The principle of the remover's contractual liability, while not complex, is nevertheless specific and needs to be clearly explained.
The particularity of the business transfer contract is that it can in fact be analyzed as an industrial contract. However, the removals business belongs to the public transport of goods family, under a specific provision of the LOTI (Loi d'Orientation du Transport Intérieur). This is why the General Sales Conditions recommended by the CSD (Chambre Syndicale du Déménagement) are drafted as "transport contracts" for company removals.
The mover who takes charge of your furniture and equipment is presumed to be responsible for them for the duration of the move. For this reason, he asks you to tell him their value, so that he knows exactly how much he is liable to you in the event of material damage. If you don't reply to this request, he will decide on a fixed value for your furniture, and thus set the limit of his liability for the purpose of drawing up his estimate. But be careful: this value is not an acknowledgement of the actual value of your furniture; it is the reference value that will be used to establish the amount of compensation for any material damage observed during your move and for which the company is deemed responsible.
You must also set the financial limits of the "special delivery interest". This provision specifies the compensation you may be entitled to if a specific item is unavailable for a specific period of time after the move, for which the removal company is responsible.
In addition, certain types of damage may occur which do not necessarily involve the company's liability: force majeure, inherent defect of the item, fault of a third party, etc. To cover you against these specific risks, we offer you the possibility of taking out "MUST Damage" cover, tailored to your needs and the particular circumstances of your move.
You may also be interested in these articles