, Conditions and Buyer Agreement

01 · About The Rare Plant Scout

The Rare Plant Scout is a specialist plant business operated by The Rare Plant Scout Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 17361382). We source rare plants from independent growers and sellers in Indonesia, China, Vietnam, and other countries, and sell them directly to buyers in the UK.

These terms apply to all purchases made through our website.

02 · Our role in your purchase

The Rare Plant Scout buys plants directly from independent growers and sellers overseas. When you place an order with us, you are buying the plant from The Rare Plant Scout, not from the grower or seller. We take ownership of each plant, arrange its import into the UK, and are responsible for getting it to you.

We do not grow plants ourselves. Our growers and sellers are responsible for cultivating and preparing plants for export. The Rare Plant Scout is responsible for purchasing, importing, compliance, and delivering your order.

We are active on social media and run an official WhatsApp community group. You can find our official channels through our Linktree at linktr.ee/rareplantscout. We never request payment or ask for personal or card details through WhatsApp, social media messages, or any channel outside our website. If you are contacted this way by someone asking for payment or personal information, please do not respond, and report it to us at shop@rareplantscout.com.

03 · Your consumer rights

As a consumer based in the UK you have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights.

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations you ordinarily have the right to cancel a distance contract within 14 days. However, because our products are perishable live plants that are individually prepared and imported to order, this cancellation right may be limited in accordance with Regulation 28(1)(b) of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, which provides an exception for goods liable to deteriorate or expire rapidly. Please see our cancellation policy in Section 9 for full details.

04 · Orders, drops and live sales

Our website is the official sales channel for The Rare Plant Scout, and the way to access all regular drops and Growers Choice stock. From time to time we also hold special sales through our WhatsApp community group, live sales, or eBay auctions. These are occasional and by invitation, but every purchase is still made from The Rare Plant Scout and is subject to the same terms and conditions as website orders, including the policies set out in this document, regardless of who runs or announces the sale.

Website orders are paid in full at checkout. Orders placed through WhatsApp or a live sale are invoiced separately; payment is made by bank transfer, PayPal, or another secure method we specify. Payment is due within 48 hours of the invoice being sent. If payment is not received within this time, the order is cancelled and the plant is released back into stock. We will never ask for card details directly over WhatsApp, social media, or any messaging channel.

Purchases made through eBay are also subject to eBay's own policies, including eBay's Money Back Guarantee, and PayPal purchases are also subject to PayPal's Buyer Protection, both of which apply in addition to these terms.

You can subscribe to drop announcement emails when you sign up or place an order, and you can unsubscribe at any time using the link included in every email we send, or by contacting us at shop@rareplantscout.com.

Drops and live sales run across all of our sourcing countries, currently Indonesia, Vietnam and China, with each country's own schedule and closing date shown on its collection page.

Orders are paid in full at checkout. Your order is confirmed once payment has been received and processed. Part of this payment is treated as a deposit, as described in Section 5. This affects how much of your payment is refundable if you later cancel.

As plants are individually selected and prepared, orders are generally final once confirmed, subject to the DOA and cancellation policies below.

We currently source from the following growers and sellers, in Indonesia: EPP Plant, Indo Aroid, Titik Hijau, Bekasi Aroid Community (BAC), Letsgrow.mlg, The Bee Hoya, Siapnanam, and Plantsalfan; in China: EMGardens; and in Vietnam: Xanh Xanh Urban Forest.

05 · Deposits

Although your order is paid in full at checkout, part of that payment is treated as a deposit. The deposit reflects costs The Rare Plant Scout commits to at the point of order confirmation, including supplier payment, import documentation, and logistics coordination.

You are entitled to a full refund of your entire payment, including the deposit, even after the 7-day window has passed, in the following cases:

• Your plant arrives Dead on Arrival (DOA), as covered by the policy in Section 8
• There is a genuine problem with your order that The Rare Plant Scout is unable to resolve, such as a plant health or quality issue, or an error on our part
• The Rare Plant Scout grants an extension to your order timeline. In this case a new 7-day cancellation window is agreed with you directly, replacing the original one

This deposit policy exists because of the nature of importing live plants to order. Once we purchase a plant from a supplier to fulfil your order, that purchase cannot generally be reversed.

06 · Plants and substitutions

All plants listed on the website are grower's choice unless otherwise stated. This means the grower selects the specific plant for your order. Exact plant listings, where the photographed plant is the one you receive, are marked clearly on the product.

If a plant is assessed as not healthy enough to travel, we will contact you before shipment and offer one of the following:

• A replacement plant of the same or similar value
• Credit towards a new plant
• A full refund

No substitutions are made without your confirmation.

07 · Shipping, inspections and risk

All plants are shipped via air cargo and express delivery, arriving in the UK within approximately 28 hours of leaving the grower. Shipping schedules vary by country and seller. Please check the relevant country page on our website for upcoming shipping dates.

Transit times are estimates and may be affected by inspections, weather, or carrier delays. Risk transfers to the buyer once plants are handed to the carrier, except where covered by the DOA policy in Section 8.

Royal Mail provides an insurance service. We recommend an upgraded Special Delivery service for orders over £150.

You will be updated by email at key stages of your order.

08 · Dead on Arrival policy

We take every reasonable step to ensure plants arrive in good condition. If a plant arrives dead on arrival (DOA) you must notify us within 24 hours of delivery.

To make a DOA claim please email shop@rareplantscout.com with:

• Your order number
• Clear, unedited photographs of the plant
• Photographs of the packaging

You will be provided with a link to upload your photos. Once your claim is verified we will offer one of the following at our discretion:

• A replacement plant
• Credit towards a new plant
• A refund

09 · Refunds and cancellations

Refunds

Refunds are only issued in the following circumstances:

• A confirmed DOA claim submitted within 24 hours of delivery
• A plant substitution you do not wish to accept
• A cancelled order, refunded in accordance with the 7-day cancellation window and deposit policy set out in Section 5

Cancellations

You may cancel your order at any time. If you cancel within 7 days of placing your order, you will receive a full refund. If you cancel after 7 days have passed, the deposit described in Section 5 is retained and the remainder of your payment is refunded, unless one of the exceptions in Section 5 applies, in which case you receive a full refund.

Please contact us as soon as possible at shop@rareplantscout.com to cancel an order.

For DOA claims please contact us within 24 hours of delivery with clear photos and your order number.

10 · Returns

If a refund is agreed the plant must be returned to us. Plants that have been cut, tampered with, or damaged by the buyer cannot be returned for a refund. Please contact us for return instructions if your plant meets the return criteria.

11 · Plant passports and compliance

All plants imported through The Rare Plant Scout are fully compliant with UK plant health regulations. Sellers provide all required export documentation in Indonesia and other countries. The Rare Plant Scout holds the necessary UK import permissions and issues a UK plant passport for every plant.

Where a plant species is listed under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), the relevant CITES permits are obtained and provided in addition to the standard plant passport. If a plant cannot be lawfully exported or imported under CITES, the order will not proceed and you will be offered a replacement, credit, or refund.

Plants that do not meet legal or plant health requirements will not be shipped. If this affects your order you will be contacted and offered a replacement, credit, or refund.

Plants purchased from our UK sellers section come with a plant passport issued directly by the verified seller.

12 · Resale and plant passport rules

If you resell plants purchased through The Rare Plant Scout, new UK plant passports must be created. Existing passports may not be reused or copied without written permission from The Rare Plant Scout. Reuse of plant passport documentation is only permitted with written consent or a separate contract with The Rare Plant Scout.

13 · Live plant disclaimer

Plants are living organisms affected by transit, environment, and aftercare. While we aim for all plants to arrive in excellent condition, we are not responsible for future growth, performance, variegation, or long-term survival once delivered. Proper care after receipt is the responsibility of the buyer.

14 · Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, The Rare Plant Scout's liability is limited to the price paid for the relevant order. We are not liable for indirect, consequential, or special losses arising from your use of the website or any plant purchase.

Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

15 · Privacy and data protection

We take your privacy seriously. When you use The Rare Plant Scout we may collect and process personal data including your name, address and contact details, order, payment and shipping information, and import, customs and plant health documentation where required.

Your data is used only for operating and improving our website, processing purchases, managing logistics and compliance, and communicating about orders and updates.

Data sharing

All personal data is held by The Rare Plant Scout in the UK. Our overseas sellers do not have access to buyer personal data. We may share necessary information only with logistics partners, carriers, and regulatory or inspection authorities where legally required. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

Data protection

All personal data is handled in accordance with applicable UK data protection laws including UK GDPR. You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data, subject to legal and regulatory obligations. To make a data request please contact us at shop@rareplantscout.com.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk.

Data retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purpose of satisfying any legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or reporting requirements.

16 · Cookies

Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience, analyse site traffic, and personalise content. By continuing to use our website you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our cookie settings. You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time, though this may affect some functionality of the site.

17 · Intellectual property

All content on The Rare Plant Scout website, including text, images, logos, and design, is the property of The Rare Plant Scout or its content suppliers and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any content without our express written permission.

18 · Updates to these terms

If these terms are updated all active users will be notified by email. Continued use of our website after notification means you accept the revised terms. We recommend checking this page periodically for any changes.

19 · Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of The Rare Plant Scout website will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

If you are based in Scotland or Northern Ireland you may also bring proceedings in the courts of your home country.

20 · Contact us