Terms and conditions for a removals company

A removals company is entrusted with a customer's possessions on a date the customer does not control, at a price agreed in advance. Its terms need to say what you are liable for when goods are damaged, what happens when completion is delayed while the vehicle is loaded, and what a customer who packed their own boxes can claim. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Removals companies and man-and-van businesses in England and Wales doing house moves for consumers, office and business relocations, and storage. The terms are written for both groups, with the consumer protections applied where they must be and a proper commercial position taken with business customers.

What matters in removals terms

Liability for the goods

The terms should say what you are liable for when goods are lost or damaged, how the amount is calculated, and what is excluded: items of high value not declared, cash and jewellery, plants, perishable goods, and mechanical or electrical faults with no external damage. Against consumers, any limit must be reasonable and clearly explained, and you cannot exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence. The terms should also point the customer to their own insurance, and offer yours if you sell it.

Customer-packed boxes and fragile items

If the customer packed it, the terms should say you are not responsible for damage to the contents unless the box itself was mishandled, and that fragile items are moved at the customer's risk unless you packed them. The same section should cover items you were not told about, items that do not fit through the door, and items you are entitled to refuse to carry.

Waiting time, delays and the moving day

House moves depend on completion, which is outside the control of both the customer and the removals company. The terms should charge for waiting time beyond an allowance, say what happens if the move cannot complete on the day and goods have to be stored overnight, and make timings estimates. Parking, permits, lifts, long carries and access at both ends are the customer's responsibility and should be listed.

Cancellation, postponement and the right to cancel

A booking made by phone, email or online is a distance contract, and a survey at the customer's home makes it an off-premises one, so a consumer has 14 days to cancel under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Beyond that, the terms can set a scale of charges for cancellation or postponement close to the moving date, provided the charges reflect what you lose. Deposits should be proportionate and their treatment on cancellation stated.

Storage, payment and claims

Where you store goods, the terms should cover the storage charges, insurance, access, the customer's obligation to keep contact details current, and what happens to goods left unpaid for, with a notice process that follows the bailee's power of sale under section 12 of the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 before anything is sold or disposed of. Payment for the move should be due before or on the day, not after, and business customers can be charged interest and compensation on late payment under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. A time limit for notifying damage is enforceable if it is reasonable and clearly stated.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

Can I hold the customer's goods until I am paid?

The terms can give you a right to retain goods in storage until charges are paid, but against a consumer it has to be fair, with notice and a reasonable process, and it should not be used as a lever for disputed charges on the moving day.

What if the customer's new house is not ready and we have a van full of furniture?

The terms should say that overnight storage and a return visit are chargeable at stated rates, and that goods are held at the customer's risk apart from your own negligence. Without that, the cost of a failed completion becomes a dispute about responsibility.

Do I need different terms for office moves?

The same document can serve both with a business customer section: a fuller liability cap matching your insurance, payment on invoice, and provisions for IT equipment and confidential material.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495, if a main contractor or business customer has sent you their terms to sign
• Terms and conditions for a domestic cleaning business, if you offer end of tenancy cleaning alongside moves

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.