Terms and Conditions for House Clearance Lewisham

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which House Clearance Lewisham provides house clearance, rubbish removal and associated waste collection services to consumers and business customers in the United Kingdom. By making a booking or allowing our team to begin a clearance or collection, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

1. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following expressions have the following meanings:

Customer means the person, firm or company who requests a quotation, makes a booking or otherwise engages House Clearance Lewisham to provide services.

Services means any house clearance, rubbish removal, waste collection, loading, transportation, recycling, disposal or related services provided by House Clearance Lewisham.

Agreement means the contract between the Customer and House Clearance Lewisham for the provision of Services, incorporating these Terms and Conditions and any written quotation or confirmation issued by House Clearance Lewisham.

Waste means any items, materials or goods removed from a property for the purpose of disposal, recycling or re-use as part of the Services.

2. Scope of Services

House Clearance Lewisham provides house and flat clearances, part clearances, rubbish removal, bulky waste collection and related loading and transportation services. The specific scope of the Services, including the items to be removed, the access arrangements and the scheduled date and time, will be set out in the quotation or booking confirmation.

House Clearance Lewisham reserves the right to refuse to handle or remove any items that are hazardous, illegal, unsafe to move, or otherwise unsuitable for collection using our normal equipment and methods. This may include but is not limited to asbestos, clinical or medical waste, chemicals, solvents, gas canisters, certain electrical items or any material requiring specialist handling or licences beyond those held by House Clearance Lewisham.

3. Booking Process

Customers may request a quotation by telephone, email or online form, providing accurate descriptions of the property, access conditions, types and approximate volume of waste, and any special requirements. Quotations may be provided as an estimate based on the information supplied, or as a fixed price where sufficient detail and images or site visits enable an accurate assessment.

A booking is not confirmed until House Clearance Lewisham has accepted the Customer’s request, agreed a date and time, and issued a booking confirmation verbally, by email or in writing. House Clearance Lewisham reserves the right to decline any booking request at its sole discretion.

The Customer is responsible for ensuring that all details contained in the booking confirmation are accurate. Any discrepancies must be notified to House Clearance Lewisham as soon as reasonably practicable and, in any event, before the Services are due to commence.

4. Access and Customer Obligations

The Customer must ensure that House Clearance Lewisham has safe, reasonable and unobstructed access to the property, premises or collection point at the agreed time. This includes arranging any necessary parking permissions, loading bay access, keys, codes or permits prior to the arrival of the clearance team.

Where there are delays, waiting times or additional journeys caused by a lack of access or inaccurate information provided by the Customer, House Clearance Lewisham may apply additional charges to cover extra time, labour, parking fees or wasted journeys.

The Customer must clearly identify to our team the items that are to be removed and, where relevant, the items that are to remain. House Clearance Lewisham is not responsible for removing items that were not clearly designated as Waste or for any loss arising from unclear or conflicting instructions.

5. Quotations, Pricing and Additional Charges

Any quotation provided prior to the day of the Service is based on the information supplied by the Customer and is subject to change if that information is incomplete or inaccurate, or if the volume, nature or weight of Waste differs materially from that described.

On arrival, the clearance team will assess the actual volume and type of Waste and confirm the final price before commencing work. Where the price exceeds an earlier estimate due to additional volume, difficult access, heavy items, hazardous materials, or other factors not previously disclosed, the Customer may accept the revised price or decline the Service. If the Customer declines after arrival on site, House Clearance Lewisham may charge a reasonable call-out or wasted journey fee to cover costs incurred.

Prices may include charges for labour, loading time, transportation, waste transfer station fees, recycling and disposal costs. Additional charges may apply for heavy loads, difficult access, collections from upper floors without lift access, dismantling of large items, or emergency or out-of-hours work. Any such charges will be notified to the Customer as far as reasonably practicable before being incurred.

6. Payments and Invoicing

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, payment is due immediately upon completion of the Services on the day of collection. House Clearance Lewisham accepts payment by cash, debit or credit card, bank transfer, or other methods as advised from time to time.

For business customers or account holders, payment terms may be agreed in writing, typically requiring settlement within a specified number of days from the date of invoice. Where credit terms are granted, House Clearance Lewisham reserves the right to carry out credit checks and to withdraw or vary such terms at any time.

All prices are quoted exclusive of VAT unless expressly stated otherwise. Where VAT is chargeable, it will be added at the prevailing rate and itemised on the receipt or invoice.

If any amount due is not paid on time, House Clearance Lewisham may charge interest on overdue sums at the statutory rate and may suspend further Services until payment is received. Title to any non-waste items removed for re-use or resale transfers to House Clearance Lewisham upon completion of the Service, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

7. Cancellations and Amendments

The Customer may cancel or amend a booking by contacting House Clearance Lewisham during normal business hours. To avoid cancellation charges, the Customer should provide at least 24 hours notice prior to the scheduled arrival time.

Where a booking is cancelled with less than 24 hours notice, House Clearance Lewisham reserves the right to charge a reasonable cancellation fee, which may include any costs already incurred such as staff allocation, vehicle scheduling or pre-paid disposal arrangements.

If the Customer is not present at the property at the agreed time, or if the team is unable to gain access, this may be treated as a late cancellation. In such circumstances, House Clearance Lewisham may apply a call-out or wasted journey charge.

House Clearance Lewisham will use reasonable efforts to accommodate any requests to change the date, time or scope of the Services, but cannot guarantee availability. If changes materially alter the nature or extent of the work, a revised quotation may be issued and must be accepted before the Services proceed.

8. Waste Handling and Regulatory Compliance

House Clearance Lewisham operates in accordance with applicable UK waste management legislation and guidance. All Waste collected as part of the Services will be transported and disposed of at licensed facilities, with a focus on recycling and recovery wherever reasonably practicable.

The Customer confirms that they have the authority to arrange the removal of Waste from the property and that the Waste is not stolen, unlawfully obtained or in breach of any third-party rights. The Customer must not request the removal of any items or substances that would cause House Clearance Lewisham to breach waste carriage, transfer or disposal regulations.

Where required by law, House Clearance Lewisham may issue waste transfer documentation recording the nature, source and destination of the Waste. The Customer must supply any necessary information to complete such documentation accurately.

House Clearance Lewisham will not be liable for any penalties, fines or enforcement action arising from false, incomplete or misleading information supplied by the Customer in relation to the Waste or the property from which it is collected.

9. Liability and Limitations

House Clearance Lewisham will exercise reasonable care and skill in providing the Services. However, the Customer must take reasonable steps to protect any areas, fixtures or items that may be vulnerable to minor scuffs or marks during the normal process of moving and loading Waste, particularly in tight stairwells, hallways or doorways.

House Clearance Lewisham will not be liable for normal wear and tear, superficial marks, or damage arising from pre-existing structural defects, poor condition of floors, walls or fixtures, or inadequately secured fittings. The Customer should notify the team of any areas of particular concern before work begins.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Subject to the above, House Clearance Lewisham will not be liable for any loss of profits, loss of business, loss of anticipated savings, loss of use, or any indirect or consequential loss arising under or in connection with the Agreement. In any event, the total liability of House Clearance Lewisham in respect of any claim arising out of or in connection with the Services shall be limited to the total price paid or payable for the specific job from which the claim arises.

10. Items of Value and Ownership

The Customer is responsible for removing and safely storing any valuable or sentimental items before the clearance begins. This includes money, jewellery, important documents, and items of personal or commercial value. House Clearance Lewisham accepts no responsibility for such items if they are not removed in advance and are inadvertently taken away as Waste.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all items removed as Waste become the property of House Clearance Lewisham upon collection. House Clearance Lewisham may dispose of, recycle, donate, sell or otherwise deal with such items at its discretion, subject to legal and regulatory requirements.

11. Complaints and Dispute Resolution

If the Customer is dissatisfied with any aspect of the Services, they should contact House Clearance Lewisham as soon as possible, providing full details of the issue and any supporting evidence. House Clearance Lewisham will investigate the matter and seek to resolve complaints promptly and fairly.

Where a complaint relates to alleged damage or loss, the Customer must notify House Clearance Lewisham within a reasonable time after becoming aware of the issue and, in any event, no later than seven days after completion of the Services. House Clearance Lewisham may request access to the property to inspect any alleged damage before liability can be determined.

12. Force Majeure

House Clearance Lewisham shall not be in breach of the Agreement or otherwise liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations where such failure or delay results from events, circumstances or causes beyond its reasonable control. These may include severe weather, accidents, traffic disruption, strikes, lock-outs, power failures, road closures, acts of government or public authorities, or other unexpected incidents.

Where a force majeure event occurs, House Clearance Lewisham will use reasonable endeavours to inform the Customer and to rearrange the Services as soon as reasonably practicable.

13. Personal Data and Confidentiality

House Clearance Lewisham may collect and process personal data relating to the Customer for the purposes of handling enquiries, providing quotations, administering bookings, taking payment and complying with legal obligations. Such data will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

House Clearance Lewisham will treat as confidential any personal or commercially sensitive information obtained in the course of providing the Services, except where disclosure is required by law or regulatory authorities.

14. Variation of Terms

House Clearance Lewisham may update or vary these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The applicable version is the one in force at the time the Customer makes a booking. Customers are advised to review the current Terms and Conditions when arranging Services.

15. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter or formation, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions or their subject matter.

16. Entire Agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with any written quotation or booking confirmation issued by House Clearance Lewisham, constitute the entire Agreement between the Customer and House Clearance Lewisham in relation to the provision of the Services, and supersede any prior understandings, representations or arrangements, whether written or oral.

No variation of the Agreement shall be effective unless it is expressly agreed in writing by House Clearance Lewisham.