Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: 22 April 2025

1.0. This contract is made between “Smart Movers” and “The Customer”. All business undertaken by Smart Movers, The Moving Team, or the customer Service

Representative, including the provision of advice, information, or other services, is undertaken upon, and subject to, these conditions. On payment of the deposit by The Customer, or confirmation of the booking by The Customer Service Representative, the contract is considered to be active.

2.0 Conditions of Carriage & Customer Responsibilities

Smart Movers accepts goods for carriage only upon these terms and conditions:

2.1 For all house/office moves, furniture relocation, and general freight movement, prices are quoted based on information provided by The Customer. Smart Movers reserves the right to modify prices as a result of incorrect volume, dimension, weight, or access conditions. This can include flights of stairs, narrow driveways, heavy items, etc, varying to those outlined by The Customer at the time of booking. Additional charges may also be incurred for redirection, multi route, additional labour not requested, storage, etc. The Customers responsibility to inform their Customer Service Representative prior to their move of any items of this nature.

2.2 Items are inspected by The Moving Team before being loaded. If Smart Movers notices that goods are not safe to transport or insufficiently packaged and may cause damage to either itself, other items, or vehicles, The Moving Team reserves the right to reject carriage of these items.

2.3 The Customer will not give to Smart Movers for packing, removal or storage:

1. Any article or substance which is, or is likely to be, of a dangerous, corrosive, flammable, explosive or damaging nature, or anything likely to encourage vermin, bora, or any other pest.
2. Jewellery, watches, trinkets, precious stones or metals, money, deeds, securities, stamps, coins or goods or collections of a similar kind.
3. Prohibited or stolen goods, drugs/medicines, aerosols, paints, firearms, gas cylinders and ammunition.
4. The Customer will empty, properly defrost, and clean refrigerators/deep freezers. Smart Movers are not responsible for the contents’. Any animals and their cages or tanks including pets, birds or fish.

2.4 Access, parking and legal documents

1. The Customer will notify Smart Movers if there is not suitable and convenient access to the places at which the goods are to be moved. The Moving Team may apply an extra charge due to any access restrictions and will not be liable for any goods damaged through the lack of such access.
2. The Customer will ensure good, safe, and secure parking/access/driveway/pathway etc, to the property for The Moving Team.
3. The Customer will obtain, at their own expense, all documents, permits, and licences necessary for the removal to be completed (if applicable).

3.0 Liability & Insurance

3.1 Public Liability

Smart Movers holds Broadform Liability Insurance up to $1,000,000 for accidental third-party property damage in connection with our business operations within New Zealand.

This includes accidental damage to property being worked on during the course of a move, up to $100,000 per claim, subject to insurer approval and policy excess.

Nothing in these Terms limits Smart Movers’ liability where such liability cannot be excluded under New Zealand law.

3.2 Property Being Worked On

Where Smart Movers is actively handling, lifting, carrying, or moving goods within a property, accidental damage to fixed property (such as walls, floors, stairs, door frames) may be covered under our Property Being Worked On extension, subject to:

• Accidental cause
• Insurance assessment
• $1,000 excess
• $100,000 limit

Cosmetic scuffs, minor marks, and wear incidental to moving large furniture may occur and do not automatically constitute negligence.

3.3 Carriage of Goods

Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• Goods are carried at “Limited Carrier’s Risk”.
• Liability is limited in accordance with the Act.
• Goods in transit are not automatically insured under our Public Liability policy.

Customers are strongly advised to arrange their own comprehensive transit insurance if full replacement cover is required.

3.4 Exclusions

Smart Movers is not liable for:

• Mechanical or electrical breakdown of items
• Pre-existing damage
• Inherent vice or structural weakness
• Insufficient customer packing
• Owner-packed cartons
• Loss of income
• Consequential or indirect loss
• Damage caused due to unsafe access conditions
• Lawn, driveway, or underground services damage where vehicle access is instructed by the customer

3.5 Vehicle Damage

Smart Movers holds Commercial Motor Vehicle Insurance for accidental damage to company vehicles.

However, Smart Movers is not liable for damage to driveways, underground services, lawns, or property surfaces where vehicles are instructed to enter by the customer and where risk of damage is reasonably foreseeable.

3.6 Claims Procedure

• Claims must be submitted in writing within 48 hours.
• Full payment of invoice must be received before claim processing.
• All claims are subject to insurer assessment.

4.0 Carriage of Goods & Transit Insurance

4.1 Limited Carrier’s Risk

Smart Movers operates under the Carriage of Goods Act 1979.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, goods are carried at “Limited Carrier’s Risk.”

Under Limited Carrier’s Risk, Smart Movers’ liability is limited in accordance with the Carriage of Goods Act 1979 and is not equivalent to full replacement insurance.

4.2 No Goods in Transit Insurance

Smart Movers does not hold Goods in Transit or Comprehensive Transit Insurance covering customers’ goods while in transit.

Accordingly:

• Goods transported in our vehicles are not insured by Smart Movers for accidental damage, theft, fire, overturning, or loss while in transit, except to the extent required under the Carriage of Goods Act 1979.
• Customers are strongly advised to arrange their own comprehensive moving or transit insurance prior to the move date if full replacement value cover is required.

4.3 Customer Responsibility for Insurance

It is the responsibility of The Customer to:

• Arrange independent transit insurance if desired;
• Ensure goods are appropriately insured for their full replacement value;
• Disclose any high-value or fragile items prior to the move.

Smart Movers shall not be liable for loss or damage to goods in transit beyond its statutory obligations under the Carriage of Goods Act 1979.

4.4 Owner Packed Items

Smart Movers is not liable for damage to:

• Owner-packed cartons
• Items insufficiently packed
• Fragile goods not disclosed
• Items with inherent structural weakness

5.0 Disputes

Smart Movers will never charge a fee that has not been agreed to prior, either by email correspondence, or verbal communication. However, in the event that The Customer does not agree with the charges levied, The Customer can dispute the charges. The Customer must lodge a formal dispute to the Customer Service Representative in writing within 30 days of the move being completed. A dispute is a legal document, which must outline in full the issue The Customer has. Any applicable supporting evidence must be provided, and the desired outcome stated.

1. Disputes will be resolved in the first instance via email communication with the Customer Service Representative.
2. The Customer Service Representative will respond to the dispute by the end of the next business day. If an error has been made on the part of Smart Movers, or The Moving Team, this error will be rectified.
3. If Smart Movers believes that no error has been made, or the dispute is otherwise invalid, a formal response will be given.
4. If The Customer continues to believe that an error has been made, The Customer may file a complaint with the Disputes Tribunal.
5. In the event that an unpaid invoice is disputed, Smart Movers reserves the right to hold any items still in their possession, until the account has been settled.
6. If the account remains unpaid 7 business days following the formal response, then the outstanding account will be passed on to debt collectors, per the Smart Movers Payment policy.
7. When an unpaid invoice is disputed, the $50 per day late fee will be paused.
8. Should the dispute prove valid, all late fees from the time the dispute was lodged will be waived.
9. Should the dispute prove invalid, then all late fees will be applied, including the days that the invoice sat in dispute.

h) All monies found owing as the result of a dispute will be paid out in accordance with the Smart Movers refund policy.

6.0 Cancellations and Delays:

In accepting a move, Smart Movers are booking that time for the move to be undertaken. If moves are cancelled at short notice, then Smart Movers may be unable to book another move in that time slot. As such, Smart Movers reserves the right to apply a cancellation fee. a) Minimum cancellation fees of 10% will apply for all PREPAID bookings with less than 14 days’ notice.

• Minimum cancellation fees of 25% will apply for all PREPAID bookings with less than 7 days’ notice.
• Minimum cancellation fees of 50% will apply for all PREPAID bookings with less, than 72 hours’ notice.
• Minimum cancellation fees of 75% will apply for all PREPAID bookings with less than 24 hours’ notice.
• Smart Movers will make every effort to carry out your move as scheduled at the time of booking. However, delays can occur for a range of reasons. These include, but are not limited to, bad weather conditions, unforeseen delays in jobs booked prior, mechanical breakdowns, technical issues, and traffic delays. Scheduled start times cannot be guaranteed and Smart Movers will not be responsible for paying any costs or expenses you may incur as a result of the delay or cancellation.

7.0 Quotes

When a quote is provided, unless stated otherwise, the requested date is available. Smart Movers ask that a non-refundable deposit be paid to secure a time on this day. Smart Movers also asks that a screenshot of the confirmed payment be sent via email. This is to immediately confirm the payment, and skip the potential handling time between banks.

If too much time passes before the screenshot of payment confirmation is sent, the requested date may no longer be available. In these cases, The Customer Service Representative can work with The Customer to secure an alternative date.

Unless prior arrangements are made, Smart Movers will not confirm any booking, not hold any time slots until the requested deposit has been received, either by means of a screenshot, or sighted in the bank account.

This deposit is non-refundable, unless the need for a refund is caused by an error on the part of Smart Movers. In these cases, The Customer Service Representative will request a bank account for the funds to be refunded into. If an account number is not received within 7 business days, the account will be considered closed, and there will be no further eligibility for refund. Refunds will be processed by the accounts department, and will take no longer than 14 business days to process.

7.2 When receiving a quote, all charges are outlined, based on the information provided by The Customer. If there are items or circumstances present that were not declared by The Customer, a further charge may be applied. This is at the discretion of The Moving Team. The Customer will be notified by The Moving Team of these additional charges, either before the job begins, or as early as practicable.

a) Circumstances that cause access issues will be charged separately. These include, but are not limited to:

1. Narrow or excessively steep driveways that prevent the truck from having good access to the loading zone.
2. An excessively great distance between the loading zone and the goods, either by fault of terrain, location of items, or parking issues/narrow streets’) Excessively narrow or claustrophobic spaces, that make it difficult to reasonably move the required items through them.

iv) Flights of stairs. Full flights of stairs will incur (as a maximum) a $30 one-off charge for each story. Smaller sets of stairs, such as a few steps leading into a house, do not incur an additional fee. Spiral staircases will incur an additional fee.

b) Excessively heavy, or awkward items will be charged separately. These charges will be on a per-item basis, and will be a maximum of $100 per item. These can include, but are not limited to:

i) Items over 80kg, or a near approximation to. Smart Movers do not carry scales, so are unable to accurately determine the weight of items. This approximation is performed by The Moving Team, who are highly experienced in this matter. Generally, beds, fridges/freezers, and standard whiteware appliances are exempt from this additional charge. ii) Specialist items such as pianos, organs, pool tables, heavy antiques, or specialized machinery and equipment.

c) The Moving Team will always do their utmost to ensure that all goods are moved in a single trip. Sometimes this is not possible, however. In these cases, upon agreement between The Customer and The Moving Team:

1. A second trip can be arranged for another day. This will be treated as a separate move, and will incur another callout fee.
2. If possible, a second trip can be performed immediately. This will not incur a second callout fee, and will be covered under the hourly rate) The Moving Team can leave the remainder of the items where they are and end the job after the first trip.
3. An hourly rate is provided. This time begins when The Moving Team arrives at the pickup location, and ends once the final item has been unloaded at the destination. This timing is made under the assumption that The Moving Team can begin the work promptly upon arrival at the addresses. Down-time not caused by a direct error on the part of Smart Movers will still be charged for, even if The Moving Team is doing nothing.
4. Time is billed in increments of 30 minutes. For example, if the total time is 3 hour and 10 minutes, the charge will be for 3 hour and 30 minutes.
5. A callout fee is provided. This is based on the location of the pickup and destination addresses. This fee covers the cost for The Moving Team to reach and return from these locations, inclusive of all running costs.
6. For long-distance quotes, a transit fee is provided. This is based on the distance between the pickup and destination addresses. The fee will include all applicable ferry, toll, and other road charges, as well as being inclusive of all other running costs. Unless full addresses are provided in the initial quote request, this transit fee is subject to change, once the correct addresses are taken into account.
7. If applicable, a Waste Management fee will be charged if The Customer requests Smart Movers to dispose of unwanted items. In such cases, the hourly rate will continue to apply until The Moving Team leaves the refuse station.
8. If the customer is requesting overnight storage of goods, a one-off Storage fee will be charged.
9. Smart Movers will never apply any extra charges other than what has been set out in these Terms and Conditions’ Unless otherwise stated, all quotes are provided excluding GST.

8.0 Termination

Smart Movers and The Moving Team reserve the right to terminate any move without notice if:

1. The move does not match the information provided prior by The Customer to a reasonable degree.
2. If The Moving Team is endangered, or uncomfortable with completing the move due to aggressive or unacceptable behaviour by The Customer, or other parties present. This includes physical or verbal threats, intoxicated persons, indecent exposure, and aggressiveness. It is The Customers responsibility to ensure that the work sites are free from these situations.
3. If the work environment is not safe to perform the job, or there are safety issues that The Moving Team deem untenable. These must be disclosed to The Customer Service Representative prior to the day of the move. This includes construction sites, roadworks, open holes or tunnels, and poorly maintained stairways.
4. If the work zones or items to be moved are excessively unhygienic or unclean. This includes vermin, rubbish, bodily fluids, mould, unpleasant odours such as decay or mildew, etc. It is the responsibility of The Customer to ensure that the work sites are clean and hygienic.