These Terms & Conditions apply to all clients who register with, purchase services from, or submit information to Connecting to the Roots (“we”, “us”, “our”). By using our website, submitting documents, booking a consultation, or purchasing any service, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.
Connecting to the Roots provides ancestry research services for descendants of Indian indentured labourers seeking to trace their ancestral roots in India. Our services may include consultation, document review, historical interpretation, archival direction, location analysis, field investigation coordination, and optional DNA coordination support.
A 30-minute online consultation to discuss your case and provide general guidance on realistic possibilities.
A foundation-level review of documents and available information, including analysis of emigration or immigration pass details, place names, district, thana, village, caste/community clues where recorded, ship name, and possible research direction.
A deeper investigation that may include field-level enquiries, local coordination, village visits, interviews where appropriate, photographs, and preparation of a research report.
Optional coordination support with independent third-party DNA testing providers. Connecting to the Roots does not conduct DNA testing, collect samples, or issue DNA results.
You understand and agree that ancestry tracing through historical records is complex and uncertain. The records used may be over 100 years old and may contain spelling variations, unclear handwriting, missing information, incorrect entries, changed village names, altered district boundaries, or other inconsistencies.
Connecting to the Roots provides services on a best endeavours basis. We do not guarantee that we will be able to identify your ancestral village, locate living relatives, confirm lineage, or reach a conclusive result.
You agree to provide accurate, complete, and truthful information to the best of your knowledge. You confirm that you have the right and authority to share any documents, family information, ancestral data, photographs, immigration passes, or other material submitted to us.
You are responsible for ensuring that the information you provide does not breach the rights, privacy, or confidentiality of any other person.
By submitting your information and documents, you authorise Connecting to the Roots to use them for the purpose of providing the services requested by you.
This may include reviewing documents, interpreting historical data, contacting archives, conducting field enquiries, communicating with researchers, and where necessary sharing limited relevant information with trusted third parties involved in your case, including field researchers, local contacts, archives, government or local authorities, and service providers.
We will only share information that is reasonably required for your research and will handle it with confidentiality and care.
We are committed to protecting your personal information, family history, and ancestral documents. We process your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws, including UK GDPR where applicable.
Your information will not be sold or used for unrelated purposes. Access to your information will be limited to authorised persons involved in your case.
All fees must be paid in advance unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Current service fees are displayed on our website and may be updated from time to time. Any change in pricing will not affect services already paid for, unless additional work is requested or required.
Where a service involves field investigation, travel, repeated visits, extended local enquiries, or additional costs beyond the agreed scope, we will inform you in advance before proceeding with any chargeable additional work.
Fees paid for services are generally non-refundable, as our charges reflect time, research effort, document review, administrative work, coordination, and resources committed to your case.
No refund will be provided simply because the research is inconclusive, unsuccessful, delayed due to archive or field conditions, or does not produce the outcome you hoped for.
If we are unable to commence a paid service due to reasons within our control, we may, at our discretion, offer a refund, credit, or alternative arrangement.
Any report or finding provided by Connecting to the Roots is based on available information, documents, interpretation, and research conducted at the time.
Reports may include confirmed information, likely interpretation, uncertainty, confidence levels, and recommended next steps. A report should not be treated as final legal proof of lineage, identity, property rights, inheritance rights, nationality, caste/community status, or any legal entitlement.
You agree that any information, report, location finding, lineage indication, or family connection provided by Connecting to the Roots will not be used to claim land, house, property, inheritance, money, assets, or any direct or indirect economic benefit from any individual, family, village, institution, or descendant group.
Our services are provided for personal, historical, cultural, and genealogical understanding only.
You agree not to misuse any information provided by Connecting to the Roots for economic, political, social, religious, discriminatory, defamatory, or harmful purposes.
You must not use the information to harass, pressure, exploit, embarrass, threaten, or cause distress to any person, family, village, community, authority, or organisation.
Reports, findings, names, photographs, contact details, village information, family information, or any other material provided by Connecting to the Roots must not be published, shared, uploaded, or circulated on social media, public forums, media platforms, or websites without our prior written consent and, where applicable, the consent of any relevant third parties.
Where potential relatives or lineage connections are identified, you agree not to contact them directly without prior coordination through Connecting to the Roots.
Family discovery can be sensitive and emotional for all parties. Any introduction should be handled respectfully, gradually, and with appropriate consent.
Extensive Search may involve field visits, local enquiries, contact with local residents, archives, local authorities, and other sources. Field research is subject to practical realities, including availability of people, access to locations, travel conditions, safety, local cooperation, weather, festivals, administrative delays, and other factors beyond our control.
We will make reasonable efforts to carry out field research professionally and respectfully, but we cannot guarantee that local enquiries will produce conclusive results.
Connecting to the Roots does not provide DNA testing directly. Where requested, we may assist with coordination between you, possible ancestral lineage contacts, local support persons, and independent DNA testing providers.
DNA testing companies follow their own legal, ethical, consent, sample collection, laboratory, reporting, and privacy procedures. We are not responsible for their actions, results, delays, decisions, costs, or data handling.
DNA testing should only proceed with informed consent from all relevant parties.
Any timescales shown on the website or communicated to you are estimates only. Research may take longer due to archive delays, document quality, local enquiries, travel requirements, availability of people, public holidays, administrative delays, or case complexity.
We will make reasonable efforts to keep you updated where delays occur.
We will normally communicate with you by email or through your account on our website. WhatsApp may be used for general messages where available, but case-specific advice, document review, or research opinion is provided only through paid services or official communication channels.
You are responsible for providing accurate contact details and checking messages from us.
All reports, templates, written findings, research summaries, analysis, website content, and materials prepared by Connecting to the Roots remain our intellectual property unless otherwise agreed in writing.
You may use the report for your personal family research purposes only. You may not copy, reproduce, publish, sell, distribute, or commercially use our materials without written permission.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Connecting to the Roots shall not be liable for any loss, damage, disappointment, emotional distress, financial loss, indirect loss, consequential loss, or third-party claim arising from inconclusive research, inaccurate historical records, missing archives, changed locations, family disputes, misuse of information, or decisions made by you based on our findings.
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability where it cannot legally be excluded.
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Connecting to the Roots, its team, researchers, associates, and representatives from any claims, losses, disputes, liabilities, or expenses arising from your misuse of information, unauthorised publication, direct contact with families, property claims, false information provided by you, or breach of these Terms.
If you are unhappy with our service, you should contact us in writing at info@connectingtotheroots.com with details of your concern. We will review your complaint and respond within a reasonable time.
You retain the right to seek advice from appropriate consumer bodies, ombudsman services, or legal advisers where applicable.
We may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time. The version applicable to your service will usually be the version accepted by you at the time of registration or payment, unless a later version is expressly agreed.
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute, claim, or grievance arising in connection with these Terms or our services shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, unless otherwise required by applicable law.
By registering, submitting documents, booking a consultation, purchasing a service, or continuing to use our website, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.
London, United Kingdom