The National Man And Van Guild - Consumer Information

The primary purpose of the NMAVG is to define and maintain standards within the 'man and van' industry. By clearly defining a basic level of standards within the industry, Consumers can make an informed and balanced decision when choosing an Operator. We do not believe in lengthy and complex agreements with vague clauses. We believe Consumers simply want a definitive and clear level of standards they would expect from an Operator. With this in mind, all of our members have agreed to adhere to the following standards:

That their vehicle(s) have a valid MOT certificate and are legally road worthy
That their vehicle(s) have adequate insurance cover for transporting third-party goods
That they hold a valid 'goods in transit' insurance policy
That all staff are experienced and trained in handling bulky/heavy goods
That all goods are handled with the maximum of care to minimise the risk of damage
That sufficient care is taken when moving goods within the Customers premises
That they have a clear and defined pricing policy which is confirmed prior to booking
That a receipt for payment is issued on request
That they will be courteous, helpful and respectful to all customers

All NMAVG members have agreed to comply fully with the above standards. If any member receives three substantiated complaints which are in contravention of the above standards, within a 12-month period, their membership will be revoked immediately.

Your obligations

Any agreement to provide a service from an Operator is a two-way street. As a Consumer, you will need to be aware you will also have obligations to ensure that your transportation requirements are successfully met. Every Operator will have slightly different operational terms but for the benefit of clarity, the following guidelines will minimise the risk of misunderstandings or possible contentious issues arising:

Ensure your goods are properly packed in sturdy boxes which are fit for purpose and sealed properly
Do not overfill large boxes with heavy items such as books or CD's, mix the contents with lighter items
Unless specified, assume packing of your goods is excluded from the Operators quote
Ensure all pictures, mirrors and other larger fragile items are bubble-wrapped
Always confirm with the Operator if any items cannot be carried in their vehicle such as paint, fuels, etc
Do not assume it is acceptable to travel in the vehicle, there may be insurance issues which prohibit it
Always be honest about adverse loading/unloading conditions such as stairs, vehicular access, etc
Ensure you make your Operator aware if there are parking restrictions outside the collection/delivery address
Unless you advise the Operator in advance, they will expect to unload immediately at the delivery address
Most Operators are not legally qualified to connect/disconnect electrical or gas appliances
Unless otherwise specified, your quote will not include the dismantling or assembly of furniture for transit

Whilst this list does not cover every clause an Operator may have in their terms of business, the above items represent the most common issues that can become contentious if not addressed prior to your transportation. The best policy is to be completely honest with any Operator when obtaining a quote. If you mislead an Operator about material elements of your requirements, i.e. telling them you're moving goods to a ground-floor property when it's on the second-floor, it will not be unreasonable for the Operator to make a surcharge at the point of collection/delivery.

Complaints procedure

If you have a complaint that an Operator has not complied with any of the above standards, an official complaint can be made by downloading our complaint form from the complaints page.