Terms and Conditions for Richmonduponthames Removals

These terms and conditions set out the basis on which Richmonduponthames Removals provides moving, transport and related services to residential and business customers in the United Kingdom. By making a booking, confirming a quotation, or allowing our team to begin work, you agree to be bound by these terms. They are designed to make the removals service clear, fair and practical for both parties. For the purposes of these terms, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Richmonduponthames Removals, and “you” or “the customer” refers to the person or business requesting the service.

These terms apply to a wide range of services, including domestic removals, office relocations, packing, loading, unloading, furniture handling, item transport and associated labour. They also apply where we provide a partial service, such as collection-only, delivery-only or man-and-van assistance. Any special instruction, agreed variation, or written quotation specific to your booking will form part of the agreement, but only where it is confirmed by us in writing. If there is any inconsistency between a written quotation and these terms, the written quotation will take priority for the specific points it addresses.

Please read the whole document carefully before confirming a booking. In particular, note the sections on the booking process, payments, cancellations, liability, prohibited items and waste-related obligations. These terms are intended to comply with UK consumer and transport practices and should be interpreted in line with applicable law. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer where those rights cannot legally be excluded or limited.

1. Booking Process

To secure a moving service, you may request a quotation and provisional availability from Richmonduponthames Removals. A booking is only confirmed when we have accepted your request, confirmed the service details, and, where required, received any deposit or advance payment. A quotation may be based on the information you provide, including the size of the property, number of items, access conditions, distance, parking limitations, and any special handling requirements. If the information supplied is inaccurate or incomplete, we may revise the quotation or service plan before or on the day of the move.

We reserve the right to decline or cancel a booking where we believe the job exceeds the scope of the agreed quotation, presents an unacceptable health and safety risk, involves prohibited goods, or cannot be carried out lawfully or safely. A confirmed booking does not guarantee that every item will be moved if the item is unsafe, too heavy for reasonable handling, inadequately packaged, or restricted by law. You are responsible for ensuring that access is available at the collection and delivery addresses at the agreed times.

It is your responsibility to provide accurate information at the time of booking, including any fragile items, bulky furniture, valuable possessions, restricted access, parking requirements, lift restrictions, stairs, storage needs, or time-sensitive arrangements. We may rely on the details you give when allocating staff, vehicles and equipment. If additional labour, vehicle time or specialist handling becomes necessary because of incorrect or incomplete information, extra charges may apply. Any changes made after booking may also affect the price, scheduling and availability of the service.

2. Service Standards and Customer Responsibilities

We will carry out the service with reasonable care and skill, using appropriate staff and equipment for the agreed work. However, successful completion depends on your cooperation. You must ensure that the premises are ready for loading or unloading, pathways are clear, and items are packed or protected where the service is agreed to be customer-packed. Where we are not providing a packing service, you are responsible for the safe packing of all contents unless otherwise agreed in writing.

You must also make sure that goods are not misdescribed, under-declared or left unsecured. Small parts, detached fittings, loose shelves, cables, keys, remote controls, screws, bolts and similar accessories should be clearly labelled and kept with the relevant item. We are not responsible for delays caused by inadequate packing, poor access, third-party interference or instructions that are unclear or contradictory. If you ask us to move items that are not ready, we may continue at our discretion and charge for the additional time incurred.

Where our team is asked to dismantle or reassemble furniture, the service is provided on a best-efforts basis unless a specific specialist assembly service has been agreed. Some items may not be suitable for dismantling or reassembly due to design, condition, missing fixings or manufacturer limitations. We are not responsible for pre-existing faults, weak joints, hidden defects or wear and tear that become apparent during the move. Any decisions made by our team on the day to protect safety or prevent damage are final and must be respected.

3. Payments and Charges

All prices are stated in pounds sterling unless agreed otherwise. Quotes may be provided as fixed-price, hourly-rate or estimated charges depending on the nature of the service. Where the quotation is based on time, the charge normally begins when the team arrives at the agreed collection point or when work starts, whichever occurs first, and continues until the job is completed or the team is released. Waiting time, congestion, parking delays, failed access, or time spent dealing with inaccurate information may be chargeable.

Unless otherwise agreed, payment must be made on completion of the service or in advance where we request a deposit, full prepayment or balance payment before the move begins. We accept the payment methods notified at the time of booking. If a deposit has been taken, it will form part of the total service price and may be non-refundable in accordance with the cancellation terms below. Any unpaid sums become due immediately after completion of the service, and we may suspend or refuse further work until payment is received.

Additional charges may apply for long carries, waiting time, stair carries, parking fees, congestion-related delays, storage handling, additional stops, out-of-hours services, and specialist handling of exceptionally heavy or awkward items. We may also charge for extra materials, such as protective covers, wrapping supplies or cartons, if these are provided by us. If the final job exceeds the original scope, we will normally explain the additional costs before proceeding where reasonably practicable.

4. Cancellations, Postponements and Customer Changes

You may request a cancellation or postponement by giving notice as soon as possible. Cancellations made shortly before the scheduled move may result in a cancellation charge, especially where vehicles, staff, equipment or third-party arrangements have already been allocated. Unless your quotation states otherwise, the following principles apply: the earlier you notify us, the more likely it is that any fee will be reduced or waived; the nearer to the service date, the more likely some or all of the booking value will be retained to cover costs.

Where a deposit has been paid, we may retain part or all of it to reflect administration costs, staff allocation, scheduling losses and any non-recoverable expenses already incurred. If you wish to reschedule, we will try to accommodate your preferred new date, but this depends on availability and may involve a revised quotation. If we arrive and cannot complete the job because you are not present, access is unavailable, or the property is not ready, this may be treated as a late cancellation or failed attendance and charged accordingly.

We may cancel, suspend or delay a booking where carrying out the service would breach the law, create an unacceptable safety risk, or become impossible due to circumstances beyond our control, such as severe weather, road closures, accidents, vehicle breakdown, industrial action, or other disruptive events. In such circumstances, we will endeavour to contact you promptly and may offer a revised date or refund any amount paid for services not provided, subject to any non-recoverable costs lawfully deductible.

5. Liability, Insurance and Damage

We take reasonable care when handling your belongings, but moving services carry inherent risks. Our liability is limited to direct loss or damage caused by our negligence or breach of contract, subject to the exclusions and caps set out in these terms and to any mandatory rights you have under law. We do not accept liability for indirect loss, loss of profit, loss of business, loss of opportunity, or any consequential damage that is not reasonably foreseeable.

Unless otherwise stated in a quotation, our liability for any single claim arising from the service may be limited to the lesser of the replacement value of the affected item or the level of cover reasonably available under our standard operational arrangements. Any claim must be supported by evidence of ownership, description, age, condition and estimated value, along with clear photographs where possible. Pre-existing marks, scratches, chips, water ingress, loose fittings and general wear and tear will not normally be treated as damage caused by us.

You must notify us of any loss or damage within a reasonable time after the service, and in any event as soon as reasonably practicable. Failure to do so may affect our ability to investigate or assess the claim. We are not responsible for items that are packed by you or by someone acting on your behalf, unless the damage is shown to have been caused by our negligence during loading, transport or unloading. Fragile, high-value or sentimental items should be declared in advance, and you may be asked to arrange specialist cover or transport for such items.

6. Exclusions and Prohibited Items

For safety, legal and operational reasons, we do not transport certain goods unless expressly agreed and legally permissible. These may include hazardous substances, explosives, flammable liquids, compressed gases, perishables, illegal goods, live animals, cash, and items requiring special permits or temperature control. We may refuse to move items we reasonably believe to be unsafe, prohibited or improperly declared. If such items are discovered after loading has started, we may stop the job and charge for time and resources already used.

It is your duty to ensure that all items presented for transport are lawful to move and are safely prepared. You must not conceal dangerous goods in boxes, furniture or luggage. If the presence of prohibited items causes delay, damage, contamination or legal consequences, you may be liable for any resulting costs, losses or claims. Where we agree to move certain regulated goods, the agreement must be in writing and may require additional information, packaging standards, documentation or specialist handling arrangements.

We are not obliged to carry any item that is too large, too heavy, structurally unsafe, or likely to damage property, equipment or other goods. Our team may decline to lift or move items that present manual handling risks or that cannot be moved safely with available resources. In those circumstances, the item may be left in place and the service charge may still apply if the team has attended and attempted the work reasonably.

7. Waste Regulations and Disposal

Where the service involves removal of unwanted items, packaging, or household waste, you acknowledge that waste handling is subject to UK environmental rules and duty-of-care requirements. We will only remove waste that falls within the scope of our agreed service and that can be lawfully handled, transported and disposed of. We may ask you to identify waste streams, confirm whether items are reusable, recyclable or to be disposed of, and declare whether any item may contain hazardous materials.

You must not place prohibited waste in the load unless we have expressly agreed to handle it lawfully. This includes materials such as asbestos, clinical waste, electrical items requiring special treatment, solvents, oils, chemicals, batteries, gas canisters and contaminated materials. If we discover undeclared waste that cannot be lawfully transported, we may refuse collection, separate the item, or request that you arrange an alternative disposal method. Any charges arising from incorrect waste declarations may be passed on to you.

Where applicable, we may transfer waste only to authorised facilities or licensed third parties in accordance with our legal obligations. You agree that once waste has been lawfully collected for disposal, it cannot normally be recovered. If you instruct us to remove items for recycling, reuse or disposal, you remain responsible for accurately identifying the items and ensuring they are not mixed with goods you wish to keep. We are not responsible for loss resulting from unclear instructions about what should be retained or discarded.

8. Delays, Access and Force Majeure

Although we plan each removals service carefully, arrival and completion times are estimates unless a fixed time has been expressly guaranteed. Delays may occur due to traffic, parking restrictions, weather, roadworks, lifting constraints, building management rules or circumstances outside our control. We will use reasonable efforts to keep you informed where practicable, but we are not liable for delay caused by events that are not reasonably within our control.

You are responsible for securing any necessary permissions, permits or access arrangements for loading and unloading locations. If parking is unavailable, access is restricted, or a permit is not in place, we may need to wait, re-route, shorten the service or impose additional charges. If access issues materially prevent completion of the work, the booking may be treated as partially performed or failed attendance, depending on the circumstances and the work already completed.

We will not be liable for failure or delay caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to extreme weather, fire, flood, accident, pandemic-related restrictions, strikes, civil disturbance, government action, or interruption of utilities or transport networks. If such an event occurs, our obligations will be suspended for the duration of the event and we will work with you to rearrange the service where possible on a reasonable basis.