Every house move is unique. There are differences in the goods to be moved, the distances, the property access, dismantling and reassembling of furniture, etc, etc. Therefore, there is no set price for moving the contents of a specific size property over a specific distance.
Likewise, every removal company is unique so far as there are differences in fleet size, skill levels and processes. However, there are industry-wide practices, with little variation, that are expected from professional movers.
With these two factors in mind, it is clear that there can be no off-the-shelf contract that would perfectly fit every house move. Therefore, every job requires the professional mover to conduct a survey of the work, so they can issue a calculated quote.
It is only after the quote is accepted (preferrable in writing via an Acceptance Form) that the contract between the customer and the removals company is active. This gives the customer better protection provided by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, because there is a written record of the contract.
Your written removals quote should clearly state what work will be done and how much you will pay.
Service Standards
It has been argued (poorly) that, even without a written contract there is adequate protection in the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Chapter 4 covers services like removals and as you can see, while it addresses service standards, it is quite subjective. Disputes over what is “reasonable care and skill” could go on indefinitely, as could disputes over “anything that is said or written to the consumer, by or on behalf of the trader”. Arguments over who said what, to whom and when, could make for a very long dispute.
49. Service to be performed with reasonable care and skill
(1) Every contract to supply a service is to be treated as including a term that the trader must perform the service with reasonable care and skill.
50. Information about the trader or service to be binding
(1) Every contract to supply a service is to be treated as including as a term of the contract anything that is said or written to the consumer, by or on behalf of the trader, about the trader or the service, if—
(a) it is taken into account by the consumer when deciding to enter into the
contract, or
(b) it is taken into account by the consumer when making any decision about the service after entering into the contract.
Additional Charges or Price Change
Sometimes, there can be circumstances that warrant additional charges, such as a change to the scope of the job or a hinderance that is outside the control of the moving company (e.g. waiting for keys). If this is the case, item 51 of the Act becomes relevant.
51 Reasonable price to be paid for a service
(1) This section applies to a contract to supply a service if—
(a) the consumer has not paid a price or other consideration for the service,
(b) the contract does not expressly fix a price or other consideration, and does not say how it is to be fixed, and
(c) anything that is to be treated under section 50 as included in the contract does not fix a price or other consideration either.
(2) In that case the contract is to be treated as including a term that the consumer mustpay a reasonable price for the service, and no more.
(3) What is a reasonable price is a question of fact.
Again, without a written contract, these considerations are highly subjective. Item 51:3, for example, could lead to a very long dispute over what is “a reasonable price”. It is a “question of fact” which means it is based on the individual facts of the case, which can have many elements that are open to dispute.
In summary, the reason you need a written quote for your house move is to ensure that there is a clear contract between you and your chosen moving company. All parties know exactly what to expect and how much it will cost.
All AIM Members provide written quotations and offer protection against additional charges
(e.g. Waiting Time Waiver).
