Terms & Conditions
Last updated: [DATE] · Version: v1.0-draft
1. Who we are and what these terms cover
SendMyLoad ("SendMyLoad", "we", "us", "our") operates an online marketplace that connects customers who need goods transported ("Customers") with independent transport providers ("Carriers" or "Drivers"). We are [LEGAL ENTITY NAME], [a company registered in England and Wales, company number [NUMBER], registered office [REGISTERED ADDRESS]]. Contact: [SUPPORT EMAIL]. By creating an account, posting a job, submitting a bid, or otherwise using the Platform, you agree to these Terms. Our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy also apply.
2. Our role — we are an intermediary, not the carrier
SendMyLoad provides a marketplace and related tools. We are not a party to the transport contract. When a Customer accepts a Carrier's bid, a binding contract for the transport of goods is formed directly between that Customer and that Carrier. SendMyLoad is not the carrier, freight forwarder or agent of either party, and does not itself transport goods. As the accountable intermediary we provide the Platform, Carrier verification and approval, job matching, proof-of-delivery and evidence tools, a dispute framework, and (where enabled) staged/escrow payments. We do not guarantee the performance, quality, legality, punctuality or safety of any transport service, nor the accuracy of information provided by users. Nothing in these Terms excludes rights you have as a consumer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other mandatory UK law, or our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or anything that cannot be excluded by law.
3. Eligibility and accounts
You must be at least 18 and able to form a binding contract. You must provide accurate information and keep your credentials secure; you are responsible for activity under your account. Admin accounts require two-factor authentication. Accounts are either Customer or Carrier; Carriers must complete verification and be approved before bidding. We may refuse, suspend or remove an account for breach, suspected fraud or safety concerns.
4. Customers — posting jobs and obligations
Describe the goods, dimensions, weight, access and timing accurately and honestly; under-declaring may make the job undeliverable and may entitle the Carrier to re-price or decline without penalty. Prices shown before you post are an approximate guide only; the binding price is the Carrier's bid you accept. Prices shown to consumers include VAT where applicable; no hidden fees. High-value, cross-border (UK to EU) or otherwise flagged jobs may be held for admin review before release; you must not bypass this. You must not post or ask a Carrier to transport prohibited or dangerous goods or anything unlawful. Accepting a bid forms a binding transport contract with the Carrier.
5. Carriers — verification, bidding and obligations
You must be legally entitled to provide transport services and hold all required licences, permits and insurance (which may include goods-in-transit and public liability insurance, an operator's (O) licence, waste-carrier registration, ADR authorisation, and international haulage permits, depending on the vehicle and cargo). Upload valid documents and keep them current; expired documents may lead to suspension from bidding until renewed and re-approved. Your bid is a binding offer; once accepted and confirmed, you must perform the job with reasonable care and skill, on time, and lawfully. You must not carry goods you are not authorised to carry, sub-contract without disclosure, solicit Customers off-Platform to avoid fees, or falsify proof-of-delivery, timings or information. You must provide proof of delivery and keep the Customer informed of status and ETA.
6. Pricing, fees, VAT and payments
The approximate price is a non-binding estimate; the Carrier sets the final price in their bid. SendMyLoad may charge a platform fee/commission and/or membership fee, disclosed clearly before you incur it. Prices shown to consumers include any applicable VAT; Carriers are responsible for their own VAT status. Surcharges (e.g. waiting time, loading) apply only where agreed in advance and confirmed by the Customer with supporting evidence, and are added as separate line items, never as unilateral changes to the agreed price.
7. Changes, cancellations and refunds
After a bid is accepted, neither party may unilaterally change the agreed price or core job details; changes require a variation request approved by the other party, and are logged. Cancellation terms and any tiered charges are shown at booking. Consumers retain any statutory cancellation rights that apply.
8. Reviews and reputation
Reviews may only be left in connection with a genuinely completed job, by the actual party to that job. Fake, incentivised or misleading reviews are prohibited, may be removed, and may breach the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. We may moderate reviews that are unlawful, abusive or off-topic.
9. Prohibited conduct
You must not: circumvent the Platform to avoid fees or arrange matched jobs off-Platform; provide false information or falsify evidence, timings, documents or reviews; tamper with prices, statuses or another user's data; post or carry unlawful, prohibited or dangerous goods; misuse or attempt to breach the security of the Platform; or use the Platform for anything unlawful.
10. Liability
The transport contract is between Customer and Carrier; each is responsible to the other under it. Claims about the transport service (loss, damage, delay, non-performance) are, in the first instance, between the Customer and the Carrier, supported by our evidence and dispute tools. Subject to clause 2, SendMyLoad's total liability arising from the Platform is limited to [the greater of £[AMOUNT] or the total platform fees you paid us in the 12 months before the claim]; we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, or for the acts, omissions, goods or services of any user. The Platform is provided "as is".
11. Disputes
Raise disputes about a transport contract through the Platform's dispute process, using proof-of-delivery and evidence. Where escrow is enabled, funds may be held pending resolution. We may assist as an intermediary but are not obliged to adjudicate. Complaints about SendMyLoad: [SUPPORT EMAIL].
12. Data protection
We process personal data per our Privacy Policy and UK data protection law (UK GDPR as amended by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, and the Data Protection Act 2018). Contact and exact address are shared with the matched party only after a Driver accepts the assignment.
13. Suspension and termination
We may suspend or terminate access for breach, suspected fraud, expired required documents, or risk to safety or other users. You may close your account at any time; some records may be retained as required by law.
14. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms; material changes will be notified via the Platform or email. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.
15. Governing law and jurisdiction (UK-wide)
The UK has three legal jurisdictions — England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. These Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have non-exclusive jurisdiction. If you are a consumer, this does not deprive you of the mandatory consumer-law protections of the part of the UK where you are resident: a consumer resident in Scotland may bring proceedings in the Scottish courts under Scots law, and a consumer resident in Northern Ireland may bring proceedings in the Northern Ireland courts. UK data protection law applies uniformly across all three jurisdictions.
16. Contact
[LEGAL ENTITY NAME] · [REGISTERED ADDRESS] · [SUPPORT EMAIL] · [COMPANY NUMBER]