Westminster Removals Service Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Westminster Removals provides removal, relocation and associated services to residential and commercial customers. By placing a booking with us, you agree that these Terms and Conditions will apply to all services we provide to you, unless we agree otherwise in writing.

Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before confirming your booking. If you do not agree with any part of these Terms and Conditions, you should not use our services.

1. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following expressions have the meanings set out below:

Company, we, us, our means Westminster Removals, the provider of removal and associated services.

Customer, you, your means the person, firm or company who requests our services and enters into a contract with us.

Services means any removal, packing, unpacking, storage, handling, transportation, delivery, or related services which we agree to supply to you.

Goods means any items, belongings, furniture, equipment, personal effects or other property that we are asked to handle, move, pack, transport or store.

Contract means the agreement between you and us for the supply of services, incorporating these Terms and Conditions and any written quotation or confirmation we provide.

2. Scope of Services

We provide household and office removal services, including packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, transportation of goods, and where agreed in advance, dismantling and reassembly of certain items. We may also provide temporary storage and limited waste removal of packaging materials or authorised items, subject to applicable regulations.

The precise scope of the services will be as set out in our written quotation or booking confirmation. Any services not expressly stated are excluded unless subsequently agreed in writing.

3. Quotations and Pricing

All quotations are provided based on the information you supply. Quotations are normally given as a fixed price for the described job or at an hourly rate with a minimum charge. If the information you provide is incomplete or inaccurate, or if the job differs materially from what was originally described, we reserve the right to amend our quotation and charge for any additional work required.

Our quotation will usually specify what is included, such as number of staff, size of vehicle, estimated duration, and any additional services such as packing materials or dismantling and reassembly. Unless expressly stated, the quotation does not include insurance beyond our standard liability, parking charges, congestion charges, tolls, ferry charges, customs duties, storage fees, disposal fees, or work outside normal working hours.

Quotations are valid for a limited period as stated on the quotation, after which we may revise the price. All prices are exclusive of any applicable taxes, which will be added at the prevailing rate where applicable.

4. Booking Process

A booking is made when you confirm your acceptance of our quotation or proposal, and we confirm availability for the requested date and time. Bookings may be made in writing or by any communication method we make available, provided that we issue a confirmation of the booking details.

We reserve the right to decline a booking at our discretion. Your booking is only confirmed once we have accepted it and, where required, received any deposit or prepayment requested.

It is your responsibility to ensure that all booking details, including addresses, access conditions, dates, times, and the approximate volume of goods, are accurate and complete. Any changes must be notified to us as soon as possible. Changes may be subject to revised pricing or scheduling.

5. Customer Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

Ensuring that adequate access is available at all relevant properties, including for our vehicles and staff. This includes arranging any parking permissions, permits or visitor access required.

Ensuring that items are properly packed, labelled and ready for collection, unless you have booked a packing service with us.

Disconnecting and preparing appliances and equipment in accordance with manufacturer instructions and safety requirements.

Ensuring that any items requiring special handling, such as fragile goods, high value items, antiques, or items of unusual size or weight, are clearly identified to us in advance.

Complying with all applicable laws and regulations, including those relating to hazardous materials, waste and prohibited items.

You must not ask our staff to undertake any work or service that is unsafe, unlawful or outside the scope of their training, including but not limited to electrical, gas, plumbing or structural work.

6. Payments and Charges

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, payment terms are as follows:

A deposit or prepayment may be required at the time of booking, with the balance payable on or before the day of the move.

For hourly rate bookings, charges will be based on the time from arrival at the collection address until completion at the final delivery address, with any applicable minimum charges or call-out fees.

Payment may be required prior to unloading at the final destination for certain bookings.

We reserve the right to charge for additional time, resources or services where the job exceeds the scope or duration originally agreed.

Payment methods accepted will be as communicated by us. We may refuse to accept cash payments above a specified limit for security and compliance reasons.

If payment is not made when due, we may charge interest on the overdue amount at the statutory rate and may withhold delivery of goods until full payment is received. We may also retain goods under a lien until payment in full has been made for all services rendered.

7. Cancellations and Postponements

If you need to cancel or postpone your booking, you must notify us as soon as possible. The following cancellation charges may apply, unless otherwise stated in our quotation or confirmation:

More than seven days before the scheduled date: no cancellation fee, although any non-refundable third party costs incurred may be charged.

Between seven days and 48 hours before the scheduled date: a percentage of the quoted price may be charged to cover allocated resources and costs.

Less than 48 hours before the scheduled date or failure to provide access on the day: up to 100 percent of the quoted price may be charged.

Any specific cancellation terms set out in your quotation or booking confirmation will take precedence over the general terms above. We may, at our discretion, allow a change of date or partial refund depending on the circumstances and availability.

We may cancel or postpone a booking if you fail to meet your obligations, if payment is not made when due, if providing the service would pose a health and safety risk, or if events beyond our reasonable control prevent us from operating as planned. In such cases, our liability will be limited to refunding any prepayments for services not provided, and we will not be responsible for consequential losses.

8. Excluded and Prohibited Items

We will not carry or store:

Hazardous, explosive, flammable or illegal items, including but not limited to gas cylinders, fireworks, chemicals, fuels or controlled substances.

Perishable goods or live animals, unless specifically agreed in writing and subject to appropriate conditions.

Valuable items such as cash, securities, important documents, jewellery, artwork or collectibles, unless you have disclosed them to us in writing and we have agreed to handle them.

Any item which we reasonably believe may be a risk to health, safety, property or compliance with law.

If you include such items without our knowledge or consent, you do so entirely at your own risk. We will have no liability for any loss, damage or consequence related to such items and you will indemnify us for any claims or costs arising.

9. Liability and Limitations

We will exercise reasonable care and skill in providing the services. Our liability for loss of or damage to goods while in our custody or control is limited as follows, unless otherwise agreed in writing or covered by an additional insurance arrangement:

We will not be liable for pre-existing damage, fair wear and tear, or damage resulting from inherent defects in the goods or poor packing not carried out by us.

We will not be liable for any loss or damage where you or your representative pack, load or unload the goods, or where you instruct us to carry out a service against our advice.

We will not be liable for delays or failure to perform caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to adverse weather, traffic congestion, accidents, road closures, strikes, or governmental restrictions.

We will not be responsible for indirect or consequential losses such as loss of profits, loss of business, loss of opportunity, or emotional distress.

Any claim for loss or damage must be notified to us in writing as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event within a reasonable time after the move or discovery of the issue. We may require evidence of the condition and value of the goods and the circumstances of the loss or damage.

Where our liability is established, it will be limited to the lesser of the cost of repair, the replacement value of the item, or any specific cap stated in our quotation or policy. Additional insurance cover may be offered or recommended for high value items or larger moves.

10. Parking, Access and Waiting Time

You are responsible for arranging suitable parking and access for our vehicles at all collection and delivery addresses. Any parking charges, fines or penalties incurred due to insufficient permits, restrictions or other access issues may be charged to you.

If our staff are required to wait due to delays not caused by us, including waiting for keys, delayed access, or incomplete packing, we may charge for waiting time at our standard hourly rates with any applicable minimum charges.

11. Waste, Disposal and Environmental Regulations

We comply with applicable waste and environmental regulations. We are not a general waste disposal contractor and will only remove items for disposal where this has been agreed in advance as part of the services.

We will not remove hazardous or prohibited waste and reserve the right to refuse items that cannot be lawfully or safely disposed of through our usual channels. If you present such items for disposal without prior agreement, we may decline to take them and may charge for any additional time incurred.

Packaging materials used by us may be collected for reuse or recycling where practicable. If we agree to remove unwanted furniture, appliances or other goods for disposal, additional charges may apply including any recycling, transfer station or specialist disposal fees.

12. Insurance

We maintain insurance appropriate for a removal business, but this may not cover all risks or provide full replacement value for all items. You are encouraged to check the extent of our cover and consider arranging your own additional insurance for valuable or fragile goods.

We are not responsible for any shortfall between the compensation available under our liability limits or insurance and the full value of your goods.

13. Complaints and Dispute Resolution

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, you should raise the issue with us as soon as possible so we have an opportunity to investigate and, where appropriate, rectify the situation. We may ask you to provide details in writing and to supply any relevant evidence.

We will aim to respond to complaints promptly and fairly. If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, either party may seek to resolve the matter through appropriate legal or alternative dispute resolution channels.

14. Data Protection and Privacy

We will collect and use your personal information only as necessary to arrange and provide the services, manage our relationship with you, comply with our legal obligations, and improve our operations. We will take reasonable steps to keep your information secure and will not sell your personal data to third parties.

By providing us with your details, you consent to us using your information for the purposes stated. You may contact us to request access to, or correction of, your personal data that we hold, subject to legal limitations.

15. Health and Safety

We take health and safety seriously and expect customers to do the same. You must ensure that the premises are safe for our staff to work in and that any known risks are disclosed in advance. We may suspend or adapt our work if we consider that health and safety is compromised.

Our staff may decline to move items if they judge that doing so would be unsafe, for example due to excessive weight, instability, inadequate access, or structural concerns at the property.

16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions, and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with them, are governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

Any disputes arising in connection with these Terms and Conditions or the services we provide shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, save that we retain the right to bring proceedings in any other court of competent jurisdiction where necessary to protect our rights.

17. General Provisions

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable by a court or competent authority, that provision shall be deemed severed from the remaining provisions, which shall continue in full force and effect.

No failure or delay by us to exercise any right or remedy under these Terms and Conditions shall constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy.

These Terms and Conditions, together with any quotation or written agreement we issue, constitute the entire agreement between you and us in relation to the services and supersede any prior discussions or representations. Any variation to these Terms and Conditions must be agreed in writing by us.