Terms of service

Quotes

Every quote we give is in writing. Local moves are quoted as a fixed price, in writing. Interstate moves are quoted as an itemised written quote, with transport, packing, storage and any extras shown separately. Storage is charged at a weekly rate per storage container, set out in your written quote.

A quote is based on what you tell us, or what we see at an inspection: the items being moved, both addresses, and the access at each end. Please be as complete as you can. A quote is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued, unless it says otherwise.

When the price can change

The price in your quote is the price you pay, unless the job turns out to be materially different from the one we quoted. That can happen if:

• there are significantly more or larger items than listed
• access is different from what was described, such as stairs, a lift that is unavailable or too small, or a longer carry from the truck to the door
• we cannot park where we were told we could, and have to carry further or wait for a space
• our crew is kept waiting because access, keys or a lift booking are not ready at the agreed time
• you ask us to add services, stops or items on the day

If any of these happens, we will explain the change and the reason for it before we charge for it, and where it is practical we will agree it with you before the extra work is done.

Booking and deposits

A booking is confirmed when you accept your quote and we confirm the date in writing.

Interstate moves and storage bookings require a deposit to secure the date. The amount is set out in your quote. Local moves do not usually require a deposit, but where one is needed, for example for a large job or a date in high demand, your quote will say so.

Your deposit is part of the total price, not an extra charge. It is taken off the final balance.

Payment

Unless your quote says otherwise, the balance for a local move is due on completion of the move, and the balance for an interstate move is due before delivery at the new address. Storage fees are payable in advance for each period set out in your quote. Office and commercial moves are invoiced on the terms in the quote.

Your invoice will show the quoted price, any agreed changes and the reason for them, and any deposit already paid.

Cancelling or changing your booking

Plans change, and we would rather you told us early. You can cancel or reschedule by calling or emailing us.

• If you cancel or reschedule with at least 7 days’ notice, we will refund your deposit in full or move it to your new date.
• If you cancel with less than 7 days’ notice, we may keep part or all of your deposit, but only to cover costs we have genuinely incurred for your job and cannot recover, such as a truck or crew we turned other work away for, a lift or dock booking, or materials already supplied. We will show you what those costs are, and refund the rest.
• If you reschedule with less than 7 days’ notice, we will do our best to find a new date that suits you and will only charge for costs genuinely incurred.

If we need to cancel or reschedule because of something within our control, we will refund your deposit in full. If we cannot go ahead because of something outside anyone’s control, such as severe weather, road closures or a natural disaster, we will work with you to rearrange the move as soon as it is safe, at no extra charge for the change.

What we need from you

Access and parking

A move runs to time when access has been sorted in advance. Before moving day, please:

• tell us about stairs, steep driveways, narrow streets, and any distance between where the truck can stop and your front door
• arrange any parking permit or loading zone your council requires, or ask us to help you do it
• book the lift, loading dock or move-in window with your building manager, and send us their requirements
• make sure keys, access codes and swipe cards will be available when the crew arrives

If access on the day is not as described, the crew will do what they safely can, and the price may change as explained under “When the price can change”. Our crew will not move anything in a way they judge to be unsafe, including through an opening that is too small or up stairs that cannot take the weight.

Being there

You, or someone you nominate who can make decisions, should be present at both ends of the move. Please tell us the name and number of anyone acting for you. We rely on that person to confirm what is to be moved, where it goes, and that nothing has been left behind.

Getting ready

Please empty fridges and freezers and let them defrost, drain fuel from mowers and garden equipment, and disconnect appliances such as washing machines before the crew arrives. Our crew are not licensed to disconnect or reconnect gas, plumbing or electrical fittings.

Items we will not carry

For the safety of our crew, your belongings and everyone on the road, we will not move:

• dangerous goods, including petrol and other fuels, gas bottles, paint, solvents, pool and garden chemicals, fireworks, ammunition and firearms
• perishable food, and anything likely to spoil, leak or attract pests
• anything illegal to possess or transport
• live animals

Please keep cash, jewellery, important documents such as passports and title deeds, medication, keys and irreplaceable items with you rather than in the truck.

If we find an item we cannot carry, we will leave it behind and tell you. If one is concealed in a carton and causes damage or harm, you may be responsible for the resulting loss.

Moving between states

Some states restrict what can cross their borders. Western Australia and Tasmania in particular have biosecurity rules on plants, soil, and some fruit, vegetables and other produce. If you are moving to either, please check their current requirements before you pack. We cannot carry items that would breach them, and any delay or disposal ordered by a biosecurity officer is outside our control.

Packing

Cartons, paper, bubble wrap and tape are included when our team does the packing. If you are packing yourself, you can buy cartons and materials from us.

When our team packs a carton, we are responsible for how it is packed. When you pack a carton yourself, we cannot see or check what is inside or how it was packed. Please use sturdy cartons, fill them firmly, keep heavy items to small cartons, and mark anything fragile. We will handle every carton with care, but we are not responsible for damage to the contents of cartons you packed, unless the damage was caused by our negligence, such as a carton being dropped or crushed.

Furniture that has to come apart

Where furniture needs to be taken apart to move it safely, our crew will do that and put it back together at the other end. Flat-pack and particleboard furniture is not designed to be assembled more than once, and it can weaken, crack or lose its fixings when it is taken apart. We take care, and we will tell you if we think a piece is at risk before we start, but we are not responsible for damage that results from the nature of the material itself.

Storage

Goods in our storage are kept in a secure warehouse. Your goods are packed into storage containers used only for your move, sealed at loading and not opened again until delivery. The minimum storage period is one week.

If you need something from storage during the storage period, please give us at least 48 hours' notice so we can retrieve the right container and have it ready. An access visit may carry a handling charge, which we will tell you about when you ask.

Storage fees are payable in advance for each period set out in your quote. Please tell us if you want to change the end date. If fees are not paid when they are due, we will contact you to sort it out before taking any further step, and any step we take after that will be in line with the law.

Please do not put anything in storage that we will not carry, and make sure items are clean and dry, since damp goods can damage themselves and the things around them.

Cleaning

End-of-lease and settlement cleaning is carried out by a vetted cleaning partner, booked and managed by us. If your agent is not satisfied with an area we cleaned, our partner returns to re-clean it within 72 hours of you telling us.

Whether a bond is returned is decided by your landlord or agent, and it depends on things a clean cannot change, such as wear, damage and the condition of the property when your lease began. We do not guarantee the outcome of any bond inspection or the return of any bond.

Car relocation

We arrange vehicle transport door-to-door and depot-to-depot, and your quote will say which applies to your route. Delivery dates for vehicles are estimates, not guarantees. Please remove personal belongings, toll tags and loose items before handover, and leave only a small amount of fuel in the tank. We record the condition of the vehicle when it is collected and when it is delivered.

Insurance

Transit insurance available on every move — cover confirmed in your written quote.

Your written quote sets out the cover that applies to your move, what it includes and excludes, and how to make a claim. Cover for goods in transit, goods in storage and vehicles can differ, so please read the detail for each service you book, and ask us if anything is unclear. If you already have home and contents insurance, it is worth checking whether it covers your belongings during a move.

Damage, loss and claims

Please check your belongings as they are unloaded. If you notice damage or something missing on the day, tell the crew before they leave and ask for it to be recorded in writing. Photographs help.

Where it is practical, please give us written notice of any damage or loss within 7 days of delivery. Damage reported promptly is much easier to investigate and resolve. This is a request to help us deal with your claim fairly, not a limit on your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. We will acknowledge your claim within 1 business day and keep you updated until it is resolved.

Our responsibility

We will carry out our services with due care and skill. Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or changes any right or remedy you have under the Australian Consumer Law or any other law that cannot be excluded.

To the extent the law allows, we are not responsible for:

• damage that existed before the move, including wear, previous repairs and weaknesses in an item
• the contents of cartons you packed yourself, unless the damage was caused by our negligence
• damage that results from the nature of an item or its material, such as flat-pack or particleboard furniture coming apart
• the mechanical, electrical or electronic working of appliances and devices, unless there is visible external damage caused by us
• loss or delay caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as severe weather, road closures, or the action of a government or biosecurity authority
• indirect or consequential loss, such as loss of income or extra accommodation costs, unless it was a reasonably foreseeable result of our failure to meet a consumer guarantee

Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law

Complaints

If something has gone wrong, tell us. Call 1300 001 091 or email quote@movewiserelocations.com.au. Your complaint goes to the coordinator who managed your move, and you will hear back within 1 business day. We will tell you what we can do, what we cannot, and what happens next.

If we cannot resolve it between us, you can contact the fair trading or consumer affairs agency in your state or territory.

Privacy

We handle your personal information in line with our privacy policy.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales. This does not take away any right you have under the consumer protection laws of the state or territory where you live or where the services are provided.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The version that applies to your job is the one on our website on the date you accept your quote.

Contact us

• Movewise Relocations Pty Ltd (ACN 639 817 735, ABN 23 639 817 735), trading as Movewise Relocations
• Phone: 1300 001 091 (Mon–Sat 7am–7pm, Sun by arrangement)
• Email: quote@movewiserelocations.com.au