The Customer Deal — Terms of Service

MoveMate · Effective date: [DATE]

DRAFT — to be reviewed by a qualified UK solicitor before publication.

Hello! These are the rules for booking muscle through MoveMate. We've written them in plain English, because nobody enjoys legalese with a sofa stuck halfway up the stairs. By ticking the box at checkout, you're agreeing to them — so grab a cuppa and have a read.

Part A — The basics

A1. Who's behind MoveMate

MoveMate is run by [COMPANY LTD], registered in England and Wales under company number [COMPANY NUMBER], with its registered office at [ADDRESS]. VAT number: [VAT NUMBER]. Say hi at [EMAIL] or [PHONE].

A2. What you're actually booking

• Hands, not wheels. We supply people to lift and carry. We never supply a van, car, trailer or any other vehicle, and our Workers won't drive, transport, deliver or store anything for you. Got a van? Brilliant. Need one? Hire one, borrow one, or ask us for a few van-hire suggestions.
• Time, not a finished result. You book Workers for a block of time. You pay for that time whether the job takes all of it or not — so be generous when choosing how long you need.
• Who does the work. Workers are vetted, self-employed local helpers. Some come as a crew led by a Team Leader. MoveMate runs the marketplace: we arrange the booking, take payment on the Workers' behalf (as their limited payment collection agent), keep everyone in touch and sort things out if they go wrong. The lifting itself is provided by the Worker(s) under these terms.
• You must be 18 or over to book. You're welcome to book and pay for someone else (a parent, a tenant, a friend) — just name the person who'll be on site so the crew knows who to ask for.

A3. Our checks on Workers

Every Worker passes identity and right-to-work checks, an interview or video call, and our safety and handling induction before they can take jobs. We monitor ratings and act on complaints.

Part B — Booking and paying

B1. How a booking works

1. Pick your job type and pop in the postcode.
2. Choose how many Workers (from 1 up to 20) and how long (minimum 2 hours per Worker).
3. Tell us about the items, stairs, lifts, parking and anything awkward.
4. Pay online. Your booking is confirmed when you receive our confirmation by email and/or SMS — that's when the contract starts.
5. Your Workers' names, photos and arrival window appear in your account before the job.

If we can't find enough Workers for your slot, we'll let you know straight away and you won't pay a penny (anything taken is refunded in full).

B2. Prices

• Prices are hourly, per Worker. The longer you book, the lower the hourly rate — our sliding scale rewards bigger bookings.
• The total shown before you pay includes VAT (where applicable) and any booking fee. No surprises at the end.
• Payment is taken in full at booking by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, processed by Stripe. We never see or store your full card number.
• Your money is held securely and released to the Workers after the job. Our 15 % platform commission comes out of the Workers' share — it's not added on top of your price.
• Tips are lovely, totally optional, and go 100 % to the Workers.

B3. When things run over

Job taking longer than planned? Ask your crew, then approve the extension in the app (or call us). Extra time depends on the Workers being free — they might have another job booked — and is charged at the same hourly rate as your booking, in 15-minute blocks, to the card you booked with once the job is done.

B4. Finished early?

Nice work! You've still got the Workers until the end of your slot, so use the time for other jobs — shifting furniture between rooms, carrying rubbish out to the bin area, tidying up after the move. Just make sure any extras don't push you past your booked time.

B5. Two addresses?

Workers don't ride in your vehicle. If your job is at two addresses, the time Workers spend getting from the first to the second counts as booked time, and any reasonable public transport fares between them are added to your bill (we'll show an estimate at checkout).

Part C — Your side of the deal

C1. Tell us the full story

Please be upfront when you book about:

• big, bulky or very heavy items (pianos, safes, American-style fridges, range cookers, marble tops);
• stairs, lifts, tight corners, narrow doors, long walks from where the vehicle is parked;
• anything that could hurt someone: loose or aggressive pets, broken glass, sharp objects, damp floors, poor lighting, any work at height, and anything that is or might be asbestos.

If something important was left out or wasn't accurate, the crew can (a) do the job anyway if they agree it's safe, with any extra time charged as in B3, (b) do only the parts that are safe, or (c) step away from the job. If they step away for this reason, it's treated as a same-day cancellation — see the Cancellation & Refund Policy.

C2. Get the place ready

• Make sure the crew can get in safely and easily, and that you (or the person you nominated) are there at the start.
• You must be allowed to be there and to move the items — whether it's your home, a rented flat, an office or a storage unit. If someone else challenges our Workers' right to be there, you'll cover the cost of that dispute.
• Sort out legal parking or a loading spot for your vehicle and pay any permits, parking, congestion or ULEZ charges.
• Empty drawers, wardrobes and cupboards. Defrost and drain fridges, freezers and washing machines, and disconnect them before we arrive (crews don't disconnect plumbing, gas or hard-wired electrics).
• Clear stairs and hallways. Keep kids and pets well out of the way.
• Put knives, glass and other sharp bits in a sturdy box or crate — never in bin bags. This one's about our Workers' hands, so we're strict about it.
• Keep cash, jewellery, documents, keys and medicines with you.

C3. Tools

Crews don't bring tools. If you want something taken apart or put together, have the tools ready and mention it when you book. Workers are lifters, not tradespeople — no plumbing, electrics, gas or building work.

C4. Instructions must be lawful

You're responsible for making sure what you ask the crew to do is legal — for example that you own or have permission to move the items. Workers can't give legal advice, and you agree to cover our and the Workers' costs if a claim arises because an instruction wasn't lawful.

Part D — On the day

D1. Stuff that won't fit

If an item won't go through a doorway or up a stairwell, the crew may — if they agree it's sensible — try simple dismantling (taking legs off a table, removing doors from a wardrobe). If it still won't fit, they'll stop there, and they're not responsible for putting it back together.

D2. White goods

Crews don't dismantle fridges, freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers or dishwashers. If you were counting on that and didn't mention it when booking, the slot is still payable.

D3. Hazards

If a Worker finds or reasonably suspects asbestos, needles, drugs or drug equipment, or other dangerous materials, they'll stop and leave. The booking is still payable in full in that case.

D4. Late or no-show

Running late or not turned up? Call us on [PHONE] straight away and we'll chase them or send a replacement. If no replacement can be found, you get a full refund for that Worker.

D5. Worker wants to leave early?

They shouldn't. Let us know and we'll remind them they're booked for the full slot. You'll never pay for time you didn't get.

D6. Keeping in touch

To protect everyone's privacy, you won't see Workers' personal phone numbers and they won't see yours. Use in-app chat or masked calling, or contact our support team and we'll pass messages on.

Part E — When things go wrong

E1. Damage

Moving heavy things carries a small risk of knocks and scrapes, however careful the crew is. Workers must take reasonable care and skill. Our Damage & Liability Policy (part of these terms) explains the details. The key points:

• MoveMate doesn't insure your belongings. If you'd like cover, check your home contents insurance or arrange your own before the job.
• Report any damage within 48 hours, with photos.
• Our total responsibility for any booking is limited to the price you paid for that booking, except where the law doesn't allow a limit.
• We're not responsible for indirect or knock-on losses (like lost earnings or a missed flight).

E2. Things we'll never limit

Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything else the law says can't be limited. Your statutory rights as a consumer are not affected.

E3. Not happy?

Tell us at [EMAIL] within 7 days. We'll reply within 2 working days and aim to fix things within 14 days. If we can't agree, you can still go to court or use an ADR provider [ADR PROVIDER, if any].

E4. Things beyond anyone's control

Storms, floods, strikes, road or rail shutdowns, pandemics, phone networks going down — if something like that stops us, we're not liable for the delay. We'll tell you quickly and offer a new date or a refund for anything we couldn't do.

Part F — Fair play

F1. Always book through MoveMate

Please don't hire a Worker you met on MoveMate directly, off the platform, for 12 months after your booking. Off-platform jobs skip our vetting, payment protection, support and claims process — and Workers who take them can lose access to MoveMate. Accounts that keep doing this may be closed.

F2. Be kind

Respect the crew. Abuse, harassment or discrimination means the job ends immediately (fully payable) and your account may be closed. See our Acceptable Use Policy.

F3. Reviews

Rate your crew honestly after the job. Fake or abusive reviews will be removed.

Part G — The small print

• Cancelling and changing: see our Cancellation & Refund Policy. Short version: full refund if you cancel 72+ hours before the start time; 50 % refund up to 24 hours before; no refund after that. Because you book online, you also have a legal 14-day cancellation right — by booking a job inside that window you ask us to start early, and if you cancel you pay only for what has already been provided or committed.
• Your account: keep your login safe. We can suspend or close accounts for serious or repeated breaches, fraud, chargeback abuse or abusive behaviour. Ending the relationship doesn't cancel money already owed either way.
• Your data: see our Privacy Policy. We use your details to run your booking and, if you don't opt out, to tell you about similar services. We don't sell your data.
• Transfers: we can transfer this agreement to another company without reducing your rights. You need our written OK to transfer yours.
• Waivers: if we don't enforce a rule straight away, we can still enforce it later.
• Severability: if any part of these terms is found invalid, the rest still applies.
• Third parties: only you, [COMPANY LTD] and the Workers on your booking can rely on these terms.
• Updates: the version in force when you booked applies to that booking.
• Law: the law of England and Wales applies. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can also bring a claim in your local courts.