When you move home, it is standard practice to pay your removal company in advance. You would obviously be concerned therefore that if your chosen remover suffered financial failure before your moving date, you would have lost any payment made and so for that reason, BAR members provide an Advanced Payment Guarantee to their customers. All BAR members are financially vetted and provide the safety net of an APG scheme.
BAR Member companies will provide you with details of the scheme to which they belong, and whether the cover provided is for moves within the UK only or on a Worldwide basis, and so it is important that you ensure your chosen mover provides the appropriate level of cover for the type of move that you are undertaking. The guarantee applies to private individuals moving home to, from or within the United Kingdom and so you can have total confidence in using a BAR Member company for your move.
The Scheme does of course have terms and conditions, and those full terms and conditions can be downloaded here.
For any customer queries under the BAR APG Scheme, please email apgscheme@bar.co.uk.
TERMS OF THE GUARANTEE
1) The level of cover available is identified on the certificate issued to the individual BAR Member company and will be defined as either; a. Limited to moves originating and terminating within the United Kingdom only or; b. Providing cover for international moves which either originate or terminate in the United Kingdom. The Scheme does not provide cover for moves, for example, from Norway to Brazil. The consumer must satisfy themselves that the level of cover provided by their chosen BAR Member is sufficient for the move that is being undertaken. The Guarantee Scheme will accept no liability for any claim arising from any transaction where the level of cover provided is not commensurate with the type of move undertaken.
2) The Guarantee is a “last resort” guarantee, i.e. if the customer has alternative means of redress either against the failed company or other arrangement, they are expected to take advantage of those arrangements.
3) The Advanced Payment Guarantee is available to private individuals (not companies) contracting with, or making a payment to, a full and current UK-based BAR Member for a home move to or from or within the United Kingdom.
4) The payment must have been made directly by the individual (not a business) to the failed Member by cheque, debit card, BACS, Bank Transfer or cash. Payments by credit card are not covered under this scheme, as the customer will have recourse against the credit card company under the Consumer Credit Act.
5) The APG is limited to moving home. Commercial shipments, legacies, etc are not covered by the scheme.
6) In the event that a BAR company Member suffers financial failure, the Guarantee Scheme covers the reasonable costs of completing the contracted move, not to exceed the amount prepaid for the work. The Guarantee Scheme is designed to enable contracted moves to be completed and therefore evidence of expenditure will be required. The Scheme will not entertain any claim where evidence of such expenditure to complete the move contract cannot be provided. Because the Scheme is provided by BAR Members, it is expected that wherever possible, a BAR Member will be employed as the replacement contractor. Neither the scheme, nor any new contractor, shall have any liability to the consumer for any loss or damage to goods, howsoever incurred by the failed contractor.
7) The failed company has to be a full and current UK-based Member of BAR at either the date of the contract or the date of the payment. Customers are recommended to check that membership is current through this website.
8) The Guarantee is limited to either £50,000 in total for any one Member business failure or a maximum liability of £100,000 in any one calendar year for all claims against the scheme
9) If the proved claims in aggregate exceed either £50,000 or £100,000 (as described in clause 8 above), then they will be paid on a pro-rata basis.
10) Only claims notified and evidenced within 6 months of the date of the liquidation will be considered by the Trustees.
11) Customers are required to follow the guidance issued by the Scheme relative to the failure of a Member business when accepting any quotation to complete the contracted work.
12) Any proven claim will only be settled once all lodged claims have been fully and finally considered, and after the closure of the six month deadline as described in clause 10 above.