Hiddensystems Limited, trading as Hidden Systems. Terms and conditions of sale for the shop, website, enquiries and home visits. Version 1.0, effective 1 November 2026.
1. About us and these terms
1.1 We are Hiddensystems Limited, trading as Hidden Systems, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 05963873. Our trading address is The Old Court House, London Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7EN. Our registered office is 32 Merlin Clove, Winkfield Row, Bracknell, RG42 7TD. Our VAT number is GB 902 4784 30.
1.2 You can contact us by telephone on 01344 511 612, by email at info@hiddensystems.co.uk, by post at the address above, or through the contact form on hiddensystems.co.uk.
1.3 These terms apply to every sale of goods and services by us to you as a consumer, whether you buy in our Ascot showroom, on our website, by telephone or email after an enquiry, or during a home visit. If you are buying for business purposes, see clause 19.
1.4 Some sections apply only to certain types of sale. Where this is the case, the clause says so.
1.5 Nothing in these terms affects your legal rights as a consumer. A summary of your key rights is in clause 9. For more information, contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 or visit citizensadvice.org.uk.
1.6 Please read these terms before you order. You can download or print them from the website at any time. We will also send you a copy with your order confirmation.
2. How we sell and how the contract is made
2.1 In the shop. If you buy in our showroom, the contract is made when we accept your order and you pay, or pay a deposit, and we give you a written order confirmation or receipt.
2.2 On the website (basket and checkout). You can buy the following items online:
(a) items priced under £3,000, except new Linn and new Naim Audio products; and
(b) any ex-demonstration, ex-display or pre-loved item in The Encore Store, whatever its price.
2.3 Enquiry-only items. The following items cannot be bought through the website basket. Instead, use the Enquire button or the enquiry form:
(a) all new Linn products;
(b) all new Naim Audio products; and
(c) any other new item priced at £3,000 or more.
Sending an enquiry does not create a contract. We will contact you to discuss your needs, offer a demonstration where appropriate, and give you a written quotation.
2.4 Steps to order online.
(a) Add items to your basket.
(b) Review your basket. You can change quantities or remove items at this stage.
(c) Enter your billing and delivery details. Before you pay, you will see the total price, including VAT and any delivery charge.
(d) Check your order on the review page. You can correct any errors before you click the button marked “Place order and pay”.
(e) Pay by card through our payment provider, Stripe.
(f) We will email you to acknowledge that we have received your order. This acknowledgement does not mean we have accepted your order.
(g) The contract is made when we email you to confirm that we have accepted your order, or that your order has been dispatched, whichever comes first.
2.5 Enquiry, telephone and email sales. For items sold after an enquiry, we will send you a written quotation. The quotation sets out the product, the total price, any deposit, delivery or installation details, the cancellation information and a link to these terms. The contract is made when you accept the quotation and we confirm acceptance in writing. If this all happens without you visiting our showroom, it is a distance contract, and the 14-day cancellation right in clause 7 applies.
2.6 Home visits. If you agree to buy during a home demonstration or another visit to your home, or at our showroom straight after we have spoken to you personally at your home, the contract is an off-premises contract. Before you are bound, we will give you the order details, these terms and the cancellation information, on paper or, if you agree, by email. The 14-day cancellation right in clause 7 applies.
2.7 If we cannot accept your order. We may decline an order. For example, an item may be out of stock, there may be a pricing error (see clause 3), or we may be unable to deliver to your area. If we decline, we will tell you and refund any payment in full within 14 days.
2.8 Language and records. Contracts are made in English. We keep a copy of each contract. You can view online orders in your website account, or ask us for a copy.
3. Prices and price errors
3.1 Prices are in pounds sterling and include VAT at the current rate. The price shown before you pay includes all mandatory charges. Any optional extras, such as premium delivery, installation or set-up, are shown separately, and you will only pay for them if you choose them.
3.2 Delivery, collection and installation charges. Standard delivery to UK mainland addresses costs £15 per order. For delivery anywhere else, including the Scottish Highlands and islands, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight, the Isles of Scilly, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, please contact us before you order and we will confirm the charge, which you will agree before you pay. These areas cannot be chosen for delivery at our website checkout. You can also collect your order free of charge from our Ascot showroom (clause 6). Installation, set-up and home demonstration charges are set out in clause 12 and in your quotation.
3.3 Recommended prices. For many brands we follow the manufacturer’s recommended retail price. Prices can change, but a change will not affect an order we have already accepted.
3.4 Price errors. Despite our care, an item may occasionally be shown at the wrong price.
(a) If the correct price is lower than the price shown, we will charge you the lower amount.
(b) If the correct price is higher, and we discover the error before we accept your order, we will contact you. You can then buy at the correct price or cancel, and we will refund anything you have paid.
(c) If we have already accepted your order, we will supply at the price you were charged. The only exception is where the error was obvious and unmistakable and you could reasonably have recognised it as a mistake, such as a £10,000 amplifier shown at £100. In that case we may end the contract, and we will refund what you have paid in full.
3.5 Promotional prices. If we show a reduced price, the comparison price will be genuine. Any promotion end date will be stated and kept to.
4. Payment and deposits
4.1 Online. You pay in full at checkout by debit or credit card through Stripe. We do not see or store your full card details. We do not charge a fee for paying by card.
4.2 Shop, enquiry and home-visit sales. We accept debit and credit cards (except American Express) and bank transfer. Payment is due in full before delivery or collection unless your quotation says otherwise.
4.3 Deposits. For items we have to order in, or for system and installation projects, we may ask for a deposit of 50% of the price, as stated in your quotation. The balance is due before delivery or, where we install the system, on completion of installation.
4.4 What happens to your deposit.
(a) If you cancel within your 14-day cancellation right under clause 7, you will receive a full refund of your deposit.
(b) If we cannot supply the goods or services, or we end the contract for a reason that is not your fault, you will receive a full refund of your deposit.
(c) If you cancel without a legal right to do so, we may keep from your deposit only an amount that reasonably reflects the costs and losses we have actually incurred. Examples include non-returnable special-order charges or a manufacturer’s restocking fee that we have to pay. We will tell you how we worked out the amount and refund the rest. We will never keep more than our actual reasonable losses.
5. Delivery, collection, risk and ownership
5.1 Delivery times. We will deliver within the time stated in your order confirmation. If no time is agreed, we will deliver within 30 days of the contract being made.
5.2 If delivery is late. If we do not deliver on time, you can give us a reasonable new deadline. If we miss that deadline as well, you can end the contract. If the delivery date was essential and you told us so before ordering, you can end the contract straight away. If you end the contract, we will refund anything you have paid for the undelivered goods.
5.3 Delivery methods. We deliver by courier, by our own staff, or, for some brands, directly from the UK distributor (see clause 5.6). Large or high-value items may need a pre-arranged date, a signature and a suitable person at the delivery address.
5.4 Risk. The goods are your responsibility from the time they are delivered to you, or to someone you nominate, at the agreed address, or from when you collect them. If you arrange your own courier, rather than one we offer, the goods become your responsibility when we hand them to that courier.
5.5 Ownership. You own the goods once we have received payment in full.
5.6 Items sent directly by Henley Audio. Some Pro-Ject Audio Systems, Ortofon and WiiM products are sent to you directly by the UK distributor, Henley Audio. Your contract is still with us, and we remain responsible to you for the goods, delivery and your legal rights. To arrange delivery, we share your name, delivery address, telephone number and order details with Henley Audio. If you need to return a drop-shipped item, contact us first and we will tell you where to send it.
5.7 Checking your goods. Please check your goods when they arrive and tell us about any damage or missing items as soon as you can. This helps us resolve the problem quickly. It does not reduce your legal rights.
5.8 If you are not available. If no one is available to take delivery, and you have not arranged a new date within 30 days of us contacting you, we may end the contract. If we do, we will refund what you have paid, less our reasonable costs of storage and redelivery.
6. Collection from our showroom
6.1 We will tell you when your order is ready. Please collect within 14 days. We will hold items for longer if you ask. Items remain our responsibility until you collect them (clause 5.4). If you have not collected your order, or arranged a later date, within 30 days of us telling you it is ready, we may end the contract and refund what you have paid, less our reasonable storage costs.
7. Your 14-day right to cancel (online, telephone, email and home-visit sales)
7.1 When it applies. You have a legal right to cancel if you bought:
(a) through our website;
(b) by telephone or email without visiting our showroom; or
(c) during a home visit or another off-premises meeting (see clause 2.6).
The right does not apply to purchases you agree to in our showroom, unless clause 2.6 applies.
7.2 How long you have. You have 14 days, and you do not need to give a reason.
(a) For goods, the 14 days start on the day after you, or someone you nominate (other than the carrier), receive the goods. If an order arrives in several deliveries, the 14 days start after the last item arrives.
(b) For services ordered on their own, such as servicing or installation, the 14 days start on the day after the contract is made.
(c) If we do not give you the information about this right, the cancellation period is extended. It then ends 14 days after we give you the information, or 12 months after the original period ended, whichever is earlier.
7.3 How to cancel. Tell us clearly within the 14 days. You can email info@hiddensystems.co.uk, telephone 01344 511 612, or write to Hiddensystems Limited, The Old Court House, London Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7EN. You can use the model cancellation form in clause 7.11, but you do not have to. If you email or use a form, we will acknowledge your cancellation promptly.
7.4 Returning goods. Send back or hand over the goods without undue delay, and no later than 14 days after you tell us you are cancelling. Please return goods in their original packaging if you can, because most Hi-Fi equipment needs its original packaging for safe transport.
7.5 Who pays for returns.
(a) For website and other distance sales, you pay the direct cost of returning the goods. For items that cannot normally be returned by post, such as floorstanding loudspeakers, turntables and large amplifiers, we estimate the maximum cost of return at £200 per item. Please contact us before sending a large item back and we will confirm the actual cost, which will not be more than this.
(b) For off-premises contracts made during a home visit, we will collect large items from you at our own cost.
7.6 Your refund. We will refund the price of the goods and our standard delivery charge, using the same payment method you used.
(a) If you chose a more expensive delivery option than our cheapest standard option, we refund only the cost of the standard option.
(b) If we are collecting the goods, we will refund you within 14 days of the day you told us you were cancelling.
(c) Otherwise, we will refund you within 14 days of the day we receive the goods back, or the day you give us evidence that you have sent them, whichever is earlier.
7.7 Handling and diminished value. You may handle and use the goods only as you would in a shop to establish their nature, characteristics and functioning. For example, you can unpack them, connect them and listen to them briefly. If the goods lose value because you handled them more than that, we may reduce your refund by the loss in value. For example, we might do this if a cartridge stylus is damaged, a turntable is set up without the transit screws, or the goods are marked or have parts missing. We may not make this deduction if we failed to give you the cancellation information.
7.8 Installation and services within the 14 days. If you want us to start installation, set-up or another service before the 14 days end, you must ask us expressly. For home-visit contracts, the request must be on paper or by email. If you then cancel:
(a) you must pay a proportionate amount for the service we have provided up to the time you cancel; and
(b) if the service has been completed in full, you lose the right to cancel the service, but not the right to cancel the goods.
Installation work we have done does not count as your handling under clause 7.7.
7.9 Exceptions. The right to cancel does not apply to:
(a) goods made to your specification or clearly personalised, such as custom-finished loudspeakers or bespoke cables made to your measurements; and
(b) sealed audio or video recordings or computer software that you have unsealed after delivery.
We will tell you before you order if an exception applies.
7.10 Trade-ins and cancellation. If you cancel a purchase that included a trade-in, we will return your trade-in item if we still have it, or pay you its agreed trade-in value in money.
7.11 Model cancellation form. Complete and return this form only if you wish to cancel the contract.
To: Hiddensystems Limited, The Old Court House, London Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7EN. Email: info@hiddensystems.co.uk
I/We [*] hereby give notice that I/We [*] cancel my/our [*] contract of sale of the following goods [*] / for the supply of the following service [*],
Ordered on [*] / received on [*],
Name of consumer(s),
Address of consumer(s),
Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper),
Date
[*] Delete as appropriate.
8. Returns outside the cancellation right
8.1 If you change your mind after the 14-day period, or about something you bought in our showroom, we are not obliged to take the goods back unless they are faulty or not as described (see clause 9). We may, at our discretion, offer an exchange or credit within 30 days of purchase for unused goods in their original packaging.
9. Faulty goods and your legal rights
9.1 We are under a legal duty to supply goods that are of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose (including any purpose you told us about) and as described. If we install the goods, they must be installed correctly. Your main rights are summarised below.
9.2 Up to 30 days. If your goods are faulty, you can reject them and get an immediate refund, provided you tell us within 30 days of delivery. For goods we install, the 30 days start when installation is complete.
9.3 Up to six months. If you discover a fault within six months of delivery and the goods cannot be repaired or replaced, you are entitled to a full refund in most cases. Any fault that appears within six months is presumed to have been there at delivery, unless we prove otherwise.
9.4 After six months. If the goods cannot be repaired or replaced, you are entitled to a price reduction or a refund. After six months, the refund may be reduced to reflect your use of the goods. You may also have to show that the fault was present at delivery.
9.5 Repair or replacement. You may ask for a repair or a replacement. If it fails, or cannot be done within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to you, you can ask for a price reduction or reject the goods. We cover the cost of repair or replacement, including any reasonable cost of collecting and returning the goods.
9.6 Refunds for faulty goods are made within 14 days of the day we agree that you are entitled to one.
9.7 Services. We must carry out services, such as demonstrations, installation, set-up and servicing, with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time and as described to you. If we do not, you can ask us to repeat or fix the service. If that is not possible, you can ask for a price reduction.
9.8 What is not a fault. These rights do not cover normal wear and tear, accidental damage, misuse, damage caused by repairs or modifications by someone other than us or an authorised service agent, or ordinary consumable wear, such as stylus wear in normal use.
9.9 Software and streaming. Some products, including network streamers, rely on firmware, apps and online services provided by the manufacturer or third parties. We are responsible for the goods we supply. Third-party services such as streaming platforms may change or be withdrawn by their providers, but this does not reduce your legal rights in the goods themselves.
10. Ex-demonstration, ex-display and pre-loved items (The Encore Store)
10.1 We sell ex-demonstration, ex-display and pre-loved (second-hand) equipment. Each listing states the item’s category, its condition grading, which accessories and packaging are included, and any known marks, wear or faults.
10.2 Condition grades. Excellent: little or no visible wear; Very good: light marks visible on close inspection; Good: visible wear described in the listing; Fair: obvious signs of long-term use, described in the listing.
10.3 These items must still be of satisfactory quality, taking into account their description, age, price and condition. You cannot complain about a fault or wear that we pointed out to you before you bought, or that you could reasonably have seen if you examined the item before buying.
10.4 Our warranty. Ex-demonstration and ex-display items come with whatever remains of the manufacturer’s warranty, where the manufacturer allows it to be transferred to you. If no manufacturer warranty remains, or it cannot be transferred to you, we will give you our own Hidden Systems warranty for 3 months from delivery instead. Pre-loved items come with a Hidden Systems warranty of 3 months from delivery. These warranties are in addition to your legal rights in clauses 7 and 9 and do not replace them.
10.5 You can buy Encore Store items online at any price. The 14-day cancellation right applies to online purchases in the usual way.
11. Manufacturer warranties
11.1 Most new products come with a manufacturer’s warranty, for example from Linn, Naim Audio, Devialet, Kudos Audio, Lejonklou, Totem Acoustic, Pro-Ject Audio Systems, Ortofon or WiiM. The length and terms of each warranty are set by the manufacturer and are given in the product documentation. If a product page does not show the warranty period, ask us and we will tell you before you buy.
11.2 A manufacturer’s warranty is in addition to your legal rights against us. It does not replace or reduce them. You can choose to claim against us under clause 9, or under the manufacturer’s warranty, or both.
11.3 Some manufacturers require you to register the product to get the full warranty or extended cover. If you ask us to register a product for you, we will share the details needed with the manufacturer (see our Privacy Policy).
12. Home demonstrations, installation, set-up and servicing
12.1 Area. We provide home demonstrations, installation, set-up and servicing across Berkshire and Surrey. We may be able to travel further by agreement.
12.2 Charges. Home demonstrations are charged at £250, which we deduct from the price if you then buy from us. Installation and set-up charges are set out in your quotation. Where work is charged on a time basis, the quotation will show the hourly rate and an estimate. We will not go over the estimate without your agreement.
12.3 Your responsibilities. To help us work safely and efficiently, please:
(a) make sure we have safe access to the rooms concerned and suitable parking near your property, or tell us about any parking restrictions or charges in advance;
(b) tell us before the visit about any hazards, such as asbestos, unsafe wiring or structural problems, and about any restrictions, such as listed building or lease restrictions;
(c) keep pets and children away from the work area;
(d) move or protect valuable or fragile items near the work area, or ask us to help; and
(e) agree in writing where any drilling, cable routing or wall or ceiling work will be done, and tell us where hidden pipes and cables run, if you know.
12.4 Our responsibilities. We will take reasonable care of your property and leave the work area clean and tidy. If we damage your property through our negligence, we will put it right or compensate you. We hold public liability insurance of £1,000,000.
12.5 Safety. We may postpone or stop work if we reasonably believe that conditions are unsafe. We will explain why and agree a new date with you.
12.6 Mains electrical work. Our engineers connect equipment to existing sockets. We do not carry out fixed mains wiring work.
12.7 Network and streaming set-up. To set up streamers and multi-room systems, we may need access to your Wi-Fi network and to music service accounts. We use this information only to set up your system and do not keep it afterwards, unless you ask us to so that we can provide ongoing support.
12.8 Servicing and repairs. We will give you an estimate before starting any chargeable work. Before you hand over equipment that stores a music library, please back up the library. If you do not collect serviced equipment within 30 days of us telling you it is ready, we will send you reminders. If the equipment is still not collected, we may charge reasonable storage costs. If uncollected goods law allows and we have given you the required written notice, we may sell the item and account to you for the proceeds, less what you owe us.
12.9 Cancellation of visits. If you need to rearrange a visit, please give us at least 48 hours’ notice. If we have to cancel, we will rearrange at no cost to you.
13. Trade-ins and part-exchange
13.1 Valuation. Any trade-in value we quote before we have seen the item is provisional. The final value depends on our inspection of the item’s condition, completeness, functionality and authenticity. If the final value differs from the provisional value, you can accept it or withdraw your trade-in.
13.2 Your promises about the item. By trading in an item, you confirm that:
(a) you own it, or are authorised by its owner to sell it;
(b) it is not stolen, subject to finance or hire purchase, or otherwise subject to any other person’s rights; and
(c) what you have told us about its history and condition is accurate.
We may ask for proof of identity and, where available, proof of purchase.
13.3 How the trade-in value is used. Unless we agree otherwise in writing, the trade-in value is applied as a deduction from the price of the product you are buying from us at the same time. It is not paid out in cash.
13.4 Ownership. Ownership of the trade-in item passes to us when your purchase contract is made and the item is handed over. Until then, the item remains your responsibility.
13.5 Data on devices. Please remove personal data, accounts and streaming log-ins from any trade-in item before you hand it over. We will factory-reset network devices before resale.
14. Promotions and exchange programmes
14.1 Promotions, including manufacturer trade-up and exchange programmes, have their own terms. These set out eligibility, qualifying products, how values are calculated and the start and end dates. They are shown on the promotion page or provided on request. If a promotion’s terms conflict with these terms, the promotion terms apply to that promotion. They do not reduce your legal rights.
14.2 We will run promotions until the stated end date. If a promotion has to end early, for example because a manufacturer withdraws it or stock runs out, we will say so clearly on the promotion page. We will honour orders we accepted before the change.
14.3 Where a promotion is run by a manufacturer, the manufacturer may decide on eligibility and may make any payments or rewards directly. We will help you with your claim.
15. In-store events
15.1 We hold events and launches at our Ascot showroom. Places may be limited, and we may ask you to register in advance.
15.2 Events are free unless we state otherwise. If we have to cancel or change an event, we will let registered attendees know as soon as we can.
15.3 We may take photographs or video at events. We will tell you at the event and at registration. You can ask not to be photographed. See our Privacy Policy.
15.4 Products demonstrated at events are sold on these terms. Any special event pricing will state its end date.
16. Our liability to you
16.1 If we break these terms or fail to use reasonable care and skill, we are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breach or failure. Loss or damage is foreseeable if it is obvious that it will happen, or if we and you both knew it might happen when the contract was made.
16.2 We do not exclude or limit our liability for:
(a) death or personal injury caused by our negligence or that of our employees, agents or subcontractors;
(b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
(c) breach of your legal rights in relation to goods, services and digital content, including the right to receive goods that are as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose, and services carried out with reasonable care and skill; or
(d) anything else for which the law does not allow us to exclude or limit liability.
16.3 We supply goods for domestic and private use only. We are not liable to you for loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption or loss of business opportunity.
16.4 We are not responsible for delays or failures caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as severe weather, transport disruption, supplier or manufacturer delays, or public health restrictions. If such an event affects us, we will contact you as soon as possible. We will take reasonable steps to reduce the delay. If the delay is likely to be substantial, you may end the contract and receive a refund for anything you have paid for goods or services not yet provided.
17. Complaints and disputes
17.1 If you are unhappy, please contact us first by email at info@hiddensystems.co.uk, by telephone on 01344 511 612 or by post. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and aim to resolve it within 30 days. If a complaint is complex, we will keep you informed of progress.
17.2 Alternative dispute resolution. We are not currently obliged to use, and do not currently use, an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme. If we cannot resolve your complaint, you can contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 for advice, or take your claim to court.
17.3 Governing law. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. If you live in England or Wales, you can bring legal proceedings in the courts of England and Wales. If you live in Scotland, you can bring them in Scotland or in England and Wales. If you live in Northern Ireland, you can bring them in Northern Ireland or in England and Wales.
18. General
18.1 Changes to these terms. We may update these terms from time to time. The version that applies to your purchase is the one in force when the contract is made.
18.2 Transfer. We may transfer our rights and obligations under the contract to another organisation, but this will not affect your rights. You may transfer the benefit of a manufacturer warranty only where the manufacturer allows it.
18.3 Severability. If a court decides that any part of these terms is unlawful, the rest of the terms remain in force.
18.4 Third parties. Nobody else has rights under this contract, except where clause 11 or a manufacturer’s warranty gives them.
18.5 Delay. If we delay in enforcing these terms, we can still enforce them later.
18.6 Your personal data. We use your personal data as described in our Privacy Policy.
19. Business customers
19.1 If you buy for business purposes, clauses 7 and 9.1 to 9.6 do not apply. Instead, the goods will correspond with their description and be of satisfactory quality, and our total liability to you will not exceed the price paid for the goods or services concerned.