Swisscottage Removals Terms and Conditions
These terms and conditions set out the basis on which Swisscottage Removals provides moving services to residential and commercial customers in the UK. By making a booking, confirming a quote, or instructing us to begin work, you agree to be bound by the provisions below. These terms are designed to create clarity for both parties and to help ensure that each removal service, whether small-scale or full-property, is carried out in an orderly and fair manner.
Throughout this document, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean Swisscottage Removals, and references to “you” or “the customer” mean the person or business receiving the service. The agreement applies to all forms of removals and transport services we supply, including packing, loading, carriage, unloading, and any ancillary tasks expressly agreed in writing. These terms should be read alongside your quote, booking confirmation, and any written amendments that may be agreed before the date of service.
We aim to keep our services professional, transparent, and suitable for typical UK moving requirements. However, the exact scope of work may vary depending on property access, volume of goods, and the nature of items being moved. Nothing in these terms limits your statutory rights as a consumer where applicable. If a term is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remainder of the agreement will continue to apply in full.
1. Booking Process
All bookings are subject to availability and are only confirmed once we have accepted your request and issued written confirmation. A quotation may be provided after an enquiry, survey, inventory review, or description of the goods to be moved. Any estimate is based on the information you provide, and it is your responsibility to ensure that such information is complete, accurate, and up to date. If significant details change before the move, including access restrictions, item count, parking conditions, or the presence of specialist items, we may revise the quote accordingly.
To secure a booking, we may require a deposit or card authorisation. The booking will not be regarded as final until the agreed deposit has been received, where applicable, and any required details have been supplied. You must check the confirmation carefully and notify us promptly of any errors. We may refuse or cancel a booking if we believe the requested service is unsafe, unlawful, outside our service capability, or inconsistent with the information provided.
Any moving date, arrival window, or estimated completion time is provided in good faith but cannot be guaranteed as an exact time. Delays may arise due to traffic, weather, site conditions, customer readiness, or unforeseen operational issues. We will take reasonable steps to keep you informed where delays occur. If your move requires permits, reserved parking, building access permissions, or lift bookings, you are responsible for ensuring that these arrangements are in place unless we have expressly agreed in writing to arrange them on your behalf.
2. Payment Terms
Payment terms will be stated in your quote or confirmation. Unless otherwise agreed, payment is due in full on completion of the service, or in advance where a deposit, partial prepayment, or staged payment has been specified. We may accept payment by bank transfer, debit card, credit card, or other methods made available at the time of booking. Any card charges, bank fees, or foreign exchange costs imposed by your payment provider remain your responsibility.
Where the scope of work changes on the day of the move, additional charges may apply for extra labour, waiting time, additional mileage, parking charges, congestion-related costs, or the transport of items not listed at booking. If we incur expenses due to inaccurate information supplied by you, those costs may be passed on to you. Invoices not paid when due may be subject to recovery action, and you may be liable for reasonable administrative costs, late payment charges, and any legal or collection costs permitted by law.
You must not withhold payment for completed services unless you have a genuine dispute raised promptly and in good faith. Any disputed element should be notified to us as soon as possible, with supporting details where available. Undisputed amounts remain payable on the agreed date. Title to any goods we supply, such as packing materials sold separately, will remain with us until payment is received in full.
3. Cancellations, Postponements, and Amendments
You may request to cancel or reschedule your booking, but any such request must be made in writing or through the agreed booking channel. Because each moving date reserves staff, vehicle, and scheduling resources, cancellation charges may apply. The amount charged will depend on the notice given, the nature of the booking, and any non-recoverable costs already incurred. For example, short-notice cancellations may result in a substantial charge where the reserved capacity cannot reasonably be reallocated.
If you wish to amend the service after booking, we will try to accommodate the change, but this may affect the price, timing, or availability of the crew and vehicle originally assigned. We are not responsible for losses arising from a change requested by you, including increased storage costs, temporary accommodation costs, or delays to your wider moving arrangements. Where we must cancel due to exceptional circumstances beyond our control, we will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable and may offer a rearranged date or refund of amounts paid for services not yet performed, subject to any non-recoverable expenses.
We may suspend or cancel a booking without liability if you fail to provide accurate information, do not make the property accessible, are not present when required, refuse reasonable instructions related to safe handling, or fail to make payment when due. If the service cannot proceed for reasons attributable to you, we may charge for time spent, waiting, loading attempts, or wasted attendance. This includes situations where the move is prevented by access problems, unsafe conditions, or the absence of agreed preparations.
4. Customer Responsibilities and Service Conditions
You are responsible for ensuring that all items presented for removal are suitable for transport and are properly prepared where necessary. Fragile items, antiques, electronics, and high-value possessions should be packed and declared appropriately. Unless we have agreed a full packing service, we do not accept responsibility for poor packing by the customer. You must remove or clearly identify items that are not to be moved, and you should secure valuables, confidential documents, jewellery, cash, passports, and other personal effects separately.
Where any item is especially heavy, fragile, oversized, or difficult to move, you must tell us in advance. We may decline to move items that pose a risk to staff, property, or the vehicle. We may also use reasonable discretion to determine whether stairways, floors, doors, or internal access routes can safely accommodate an item. If specialist equipment, additional staff, or third-party lifting assistance is needed, extra charges may apply or the item may be excluded from the service.
It is your responsibility to ensure that utilities, access codes, keys, and building permissions are available when needed. You must also ensure that pets, children, and non-essential persons are kept away from moving areas where reasonably practicable. We may refuse to carry out work where conditions are unsafe or where you instruct us to act in a way that may damage property or breach legal requirements. You should take reasonable steps to protect floors, walls, and fixtures if the property is especially delicate or vulnerable.
5. Liability, Damage, and Limitations
We will take reasonable care in performing the service and handling your goods. However, removals involve inherent risks, and liability is limited to loss or damage caused by our proven negligence, wilful misconduct, or breach of contract. We are not responsible for pre-existing damage, inherent defects, ordinary wear and tear, or damage arising from items that were inadequately packed, incorrectly declared, or unsuitable for transport. Where items are disassembled and reassembled at your request, we do not guarantee manufacturer-level precision unless expressly agreed.
To the extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for indirect or consequential losses, including loss of profit, loss of business, loss of opportunity, missed appointments, emotional distress, or costs arising from a delayed completion unless such loss was foreseeable and directly caused by our breach. If liability is established, our maximum liability for damage to goods will ordinarily be limited to the repair cost or the replacement value of the affected item, whichever is lower, subject to any insurance arrangements and any agreed contractual cap stated in your quotation.
Any claim for loss or damage must be notified to us promptly, and in any event within a reasonable time after discovery. You should not dispose of damaged items or arrange repairs before we have had a reasonable chance to inspect them, unless urgent safety considerations require otherwise. You must provide evidence supporting the claim, including photographs, a description of the item, proof of value where available, and details of how the damage occurred. Failure to notify us promptly may affect our ability to investigate and may limit recovery.
6. Insurance
We may maintain insurance covering public liability and goods in transit, but the scope, exclusions, and limits of such cover may vary. Insurance is not a substitute for proper packaging, accurate declarations, or compliance with these terms. If you require a higher level of cover for particular items, you must tell us before the move and confirm whether additional insurance can be arranged. Certain items, including cash, securities, irreplaceable documents, and items of exceptional sentimental value, may be excluded unless specifically accepted in writing.
You are encouraged to obtain your own insurance where appropriate, particularly for high-value or unusual goods. Any insurance claim will be subject to the terms of the relevant policy and the information you provide. We do not act as your insurer and cannot guarantee that every loss will be covered. The existence of insurance does not create any broader contractual liability than is set out in these terms and conditions.
Where an incident occurs, you must allow us and, where relevant, the insurer to inspect the goods, packaging, and relevant circumstances. We may request supporting documents and reasonable cooperation from you. If you fail to cooperate with an investigation or submit inaccurate information, this may invalidate a claim or reduce any compensation payable.
7. Waste, Disposal, and Regulatory Compliance
Any waste removal or disposal service will be carried out in accordance with applicable UK waste regulations and environmental requirements. We will only remove items that have been agreed in advance as part of the service, and we may refuse to handle hazardous, prohibited, or regulated waste unless we are legally authorised and appropriately equipped to do so. You must not include concealed hazardous materials, chemicals, asbestos-containing materials, batteries requiring specialist handling, pressurised containers, or electrical waste that requires separate treatment unless we have expressly agreed in writing.
Where we remove waste on your behalf, you acknowledge that the duty to describe the waste accurately rests with you. Misdescribing waste may expose both parties to regulatory risk. We reserve the right to inspect items before loading and to decline any item we reasonably believe may breach waste transfer or disposal requirements. You agree to provide accurate information about the origin and type of waste and to comply with any lawful requests needed to complete transfer documentation.
If waste transfer documentation, consignment notes, or evidence of lawful disposal are required, you must cooperate promptly. We may arrange lawful recycling, reuse, transfer, or disposal through approved routes, but we do not guarantee that all items will be recycled or repurposed. Items suitable for reuse may be processed responsibly, while items that cannot be reused will be disposed of in line with legal and environmental obligations. You remain responsible for ensuring that any contents you ask us to remove do not include prohibited or dangerous items.
8. Delays, Force Majeure, and Performance
We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance caused by events beyond our reasonable control. Such events may include severe weather, road closures, traffic disruption, industrial action, accidents, fire, flood, disease-related restrictions, equipment breakdown, or interruptions affecting third-party services. If a force majeure event occurs, we may suspend performance, reschedule the service, or take any reasonable step required to protect staff, customers, and property.
If a delay arises for reasons not within our control, we will use reasonable efforts to minimise disruption. Additional charges may apply where waiting time extends beyond the agreed allowance or where a second attendance is required. We are not liable for losses resulting from your own failure to plan for contingency, including lack of access to alternative accommodation, storage, or building handover timing. Where feasible, we may offer revised arrangements, but any such offer is made without prejudice to our contractual rights.
If a move becomes impossible because of circumstances beyond either party’s reasonable control, the parties will discuss whether a rearranged date or a partial refund is appropriate, taking account of any work already completed and any committed costs. Nothing in this section reduces your obligation to pay for completed services or expenses already incurred on your behalf.
9. Governing Law and General Provisions
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 courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where mandatory consumer rights provide otherwise. If you are contracting as a business, you agree that these terms represent the entire agreement between the parties and supersede any prior oral or written statements, save for any written variation signed or confirmed by us.
Our failure to enforce any right under these terms does not waive that right. If any provision is found invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary or, if modification is not possible, severed without affecting the rest of the agreement. Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. Any reference to a statute or regulation includes any amendment or re-enactment of it from time to time.
By proceeding with a booking for Swisscottage Removals, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these removal service terms. These conditions are intended to support a reliable and lawful service relationship, balancing customer care with operational fairness. For the avoidance of doubt, all services are provided subject to availability, the information supplied at booking, and any lawful restrictions that may apply to the movement, handling, or disposal of goods.