Terms and Conditions for Man With Van Ratcliff
These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Man With Van Ratcliff provides removal, transport, delivery, loading, unloading, and related moving services to customers in the UK. By making a booking, the customer agrees to be bound by these terms, together with any written quotation, booking confirmation, or service-specific agreement issued by the company. The purpose of this document is to make the service clear, fair, and consistent for both parties, while allowing flexibility for the practical realities of moving services. Throughout these terms, references to “we,” “us,” and “our” mean Man With Van Ratcliff, and references to “you” and “your” mean the customer or the person placing the booking on behalf of another party.
These terms apply to domestic and commercial bookings, including single-item transport, partial moves, full van service, loading assistance, unloading assistance, and associated handling tasks. They also apply where we arrange subcontracted or supplementary support, unless expressly stated otherwise in writing. The customer is responsible for ensuring that all information provided at the time of booking is accurate, complete, and kept up to date. Any variation to these terms must be confirmed in writing by us. If any part of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply in full.
We reserve the right to decline, suspend, or cancel a booking if the information provided is incomplete, inaccurate, unlawful, unsafe, or unsuitable for the service requested. The service is offered subject to vehicle availability, staff availability, access conditions, and compliance with applicable law. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer under UK law.
Booking Process
All bookings for van and man services are subject to availability and acceptance by us. A booking may be made by telephone, email, online form, or other permitted booking method. A booking is not confirmed until we have acknowledged it and, where required, received any deposit or advance payment requested. Quotes are usually based on the information available at the time and may be revised if the details supplied change. The quote may take account of the estimated time, number of operatives, vehicle type, mileage, access conditions, parking restrictions, and any specialist handling requirements.
You must provide accurate information about the nature, size, weight, and quantity of items to be moved, as well as collection and delivery addresses, access arrangements, stairs, lifts, parking, and any items requiring extra care or special equipment. If the actual service required differs materially from the description given at booking, we may adjust the price, alter the vehicle or staffing levels, reschedule the service, or decline to proceed if the work cannot be completed safely or lawfully. Where necessary, we may ask for photographs, inventories, or further clarification before confirming the booking.
The customer must ensure that somebody authorised is present at the collection and delivery points, unless otherwise agreed. If we are asked to collect or deliver items without a person present, the customer accepts responsibility for identifying, labelling, and securing the items, and for any loss or misunderstanding arising from instructions given remotely. We may rely on instructions from the customer or their nominated representative, and we are not liable for decisions made on the basis of incomplete or conflicting information supplied by third parties.
For service planning, the customer should advise us in advance of any fragile, valuable, antique, oversized, heavy, hazardous, or unusually shaped items. Such items may require special handling and may be excluded unless agreed in writing. We are entitled to charge additional fees if extra labour, equipment, packing, dismantling, reassembly, waiting time, or multiple trips are required. Booking changes requested after confirmation may also affect the price and timing of the service.
Estimated arrival times are provided in good faith but are not guaranteed unless expressly stated as a fixed appointment. We will use reasonable efforts to arrive within the agreed timeframe, but delays can arise due to traffic, weather, access issues, previous jobs overrunning, or events beyond our control. If a delay occurs, we will make reasonable efforts to keep the customer informed. Time-sensitive moves should be agreed in advance and may be subject to additional charges or specific service conditions.
If you cancel or materially amend the booking, the cancellation policy set out below will apply. The company may also cancel or postpone a booking where continuing would be unsafe, unlawful, or otherwise impracticable. In such cases, any prepaid amount will be dealt with in accordance with the cancellation and refund provisions of these terms, unless the cancellation is due to a customer breach or a circumstance outside our reasonable control.
Payments and Charges
The price for Man With Van Ratcliff services will be as quoted, subject to any variations arising from changes in the scope of work, waiting time, congestion, access difficulties, parking restrictions, or other circumstances not reasonably foreseeable at the time of booking. Unless otherwise agreed, all charges are stated exclusive of VAT where VAT applies. If VAT is chargeable, it will be added at the applicable rate. Any quoted price may be based on minimum charges, hourly charges, fixed charges, mileage, or a combination of these methods depending on the nature of the work.
Payment is due according to the terms stated in the quotation or booking confirmation. In many cases, payment may be required in advance, on the day of service, or immediately upon completion. We may accept card payment, bank transfer, cash, or other agreed methods, but we are not obliged to accept any particular method. Where payment is made by bank transfer, funds must clear before release of goods or completion of the booking if we have required cleared payment in advance. Late payment may result in interest, administration fees, and recovery costs to the extent permitted by law.
Any additional charges incurred during the job, including but not limited to extra waiting time, additional labour, parking fees, tolls, congestion-related costs, multiple loading points, failed access, or changes requested on site, must be paid by the customer. We may request payment before completing the job if the work materially exceeds the original scope or if there is reason to believe payment may not be made in full. We reserve the right to withhold delivery or suspend further work until all sums due have been paid.
Cancellations, Amendments, and Non-Availability
Either party may request a cancellation or amendment, but the timing and consequences will depend on notice given and work already undertaken. If you cancel a booking with sufficient notice, we may refund any prepaid amount, less any reasonable costs already incurred in preparing for the service. If you cancel at short notice, or if the vehicle, staff, or equipment have already been allocated, we may charge a cancellation fee reflecting our lost time and preparation expenses. Where a fixed appointment has been set aside and we are unable to reallocate the slot, the fee may be higher than in other circumstances.
If you are not present at the agreed time and place, or if access is not available, or if the job cannot proceed because instructions, parking, keys, or other necessary arrangements are missing, we may treat the booking as cancelled by the customer and charge accordingly. We may also charge a waiting fee where our team is delayed through no fault of our own. If the service cannot be completed because items are not ready, are incorrectly described, or exceed the agreed scope in a way that makes completion unsafe or impracticable, we may terminate the service and charge for work already carried out.
We may cancel or postpone a booking where there is a risk to health and safety, a breach of law, a failure to make agreed payment, severe weather, vehicle breakdown, staff illness, or any event beyond our reasonable control. In such cases we will, where possible, offer an alternative date or another reasonable solution. We will not be liable for delay or failure to perform caused by events outside our reasonable control, including but not limited to accidents, traffic incidents, road closures, extreme weather, strikes, public emergencies, or utility disruptions.
Where a booking is postponed rather than cancelled, the original price may not remain valid if our costs, availability, or the scope of work have changed. We will act reasonably and in good faith when dealing with rescheduled services. Any deposit or advance payment may be transferred to the new date at our discretion, provided the service can still be performed safely and lawfully. Repeated changes requested by the customer may lead to revised charges or refusal to continue the booking.
Liability and Customer Responsibilities
We will take reasonable care when handling, loading, carrying, and unloading your items. However, man with van services involve manual handling and transport risks, and our liability is limited to the extent permitted by law. We are not responsible for damage caused by pre-existing defects, inadequate packing, unstable stacking, concealed weakness in furniture, or items that are inherently fragile unless we have expressly agreed in writing to handle them under special conditions. Customers should ensure that items are properly packed and suitable for transport.
Unless we have agreed to pack or dismantle items ourselves, we do not accept responsibility for damage resulting from customer packing, poor labelling, insufficient protection, or the failure to secure loose components. We are also not liable for loss or damage to items of exceptional value unless their nature and value were disclosed to us in advance and we expressly accepted responsibility in writing. Customers are advised to arrange their own insurance where appropriate, especially for valuable, delicate, or irreplaceable possessions.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total liability for any claim arising from the service shall be limited to the amount paid or payable for the specific service giving rise to the claim, except where liability cannot lawfully be limited or excluded. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded under UK law. We shall not be liable for indirect loss, loss of profit, loss of business, or consequential damages.
Customers are responsible for ensuring that the premises, driveways, corridors, stairways, lifts, and access points are suitable for the intended work. You must obtain any permissions required for parking, loading, use of lifts, or access through private property. We are entitled to refuse to move items where access is unsafe, illegal, or likely to cause damage to property or persons. If we are asked to move items through tight or hazardous access and do so at the customer’s request, any resulting loss or damage is at the customer’s risk unless caused by our negligence.
Waste Regulations and Prohibited Items
Where our service includes removal of unwanted items, packaging, or clearances, both parties must comply with applicable UK waste regulations. We may only remove waste, rubbish, or items intended for disposal where this has been agreed in advance and where the disposal arrangements are lawful. The customer must be honest and accurate about the nature of any waste. We will not knowingly transport, dispose of, or handle waste in a manner that breaches environmental law, duty of care requirements, or licensing obligations. Items intended as waste may need to be separated from reusable goods before the job begins.
The customer must not ask us to transport prohibited, dangerous, or regulated items unless we have expressly agreed and are legally permitted to do so. This includes, by way of example, hazardous chemicals, solvents, pressurised containers, asbestos, medical waste, biological waste, controlled substances, live animals, firearms, explosives, or any item requiring specialist licensing or treatment. We may refuse to handle any item that we reasonably believe is unsafe, unlawful, or unsuitable for a standard man and van service. If prohibited items are discovered, we may stop the job and charge for time already spent.
Where waste is removed, the customer remains responsible for providing truthful information about the contents and origin of the waste. We may require the customer to sort items, provide evidence of lawful ownership, or confirm that the waste has been separated appropriately. Any fly-tipping, unlawful dumping, contamination, or incorrect description of waste supplied by the customer may be reported to the relevant authorities where required by law. The customer shall indemnify us against losses, fines, penalties, claims, and costs arising from inaccurate waste descriptions or unlawful instructions given by the customer.
Governing Law and General Provisions
These Terms and Conditions and any dispute or claim arising from them shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. If the customer resides elsewhere in the UK, any mandatory consumer protections applicable in that part of the UK will still apply where required by law. Any dispute shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, unless another court has mandatory jurisdiction under applicable law.
If we choose not to enforce any right or remedy immediately, that does not waive our right to enforce it later. A waiver of one breach does not constitute a waiver of any other breach. These terms, together with the quotation and booking confirmation, form the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the service. If there is a conflict between documents, the written booking confirmation or specific service agreement will take priority over these general terms, unless stated otherwise.
By proceeding with a booking, the customer confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions for Man With Van Ratcliff. It is the customer’s responsibility to review the terms before the service takes place and to raise any questions in advance. These terms are designed to protect both the customer and the company by ensuring that each man with van service is carried out safely, transparently, and in a legally compliant manner.