Terms & Conditions

1. About these terms

These Terms and Conditions apply to use of the website at distributionmanagement.solutions and, where applicable, enquiries and services supplied by Distribution Management Solutions Limited (“we”, “us” or “our”).

Our company details are:

• Company name: Distribution Management Solutions Limited
• Company number: 06040864
• Registered/business address: Lake House 2 Port Way, Port Solent, Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom, PO6 4TY
• Email: enquiries@distributionmanagement.solutions
• Telephone: +44 7572 266984

These terms should be read with any written quotation, booking confirmation or service-specific terms provided for a particular shipment. If a confirmed booking document expressly varies a term here, the agreed variation will apply to that booking to the extent permitted by law.

Nothing in these terms removes any legal right that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

2. Our services

We provide courier, parcel delivery and business distribution services, which may include collection arrangements, scheduled deliveries and the coordination of transport for ordinary parcels, documents and general commercial goods.

Every service is subject to an assessment of the shipment details, requested route, timing, goods, access requirements and available arrangements. We will confirm whether a particular request can be accepted before treating it as a confirmed booking.

We do not represent that every route, delivery window, item type or service option is available at all times. Unless expressly confirmed in writing, a service description on the Website is general information and is not a promise of availability or a guaranteed delivery time.

Where transport is carried out by a third-party carrier, the relevant arrangement and the parties’ respective roles should be identified in the quotation or booking confirmation. Any carrier terms applicable to your shipment will be disclosed or made available where relevant.

3. Enquiries and quotations

You may contact us to request information or a quotation. We may need further details before we can assess the request or provide a price.

Depending on the shipment, requested information may include:

• collection and delivery postcodes or full addresses;
• the number of parcels or packages;
• approximate weight and dimensions of each item;
• a description of the goods and any special handling needs;
• requested collection or delivery dates and time constraints;
• access, loading, unloading or recipient availability details; and
• any other information reasonably needed to assess the service.

A quotation will describe the service and charges on the basis of the information available at the time. It may specify an acceptance deadline, service limitations, payment terms and any assumptions used to calculate the price.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, a quotation is an invitation for you to consider the proposed service, not confirmation that transport has been booked. If the shipment details change, we may need to revise the quotation before accepting the booking.

4. Booking and contract formation

A contract for a particular shipment is formed only when the applicable acceptance process has been completed and we have expressly confirmed acceptance in writing, such as by an email or booking confirmation. A submitted enquiry, an automated receipt message or an unaccepted quotation does not itself confirm a booking.

The booking confirmation should identify the agreed service, relevant shipment details, price or pricing basis, payment requirements and any material conditions. Please check the details promptly and notify us if anything is inaccurate.

We may request clarification or decline a booking where the information is incomplete, the requested service is unavailable, the goods cannot be accepted, or the proposed arrangements cannot reasonably be confirmed.

We will not treat a booking as accepted merely because you have supplied payment details or submitted a form, unless the booking process clearly states that payment and submission constitute acceptance.

5. Prices and payment

Charges will be stated in the quotation or booking confirmation. The applicable price may depend on the route, parcel quantity, weight, dimensions, service requirements, access conditions and other relevant details supplied for the shipment.

Any additional charge must have a clear basis in the agreed quotation, booking terms or a later variation accepted by you, except where applicable law permits a different outcome.

The quotation or booking confirmation will state when payment is due and which payment methods are available. We do not publish a universal payment deadline or fixed tariff in these terms because the applicable arrangements may vary by booking.

Where payment is required in advance, we will explain this before you proceed with the booking. Where an invoice is agreed, the invoice will specify the payment due date. Please contact us if you believe a charge is incorrect.

If a payment is overdue, we may give notice and take steps permitted by the agreed terms and applicable law. We will not impose an undisclosed fee or charge that has no valid contractual or legal basis.

If a quotation needs to change because the shipment details supplied were materially inaccurate or the requested service has changed, we will explain the proposed revision and seek agreement before proceeding on the revised basis, where required.

6. Customer responsibilities

You are responsible for ensuring that the information provided when requesting or confirming a shipment is accurate and complete. This includes the nature of the goods, their quantity, dimensions, weight, collection details, delivery address and contact details.

You must also:

• package goods appropriately for the agreed transport service;
• ensure parcels are securely closed, labelled and ready for collection;
• declare any relevant handling requirements or restrictions;
• ensure you are entitled to send the goods and have any required permissions;
• make the goods available at the agreed collection location and time;
• provide reasonable access and any necessary collection instructions;
• ensure the recipient details and delivery instructions are accurate; and
• respond promptly to reasonable requests for information.

If you act for a business or another person, you confirm that you are authorised to make the request and agree the shipment arrangements on their behalf.

Additional costs or disruption caused by inaccurate information, unsuitable packaging, unavailable collection access or an incorrect delivery address will be assessed in accordance with the confirmed booking terms and applicable law. We will explain any proposed additional charge before applying it where required.

7. Goods we may not accept

Acceptance depends on the goods, the proposed route and the applicable transport arrangements. We may decline or require further information about goods that are prohibited, restricted, unsafe, inadequately packaged or unsuitable for the requested service.

You must tell us about any goods that are subject to legal restrictions, special handling requirements or transport conditions. Do not send dangerous, illegal or restricted goods unless their carriage is lawful and has been expressly accepted in advance.

Examples of goods that may require refusal or specific prior approval include explosives, flammable or hazardous substances, illegal items, live animals, perishable goods, controlled substances, high-value items and goods requiring temperature control or specialist handling.

This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. A carrier may apply additional restrictions. We will advise you of relevant requirements where they are known and applicable to the proposed service.

If goods are misdescribed or disclosed only after a booking has been accepted, we may suspend or decline the affected service where reasonably necessary and lawful. Any resulting charges or return arrangements will be dealt with under the agreed booking terms and applicable law.

8. Collection and delivery

Collection and delivery arrangements will be those confirmed for the individual shipment. Any date, time window or delivery estimate is subject to the specific terms stated in the booking confirmation.

Unless a delivery time is expressly confirmed as a binding commitment, stated times should be treated as estimates rather than guaranteed arrival times.

You must ensure that the collection point is accessible and that the goods are ready as agreed. The recipient must be able to receive the goods at the stated delivery address, subject to the delivery method confirmed for the shipment.

Proof of delivery, signature requirements, delivery photographs, tracking and recipient notifications are available only where included in or confirmed for the relevant service. We do not promise that every shipment will include a tracking facility or a particular form of proof.

If delivery instructions need to change after booking, contact us as soon as possible. Changes may be subject to feasibility, additional charges or carrier restrictions. A requested change is not effective until confirmed.

9. Delays, failed delivery and exceptions

Transport can be affected by traffic, weather, access restrictions, operational disruption, inaccurate addresses, recipient unavailability and other circumstances outside a party’s reasonable control.

If a material problem becomes known to us, we will take reasonable steps, within the scope of the service agreed, to communicate relevant information and discuss practical next steps.

Where a collection or delivery attempt fails, the available options may include arranging another attempt, obtaining further instructions or returning the goods, depending on the booking terms and the applicable carrier arrangements.

Any re-delivery, storage, return or waiting charge must be supported by the applicable agreed terms or another lawful basis. Where an additional charge requires your agreement, we will seek that agreement before proceeding on that basis.

We do not guarantee that delays can be avoided or that a particular alternative arrangement will always be available. This section does not remove any remedy to which you are legally entitled.

10. Changes, cancellation and refunds

10.1 Requesting a change

Please contact us as soon as possible if you need to amend or cancel a confirmed booking. We will check whether the change is operationally possible and whether it affects the price or arrangements.

A change to the address, shipment size, collection time, delivery details or service level is not confirmed until we accept it in writing.

10.2 Cancellation by the customer

The applicable cancellation procedure, any deadline and any cancellation charge should be stated in the quotation or booking confirmation. Charges, if any, should reflect the agreed terms and applicable law; this policy does not impose a universal cancellation fee.

Where work has already started, a carrier has been instructed or a cost has already been incurred, the treatment of those costs will depend on the agreed terms and the circumstances. We will explain the basis of any amount retained or claimed.

10.3 Cancellation by us

If we cannot provide a confirmed service, we will inform you and explain the available options. Depending on the circumstances, this may include an alternative arrangement agreed with you or a refund of amounts paid for a service that will not be supplied.

10.4 Refunds

Where a refund is due, we will confirm the amount and arrange payment within the applicable legal period or any shorter period expressly agreed with you. Where practicable, refunds will be made using the original payment method unless another lawful method is agreed.

Consumer cancellation rights may apply to certain contracts made online or away from business premises. The right, any applicable exceptions and the effect of a request to begin a service during a cancellation period depend on the contract and the law. We will not treat this section as removing a statutory right.

If you are a consumer and believe you have a statutory right to cancel, please contact us promptly so that we can assess your circumstances and explain the applicable process.

11. Loss, damage and shipment claims

If a parcel appears lost, damaged or incomplete, please contact us as soon as reasonably practicable and provide the booking reference, a description of the issue and any supporting information available.

Supporting information may include photographs of the packaging and goods, collection or delivery records, proof of value and relevant correspondence. Please retain damaged packaging and affected goods where reasonably possible while the matter is being reviewed.

We will review the information and, where relevant, communicate with the carrier or other party involved in the transport arrangement. The outcome will depend on the facts, the service agreed, applicable law and any valid terms governing the shipment.

Any claim notification period or evidence requirement that applies to a particular shipment should be provided in the relevant booking terms or carrier conditions. Nothing in these website terms creates an undisclosed deadline or removes a legal right.

Insurance or enhanced compensation is not included unless its availability and terms have been expressly confirmed in writing. If you require particular cover or a declared-value service, ask us before confirming the booking.

12. Complaints and dispute handling

We aim to handle service concerns fairly and clearly. If you are dissatisfied with a quotation, booking, payment, collection or delivery arrangement, contact us with the relevant details.

Please include your name, contact information, booking reference if available, a description of the issue and the outcome you are seeking. We may request further information so that we can investigate.

We will acknowledge and review complaints within a reasonable period, taking account of the nature and complexity of the issue. If further investigation is needed, we will explain that where practicable and provide an update.

You may also consult our Complaints Policy. Nothing in our internal complaint process prevents you from exercising any legal right or seeking advice from an appropriate independent organisation.

13. Website use and information

You may use the Website for lawful purposes and to make genuine enquiries about our services. You must not misuse the Website, attempt unauthorised access, interfere with its operation or submit information that is knowingly false or unlawful.

We make reasonable efforts to keep website information useful and current. However, general website content is provided for information and may not describe every service condition or operational restriction. The terms of a confirmed quotation and booking govern the specific shipment, subject to applicable law.

We may update, suspend or change website content or functionality for operational, security or maintenance reasons. This does not alter an existing confirmed booking except as permitted by its terms and applicable law.

Website content is owned by us or used with permission, unless stated otherwise. You may view and print material for personal reference or legitimate business consideration, but must not reproduce it for commercial distribution without appropriate permission.

14. Data protection and privacy

We handle personal information in accordance with applicable data protection law. Information supplied through enquiries or booking communications may be used to respond to you, assess a requested service, administer a confirmed booking, handle payments where applicable, manage complaints and meet legal obligations.

Where necessary for an agreed shipment, relevant information may be shared with service providers or carriers involved in fulfilling the arrangement. The information shared should be limited to what is reasonably required for the relevant purpose and handled in accordance with applicable requirements.

Further information about purposes, lawful bases, retention, recipients and individual rights is available in our Privacy Policy. Information about cookies and similar technologies is available in our Cookie Policy.

15. Liability and legal rights

We will provide services in accordance with the contract and applicable legal obligations. Our responsibility for a particular shipment depends on the service agreed, the facts of the matter and the law that applies.

Nothing in these terms excludes or restricts liability where exclusion or restriction is prohibited by law, including any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded for death or personal injury resulting from negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any applicable consumer rights.

Where legally permitted, we are not responsible for loss that could not reasonably have been foreseen when the relevant contract was formed, or for losses caused by information or instructions supplied inaccurately by a customer, subject always to the circumstances and applicable law.

We do not exclude responsibility for a failure to exercise reasonable care and skill where that obligation applies, nor do we seek to remove a consumer’s statutory remedies. Any limitation of liability must be read subject to these safeguards and the law governing the particular contract.

If a third-party carrier is involved, its role and any relevant carrier conditions should be identified for the shipment. This does not automatically remove any responsibility that we may have under our own contract or applicable law.

16. General provisions

16.1 Events outside reasonable control

If an event outside a party’s reasonable control materially affects performance, the affected party will take reasonable steps to reduce the impact and communicate where appropriate. This provision does not automatically excuse every failure to perform or remove rights that apply under law.

16.2 Severability

If any provision is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, it will be treated as modified or removed only to the extent necessary, where legally possible. The remaining provisions will continue to apply insofar as they can operate independently.

16.3 No waiver

A delay or failure to exercise a contractual right does not automatically amount to a waiver of that right. Any waiver must be assessed in light of the circumstances and applicable law.

16.4 Changes to these terms

We may revise these website terms to reflect changes in our services, operational arrangements or legal requirements. The version applicable to a confirmed shipment will be determined by the terms supplied or agreed for that booking and the applicable law. We will not rely on a later website update to remove rights already accrued under an existing contract.

16.5 Governing law and jurisdiction

These terms and any dispute arising from them are governed by the laws of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory legal protections and jurisdictional rights that apply to a customer. Where you are a consumer, this clause does not deprive you of any mandatory protection available under the law applicable to your circumstances.

17. Contact details

For service enquiries, quotation questions, booking amendments, cancellation requests or complaints, please contact us using the details below.

Related information: Privacy Policy · Cookie Policy · Complaints Policy · Services · Contact