Service Terms and Conditions for Removal Companies Swiss Cottage
These terms and conditions set out the basis on which our removal company services are provided to customers in the UK. They apply to residential, office, and specialist moves arranged through our removals service, including packing, loading, transport, unloading, and related handling. By making a booking, the customer agrees to these terms, which are designed to create a clear, fair, and professional framework for both parties.
Throughout this document, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean the service provider, while “you” and “your” mean the customer, client, or person placing the booking. These conditions are intended to reflect standard UK practice for the removal companies Swiss Cottage market, while keeping the wording suitable for broader use across England and Wales. They do not replace any statutory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.
If any part of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply in full. The headings are included for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. In the event of any inconsistency between a written quotation and these terms, the quotation will prevail only where it expressly states that it overrides the relevant clause.
Booking Process and Service Agreement
All bookings are subject to availability and are only confirmed once we have issued a written confirmation or accepted your order in another recorded form. A booking may be made after a survey, inventory review, approximate description of items, or any other reasonable assessment of the move. The customer must ensure that all information provided during the booking process is accurate, complete, and not misleading. This includes details about access, parking, stairs, lifts, fragile items, dismantling requirements, and the volume of goods to be moved.
Where a quotation is based on limited information, it may be revised if the actual service requirements differ materially from the description supplied. Such changes may arise if there are additional rooms, heavier items, restricted access, delays, waiting time, or extra handling needs. Our removal services are provided on the assumption that the work can be completed safely and within the agreed timeframe, subject to normal operational conditions.
Any dates and times provided are estimates unless expressly stated otherwise. We will use reasonable efforts to attend on the agreed day, but we are not liable for minor delays caused by traffic, weather, access restrictions, vehicle issues, or other events outside our control. If you require a specific completion window, this must be agreed in writing in advance. It is your responsibility to make sure that keys, access permissions, and any required permits are available at the correct time.
Payments, Charges, and Deposits
Our charges may be calculated on an hourly basis, fixed-price basis, or as a tailored quotation depending on the type and scale of the removal. Unless otherwise agreed, prices may include labour, vehicle use, standard equipment, and ordinary transport costs. Additional charges may apply for waiting time, congestion, parking penalties, long carries, ferry arrangements, specialist lifting equipment, or services requested after the original booking. Any extra cost will be explained as soon as reasonably possible.
A deposit may be required to secure your booking, especially for larger or high-demand moves. The balance is normally due on or before completion of the service, unless we have agreed alternative credit terms in writing. Payment must be made by the accepted methods stated at the time of booking. If a payment fails, is reversed, or is delayed, we may pause or withhold the service until the outstanding amount is settled.
All prices are quoted in pounds sterling unless otherwise stated and may be inclusive or exclusive of VAT depending on the status of the service and the quotation provided. If VAT applies, this will be shown separately where required. We reserve the right to correct obvious pricing errors before confirming the booking. The customer remains responsible for all fees due under the agreed arrangement, including lawful recovery costs where applicable.
Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Customer Responsibilities
You may request to cancel or reschedule your booking by giving notice in accordance with the terms of your quotation or confirmation. Where no specific notice period has been stated, we will apply a reasonable cancellation policy based on the nature of the job and any costs already incurred. If cancellation occurs after planning, surveying, or allocation of staff and vehicles, we may retain part or all of any deposit to cover administrative and operational loss.
We may also cancel or suspend the service if it becomes unsafe, unlawful, impracticable, or impossible to proceed. Examples include severe weather, access problems, vehicle breakdown, inaccurate booking information, unpaid balances, or circumstances that make performance materially different from what was agreed. If we cancel for reasons within our control, we will normally offer a rescheduled date or refund any sum paid for undelivered services, subject to any lawful deductions for work already completed.
Before the move starts, you must prepare the premises and items so that the removal can be carried out safely and efficiently. This includes securing pets, disconnecting appliances where required, removing items that are not to be moved, and identifying anything fragile, hazardous, or of exceptional value. Our UK removal company terms expect the customer to cooperate fully with reasonable instructions from the crew and to ensure that the property is in a condition suitable for safe access.
Handling of Goods, Liability, and Insurance
We will take reasonable care when handling your goods, but liability is limited to loss or damage caused by our proven negligence or breach of contract. We are not responsible for pre-existing damage, wear and tear, inherent defects, unsecured items, or damage caused by poor packing performed by the customer or a third party. If you pack your own items, you accept responsibility for the suitability of the packing materials and method used, unless we have expressly agreed to pack those items ourselves.
Where we provide packing services, we will use reasonable skill and care consistent with standard industry practice. However, fragile items, antiques, electronics, glass, artwork, and high-value possessions may require specific declaration and additional protection. The customer should notify us in advance of any items requiring special handling. If such items are not declared, any claim may be reduced or rejected to the extent that the lack of disclosure contributed to the loss or damage.
Our liability for direct loss is subject to the limits stated in the quotation, booking confirmation, or insurance summary where applicable. We do not exclude or limit liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded under UK law. Subject to those exceptions, we are not liable for indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, business interruption, emotional distress, or losses arising from delay unless expressly agreed otherwise.
Waste Regulations, Prohibited Items, and Environmental Compliance
Where our service includes the removal of unwanted items, rubbish, or clearance waste, both parties must comply with applicable UK waste regulations. We will only transport, handle, or dispose of waste in accordance with legal obligations, environmental standards, and any relevant duty of care requirements. The customer must not place prohibited materials in our vehicles without prior agreement and must disclose any waste that could be hazardous, controlled, or subject to special disposal rules.
Prohibited or restricted items may include asbestos, clinical waste, chemicals, solvents, fuels, gas cylinders, pressurised containers, explosives, firearms, fireworks, batteries requiring specialist treatment, and any item classified as dangerous or regulated under environmental or transport law. If such items are discovered during the job and were not declared in advance, we may refuse to handle them, end the relevant part of the service, or charge additional costs for lawful segregation, return, or safe disposal where permitted.
Any waste removed on your behalf remains your responsibility until lawfully transferred to an authorised carrier or facility, and you should retain any receipts or records provided. We may require confirmation of ownership or authority to remove items from the premises. Our removal company services are not a substitute for unlawful fly-tipping or improper disposal, and you must not ask us to breach any environmental or transport regulations. Where waste transfer documentation is required, it will be completed in line with legal requirements.
Access, Delays, and Property Conditions
The customer must ensure that suitable parking, access routes, and loading conditions are available for the duration of the service. If access is restricted by narrow staircases, low ceilings, inadequate lift capacity, entry controls, or other obstacles not previously disclosed, we may charge for extra labour, waiting time, or alternative handling arrangements. If safe completion becomes impossible because of access limitations, we may suspend the work until the issue is resolved or mutually agree to revise the service.
We are not responsible for damage caused by defective flooring, weak fixtures, unstable walls, hidden structural issues, or items that are inherently difficult to move unless that damage results from our negligence. The customer should protect vulnerable surfaces, remove loose objects, and inform us of any known hazards. When necessary, we may refuse to move items that we reasonably believe cannot be transported safely without risk to people, property, or the goods themselves.
Any delay caused by your failure to prepare the property, provide access, or secure required permissions may result in additional charges. If we are unable to complete the move on the day due to circumstances within your control, we may charge for time, mileage, storage, redelivery, or rebooking, as appropriate. Our team will act reasonably and in good faith, but we are entitled to recover costs that arise directly from avoidable disruption.
Storage, Title, and Uncollected Items
If items are placed into storage under a separate arrangement, additional storage terms may apply and should be read together with these conditions. The customer must keep goods insured appropriately during any storage period, unless we have expressly agreed otherwise in writing. We are not responsible for deterioration caused by unsuitable packing, humidity, temperature changes, pests, or the passage of time where such risks are outside our control and not caused by our breach.
Title to goods remains with the customer unless and until ownership is transferred by law or by a separate written agreement. If items are left uncollected, abandoned, or refused after a completed move, we may store them at the customer’s risk and expense, or dispose of them in accordance with legal requirements after reasonable notice where permitted. Any such action will be taken only where justified and proportionate.
Complaints and Claims
If you believe there has been a problem with the service, you should notify us as soon as reasonably possible and in any event within a reasonable time after the issue arises. Claims for loss or damage should be supported by evidence such as photographs, inventories, receipts, or other relevant documentation. We may require the damaged item to be retained for inspection and may decline claims where evidence is insufficient, where damage was not reported promptly, or where our liability is excluded by these terms.
We will investigate complaints fairly and attempt to resolve them in line with the evidence and the applicable contract terms. Any remedy may be limited to repair, replacement, cleaning, re-performance, or refund of the affected service element, at our discretion where lawful. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable UK legislation.
Force Majeure and General Provisions
We are not liable for failure or delay in performing our obligations where the failure results from events beyond our reasonable control. These may include extreme weather, fire, flood, road closures, civil disturbance, labour disputes, epidemic restrictions, government action, or widespread utility failure. If such an event occurs, we will take reasonable steps to minimise disruption and, where possible, arrange an alternative date or partial performance.
No waiver of any right under these terms shall be effective unless agreed in writing, and any single or partial exercise of a right shall not prevent further exercise of that right. You may not assign your rights or obligations without our written consent. We may assign or subcontract parts of the service where this does not materially reduce the standard of performance and where it is lawful to do so.
These service terms for removal companies represent the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the booked service and supersede prior discussions or representations, except where fraud or misrepresentation is involved. If a court or competent authority determines that any clause is invalid or unenforceable, that clause shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed if modification is not possible.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and any dispute or claim arising from them shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where mandatory consumer protection rules provide otherwise. If the customer is based elsewhere in the UK, the applicable local law may apply to mandatory rights only to the extent required by law.
By confirming a booking, the customer acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agreed to these terms and conditions. The aim of this agreement is to provide a clear, lawful, and balanced basis for professional moving services, while protecting both the customer and the service provider. For that reason, all parties should review the quotation carefully and ensure that every material detail is correct before the move takes place.