Terms and Conditions of Business

1. Introduction

These Terms and Conditions govern the provision of freight forwarding, logistics, packing, collection, procurement, courier, shipping and related services supplied by Manor River Freight Services Ltd to any individual, business or organisation.

By requesting, booking or using any of our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to be legally bound by these Terms and Conditions.

These Terms apply to every shipment, collection, quotation, invoice and transaction undertaken by Manor River Freight Services Ltd unless otherwise agreed in writing.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of these Terms:

Available Date means the date on which goods become available for collection by the Customer at their destination.

Collection means the collection of goods from a Customer’s nominated address.

Consignment means one or more packages, boxes, pallets or items accepted for shipment under a single booking or invoice.

Customer means any individual, company or organisation instructing Manor River to provide Services.

Dangerous Goods means hazardous, explosive, flammable, toxic, corrosive, radioactive or otherwise regulated goods prohibited by law or shipping regulations.

Destination Port means the overseas port where goods are discharged.

Expected Shipping Date means the anticipated sailing date of the vessel and shall not constitute a guaranteed departure date.

Freight Charges means all charges payable to Manor River for Services provided, including freight, packing, collection, storage, customs handling, administration fees and any applicable taxes.

Goods means every item, package, box, pallet or cargo entrusted to Manor River.

Shipment means the transportation of Goods by sea, air or any other agreed method.

Short Shipment means Goods that cannot be loaded onto the intended vessel due to operational or space constraints and are subsequently shipped on the next available vessel.

3. Scope of Services

Manor River Freight Services Ltd provides international freight forwarding and logistics services, including but not limited to:

• Sea freight services
• Air freight services
• Door-to-door shipping
• Port-to-port shipping
• Groupage and consolidated cargo
• Collection services
• Packing and repacking services
• Procurement and purchasing services
• Courier services
• Customs documentation assistance
• General logistics support

Our services are primarily offered between the United Kingdom and destinations including Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria and The Gambia, although additional destinations may be served at our discretion.

Nothing in these Terms obliges Manor River to accept every booking request, shipment or consignment.

We reserve the right to refuse any shipment where:

• Goods are prohibited or illegal;
• Required documentation is incomplete;
• Payment requirements have not been satisfied;
• Goods present a health or safety risk;
• Shipment would breach any applicable law or regulation; or
• We reasonably believe acceptance of the Goods may expose Manor River or its agents to legal or commercial risk.

4. Acceptance of Goods

Goods are accepted by Manor River in good faith based upon the information supplied by the Customer.

Acceptance of Goods does not constitute confirmation that:

• the Goods comply with applicable law;
• the Goods are suitable for shipment;
• the declared contents are accurate; or
• the Goods may legally enter the destination country.

The Customer warrants that all descriptions, declarations and information supplied are true, complete and accurate.

Where Manor River discovers that information provided is inaccurate, incomplete or misleading, we reserve the right to:

• refuse shipment;
• delay shipment;
• return the Goods at the Customer’s expense;
• notify the relevant authorities where legally required; and
• recover any costs arising from inaccurate declarations.

5. Customer Responsibilities

The Customer agrees to:

1. Provide accurate descriptions of all Goods.
2. Declare the full contents of every package.
3. Ensure Goods are lawfully owned and may legally be exported and imported.
4. Ensure Goods are properly packaged unless Manor River has agreed to undertake packing.
5. Supply all information reasonably required for customs and shipping documentation.
6. Pay all applicable freight charges, duties, taxes and additional charges when due.
7. Obtain any licences, permits or approvals required for shipment.
8. Arrange appropriate cargo insurance where protection against loss or damage is required.

Customers acknowledge that failure to comply with these obligations may result in delays, seizure of Goods, additional customs charges or refusal of shipment.

6. Goods Received in Good Faith

All Goods are received by Manor River Freight Services Ltd in good faith.

Customers are strongly advised to ship Goods well in advance of any required delivery date and to allow sufficient time for operational delays, customs inspections, weather conditions, vessel scheduling, port congestion and other events beyond Manor River’s reasonable control.

Customers acknowledge that all published sailing dates, arrival dates and delivery dates are estimates only and do not constitute contractual guarantees.

7. Prohibited Goods

The shipment of certain Goods is strictly prohibited.

Without limitation, Manor River Freight Services Ltd will not knowingly accept:

• Hazardous or Dangerous Goods;
• Firearms or ammunition;
• Illegal drugs or controlled substances;
• Counterfeit or pirated goods;
• Stolen property;
• Perishable food requiring temperature control;
• Live animals;
• Illegal or prohibited items under UK or destination country law; or
• Any Goods prohibited by shipping lines, customs authorities or applicable legislation.

If prohibited Goods are discovered after acceptance, Manor River may refuse shipment, surrender the Goods to the relevant authorities, or arrange lawful disposal without compensation.

The Customer shall remain fully liable for all costs, penalties, losses and legal consequences arising from the attempted shipment of prohibited Goods.

8. Customer-Packed Goods

Customers may present Goods that have been packed by themselves.

By submitting customer-packed Goods, the Customer confirms that:

• the contents have been accurately declared;
• the Goods have been safely packed;
• the packaging is suitable for international transportation.

Manor River reserves the absolute right to:

• open any package for inspection;
• verify declared contents;
• inspect Goods for safety or regulatory compliance;
• re-pack Goods where necessary to protect the shipment or comply with transport requirements.

Where Goods require repacking by Manor River, additional packing charges shall apply.

Failure to complete packing within three (3) days of notification, or before the next published shipment closing date (whichever occurs first), authorises Manor River to complete packing on the Customer’s behalf and recover all associated costs.

9. Bookings and Appointments

9.1 All bookings are subject to availability and acceptance by Manor River Freight Services Ltd.

9.2 Customers are responsible for ensuring that all information provided during the booking process is complete and accurate.

9.3 Manor River reserves the right to amend, reschedule or refuse bookings where operational requirements, safety concerns or regulatory obligations make this necessary.

9.4 Collection appointments and warehouse appointments are allocated specific time slots. Customers must ensure that goods are ready for collection or delivery at the agreed time.

9.5 Failure to attend a booked appointment may result in cancellation charges in accordance with Clause 12 of these Terms.

10. Collection of Goods

10.1 Where Manor River agrees to collect Goods from a Customer’s address, the Customer shall ensure that:

• Goods are securely packed into shopper bags or small/medium boxes, black bags, barrels, small crates;
• Goods are clearly labelled;
• Goods are safely accessible;
• Someone authorised is present during the agreed collection period.

10.2 If our driver is unable to collect the Goods because:

• nobody is present,
• access is denied,
• the Goods are not ready or are more than stipulated when the collection was booked,
• the Customer refuses collection,

the collection shall be deemed unsuccessful and the applicable collection fee shall be retained in full.

10.3 A further collection appointment shall be treated as a new booking and may incur additional charges.

11. Freight Charges, Deposits and Payment

11.1 All quotations remain valid only for the period stated on the quotation unless withdrawn earlier.

11.2 Freight charges may change where:

• shipping line charges increase;
• fuel surcharges change;
• customs charges increase;
• government taxes change;
• exchange rates materially fluctuate;
• additional services are requested by the Customer.

11.3 A minimum deposit of 70% of the total shipment cost must be paid before shipment.

11.4 Manor River shall not ship any Goods until the required deposit has been received.

11.5 The remaining balance shall become due immediately upon arrival of the carrying vessel at the destination port unless otherwise agreed in writing.

11.6 Manor River reserves the right to withhold release of Goods until all outstanding charges have been paid in full.

11.7 Interest may be charged on overdue accounts at the statutory rate permitted under applicable law together with any reasonable recovery costs.

12. Cancellation Policy

12.1 General Cancellation

Customers may cancel bookings by providing notice to Manor River Freight Services Ltd.

Approved refunds shall be processed after deduction of any applicable administration fees, collection charges or costs already incurred.

12.2 Collection Services

Where Manor River has been instructed to collect Goods from the Customer:

Cancellation more than 24 hours before collection
Customers cancelling at least twenty-four (24) hours before the agreed collection time shall receive a refund less a 10% administration fee.

Cancellation within 24 hours
Where a collection is cancelled less than twenty-four (24) hours before the agreed collection time, 50% of the collection fee shall be retained.

Customer Not Available
If Manor River attends the agreed collection address and:

• no one is present;
• access cannot be obtained;
• the Goods are unavailable; or
• collection cannot proceed due to the Customer,

the full collection fee shall be retained, and any subsequent collection shall be charged separately.

12.3 Warehouse Appointments

Where Customers book an appointment to deliver Goods directly to Manor River:

Cancellation more than 24 hours before appointment
The Customer shall receive a refund of any deposit paid less a 10% administration fee.

Cancellation within 24 hours
Where cancellation occurs less than twenty-four (24) hours before the appointment, 20% of the deposit shall be retained as a late cancellation charge.

Failure to Attend (No-Show)
Where the Customer fails to attend the booked appointment without prior notice, 100% of the deposit shall be retained.

12.4 Costs Already Incurred

Regardless of any cancellation, the Customer remains responsible for reimbursing Manor River for:

• customs documentation already completed;
• packing materials already used;
• transport already undertaken;
• storage charges already incurred; and
• any third-party costs already committed on the Customer’s behalf.

13. Shipping Schedules

13.1 All shipping dates published by Manor River are Expected Shipping Dates only.

13.2 Expected Shipping Dates are estimates and are not guaranteed.

13.3 Shipping schedules may change at any time due to circumstances beyond Manor River’s control, including but not limited to:

• weather conditions;
• vessel scheduling;
• operational requirements;
• customs inspections;
• industrial action;
• port congestion;
• government restrictions;
• security concerns;
• mechanical failures.

13.4 Customers acknowledge that delays do not constitute breach of contract.

Customers are therefore advised to allow sufficient time before arranging onward transport, events or commercial commitments.

14. Short Shipment

14.1 Due to vessel capacity restrictions, Goods may occasionally be short shipped.

14.2 Where Goods cannot be loaded onto the intended vessel because of space constraints, they shall normally be shipped on the next available vessel.

14.3 Manor River shall not be liable for any loss arising solely from a short shipment.

14.4 No refund shall be payable where a short shipment occurs for operational reasons.

15. Shipment of Goods

15.1 Goods accepted by Manor River shall normally be shipped on the next available vessel.

15.2 Manor River reserves the right to consolidate shipments for operational efficiency.

15.3 Shipment priority shall be determined solely by Manor River having regard to operational requirements.

15.4 Manor River does not guarantee shipment on any specific vessel unless expressly agreed in writing.

16. Storage Before Shipment

16.1 Customers should complete packing within three (3) days of notification or before the next published shipment closing date.

16.2 Where packing has not been completed within this period, Manor River may:

• complete packing;
• prepare the Goods for shipment;
• recover all associated packing charges.

16.3 Goods remaining in Manor River’s warehouse for more than fourteen (14) days from the date of receipt without being shipped shall incur storage charges of £10.00 per day until shipment or collection.

16.4 Storage charges must be settled before Goods are released or shipped.

17. Storage After Arrival

17.1 Customers shall collect their Goods promptly after notification that they are available.

17.2 Goods remaining uncollected seven (7) days after offloading from the container in Freetown shall incur storage charges of £10.00 per day.

17.3 Storage charges shall continue to accrue until the Goods are collected.

17.4 Storage charges shall be payable before Goods are released.

18. Disposal of Uncollected Goods

18.1 Goods remaining uncollected for one (1) calendar month after becoming available may, at Manor River’s sole discretion:

• be disposed of;
• be donated to charity where appropriate;
• otherwise be dealt with in a commercially reasonable manner.

18.2 Manor River shall not be liable for any loss arising from disposal undertaken in accordance with this clause.

18.3 Disposal does not extinguish any outstanding debt owed by the Customer. Manor River reserves the right to recover any unpaid freight charges, storage charges or other sums due before or after disposal of the Goods.

19. Customer Acknowledgement

By instructing Manor River to ship any Goods, the Customer acknowledges and agrees that:

• Goods may be delayed.
• Goods may be short shipped.
• Sailing dates are estimates only.
• Storage charges may apply.
• Packing charges may apply.
• Customs inspections may delay delivery.
• Insurance is the Customer’s responsibility.
• Manor River’s liability is limited in accordance with these Terms.

20. Customs Compliance

20.1 The Customer is solely responsible for ensuring that all Goods comply with the import and export laws of the United Kingdom, the destination country and any country through which the Goods may transit.

20.2 The Customer warrants that all customs declarations, invoices, packing lists and supporting documentation supplied to Manor River are complete, accurate and truthful.

20.3 The Customer shall indemnify Manor River against all losses, duties, taxes, penalties, fines, storage charges, legal costs and expenses arising from:

• inaccurate declarations;
• false descriptions of Goods;
• prohibited or restricted Goods;
• failure to obtain necessary licences or permits; or
• any breach of customs or import/export legislation.

20.4 Manor River may refuse to ship any Goods where it reasonably believes that customs requirements have not been satisfied.

21. Customs Inspections

Without prejudice to any other provision of these Terms and Conditions, Customers acknowledge that customs authorities have extensive statutory powers to inspect cargo.

All consignments arriving at the Port of Freetown are subject to a 100% internal examination by the relevant Customs authorities.

Customers acknowledge and agree that:

• Manor River has no control over the customs examination process.
• Customs authorities may open, unpack, inspect or otherwise handle Goods.
• Manor River shall not be liable for any loss, shortage or damage arising during or as a result of any customs inspection undertaken by government authorities.

Where Customs impose:

• import duties;
• taxes;
• inspection charges;
• administrative fees;
• penalties; or
• any other lawful charge,

the Customer shall remain solely responsible for payment.

Where inaccurate declarations result in penalties, seizures or additional customs charges, all associated costs shall be borne entirely by the Customer.

22. Insurance

22.1 Manor River does not automatically insure Goods.

22.2 Cargo insurance is the sole responsibility of the Customer.

22.3 Customers are strongly advised to obtain comprehensive insurance covering:

• loss;
• theft;
• accidental damage;
• delay;
• General Average;
• customs risks; and
• any other foreseeable transportation risks.

22.4 Failure to obtain insurance shall not increase Manor River’s liability.

23. Limitation of Liability

23.1 Manor River shall exercise reasonable care in providing its Services.

23.2 Subject to applicable law, Manor River shall not be liable for any:

• indirect loss;
• consequential loss;
• loss of profit;
• business interruption;
• loss of opportunity;
• emotional distress; or
• special damages.

23.3 Manor River shall not be liable for loss, damage or delay arising from:

• customs examinations;
• inaccurate declarations;
• insufficient packaging;
• prohibited Goods;
• acts of third parties;
• port congestion;
• weather conditions;
• vessel delays;
• government action;
• strikes;
• industrial disputes;
• war;
• civil unrest;
• pandemics;
• force majeure events.

23.4 Where Manor River is legally liable, its total liability shall be limited to the freight charges paid by the Customer for the affected shipment, regardless of the value of the Goods.

23.5 Nothing in these Terms excludes liability where exclusion is prohibited by law, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or fraud.

24. Claims Procedure

24.1 Customers must inspect their Goods immediately upon collection or delivery.

24.2 Any claim relating to:

• loss;
• damage;
• shortage;
• missing items; or
• invoice discrepancies,

must be notified to Manor River within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of the Goods or invoice, as applicable.

24.3 Claims submitted after forty-eight (48) hours may be rejected.

24.4 The Customer shall provide all information reasonably requested by Manor River to investigate any claim, including photographs, invoices, receipts and supporting documentation.

24.5 Submission of a claim does not suspend the Customer’s obligation to pay outstanding charges.

25. Force Majeure

Manor River shall not be liable for any failure, delay or inability to perform its obligations where such failure results from circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to:

• adverse weather conditions;
• flooding;
• storms;
• earthquakes;
• fire;
• vessel breakdown;
• port congestion;
• customs inspections;
• industrial action;
• labour shortages;
• war;
• terrorism;
• civil unrest;
• government action;
• changes in legislation;
• border closures;
• pandemics;
• epidemics;
• public health emergencies;
• power failures;
• failures of telecommunications; or
• any other event beyond Manor River’s reasonable control.

Performance shall be suspended for the duration of the force majeure event.

26. Data Protection

26.1 Manor River processes personal information solely for the purpose of providing its Services.

26.2 Personal data may include:

• names;
• addresses;
• telephone numbers;
• email addresses;
• shipment information;
• customs documentation;
• payment information.

26.3 Personal information shall be processed in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

26.4 Manor River may share personal information with:

• customs authorities;
• shipping lines;
• freight agents;
• delivery partners;
• collection drivers;
• government agencies;
• insurers;
• payment processors,

where reasonably necessary to provide the Services or comply with legal obligations.

26.5 Manor River will take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, misuse or disclosure.

27. Electronic Communications

The Customer agrees that communications transmitted by:

• email;
• WhatsApp;
• SMS/text message; or
• other agreed electronic methods,

shall constitute valid business communications between the parties.

Electronic communications may be relied upon as evidence of instructions, confirmations, quotations, bookings or amendments.

28. Entire Agreement

These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between Manor River Freight Services Ltd and the Customer.

They replace all previous verbal discussions, representations, understandings, negotiations and agreements relating to the Services.

No amendment shall be binding unless made in writing and authorised by Manor River.

29. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be unlawful, invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

30. Waiver

Failure by Manor River Freight Services Ltd to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that provision or of any other right.

31. Assignment

The Customer may not assign or transfer any rights or obligations under these Terms without the prior written consent of Manor River.

Manor River may subcontract or appoint agents to perform any part of the Services.

32. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

33. Contact Details

Manor River Freight Services Ltd
Warehouse: Unit 2, Mercy Terrace, Ladywell, London, SE13 7UX
Telephone: 020 8691 7766 / 67
Email: info@manorriver.co.uk
Website: www.manorriver.co.uk
Business Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm

Registered In England 4693183
VAT No: 948538376

34. Customer Acceptance

By instructing Manor River Freight Services Ltd to provide any Services, or by delivering Goods for shipment, the Customer confirms that:

• they have read these Terms and Conditions in full;
• they understand the contents of these Terms;
• they agree to be legally bound by these Terms and Conditions;
• they confirm that all Goods have been accurately declared;
• they accept responsibility for obtaining suitable insurance;
• they understand that shipping dates are estimates only;
• they understand that Manor River’s liability is limited as set out in these Terms.