These terms and conditions set out the basis on which Truehand Services Ltd supplies its services and the rights and obligations of both parties. Please read them carefully, in particular sections 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11, which limit our liability, section 15, which sets out the time limits for reporting loss or damage, and section 18, which sets out the charges that apply if you cancel or postpone.
1. Definitions
- "We", "us", "our" means Truehand Services Ltd, company no. 17198824, registered office Flat 2-3, 236 Whitehorse Road, Croydon, CR0 2LB, and any sub-contractors acting on our behalf.
- "You", "your" means the customer named on the booking or quotation.
- "Agreement" means these terms and conditions together with our written quotation or booking confirmation (by email, WhatsApp or text message).
- "Price" means the total price for the services set out in the Agreement, including any agreed extras.
- "Goods" means any furniture, belongings or other items that we pack, move, handle or clean for you.
- "Item" means a single object, or the entire contents of any box, carton, bag, case or other container.
- "Working day" means Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays in England.
2. Our quotation and prices
- Prices on our website and in our online calculator are estimates. We confirm a fixed price in writing before booking, based on the information, photos or video you provide.
- Our quotation assumes that: the information you give us is accurate and complete; the volume, number or condition of the Goods or property will not be greater than described; we have clear, safe and unrestricted access to the property, including parking within 20 metres of the entrance; and the property and Goods will be ready at the agreed time.
- If any of these assumptions turn out to be wrong, or if you ask us for additional services, we will tell you the additional charge before continuing. Additional charges may apply in particular for: extra Goods, rooms or items; floors above the first without a working lift; carrying more than 20 metres between the vehicle and the entrance; waiting time over 30 minutes; parking, congestion or other charges we have to pay because parking was not arranged; work on a Sunday or outside 08:00–18:00 at your request; heavy or awkward items not mentioned in advance; heavily soiled properties or items.
- We are not VAT registered. The prices shown are the full prices you pay.
- A quotation is valid for 28 days unless stated otherwise.
3. Bookings, deposits and payment
- The Agreement comes into force when you confirm your booking in writing or pay a deposit.
- Removals: a deposit of 50% of the Price is payable to secure your date. The balance is payable no later than one day before the move.
- Cleaning services: no deposit is normally required. Payment is due on completion of the work, unless agreed otherwise.
- We accept card, bank transfer and cash. You may not withhold any part of the Price because of a claim or complaint; claims are dealt with under section 15.
- If any amount is not paid when due, we may charge interest at 4% per year above the Bank of England base rate from the due date until payment, and recover our reasonable costs of collection.
4. Our services
- We will carry out the services described in the Agreement with reasonable care and skill, using suitable equipment, materials and trained staff.
- Removals: we will load, transport and unload your Goods, protect furniture with blankets and covers, and dismantle and reassemble free-standing furniture, as described in the Agreement. Where we provide a packing service, we will pack your Goods securely for transport.
- We decide the method, vehicle, route and number of staff needed, taking your instructions into account where reasonable.
- Work may be carried out by our vetted, self-employed specialists or sub-contractors. We remain responsible to you for the work under these terms.
5. Work not included
Unless agreed in writing in the Agreement, our services do not include:
- disconnecting or connecting gas appliances (this must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer), electrical wiring, light fittings or plumbing;
- dismantling or assembling flat-pack furniture you have dismantled yourself, fitted furniture, or brand-new furniture;
- taking up or laying carpets or other floor coverings;
- moving items from lofts or cellars that are not properly lit, floored and safely accessible;
- garden furniture, sheds, greenhouses, play equipment, satellite dishes or other outdoor items;
- removing waste, rubbish or unwanted furniture;
- moving grand pianos, safes or other items over 100 kg.
Our staff are not authorised to carry out this work. We recommend that you use a suitably qualified person.
6. Your responsibilities
You agree to:
- give us accurate information about the property, access, parking and the Goods, including any special handling requirements and any items of high value;
- arrange and pay for parking, permits or bay suspensions at both addresses. Parking fines caused by a lack of parking are payable by you, unless caused by our own illegal parking;
- make sure that you or someone authorised by you is present at the start and end of the work and checks that nothing is left behind or taken in error;
- empty, defrost and clean fridges and freezers, empty and drain washing machines and dishwashers, and disconnect appliances unless we have agreed to do so;
- pack your Goods properly where you have chosen to pack them yourself;
- remove or protect any Goods or areas you do not want us to handle or clean;
- for cleaning services, provide access to running water and electricity;
- obtain any permission needed from a landlord, managing agent or building manager for the work to take place.
We are not liable for loss, damage, delay or extra cost caused by your failure to meet these responsibilities, except where caused by our negligence.
7. Goods we will not move
Unless agreed in writing, you must not give us the following to pack, move or store. You should keep them with you or make your own arrangements:
- cash, jewellery, watches, precious metals, collections, deeds, bonds or important documents;
- laptops, tablets, mobile phones, portable hard drives or other personal electronic devices;
- medicines and prescription drugs;
- irreplaceable items such as family photographs, personal papers and items of purely sentimental value;
- perishable food, plants, pets or any living creature;
- flammable, explosive or hazardous items, including gas bottles, petrol, oil, paint, aerosols, cleaning chemicals, fireworks and ammunition;
- loose batteries, power banks and more than one e-scooter or e-bike;
- alcohol, tobacco or any illegal items;
- items likely to leak, contaminate or attract pests.
If such items are given to us without our knowledge, we are not liable for any loss of or damage to them, or for damage they cause to other Goods.
8. Our liability for loss or damage to your Goods
- Our liability begins when we take your Goods into our care (or when we start packing them) and ends when they are delivered to the agreed address.
- We are liable only for loss of or damage to Goods caused by our negligence or breach of contract.
- Our liability for any one Item is limited to the cost of repair or replacement (whichever is lower), up to a maximum of £40 per Item, unless a higher value has been agreed in writing before the work starts.
- We recommend that you check whether your home contents insurance covers your Goods during a move, and arrange suitable cover if not.
9. Exclusions
We are not liable for:
- loss of or damage to Goods in drawers, wardrobes, appliances, or in boxes or containers not both packed and unpacked by us, unless the container itself shows external damage caused by us;
- normal wear and tear, gradual deterioration, loosening of joints, or existing defects in the Goods or property;
- failure of flat-pack or particle-board furniture due to weak construction, previous assembly or age;
- electrical or mechanical failure of appliances or equipment, unless caused by external physical damage due to our negligence;
- loss of data, or any value that is purely sentimental;
- damage caused by moving Goods in the way you have instructed against our advice;
- loss of profit, income, business or any other indirect or consequential loss;
- any loss that was not reasonably foreseeable when the Agreement was made;
- delay or failure caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including severe weather, road closures, accidents, strikes, illness or government action.
10. Damage to property and other belongings
- We take care to protect floors, walls, doors and fittings. If we cause damage to the property or to items that are not part of the Goods through our negligence, our liability is limited to making good the damaged area. We are not responsible for repairing pre-existing faults.
- You must point out any damage to us on the day, or report it under section 15.
11. Cleaning services
- We remove most stains and marks, but cannot guarantee the complete removal of all stains, odours or marks, especially old stains, bleach, dye transfer, burns, water damage and wear.
- Carpets and upholstery may take several hours to dry. We are not responsible for damage caused by walking on or using damp carpets or furniture, or by placing furniture back before they are dry.
- Please tell us about delicate, antique or unusual fabrics before we start. We test a hidden area where appropriate. We are not liable for shrinkage, colour run or texture change in fabrics that are unsuitable for cleaning, if we have warned you or you did not tell us about them.
- End of tenancy cleaning: if your landlord or agent reports a cleaning issue within 48 hours of the clean, we will return to fix it free of charge. This does not cover damage, wear and tear, or areas not included in the clean. We cannot guarantee the return of your tenancy deposit.
12. Delays
- We will make every reasonable effort to arrive and complete the work at the agreed time. Arrival and completion times are estimates.
- If we cannot deliver your Goods for reasons outside our control (for example, keys are not available at the new property), we may, after contacting you, hold or store the Goods and charge you for the additional time, storage and redelivery.
13. Our right to hold Goods if you do not pay
If you do not pay any amount due, we may keep your Goods until payment is received. We will give you written notice. If the amount remains unpaid for three months after our notice, we may sell or dispose of the Goods to recover the amount owed and our costs, and will pay any surplus to you.
14. Changes to your booking
- If you want to change the date, time or scope of the services, please tell us as early as possible. We will try to accommodate changes but cannot guarantee availability. A change of date is treated as a postponement under section 18.
15. Reporting loss, damage or a complaint
- Please report any problem as soon as possible. You must notify us in writing, with photos where possible, within 48 hours of a cleaning service and within 7 days of a removal, to info@truehandservices.co.uk or WhatsApp 07826 042551.
- Please keep any damaged Goods until we have had a reasonable opportunity to inspect them.
- If you have insurance covering the loss or damage, you should claim from your insurer first.
- We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to resolve it within 8 weeks. Where we are at fault, we may at our option repair, re-clean, replace or pay compensation, within the limits in these terms.
- We are not liable for loss or damage reported outside these time limits, unless you could not reasonably have discovered it in time.
- If you give us false or exaggerated information in a claim, we may reject the claim and recover our costs of dealing with it.
16. Your right to cancel (cooling-off period)
- If you book with us online, by phone, by email or by WhatsApp, you have the right to cancel within 14 days of the booking without giving a reason.
- If you ask us to carry out the services within those 14 days, you must expressly request this. If you then cancel before the services start, the charges in section 18 may apply. Once the services have started, you must pay for the services provided up to the time you tell us you are cancelling. Once the services are completed, the right to cancel no longer applies.
- To cancel, send us a clear written statement by email or WhatsApp. We will refund any amount due within 14 days, using the same payment method you used.
17. Cancellation by us
We may cancel the Agreement if events beyond our reasonable control prevent us from carrying out the services, or if you fail to pay any amount when due. If we cancel for reasons other than your failure to pay, we will refund all amounts you have paid for the cancelled services.
18. Charges if you cancel or postpone
Outside the cooling-off period (or where you have asked us to start within it), if you cancel or postpone the services, we will charge no more than:
- Removals: more than 10 working days before the agreed date – no charge; between 5 and 10 working days – 30% of the Price; less than 5 working days – 60% of the Price; within 24 hours – 75% of the Price; on the day – the full Price.
- Cleaning services: less than 24 hours before the agreed time – 50% of the Price; on the day, or if we cannot get access – the full Price.
Any amount you have paid above these charges will be refunded within 14 days.
19. Personal data
We use your personal details only to provide our services, take payment, keep records and contact you about your booking. Details of how we handle your data are set out in our Privacy & cookies policy.
20. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms from time to time. The terms that apply to your booking are those published when you made the booking.
21. General
- If any part of these terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the rest will remain in force.
- If we do not enforce any right straight away, we may still enforce it later.
- The Agreement is between you and us. No other person has any rights to enforce it.
- Nothing in these terms limits your statutory rights as a consumer, or our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud.
22. Law and disputes
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction. If we cannot resolve a complaint informally, either of us may refer it to an independent alternative dispute resolution service. This does not affect your right to go to court.