Terms and Conditions

Our Terms and Conditions are split into two categories - (1) Courier (2) Freight

(1) Courier

These terms and conditions apply to the services which are provided by Cat Express Parcels Limited. Registered Office is Faraday House, Wolfreton Drive, Anlaby, Hull, HU10 7BY. Reg No: 07387246. “Cat Express Parcels Limited”, “CATXP”, “our”, “us” or “we”) to a user of the website www.catxp.com and www.courierportal.co.uk (the “Sites”) and any orders for services which are made using the Sites and / or over the phone, email and via third party software. Any references in these terms and condition to “you”/”your” refer to a user of the Sites or any of the above means to place an order.

(A) OUR SERVICES

  1. Cat Express Parcels Limited allow you to send items with a choice of Courier Companies and Freight Forwarders that we hold accounts with. In these terms and conditions, we refer to these courier companies as the “Carrier”.
  2. The carriage of items is undertaken by the Carrier and we do not carry the items ourselves. However, your contract for the carriage of items remains between you and Cat Express Parcels Limited, we manage all aspects of the interaction with the Carrier on your behalf (including, for example, the placing of the order itself and any service complaints you may have). Accordingly, if you have any queries or issues about any order you place, you should contact Cat Express Parcels Limited (quoting your reference / tracking number where available) as described in section 13.1.
  3. When you place an order with us, we select from a range of different Carriers depending upon the services you require. We will provide our services to you using reasonable skill and care and have selected only reputable Carriers to carry Consignments.
  4. Our sales agreement contains a check box that must be ticked before an account can be opened to state that you understand these Terms and Conditions.
  5. If, you do decide to send Prohibited or Restricted Items, you should be aware that Cat Express Parcels Limited does not offer the same level of contractual protection for loss or damage to Prohibited and Restricted Items as for non-Prohibited / Restricted items. Further details can be found on our website www.catxp.com under the guide page.

(B) DEFINITIONS

Listed below are defined terms which will have the following meanings in these terms and conditions:

  1. AWB/Airwaybill – The documentation placed on the parcel.
  2. Carrier - means the third party courier company which carries the Consignment.
  3. Consignment – Each parcel or group of parcels sent using our service to each individual address.
  4. Enhanced Cover – means an additional level of Transit Cover which is purchased at the time that an order is placed as further described in paragraph D.
  5. Export Services - means a service where the Consignment is collected in the UK and delivered to an address outside of the UK.
  6. Guaranteed Delivery Service - means a service where either the delivery of a Consignment is guaranteed by a particular time and/or date once collected.
  7. Import Service means a service where the Consignment is collected outside of the UK and delivered to an address within the UK.
  8. Prohibited Item – means an item which must not be sent using Cat Express Parcels Limited, for example because the item is dangerous or Hazardous.
  9. Receiver – The person who is receiving the Consignment.
  10. Restricted Item – means we strongly recommend that you do not send using Cat Express Parcels Limited, for example because the item is fragile.
  11. Transit Cover – means the financial value which your Consignment is protected up to as further described in paragraph 4 below.
  12. Working Day – means in relation to the UK, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm excluding public and bank holidays and in relation to a country that is not the UK, or in other countries, the days at times that banks are normally open for business in that country excluding public holidays.

(C) PLACING AN ORDER AND YOUR RIGHT TO CANCEL

  1. Cat Express Parcels Limited is not obliged to accept orders from you – and a contract for the services will only be formed when we accept your order.
  2. Cat Express Parcels can only accept orders from UK customers or residents with credit checked bona fide accounts.
  3. Cat Express Parcels Limited will arrange delivery of the Consignment(s) through a third party service with a reputable Carrier as chosen by us at the time of ordering.
  4. The collection of a Consignment will normally occur on your chosen date shortly after you have placed your order. Any order can be cancelled by you up until the time that the Consignment is collected from you. HOWEVER, AFTER A CONSIGNMENT HAS BEEN COLLECTED FROM YOU, YOUR ORDER CANNOT BE CANCELLED. This is because we have placed the order on your behalf with the Carrier and will be charged for the collection. By arranging for the Consignment to be collected, you consent to the provision of services to you and accordingly you will not be able to exercise any legal cancellation right that you may have (also known as a 'cooling off' right) from the point when the Consignment is collected from you.

(D) TRANSIT COVER

  1. Transit cover is the financial value which your Consignment is protected up to in relation to loss or damage in transit. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LEVEL OF TRANSIT COVER SELECTED BY YOU WILL AFFECT THE MAXIMUM VALUE OF A CLAIM THAT YOU CAN MAKE AGAINST CAT EXPRESS PARCELS LIMITED (FOR EXAMPLE IF YOUR CONSIGNMENT IS LOST OR DAMAGED).
  2. In general, each order includes upto £50 of Transit Cover as standard. The exceptions to this is orders which relate to Prohibited / Restricted Items sent unknown to us, where no Transit Cover is offered.
  3. You can buy additional Transit Cover or insurance (known as 'Enhanced Cover') for an additional fee which is chargeable at the time of ordering.
  4. Enhanced Cover can be purchased in a range of values until your Transit Cover reaches a total value of £1000. In such circumstances (where maximum Transit Cover has been selected), the maximum value which Cat Express Parcels Limited will pay for loss and damage on production of proof of value will be £1000. Accordingly, Cat Express Parcels Limited does not advise sending any Consignment valued at over £1000 as no Transit Cover can be offered over this value. A claim will only be entertained up to the covered maximum.
  5. Enhanced Cover is not valid for Prohibited Items or Restricted Items.
  6. For further details on the carriage of Restricted Items and Prohibited Items, please see sections 10 and 11 (below) For further information on the level of claims you can make against Cat Express Parcels Limited and our limitation on liability, please see section

(E) CHARGES

  1. All prices quoted are in pounds sterling unless otherwise stated.
  2. PLEASE NOTE THAT IN ADDITION TO THE CHARGES WHICH ARE QUOTED AT THE TIME OF YOUR ORDER, SURCHARGES MAY ALSO BE PAYABLE BY YOU IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONSIGNMENT IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION AT THE SPECIFIED TIME. FURTHER DETAILS ARE SET OUT IN SECTION F BELOW.

(F) SURCHARGES

  1. Certain surcharges may be payable by you in addition to the carriage fees which are set out as the cost for the standard delivery of your order. When a surcharge is payable, it will be additionally invoiced, for example out of area surcharge.
  2. Any Surcharges represent costs which Cat Express Parcels Limited may incur from the Carriers and are not penalties imposed by Cat Express Parcels Limited. This information is made available to you prior to placing your order.

For illustrative purposes, the following is a non-exhaustive list of when surcharges may be payable.

  1. A surcharge of £10.00 will be applied if you are out when the driver tries to collect or if the Consignment is otherwise unavailable for collection.
  2. On some services there will be a surcharge if a re delivery is necessary because the receiver is unable to take delivery when required.
  3. Other surcharges may be applicable if the receiver refuses to take delivery of the goods and they need to be sent back to you.
  4. Saturday delivery surcharge should the Saturday delivery service be available.
  5. Some areas will be subject to a remote area surcharge. A Surcharge may be applied depending on the locality.
  6. The consignments must be given to the correct carrier. Should the goods be given to the wrong carrier we will attempt to have the parcel returned. Should this not be possible a surcharge may be applied if the service is more expensive than purchased.

(G) COLLECTION OF CONSIGNMENTS

  1. Collection dates and times are not guaranteed. However, please note your right to cancel an order as described in paragraph C4 above.
  2. Please note, we cannot specify a morning collection unless the collection point is remote and already has an early cut-off. You can request after a certain time if permitted, but this is only a request and collections may be made up until 5.30pm on any given working day.
  3. Cat Express Parcels Limited does not come into direct contact with the Consignment(s) but arrange for the collection through one of the major Carriers that we hold an account.
  4. Export services can be collected from a residential address or business. Please note the Import services are collection from a business address only.
  5. We may supply documentation to accompany your shipment. You will be advised of this at the time of ordering. This must be attached to the shipment, if not your shipment could be delayed and be subject to an additional premium.
  6. Your Consignment(s) must be packed to a reasonable standard, packed within a double walled box with the contents cushioned and protected inside. The packaging must also be sufficient to protect the Consignment's weight. It is not always obvious when a Consignment has not been packaged properly. The Carriers will assume that Consignments have been correctly packaged and will exercise a level of care appropriate to that. Any claim resulting from a parcel that is not packaged to a reasonable standard and in line with the above may be declined.
  7. Please note that any item travelling through our services must be able to withstand a short drop, fragile items should not be sent though our services. Please see our packaging guidelines at www.catxp.com.
  8. Parcels should not be strapped or attached together. This is not a secure way for parcels to travel in the Carrier network. Any item which is not securely packaged or strapped to another package will be treated as a Restricted Item.
  9. The Carrier / Cat Express Parcels Limited have the right to refuse a Consignment for a reasonable reason such as no packaging, insufficient packaging or the Consignment does not comply with the information given by you at the time of placing the order - for example is not labelled correctly or is larger than stated.
  10. Collections are made on Working days only.
  11. Please ensure the collection point is available at the collection time that you request. A surcharge of £10.00 may be applied if you are out or the consignment is otherwise unavailable when the Carrier tries to collect. For further information, please see section F.
  12. A receipt should be obtained on collection of your Consignment, it is up to you to get a collection signature from the driver using your own in-house procedures. Proof of collection will be required for any issues that you may have with the Consignment or processing of your order.
  13. Please note our services require a Barcoded label / AWB to be printed out and attached to the parcel, this will be emailed to you. If you do not receive the label you will need to contact us.
  14. It is the customer's responsibility to ensure that all the details are correctly completed and displayed on the correct Consignment as delivery will be made to the details listed on the Consignment. It is not the driver's responsibility to check this information, so please ensure this is checked before he leaves.

(H) TRACKING AND DELIVERY

  1. Delivery dates and times are not guaranteed unless you have requested a Guaranteed Delivery Service. A Guaranteed Delivery Service offers a money back guarantee if delivery is not attempted at the date and time specified (so long as the reason for delay has not been a customs query, because the delivery is to a remote area as described in section I, incorrect information having been supplied or a delivery failure because the receiver cannot take delivery). Non-guaranteed delivery services do not have this guarantee.
  2. The timescales for a Guaranteed Delivery Service depend upon the point at which collection is made. For example, if a 'next day' guaranteed service is ordered, the 'next day' will be calculated from the date that the Consignment is collected.
  3. Deliveries are made on Working days only. Saturday deliveries are available but are not guaranteed. Refund of the Saturday surcharge will be applied if delivery is not made on the relevant Saturday.
  4. Tracking is available through the carriers Web site and by contacting our Customer Service department. Tracking is available up to a period of 12 weeks from sending with mainstream carriers. At that stage the tracking number may be re allocated. www.courierportal.co.uk permanently stores the this data for consignments booked on this system.
  5. You can track all orders online and may contact our offices prior to the return to rectify any issue. Once returned the item will not be re shipped free of charge and the order will not be refunded as delivery has been attempted and the return completes the agreed contract.
  6. Cat Express Parcels Limited can only deliver to a full street address. We cannot deliver to a PO Box (unless contact names and telephone numbers are provided) or BFPO address. If a Consignment has to be returned for this reason, no refund will be given.
  7. Deliveries will be made to the address on the item, main front door, reception or goods in. The drivers will not deliver to individual department or Block numbers. Deliveries may be made to a neighbouring address if the delivery point is out, but only if the goods can be signed for.
  8. A telephone number for the receiver is required for each Consignment in case of a driver address query. The Carrier will not call a UK number. Cat Express Parcels Limited will not re ship or refund any returned item if a telephone number has not been provided and the Carrier has been unable to arrange delivery because a phone number has not been provided.
  9. Deliveries can be made any time up until 5.30pm with the exception of premium rated am timed delivery options.
  10. 1-3 delivery attempts will be made for each Consignment, depending on the service if unsuccessful the Consignment will be returned to the sender and also at the senders cost.
  11. A customs invoice must be completed for ALL countries outside the European Union. See our online export guide at www.catxp.com to complete this. An accurate description and reason for Export must be entered on this invoice. If customs find different items than declared or an incorrect reason for export stated (such as Gift when actually purchased) then a surcharge could be applied, items confiscated or the shipment returned (which could be chargeable). Four copies of the customs Invoice must be given to the driver on collection.
  12. Our International Courier services are generally offered “door to door”. This means that we will arrange for pick up from one address and a drop off at another. However, we cannot offer door to door service where the delivery is going to be made in certain foreign countries. It is advised to check the zip code / postcode before sending for International addresses in case of exclusions.
  13. Please note the Proof of delivery is only kept for up to three months after delivery. Hard copy Proof of Delivery will be charged at £7.50 per item.
  14. Please note that we cannot guarantee to stop any item once in transit, although will try and do so if requested.

(I) REMOTE COLLECTION / DELIVERY

  1. Shipments to and from out of area locations or sometimes termed remote areas may be subject to delay and possible service downgrade. Please check the address with us prior to sending for advised transit times.
  2. Guaranteed Services are guaranteed to most areas. It is the Customers responsibility to check the area they are sending to is covered by this guarantee.

(J) RESTRICTED ITEMS

  1. We strongly recommend that you do not send Restricted Items using our service. This is because such items are fragile, dangerous or otherwise inappropriate to be carried by our services and Network. Should you proceed to send such goods you do so at your own risk.
  2. If a Consignment which contains a Restricted Item is lost, then you will be able to make a claim up to the level of the applicable Transit Cover (as described in section D2 (above) in relation to that lost Consignment. However, if a Consignment which contains a Restricted Item is damaged, you will only be able to make a claim as described in Section N (and Cat Express Parcels Limited hereby limits its liability accordingly).
  3. In the event of damage a restricted item may be held for collection by the Customer. This may be the case if the goods are prohibited and cannot be sent through the system or damaged to such an extent that onward forwarding is not possible. If this is the case you will be notified in writing that goods must be collected within 7 days following this point they will be discarded. If the goods are so badly damaged that the contents are destroyed or that the goods pose a Health & Safety risk then they may be immediately discarded, again you will be notified in writing.
  4. Restricted items could be subject to non-collection, delay, return or confiscation by Customs. In such circumstances, if a restricted item is collected by the Carrier and then later returned, no refund of carriage will be given and return charges may be applicable.
  5. In addition you should note that if you send a restricted item, this may cause damage to other Consignments being carried and you may ultimately be liable for loss to those other Consignments if the senders of those Consignments seek to pursue you.

(K) PROHIBITED ITEMS

  1. PROHIBITED ITEMS MUST NOT BE SENT USING OUR SERVICES. Sending a Prohibited Item using our services is contrary to these terms and conditions. No Transit Cover is provided for Prohibited Items. If a Consignment which contains a Prohibited Item is lost or damaged, you will not be able to make a claim for any Transit Cover or other claim from Cat Express Parcels Limited relating to any loss or damage to such items (and Cat Express Parcels Limited hereby limits its liability accordingly).
  2. Item(s) sent within a hazardous box will be classed as such, strictly Prohibited. Please do not reuse old hazardous boxes.
  3. In addition you should note that if you send a Prohibited Item unknown to us and causes damage to other Consignments being carried, you may ultimately be liable for loss to those other Consignments if the senders of those Consignments seek to pursue you.

(L) CUSTOMS CLEARANCE

  1. By placing an order, you are paying for the carriage charges of your Consignment(s) only. Cat Express Parcels Limited has no control over any customs queries, delays or charges that may arise. All Customs Charges must be paid for by the receiver before delivery is made unless you have requested a DDP service (delivered duty paid). If the receiver or sender do not wish to pay the charges and the Consignment is returned, all return charges will be passed on to the sender.
  2. Consignment(s) that exceed the value of £4,699 may be delayed as they will require further documentation for clearance. In any case, you should be aware that the maximum Enhanced Cover offered by Cat Express Parcels Limited is £1000 (as described in section D above) and therefore you are advised not to send high value goods using the our International Courier services.

(M) DAMAGED / LOST CLAIMS / CUSTOMER SERVICES QUERIES

  1. If you need to contact us for any reason, you can do so using the following methods.
  2. For Claims email: claims@catxp.com or telephone: 0161 241 1755
  3. PLEASE NOTIFY US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OF ANY CLAIM RELATING TO LOSS OR DAMAGE OF A CONSIGNMENT AND WITHIN 14 DAYS OF THE DAMAGE OR LOSS IF POSSIBLE. This is because the Carriers only maintain their records for a limited amount of time (normally up to a maximum of 12 weeks). We will then contact the relevant Carrier on your behalf to enable them to conduct an investigation. After the 14 day period the carrier can be approached to investigate but we can only proceed if the carrier's systems allow.
  4. All enquiries relating to loss or damage to Consignments should be directed through Cat Express Parcels Limited. Please do not contact the Carrier directly about your order.  If the Carrier is contacted directly, this may cause delays in the resolution of any issues you may have.
  5. Please be aware that you should ask the Recipient to sign as received “damaged” because if goods are signed for as being in good condition, it will be difficult for you to show that the goods were damaged in transit.  If the recipients are unable to check when the driver is there, please arrange for goods to be signed for as "unchecked".
  6. The damaged item together with all packaging should be kept until the claim is concluded as more photographs or inspection of the item may be necessary.
  7. If a claim is made that a Consignment has been damaged, all packaging should be kept for inspection by the Carrier. The item must also be available for inspection in the state it was delivered, at the address it was delivered to. Further journeys could cause further damage, making it difficult to assess the original damage. We may also ask for photographs of the internal and external packaging as well as the damaged item to process the claim.
  8. If it is shown that an item has been damaged in transit, we will (at our discretion) generally pay for damage to be repaired rather than a replacement – depending on the level of damage to the item and subject to the general provisions in Section N below. Accordingly, if you make a claim relating to a damaged item we may also ask for an estimate of repair costs for that item supplied by an specialist who will carry out the repair.   If the item cannot be repaired then we would need this in writing from the specialist for a claim relating to the replacement of the item to be considered.
  9. In the event that a claim is approved and repair/replacement costs are paid, we will also pay the costs of the reasonable evaluation report and the postage costs associated with that repair/replacement (subject to the postage being limited to the type of Carrier service where the item was damaged) - to the maximum amount specified in section N.clause 3. Our carrier’s will arrange for your item to be carried for repair when requested.
  10. A claim relating to a lost item can only be processed once the Carrier has concluded its searches for the item.
  11. Any amounts payable in relation to a lost or damaged item will only be paid to the sender whose details we have on file.
  12. Cat Express Parcels Limited will deal with the person who placed the order only.

(N) LIMITATION OF CAT EXPRESS PARCELS LIMITED LIABILITY

  1. Our liability to you is subject to the exclusions listed in this section. This means that, with certain exceptions, the maximum amount of a claim that you can make against Cat Express Parcels Limited will be limited in value.
  2. Nothing in this section seeks to limit our liability to you for claims relating to death or personal injury caused by our negligence or for any other liability which cannot be excluded by law.
  3. OUR MAXIMUM LIABILITY TO YOU IS GENERALLY LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT OF TRANSIT COVER SELECTED AT TIME OF ORDER PLACEMENT. For example, if a standard order has been placed and no Enhanced Cover has been selected, then that order will have upto £50 of Transit Cover included.
  4. Our liability under these terms and conditions is limited to the contracting party who placed the order.  Should the Sender have placed the order then we do not have a contract with the receiver (and vice versa) and cannot be contractually liable for any losses suffered by other parties than the person that placed the order.
  5. In any case, to the greatest extent that is permitted by law, Cat Express Parcels Limited hereby limits its liability to the direct losses suffered by you (save as expressly stated otherwise in these terms and conditions). Accordingly, we will not be liable for any claim for loss of profit, loss of use of an item, loss of revenue, administrative inconvenience, disappointment, or indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising out of, or in relation to, the service you ordered.
  6. We accept no liability for loss or damage to Prohibited Items as these should not be sent using our services.   For further information on limitations relating to Prohibited Items, see section K.
  7. Cat Express Parcels Limited will only accept liability for damage to Restricted Items where the goods have not been carried using reasonable skill and care. You are reminded that we recommend that you do not send these items using our services and that the Carriers will assume that Consignments do not include Restricted Items. For further information on limitations relating to Restricted Items, see section J.
  8. Cat Express Parcels Limited accepts no liability for loss / damage to an item if it has not been correctly packaged and / or labelled unless it can be shown that we have not acted with reasonable skill and care.

(O) SEVERABILITY

  1. If any part of these terms and conditions is found to be unenforceable as a matter of law, the enforceability of any other part of these terms and conditions will not be affected.

(P) GOVERNING LAW

  1. These terms and conditions and any contract between us shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with English Law and the English Courts shall have jurisdiction over any disputes between us.

(Q) STATUTORY RIGHT

  1. These terms and conditions do not remove any statutory right which you have as a consumer which cannot be excluded.

(R) RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES

  1. A party who is not a party to this agreement (such as a receiver) cannot enforce the terms to this agreement, whether under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise.