Terms & Conditions of Supply.

1. Commercial Entity & Customer Classification

These Terms and Conditions govern the sale, release, and delivery of ISO shipping containers and associated container hardware by Shipping Container Consultants Ltd (trading as Container Consultants), registered in England and Wales, operating from the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk.

Customer Classification & Applicable Legal Framework: In accordance with UK law, including section 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, your legal status is determined by the purpose of the particular transaction:

• Consumer: An individual acting for purposes that are wholly or mainly outside that individual's trade, business, craft or profession.
• Business Customer (B2B): A person or entity acting for purposes relating to that person's trade, business, craft or profession, whether acting personally or through another person.

Whether an individual, sole trader, partnership, charity, or corporate buyer contracts as a consumer or a business customer depends on the primary purpose of the specific order under the statutory tests, not solely on whether the buyer has a trading name, provides a commercial delivery address, or supplies a VAT number. We do not apply automated or conclusive classification rules; where doubt exists, classification is evaluated on the factual circumstances of the transaction. Nothing in these terms operates to exclude, restrict, or extinguish mandatory statutory rights where the contract is made with a consumer.

Consumer Cancellation Rights (Distance Contracts): Where a contract is concluded with a consumer at a distance (such as via our website, email, or telephone) without face-to-face negotiation, the consumer has a statutory right to cancel the contract within 14 calendar days from the day on which the container comes into the physical possession of the consumer or their nominated representative under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. This statutory cancellation right does not apply where goods have been made to the consumer's bespoke specifications or clearly personalised (such as custom paint finishes, bespoke aperture fabrications, or non-standard partition fittings).

If a consumer cancels under these statutory regulations, the consumer must make the container available for collection or arrange return transport. Because of the size, gross weight, and specialized transport required for ISO containers, return transport requires a certified crane-equipped commercial vehicle. The consumer will bear the direct cost of return haulage unless agreed otherwise in writing. For business customers (B2B), orders are binding once confirmed and cleared payment has been received; cancellations are only accepted with our express written agreement.

2. Delivery Logistics, Aborted Drops & Additional Charges

Delivery requirements depend on your container, access route and offloading arrangement. Before delivery, we will establish the relevant vehicle and clearance requirements and discuss any restrictions affecting safe access or placement. Preliminary desktop checks do not substitute for a site-specific lifting assessment. Please inform our operations team of narrow gateways, tight turns, slopes, soft ground, low branches, overhead services and limited crane working space.

If the haulier arrives at the customer's site and is unable to safely access, position, or offload the container due to undisclosed physical restrictions, ground collapse risk, overhead electrical hazards, or the absence of an authorised site representative to confirm placement, the delivery may be aborted for safety reasons.

Where an abortive delivery occurs through customer site fault, the Customer shall be liable for the actual transport costs incurred, together with verified haulier demurrage (waiting time exceeding any free time specified in your accepted quotation and carrier agreement) and actual return haulage charges. All delivery charges, waiting time allowances, demurrage rates, and abortive haulage charges are strictly governed by the specific accepted quotation and applicable carrier contract terms.

3. Pricing, Invoicing & Payment Terms

All published and quoted prices are in Pounds Sterling (£ GBP) and strictly exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT), which will be charged at the prevailing UK rate (currently 20%). Invoices clearly state both the net amount and the VAT payable.

Payment Terms: Unless credit terms have been agreed in writing, payment is due on a pro-forma basis with cleared funds received prior to release of the container from Felixstowe Port and prior to vehicle dispatch. Accepted payment methods include electronic bank transfer (BACS) and major commercial debit/credit cards.

Written quotations remain valid for fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of issue, subject to ongoing depot stock availability and haulier slot confirmation.

4. Title Retention & Risk Transfer

For commercial customers, risk of damage to or loss of the container transfers immediately upon set-down by the crane on the Customer's designated site (or upon vehicle loading where the customer arranges their own collection). For domestic consumers, risk passes when the container comes into the physical possession of the consumer or their nominated representative in accordance with section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Title and ownership in the goods shall not pass to the Customer until Shipping Container Consultants Ltd has received payment in full of all cleared funds due for the container and associated transport charges. Until title passes to a commercial buyer, the buyer holds the goods on a fiduciary basis, must keep them identifiably stored as our property, fully insured against all risks, and must not pledge, sell, or encumber them. In the event of customer insolvency or failure to pay, we reserve the right to enter the premises to repossess the goods, subject to applicable law.

5. Container Condition Standards & Inspection

6. Inspection on Arrival & Defect Notification

The Customer or their appointed representative should visually inspect the container upon set-down. Any evident transit damage, door seal defect, or exterior ingress should be recorded on the driver's consignment sheet and notified in writing to cec@shippingcontainerconsultants.co.uk promptly (ideally within 48 hours) to assist with carrier claims.

For commercial buyers, latent structural defects affecting wind and watertight storage integrity not reasonably discoverable on initial visual inspection must be notified promptly upon discovery within the warranty period. For domestic consumers, nothing in this notification process restricts or extinguishes any statutory rights or remedies available under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, including statutory remedies for non-conforming goods or latent defects.

7. Limitation of Liability

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall exclude or limit liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by negligence; (b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or (c) any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under English law, including statutory rights of consumers under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Subject to the above, for commercial and business buyers: (i) our total aggregate liability arising under or in connection with the contract (whether in contract, tort, negligence, breach of statutory duty, or otherwise) shall be limited to the total contract price paid by the customer under the applicable quotation; and (ii) we shall not be liable for any loss of profit, loss of business, loss of goodwill, loss of anticipated savings, or any indirect or consequential loss.

8. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have jurisdiction, without prejudice to statutory consumer rights to bring proceedings in their local UK jurisdiction where applicable.