CUSTOMER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

These Terms and Conditions set out how we and our Partners (sub-contractors) provide services to you as a Private Customer. For the purposes of this agreement, Local Van will be referred to as “we” or “us” and you as “You”. By entering into an agreement, you are acknowledging that you will enter into and be bound by these Terms.

A glossary of specific terminology used throughout this Contract can be found at the end.

We help our customers move items near and far and have built a reputation of providing a professional and cost-effective service. Local Van is a trading name of Evergreens Group Ltd, which is a registered company in England and Wales (Registration No. 16859531) located at 1st Floor, Unit 53, Glenmore Business Park, Chichester PO19 7BJ and our VAT number is GB507883367.

Should you need to contact our Customer Care Team at any time, you can do so in writing at the above address or by using the following contact details:

Telephone: 0330 133 2410
E-mail: info@local-van.com
Website: www.local-van.com

Should we need to contact you, we will do so by telephone or in writing via text, e-mail or post using the details you provide in your Booking Request Form.

Working Together

Once you are confirmed as a Private Customer and enter into an agreement with Local Van under these Terms, we will be acting as a disclosed agent for our Partners, meaning we are not the principle and are authorised to enter into an agreement with you on their behalf. The Partner will provide the Services to you and local van will not provide any transportation services. This agreement therefore governs your relationship with Local Van and its Partners.

Entering into an agreement with Local Van and accepting that we are acting as an agent creates a Partner Delivery Contract between you and our Partner. This Partner Delivery Contract sets out the provision of Services and is an agreement between you and the Partner and Local van are not party to the agreement.

Local Van will introduce you to the Partner and make every effort to ensure you receive the best price and service. We will supply you with a number of price options based on the information you provide in your Booking Request Form and these will vary depending on when they were requested and the timescales of the services you require.

We will accept amendments up to 48 hours prior to the date your Services are required, but these may incur an additional fee. Any amendments made within 48 hours prior to the date of your Services that we can accommodate will incur additional changes. We will advise you of additional costs before commencement of your Services.

If upon arrival at the address you provide the Partner cannot gain access and you cannot be contacted on the details you provided when booking, at their discretion, the Partner can cease provision of the Services and cancel the Services if you continue to be uncontactable within 15 minutes. If this should happen, you will not be entitled to a refund and any outstanding monies owed to Local van must be paid immediately.

Furthermore, if we are unable to deliver or to contact you, we shall be entitled to charge a storage cost of £20 per day and if after 7 days you have not contacted us, we shall have the right to sell any goods for a reasonable price.

If the Services booked are found to be different by the Partner upon arrival at the destination, additional charges may apply. If they are materially different to those booked, the Partner reserves the right to cancel the contract.

All additional costs uncured by you under these terms are payable within 5 days of the Services being completed. Any costs associated with government fees or taxes are not included in your quote and are to be paid directly by you.

We will make every effort to find a Partner to provide the Services you require, but if we are unable to do so and therefore unable to fulfil your booking, we will notify you in writing or by phone at the earliest opportunity. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be given a Job Number for you to use whenever you contact Local Van.

How It Works

The details you provide on our Booking Request Form will be used to provide your quote and Local Van will supply you with a range of available pricing options suitable to your requirements. Any subsequent change to your requirements may impact the price options.
Accepting a price option and supplying Local Van with your payment details creates a contract between you, local Van and our Partner and we have the authority to confirm the to the Partner that they will provide your Services. Please note that quotes are based on Partners working for up to 9 hours per day.

Some additional points to note about our quotes:

The Partner will load and deliver only those items agreed and on the Comprehensive Inventory List. Local Van nor the Partner will accept liability for any additional or different items or for any errors in calculations related to the sizes of the items to be moved or the size of vehicle required.
Any additional costs incurred due to changes to your Services, either in advance or on the day the Services are provided, are to be paid directly to
Local Van – Partners cannot accept payments.
The Partner will deliver the goods in the same condition they were in when packed and loaded. If, however, any damage occurs, and you believe it was caused by the Partner, please submit details of the damage and associated costs in writing within 7 days of the Services being completed. Beyond this, no liability will be accepted. Please refer to the Damages and Losses section for further details of our liability.
Price options incorporate moving costs, labour costs and fuel costs, unless otherwise stated. Please refer to the Local Van website for details of additional services we provide and associated costs.
If no specific delivery time is specified, we reserve he right to combine the provision of your Services with those of other customers in the interests of limiting journeys and impacting pollution.
Our Partners will not enter any premises they deem as unsafe, so please ensure access is safe and there is proper lighting and flooring.
To comply with permits and insurance, unless agreed in writing prior to acceptance of your booking Request Form, Local Van or its Partners will not transport humans or animals.
Neither will we transport goods that require special licences or permissions unless you have all the necessary documentation and we have been notified and agreed in advance. We will not accept liability for any losses or damages to such items and you will be liable for any losses or damages suffered by us or our Partners directly caused by such items. You will indemnify Local Van for any claims made against us by our Partners. At the sole discretion of Local Van and/or its Partner, any such goods may be destroyed or disposed of at your expense.
Local Van and its Partners will not transport any goods that are illegal, stolen or dangerous, or in our and/or our Partners view represent a danger to staff or vehicles. The same applies to items that require specialist equipment or knowledge to transport. The partners are within their rights to destroy or dispose of any such items and charge additional fees if they transport any without their knowledge. Where required, Local Van and its
Partners will also notify the relevant authorities.
Should you require services outside of the UK, in addition to all other applicable terms, you are responsible for ensuring all necessary documents, licences, permits and permissions are in place prior to the services being undertaken. We will not transport any goods that require special licences or government approvals for import/export. We will base our quote using our best estimate on how long the travel involved should take. Should there be any changes, we will update you at the earliest opportunity, but unless any delays are a result of the actions of Local Van and/or its Partners, we will not be liable for any loss or damage that may occur.
A few services we or our Partners will not provide, unless previously agreed in writing, are:
- Store any goods.
- Assemble or dismantle furniture.
- Connect, disconnect, reconnect, assemble or disassemble appliances, fixtures, fittings or equipment.
- Take up or lay carpets or floor coverings.
- Move outdoor planters or large pots.
- Re-site aerials or satellite dishes
- Should any of the above, or any other, additional services be required, these must be agreed and booked with Local Van in advance and these services will be covered by these Terms.

Hourly Rate Services

We are also able to accept requests for services on an hourly rate and below we set out some additional Terms that apply only to services booked on this basis.

When making a booking for services on an hourly rate, you must clearly outline the scope of the services required and the size of vehicle needed when completing the Booking Request Form – remember to select the Hourly Rate Job option on the form.

Once we have received the completed Booking Request Form, we will provide you with pricing options for the services and vehicle you’ve highlighted. We will endeavour to provide the type and size of vehicle requested, but this may not always be possible.

In the event the Partner arrives to undertake the hourly rate job and in their and our opinion the requirements are materially different from those requested on the Booking Request Form, this will be considered a breach and we reserve the right to terminate the Contract and not offer any refund.

For the avoidance of doubt, we will not accept requests for hourly rate services to transport pianos or any vehicles, including motorcycles.

If the services take longer than the time specified on the Booking Request Form, additional charges will apply, and we will advise you of these at the earliest opportunity. These additional charges are due for payment within 5 days of notice being issued. By entering into this agreement, you acknowledge the services may take longer to provide for reasons outside the control of Local Van or its Partners and that you remain liable for any additional costs incurred. If time overruns by over 1-hour, Local Van and/or its Partners, at their discretion, can cease providing the services. In this instance, no refund will be due, and the additional charges still apply.

Prices for hourly rate services are based on 1 driver and 10 miles of fuel. Requests for additional staff will be reflected in the quote and additional fuel charged at £1/mile.

If booking services on an hourly rate basis, there is no need to provide a Comprehensive Inventory List.

Your Obligations

Whilst Local Van and its Partners are providing a service, there are certain obligations we expect from you as our customer:

To guarantee you are the legal owner of the goods you have booked to be transported and/or you have the permission of the legal owner to transport them.
Provide Local Van with current phone and e-mail contact details and precise addresses for the collection and delivery of goods.
Arrange for suitable parking to be available at both the collection and delivery addresses and will indemnify the Partner for any parking charges or fines incurred by your failure to do so.
Advise Local Van in advance of the logistics at the collection and delivery address, such as how many floors, are lifts available, is there a spiral staircase, are the items for transport in an attic and other similar considerations that will impact the provision of services.
You or someone representing you will be at the collection, loading, unloading and delivery of the items booked for transport and you/they will sign an electronic POD or a Job Sheet featuring your unique Job Number to confirm the services have been completed to your satisfaction.
Ensure all furniture is emptied of personal possessions prior to the Partner arriving to collect, unless an additional packaging service has been booked. Fridges and freezers must also be empty, and any residual liquids or fluids dried.
A Comprehensive Inventory List providing accurate details of all items to be transported must be provided. Amendments can be made, or if the goods for transport exceed the volume and van size details provided at the time of booking, additional charges will apply.
If an additional packaging service has not been booked, all items must be appropriately packed ready for transport before the Partner arrives for collection.
All payments are made in accordance with this agreement. Any overdue payments will attract a daily interest rate calculated at 3% per annum above the base rate used by Barclays Bank plc.

What Happens if Services are Cancelled or Postponed?

Although we hope this won’t happen, should you wish/need to cancel or postpone the services ordered, please note The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 don’t apply to service contracts that provide for the transport of goods on a specific date or period for performance.

In the event you feel it necessary to cancel or postpone, you must notify us in writing. If you notify us by phone, we will write to you to confirm your instructions. The applicable charges are as follows:

If notification is given in writing or via phone 48 hours or more in advance of the services due to start and transport was due to be within the UK, there will be no charge. If notice is given between 48 and 24 hours, a charge of 50% of the agreed price will be charged. If you give less than 24 hours notice, payment of the full agreed price is due and if you paid in advance, you would not receive a refund.
If you have booked International services or additional services in the UK, we require 5 days notice of cancellation in writing or by phone. If notice is given with less than 5 days notice, the full agreed price is due and if you paid in advance, you would not receive a refund.
Any refunds due will be paid within 5 working days of you notifying our Customer Care Team in writing that you require a refund, and you must confirm your bank details to facilitate the transfer.
Requests for a refund must be made no later than 7 days following the date you gave notice of cancelling your services.
The above does not apply to services booked within 48 hours notice of the date required, which are non-refundable if cancelled or postponed.
If you postpone services, but immediately re-book, Local Van shall use its discretion as to whether any charges are reduced or waived.
If you cancel or postpone your services whilst having an open dispute with Local Van regarding a payment made, charges due or services received, you must notify our Customer Care Team as quickly as possible and no later than 7 days after the services have been provided.
We will make every effort to find an available Partner as soon as possible after you have made a Booking and if we cannot, or if the Partner assigned for whatever reason cannot provides the Services agreed, we will notify you in writing or by phone as quickly as possible and you will be entitled to a full refund. If you breach any term of this Contract, Local Van and its Partners are entitled to terminate our agreement.

Losses and Damages

Local Van accepts no liability for any loss or damage to any of your goods or premises or any other loss suffered by you, except in the event of death or personal injury caused by our or our Partners’ negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation or liability for which under the laws of England and Wales may not be limited or excluded.

The Partner is liable for any damage they cause to your goods or premises providing you provide evidence the damage was definitely caused by them. Their liability to you is limited as follows:

If the Partner, as a result of their negligence or breach of contract, damages property or premises belonging to you that wasn’t connected to them fulfilling the Services you booked, they will be liable only for repairing the damaged area.

The Partner will not accept any liability for any damages caused where you have ignored any advice Local Van and/or the Partner has given regarding the delivery of Services.

Unless caused as a result of their negligence or breach of contract, the Partner shall accept no liability for goods that are seized, confiscated, damaged or removed by customs officials or any other government representative whilst undertaking Services outside the UK.

Local Van or its Partners are not liable for any damage or losses caused by events outside of our control, such as:

Acts of God, including but not limited to, floods, droughts, earthquakes or other natural disasters.
Epidemics or pandemics.
Acts of war, riots, nuclear or chemical containment, change in the law or action taken by a government or public authority, collapse of buildings, fire, explosion or accident and any labour or trade dispute, strikes industrial action or lockouts.
Delay in transit or an inability to deliver not caused by negligence or breach of contract on the part of Local Van and/or the Partner. In the event this happened, we may store the goods and, at our discretion, charge you for storage and redelivery costs.
Any other events which can reasonably be considered outside of our control.

Local Van and its Partners will accept no liability for the following:

Any damages caused as a result of your actions and/or breach of our Contract.
Perishable items, such as food and drink.
Damages caused by infestations, such as rats or moths.
Damages caused by fire.
Any damage caused by normal wear and tear, or if the item(s) were already damaged or had an inherent defect that makes them susceptible to breakage, leakage or malfunction.
Any damage caused by you, or someone representing you, loading, unloading, packing or unpacking your goods from a Local Van or Partners vehicle.
Damage caused to live animals or plants transported without our knowledge.
Any damage to electrical items, unless evidence the damage was caused by the Partner can be produced.
Damage or loss to any collectibles and associated documentation, such as coins, stamps, precious stones/metals, certificates or deeds.
Any personal items not properly packed and included on the Comprehensive Inventory List.
If you are a Private Customer, any losses sustained to your business.
Any loss or damage experienced after we have delivered to the agreed address detailed on your order.
Any loss which is not reasonably foreseeable, and any damage not caused by Local Van, our Partners, employees, subcontractors or agents.
Any loss or damage caused to items we are storing due to delays in transit.

Only the Partner who undertook the Services is independently liable for any loss, damage, or delivery issues under the Contract. No other Local Van employee, agent or subcontractor has any liability.

Insurance and Basic Compensation Cover

Basic Compensation Cover is provided by the Insurer and is included in the prices quoted. Cover is provided up to £50,000 for fire and theft of all your goods being transported by the Partner. Individual items are covered up to a limit of £100.

Comprehensive Insurance Cover is available to eligible customers when making their Booking, subject to payment of the required premium, which is based on the value of the goods being transported. Full details of the cover available and applicable Terms & Conditions are available on the Insurance Policy page of the Local van website.

You must not do anything that would entitle the Insurer not to pay against any claim that was due under the Basic Compensation Cover or Comprehensive Insurance Cover. Local Van, its Partners nor the Insurer will not be liable for any claim under the Basic Compensation Cover or Comprehensive Insurance Cover that you would also be entitled to make under another insurance policy you may hold.

Our Rights to Hold Goods

The Partners have the right to hold your goods until all money owed under the contract, including any interest, is paid in full. This includes any costs incurred by us for storage or legal costs. If you do not pay all outstanding money owed within 90 days of the date the Services were completed, we will be entitled to sell the goods or deal with them in a way we deem reasonable and apply any proceed towards settling your account or meeting our costs.

Complaints

Should you have any complaints about our Services, please contact our Customer Care Team who will review your complaint and take the required actions within 7 days of the complaint being registered. Further information on your key legal rights is available from the Citizens Advice at www.adviceguide.org.uk or 0330 133 2410.

Your Personal Information

The personal information you provide to us will be used to introduce Partners to provide the Services you have booked, to process your payment and to inform you of similar services available, if you agreed to this at the time of booking. Full details of our we use data can be found in our Privacy Policy.

Your information will never be shared with any third parties without your express permission, except if we’re required to do so by law.

Other Important Terms

We may transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to another organisation, but we will ensure the transfer will not affect your rights under the Contract.

You may only transfer your rights and obligations under these Terms upon advanced receipt of the written agreement of Local Van.

Our Contract is between you, Local Van and our Partner – no other person has rights to enforce any of its Terms unless expressly highlighted.

Each clause in these Terms operates separately and if any one of them are deemed to be unlawful by a court or other relevant authority, the remaining clauses remain in full effect.

If we don’t enforce these Terms immediately upon any breach, we reserve the right to take action at a later date.

These Terms are governed by English law and legal proceedings can only be brought in an English court.