Terms and Conditions

1. Who we are and when these terms apply

Van Man Hire provides quotations for man and van services, house removals, packing and related moving services in Sheffield and across the UK. In these terms, “we”, “us” and “our” mean the legal service provider identified in your written quotation and booking confirmation.

These terms apply to bookings we accept, alongside the scope, price and any specific arrangements confirmed in writing. If we agree something different for your move, it must be recorded in writing. We will make the applicable terms available before your booking is confirmed.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits your rights under applicable consumer law.

An updated version of these terms will apply to future bookings once published; it does not retrospectively change a booking that we have already confirmed.

2. Quotations and the agreed service

We prepare your quotation using the information you provide, such as the collection and delivery addresses, property sizes, inventory, access, parking arrangements, preferred date and any packing or dismantling requirements. Photographs or a video survey can help us assess the work.

The written quotation will explain whether the service is fixed-price or time-based, what is included, any minimum booking period, the number of movers and vehicles where relevant, and any known additional charges. A quote does not reserve a date until a booking has been accepted.

For time-based work, the confirmation will explain how chargeable time is measured, including any travel time. For long-distance moves, the quotation will state the agreed journey and any return-travel allowances where applicable. We will not introduce an undisclosed fee simply because a move is outside Sheffield.

If the actual inventory, access or service requested differs materially from the details supplied, we will explain any revised cost and seek your agreement before carrying out chargeable additional work where reasonably possible.

Your quotation will also specify whether VAT applies, and which agreed expenses (if any) are included or payable separately.

3. Booking confirmation, deposits and payment

Your booking is confirmed when we accept the work in writing and receive any deposit shown in the quotation. The deposit amount may vary by service; do not rely on historic prices or deposit amounts shown elsewhere online. Any deposit is credited against the agreed total price.

Unless your written quotation provides otherwise, the outstanding balance is payable on completion of the agreed work, including any authorised additional time or services. Packing and removal services may be separately quoted and invoiced. We will tell you before booking if an advance or staged payment is required.

We accept payment by the methods stated in your booking confirmation. If a payment becomes overdue, we may contact you to arrange payment and may seek reasonable recovery costs or interest where permitted by law and the contract. We do not apply automatic, escalating percentage penalties.

We provide an invoice or receipt for payments made. Please let us know promptly if you believe an invoice contains an error.

4. Changes and cancellations

If you need to change the date or cancel

Please tell us as soon as possible by email or telephone, preferably followed by written confirmation. We will try to accommodate a change of date, subject to availability, and will explain any additional costs before you agree to the change.

If you cancel a confirmed booking, we may deduct a fair and reasonable amount for losses directly arising from the cancellation, such as unavoidable costs already incurred and work we cannot reasonably replace. We will take reasonable steps to reduce our loss. We will refund any deposit or advance payment remaining after any justified deduction. A deposit is not automatically forfeited in every circumstance.

Cancellation or postponement at short notice, particularly within 48 hours of the booked work, can make it harder to replace a reserved crew and vehicles; nevertheless, any charge will reflect the actual circumstances and will not automatically equal the full booking value. Please contact us before deciding that your move cannot proceed, especially if your property chain changes.

Statutory cancellation rights

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, a booking for the transport of goods on a specified date or period will generally not have the usual 14-day change-of-mind cancellation right. Other services, such as some standalone packing arrangements, may be treated differently. Where a statutory cooling-off right applies, we will explain it and respect it, including any rules about work you expressly ask us to start during that period.

If we have to cancel or rearrange

We will only cancel a confirmed booking where reasonably necessary. We will tell you promptly, offer a reasonable alternative where possible and refund the payment for services we cannot provide. This does not affect any other rights you may have where we are responsible for a breach of contract.

5. What you need to tell us before moving day

Please give accurate details of both properties, all large or unusually heavy items, lofts, cellars, garages, gardens, outbuildings, stairs, lifts, restricted entrances, long carrying distances, access restrictions and any storage or specialist work needed.

Please make us aware of completion or key-release arrangements, the time the old property must be vacant, and whether another household or removals crew is due to arrive on the same day. Unless otherwise agreed, a responsible adult should be available to confirm which items are to be moved and where they should go.

You must have authority to give us access to the properties and permission to move the goods. Please ensure all items to be transported are identified and that keys and essential documents are kept with you.

6. Parking, access and property protection

Please arrange lawful, suitable loading and unloading access as close to the premises as reasonably possible. Let us know about permits, parking suspensions, restricted roads, height or weight limits and any need to reserve a loading area. Where permits or paid parking are necessary, responsibility for their cost will be as stated in your quotation or agreed with you in advance.

If lawful access is unavailable or differs from what was described, additional waiting, carrying or relocation of the vehicle may add time and cost. We will explain this where reasonably possible. We do not ask customers to reimburse fines caused by our own unlawful parking or driving decisions.

We will take reasonable care of floors, walls, doors, stairs and fixtures while carrying out the work. Please point out particularly delicate or recently finished surfaces in advance. Additional floor protection or specialised lifting arrangements must be agreed if required.

7. Packing, dismantling and specialist items

Unless we have quoted for packing, please have your goods securely packed in suitable, closed and reasonably labelled containers ready for collection. Do not overload boxes or leave loose fragile items among heavy goods. We may decline to load a package that is unsafe.

Furniture dismantling, reassembly, appliance disconnection and reconnection, wall-mounted televisions, kitchen appliances, pianos, safes and other specialist items are not included unless specifically agreed. Electrical, gas, plumbing and other regulated disconnections or installations must be undertaken by appropriately competent persons.

Keep small fittings, keys and fixings securely labelled and tell us if an item requires special handling. We will take reasonable care of items that we agree to pack, dismantle, assemble or transport.

8. Items we cannot normally carry

Unless expressly agreed in advance and lawfully permitted, we do not transport people or live animals, firearms or ammunition, hazardous chemicals, explosives, gas cylinders, fuel, perishable food, or other unsafe, prohibited or unlawful goods.

Please keep passports, keys, cash, important documents, jewellery, medicines and other high-value or essential personal items with you wherever practical. If you would like us to transport unusually valuable goods or items requiring special handling, tell us before the quotation is accepted so that we can discuss suitability and insurance.

9. Arrival times, waiting and additional work

We will work to the agreed arrival window and keep you informed of any material delay that we become aware of. Travel, road closures, adverse weather and other circumstances may affect arrival and journey times. We will exercise reasonable care and skill in planning and carrying out your move.

If work takes longer because of additional goods, unreported access difficulties, late packing, delayed keys or other circumstances not included in the quotation, the agreed overtime or waiting-time rate may apply. We will explain any charge and seek agreement where reasonably possible. We will not charge for delays caused by our own avoidable failure.

For time-based bookings, the work will not simply stop when the initial minimum period ends: any agreed additional time will be charged at the rate shown in your booking confirmation, subject to crew availability, safety and legal driving or working limits.

10. Our care, liability and insurance

We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill, including using reasonable care when handling and transporting your belongings. If loss or damage occurs through our failure to do so, we will deal with your claim in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the job.

Our insurance policies and any applicable limits, conditions or excesses do not by themselves remove our legal responsibilities. Specific insurance information, including any goods-in-transit limits or additional cover required for high-value items, can be requested before booking. Please do not assume that the insurance figure on an older version of this website remains current.

We are not responsible for damage or loss wholly caused by matters outside our reasonable control where we were not at fault, such as an undisclosed defect in an item or inadequate customer packing that we could not reasonably identify. This does not exclude liability where we have failed to take reasonable care.

Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or any other liability that the law does not permit us to exclude or restrict.

We may use appropriately skilled crew members or subcontractors to fulfil the booked service; this does not remove our responsibility for the work we have agreed to provide.

11. Damage reports and complaints

Please tell the crew about visible damage or missing items as soon as you notice a problem. For damage discovered after the move, contact us as soon as reasonably practicable, ideally with photographs, a description of the item and any available supporting evidence.

We encourage early reporting because it makes it easier to investigate, but failure to report within a particular number of days does not automatically invalidate a valid legal claim. Completing payment or signing a delivery record does not, by itself, remove your statutory rights.

Send complaints or claims to info@ravenhillremovals.co.uk, including your name, moving date and booking reference if available. We will acknowledge the concern and investigate it fairly, providing an update if more time is needed.

12. Safety and conduct

We expect a safe working environment and respectful treatment of customers and staff. We may pause or stop work where there is a credible safety risk, violence, harassment, unsafe access or a legal restriction. We will explain the issue and, where practical, give an opportunity to resolve it safely.

If work is stopped because of a serious issue caused by the customer, we may charge a reasonable amount for services delivered and unavoidable loss directly caused by the incident. We will not automatically charge the full price for work that was not performed.

13. Events outside reasonable control

Where an event beyond either party's reasonable control affects the move, such as severe weather, road closures or emergency restrictions, we will contact you as soon as reasonably possible and discuss a practical alternative. Neither party is excused from responsibilities that the law says cannot be excluded. We will not keep payment for work that cannot be provided without a lawful and fair basis.

14. Personal information

We use the contact, address, inventory and access information you provide to arrange quotations and manage bookings. If you send a video survey, please avoid including bank-card information or sensitive documents. Further information is available in our privacy notice.

15. General terms, governing law and contact

If one part of these terms is found unenforceable, the remaining parts will continue to apply so far as the law allows. These terms do not remove any rights you have under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable legislation.

For bookings made in England, these terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory rights available to consumers in other parts of the UK.

Van Man Hire enquiries: 0330 666 55 00 or info@ravenhillremovals.co.uk.