Elephantandcastle Removals – Service Terms and Conditions
These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Elephantandcastle Removals provides domestic and commercial moving services, storage-related handling, packing support, loading, unloading, and associated removal services. By making a booking, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these terms. They are intended to create a fair and transparent agreement between you, the customer, and us, the service provider.
In these terms, references to we, us, and our mean Elephantandcastle Removals, and references to you or the customer mean the person, business, or organisation booking the removal service. These terms apply whether you are arranging a full house move, an office relocation, a single-item transport service, or another removal service agreed in writing. No service is confirmed until accepted by us in writing or by another clear form of confirmation.
Our removal services are provided on the basis of the information supplied by you at the time of enquiry, quotation, and booking. It is your responsibility to ensure that all details provided are accurate and complete, including access conditions, item lists, parking restrictions, stairs, lift access, and any special handling requirements. Where the information changes before the moving date, you must inform us promptly so that we may review the booking and, if necessary, revise the price, timing, or service plan.
Booking process begins with an enquiry, followed by an assessment of the requested service. We may provide an estimate or a fixed quotation depending on the information available. Any quotation is based on the scope of work described at the time of issue and remains valid for the period stated in the quotation, if any. A booking is normally secured only once you have accepted the quotation, provided the required booking information, and paid any deposit or advance payment requested.
We reserve the right to decline or amend a booking where the job is unsuitable, unsafe, outside our operational capacity, or likely to require services not originally quoted for. Any estimate may change if the actual work differs from the information supplied. Examples include additional flights of stairs, long carrying distances, unexpected waiting time, inadequate parking access, items requiring special handling, or the need for extra staff, vehicles, or equipment. Where practicable, we will notify you before proceeding with materially changed work.
It is your duty to ensure that all items to be moved are correctly identified, packed where agreed, and ready at the arranged time. Unless we have agreed to provide packing materials or packing services, we are not responsible for inadequate packing by you or by third parties. You must also ensure that items prohibited by law or by these terms are not presented for transport. If you ask us to move items requiring special care, you should notify us in advance so that suitable arrangements can be made.
We may require proof of identity, ownership, authority to move goods, or evidence of permission to access premises where necessary for security or operational reasons. If a third party books on your behalf, that person must have your authority to do so and will be deemed to act with your permission. Any instruction given by an authorised representative shall be treated as if given by you directly. You remain responsible for confirming that all information supplied by a representative is correct.
Payments are due in accordance with the quotation, invoice, or payment schedule supplied to you. Unless stated otherwise, all prices are exclusive of VAT and any other applicable taxes, charges, or levies. We may request a deposit to confirm the booking, with the balance payable before, on, or immediately after completion of the service. Where payment terms are not specified, payment must be made in full on completion of the work or within the period stated on the invoice.
We accept payment by methods notified to you from time to time. You must ensure that all payments are made in cleared funds. If a payment fails, is reversed, is charged back, or is otherwise not received, you remain liable for the full amount due plus any reasonable bank, administrative, or recovery costs arising from the failed transaction. We may suspend, delay, or refuse to carry out the service until payment issues are resolved.
If payment is not made when due, we may charge interest on overdue sums at the rate permitted by law, together with reasonable costs incurred in recovering the debt. We also reserve the right to retain goods, to the extent permitted by law, until outstanding charges are settled. Any discount, promotion, or special rate applies only to the specific service and conditions for which it was offered and may be withdrawn if the booking details change.
Cancellations and changes must be made as early as possible. Because removal work involves vehicle allocation, staffing, route planning, and time reservations, late cancellations may result in charges. If you cancel or postpone the service, you may be liable for a cancellation fee based on the notice period provided and any unrecoverable costs already incurred. The closer the cancellation is to the scheduled date, the greater the likely fee. Any deposit paid may be retained in whole or in part to reflect our losses, subject to applicable law.
We may cancel or reschedule a booking where we are unable to perform the service due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, unsafe conditions, adverse weather, vehicle breakdown, staff unavailability, access restrictions, or inaccurate information supplied by you. In such cases, we will use reasonable efforts to rearrange the service or issue a refund of sums paid for work not performed, except for costs already reasonably incurred where permitted. We are not responsible for indirect losses arising from a cancellation or rescheduling caused by events outside our control.
Liability is limited to the extent permitted by law. We will exercise reasonable care and skill in carrying out the service, but certain risks are inherent in moving goods. You remain responsible for ensuring that fragile, valuable, sentimental, or irreplaceable items are properly declared and, where necessary, specially protected or transported separately. Unless we agree otherwise in writing, we do not accept responsibility for items of exceptional value such as cash, jewellery, antiques, works of art, collectibles, deeds, passports, or electronic data.
We shall not be liable for loss or damage caused by: inadequate packing by you or another party; inherent defect, weakness, or wear in an item; electrical or mechanical failure not caused by our negligence; unavoidable breakage of fragile items; or damage resulting from information withheld or inaccurately supplied by you. Where our liability applies, it is limited to the reasonable repair value, replacement value, or declared value of the affected item, whichever is lower, subject to any contractual cap set out in the quotation or invoice and allowed by law.
Nothing in these terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot legally be limited or excluded. If you believe loss or damage has occurred, you must notify us as soon as reasonably possible and provide evidence, photographs, purchase details, or other relevant information. Failure to report a claim promptly may affect our ability to investigate and may reduce or remove any remedy available.
Waste regulations and prohibited items are an important part of our service standards. If our work includes the removal of unwanted goods, packaging, or waste materials, you agree that such items will be handled in accordance with applicable UK waste laws and environmental requirements. We will only carry, store, dispose of, or transfer waste where we are authorised and where the activity forms part of the agreed service. Waste must be correctly described, separated where necessary, and presented in a lawful and safe condition.
You must not ask us to transport, dump, burn, conceal, or unlawfully dispose of waste. Prohibited or restricted items may include hazardous substances, asbestos, chemicals, clinical waste, pressurised containers, gas bottles, oils, paints, batteries, electrical items requiring special treatment, and any material that requires a specialist licence or treatment not included in the booking. If such items are discovered unexpectedly, we may refuse to move them, charge additional costs for safe handling, or terminate the service if continuing would be unsafe or unlawful.
Where we remove waste, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are entitled to transfer it and that no part of the waste is illegally controlled, contaminated, or subject to special disposal restrictions unless those arrangements have been clearly agreed in advance. We may require you to complete declarations or provide information needed for compliance with waste transfer and duty-of-care obligations. You agree to cooperate with all reasonable compliance checks and to indemnify us against losses arising from inaccurate waste descriptions supplied by you.
Delays, access, and performance depend on circumstances at the collection and delivery points. You must ensure that access is suitable for the vehicle and crew size booked. This includes arranging any parking permissions, keys, access codes, permits, lift reservations, and site clearances needed to complete the work. If access is restricted or delayed by you, your representative, building management, or a third party, we may charge waiting time, additional labour, rebooking fees, or other reasonable costs. We are not responsible for delays caused by factors outside our control.
Any times or dates given are estimated unless expressly confirmed as fixed. While we will make reasonable efforts to arrive and complete the service within the scheduled window, moving services may be affected by traffic, road restrictions, weather, or operational issues. If a delay occurs, this does not automatically give rise to a refund or compensation unless the delay is caused solely by our breach of contract and results in a direct loss for which we are legally responsible. Where possible, we will keep you informed of significant changes.
Insurance may be available for certain services or items, depending on the arrangement agreed and the documentation supplied. Any cover provided must be expressly stated in writing and may be subject to exclusions, limits, and excesses. If you require cover beyond the standard terms, you should ask in advance whether additional arrangements are available. You are responsible for checking whether your own home, business, or contents insurance provides adequate protection during the move.
We may use subcontractors or agents to perform all or part of the service. Where we do so, they will be bound by obligations consistent with these terms. However, we remain the contracting party unless we notify you otherwise. You must not assign or transfer your booking to another party without our consent. We may transfer our rights or obligations where reasonably necessary for the performance or administration of the service, provided this does not materially reduce your rights under the contract.
Any complaint should be raised promptly so that we can investigate and, where appropriate, take remedial action. You agree to give us a reasonable opportunity to inspect any alleged damage, missing items, or service failure. If replacement, repair, or refund is appropriate, it will be assessed on a case-by-case basis taking into account the facts, the booking terms, and the requirements of applicable law. Our aim is to resolve issues fairly and proportionately.
Governing law and general provisions: These terms and any dispute or claim arising from them, whether contractual or non-contractual, 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 law requires otherwise. If any provision of these terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force.
Failure by us to enforce any right or provision in these terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Any variation to these terms must be agreed in writing or in another clear durable form accepted by us. Headings are included for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. These terms, together with the quotation, invoice, and any written service agreement, form the entire agreement between you and us in relation to the relevant removal service, unless a separate written contract states otherwise.
Additional customer obligations include ensuring that goods are accessible, packed safely where required, and not left in a condition likely to cause damage to other property or injury to people. You must remove personal data from appliances, devices, and storage media before collection unless we have expressly agreed to handle such items differently. We are not responsible for loss of data, software, account access, or digital content. You should make your own backup arrangements before any equipment is transported.
Elephantandcastle Removals may update these service terms from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or commercial changes. The version applicable to your booking is the one in force at the time the booking is accepted, unless a later version is expressly agreed by both parties. By proceeding with a booking, you acknowledge that these terms are reasonable, that you have had the opportunity to review them, and that they govern the service relationship for the agreed removal work.