Membership Terms & Conditions

By becoming a member of The Metal Detectives (MD) you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

  • Abide by The Metal Detectorists Code of Conduct.
  • Abide by The Countryside Code.
  • Fill any holes you dig ensuring you leave the area in as good as, or better than found condition.
  • Remove all unwanted metal objects found and leave them at the dig-site headquarters for proper disposal. (If your metal finds are too large to carry back to the dig-site headquarters please leave in the nearest hedge).
  • All detectorists must carry a finds pouch/bag to collect all their metal finds during the dig day/s.
  • All detectorists must use headphones while detecting on digs unless the member has to wear hearing aids.
  • Ensure that all personal rubbish is removed from the dig-site and properly disposed of.
  • Respect the land and the landowners wishes. Close any gate you open, do not disturb livestock or wildlife, stay within any marked areas and do not trespass onto any land for which permission has not been granted.
  • Abide by all the landowner's requests for dig days, including closing and locking gates, specifics on dig day parking and any other requests that might occur.
  • Read all MD emails in their entirety with regards to attending dig sites and MD group information. All emails are there to provide members and dig attendees with information on the group, digs and other important matters.
  • If a detectorist has confirmed to attendee a dig and then cannot attend they must inform the dig organisers by email or phone as soon as possible.
  • Always be courteous to dig attendees and people in the local community.
  • Report any finds to the dig organisers in order that they may be photographed, recorded and researched. We always provide landowners with a 'Finds Report', this is a record of all artefacts found on their land. MD also provide the 'Finds Report' to the dig-site's local FLO (Finds Liaison Officer).
  • MD does have public liability insurance as a legal requirement, however, all MD members must still be members of either NCMD (National Council for Metal Detecting) or FID (The Federation of Independent Detectorists). This is to make sure all our members have the correct insurance while detecting at digs or out on their own. Please make sure you renew your NCMD or FID membership when it expires. MD cannot be held responsible for any detectorist that does not have insurance, the detectorist will be fully liable for their own insurance and actions.
  • Health and safety is an important part of the MD dig days, members should report anything that may affect the health and safety of other dig attendees to the MD organisers promptly. MD always has a first aider on site at all MD events that are trained in emergency first aid and resuscitation. Please report all accidents and incidents to the first aider promptly. In the event of an emergency situation please call the emergency services on 999 immediately for professional help.
  • Report all ammunition found at MD digs to the organisers in order that the item(s) can be reported to the correct authorities for proper disposal. It is illegal to possess fire arms, including live ammunition unless you hold the appropriate Fire Arms Certificate and penalties are severe. Please do not touch or move anything fire arms or ammunition related if you are unsure.
  • If a member cancels their MD membership they will be removed from the MD's database and will no longer be emailed/ contacted about any future digs. There will be no refund for membership fee.
  • Sites arranged through MD are only to be visited on arranged MD digs. Members must not trespass on any of the MD sites at any other times. Any members found to be visiting MD sites independently from the MD digs will have their membership cancelled immediately.
  • MD has agreements in place with landowners to visit their land for the purpose of metal detecting on behalf of the MD members. Members must not independently contact or approach any landowners of the MD sites. Any member breaking this rule will have their membership cancelled and there will be no refund of membership fee.
  • Any member using the group to independently contact or approach other MD members for third party metal detecting event invites will have their membership cancelled and there will be no refund of membership fee.
  • Members must never reveal the Metal Detectives Group's dig sites or find spots to the general public, this includes any publications, social media and any other means that is deemed accessible to the general public. This is to protect sites and landowners from being targeted by any illegal activity. Any member breaking this rule will have their membership cancelled and there will be no refund of membership fee.
  • In the event of a hoard discovery on an MD dig 1. A hoard is defined as two or more gold or silver coins at least 300 years old found in close proximity, 2. A hoard is also defined as ten or more coins found in close proximity with a precious metal content of less than 10% and at least 300 years old. MD have a Hoard Plan in place that instructs all MD members and attendees of MD events that if the situation arises where a hoard is discovered on an MD dig the organisers must be informed immediately and all current hoard discovery guidelines will be followed. The area will be cordoned off by organisers and other detectorists must leave the proximity, there is no exception to this rule. The landowner will be informed and the local FLO (Finds Liasion Officer) will be contacted. MD members will comply with the Treasure Act legislation and will not intervene with a potential hoard. Any other discovered items by any other members within a 15 metre radius must be handed in to the FLO for investigation, details of these item(s) and their finders will be recorded to ensure equality and fairness. The initial discoverer(s) of the hoard will retain all rights along with the landowner. 
  • Members must never detect on Ancient Monuments, Scheduled Monuments and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 it is a criminal offence.
  • MD does not tolerate night-hawking. Any member found or reported to be night-hawking will have their membership cancelled and will be liable for their actions which could result in prosecution. 
  • Any member found to be acting illegally or inappropriately will have their membership cancelled and will not be entitled to a refund.
  • MD members can invite family and friends on digs as non-detectorists and they will be classed as a member's guest. Guests are purely observers and must not detect. Members must inform MD in advance if they wish to invite a non-detecting guest on a dig. There is a limit of two non-detecting guests per member. Members are responsible for their guests, and their guest's behaviour and actions. Guests must abide by the MD terms and conditions when in attendance at a dig site. Non-detecting guests are not charged to attend MD dig days. 
  • Non-member detectorists are permitted to attend digs but they must be invited directly by the MD organisers. Members must inform MD in advance if they wish the MD organisers to invite a non-member detecting guest on a dig. Non-members must abide by the MD terms and conditions when in attendance at a dig site. Non-members are charged at a higher rate then members for dig days.
  • Children under 16 are welcomed at MD events, however, this must be by prior arrangement with the organiser(s).  Any children must remain with the accompanying adult at all times and all responsibility for visiting children will remain with the adult that brought them.
  • The MD forum is for members to use as a communication tool to other fellow detectorists and pass on any help and advice that members can share. Members may post questions that they need help answering and must respect each others opinions, thoughts, feelings and beliefs. While debating and general discussion is fine, MD will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, swearing including abbreviated swear words, personal attacks or purposeless inflammatory.
  • Should your find(s) come under the Treasure Act, then you must report your find(s) to the coroner within 14 days of the item(s) being found. This is a legal requirement. MD will provide assistance with the proper procedure if required. All Treasure items are divided between the finder and lander.
  • Any finds discovered on dig sites arranged through MD that are of considerable value (£2,000 or more) are to be fairly and equally divided between the finder and the landowner (50/50 share). Please remember that by law landowners own all non-treasure finds, they only give the finder permission to search. Although MD does have agreements in place with landowners that finders may retain the majority of finds this does not invalidate the law. Members agree that MD may pass on member contact details to the landowner in the event that the landowner requests access to any item(s) found on their land. Any items declared treasure under the Treasure Act are automatically put through the process and will have the proceeds divided equally and fairly between the landowner and the finder.
  • Any objects found on a MD dig by a member from outside of the UK that are of certain cultural definitions, so more than 50 years of age and valued above specified financial thresholds, must be declared to the Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Liaison Office (FLO) and the object/s will require an individual licence for export out of the UK whether on a permanent or temporary basis. These licences are available from the arts council, and the MD organisers and PAS will help any members who need to acquire a licence.
  • MD accepts no responsibility whatsoever for finds which are not properly and legally declared, and any person attending a MD dig who acts outside of the legal requirements will have their membership cancelled and not be permitted to attend any future MD digs/activities.
  • Landowners reserve the rights to terminate a MD dig day or event at any time during the event, funds are non-refundable.
  • Dig sites, locations and conditions are subject to change at any time without prior notification to attendees, we will always do our best to inform members of changes made as soon as we are aware of them.
  • All dig attendees must pay the specified dig day fee to the organisers on arrival.
  • By becoming a member you agree that you have read and understood the MD Terms and Condition herewith and will sign an agreement when attending a MD event declaring that you will abide by them at all times in their entirety.
  • If a member or dig attendee is caught breaking any of our terms and conditions their membership will be cancelled immediately.

Please be aware that in line with current legal regulations every dig day attendee is required to read the Metal Detectives Terms and Conditions and must abide by them at all times when in attendance at a Metal Detectives dig/event. By attending a Metal Detectives Group event all attendees confirm that they have read and understood these Terms and Conditions and will abide by them at all times whilst in attendance at an event.

By joining the Metal Detectives Group and/or attending a Metal Detectives Group event the members/attendees are in agreement and subject to these Terms and Conditions at all times. 

These terms are subject to change. Revised May 2018. Review Date May 2019.

Terms of Advance Payment

The Metal Detectives occasionally hold weekend events that range from 2 to 4 days duration. Due to the organisation that these events require we must ask that payments for detecting and camping are made in advance. The Metal Detectives will send you links on how to make these payments once you have confirmed attendance of the particular event.

Any payment made in advance is fully refundable up to 14 days before that event should the attendee need to cancel their booking, and any booking fees are non-refundable. After this time the payment is fixed and any cancellation made by the attendee will not be eligible for a refund. 

In the event of extreme weather weekend events may be cancelled, please refer to The Metal Detectives Extreme Weather Procedure for more information on when events could be cancelled due to the weather. 

In the event of weekend event cancellation due to the weather or any other reason that may prevent the event from occurring The Metal Detectives Group will refund all purchased tickets fully within 3-5 working days of notification that the event has been cancelled. 

All members accept responsibility for their own dig and event costs, this includes the choice of advance payments to any third parties. The Metal Detectives will always provide accommodation for weekend events either through their own organisation or through the landowner/farmer. The Metal Detectives cannot be held liable for any payments made by the attendee to any third parties, including camping at another camp-site, bed & breakfast, hotel or any other costs that may occur, this is the attendees personal choice.

Disclaimer

The Metal Detectives Group will always do their best to find sites that have a good historical background and may result in some significant and interesting finds. We cannot guarantee that all the sites will result in such finds and we cannot be held responsible for sites that do not.

The Metal Detectives Group provides various land across the South of England for metal detectorists to search for various metals, artefacts, coins, buttons and other metal objects. If a metal detectorist attends and detects on a dig day or event arranged by The Metal Detectives Group then the metal detectorist has received the service that The Metal Detectives Group provides, and the metal detectorist is required to pay for that service. In accordance with the accepted practices of all professional events organisations demands for refunds on a service already provided cannot be entertained on principle. No exception whatsoever can be made to this rule as The Metal Detectives Group cannot be held responsible for individual's tastes, expectations or personal opinions. This includes elements beyond The Metal Detectives Group's control including the weather on the dig day, the land condition, the individual's own length of attendance on the dig day and the landowner's right to cancel the dig day at any time during the duration of the event.

The Metal Detectives Group cannot accept any liability for disinformation or misinformation provided by any third parties in relevance to any dig or event held by the group.

All Metal Detectives members are invited to every dig via email, members must confirm their attendance by replying to an email invite or replying on an event's forum post as soon as possible. Due to our limited number of attendees on our single day events we cannot guarantee any member a space and we cannot be held responsible for members missing out on digs who do not confirm their attendance in advance. The digs work on a first come first serve basis, any member who is refused entry due to capacity being reached on an event will be offered first refusal at the next dig in that county.

The Metal Detectives Group accepts no responsibility whatsoever for finds which are not properly and legally declared by metal detectorists attending their digs, whether a member or non-member. Any person attending a dig who acts outside of the legal requirements will be fully liable for their own actions, they will also have their membership cancelled and they will not be permitted to attend any future digs/activities arranged by The Metal Detectives Group.

The Metal Detectives Group cannot be held responsible for any digs or events that they arrange that have to be cancelled due to any situation beyond the group's control. No liability for third party charges will be accepted due to the cancellation of any Metal Detectives Group event including day digs, weekend digs and metal detecting events cancelled due to the weather, landowner's right to cancel the event at any time, and any other reason that is beyond the Metal Detectives control. All members accept responsibility for their own dig and event costs, this includes the choice of advance payments to any third parties.

The Metal Detectives Group cannot be held responsible for any metal detectorist that does not have their own insurance, the metal detectorist will be fully liable for their own insurance and actions. The Metal Detectives accepts no liability for any activities at their events which could result in injury, death, illness or disease, physical or mental damage to any attendees or attendee's guests. This is the responsibility of the attendee and the reason why our Terms and Conditions state that all attendees must have their own insurance cover when in attendance at a Metal Detectives Group event.

The Metal Detectives Group does not accept any liability for any damage to personal belongings, equipment and vehicles of attendees and attendee's guests that are brought to any Metal Detectives Group events, and any such items are brought to events at the owners own risk.

Website Disclaimer

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by The Metal Detectives Group and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.

Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of The Metal Detectives Group. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, The Metal Detectives Group takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.

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