Downham Storage Service Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Downham Storage provides storage services to customers in the UK. By making a booking, paying a fee, or placing goods into storage, you agree to be bound by these terms. They are designed to create a clear, fair and lawful arrangement for the use of our storage services, including the handling of personal belongings, business items, and other permitted goods. Please read this page carefully before confirming any reservation or delivery of items.

In these Terms, references to “we”, “us” and “our” mean the storage provider operating under the Downham Storage name, and references to “you” and “your” mean the customer, account holder, or any person authorised to act on the customer’s behalf. These terms apply to all bookings unless we have agreed otherwise in writing. If any separate written agreement or service schedule is in place, that document may supplement these terms but will not override them unless expressly stated.

We aim to keep our UK storage terms transparent and proportionate. The contract between you and us begins when we accept your booking request, receive the required payment, and confirm the start date for storage. From that point onward, you are responsible for complying with these terms, including the rules on prohibited goods, payment deadlines, and collection or removal of items at the end of the storage period.

1. Booking Process

The booking process starts when you submit a request for storage space or services. You must provide accurate and complete information, including your name, address, contact details, and any relevant details about the items to be stored. We may ask for identification or additional information before accepting a booking. All bookings are subject to availability, and we reserve the right to decline a request where the items are unsuitable, restricted, unlawful, or pose a safety risk.

Once we review your request, we may issue a quotation or proposed service plan. A quotation is not a binding reservation unless we state otherwise. Your booking becomes confirmed only when we issue written acceptance, receive any required deposit or first payment, and agree the start date for storage. We may also set conditions for access, unit size, packaging requirements, security procedures, or insurance confirmation before your storage space is made available.

You must check all booking details carefully before confirming. This includes the storage type, rental period, agreed fees, access arrangements, and any additional services such as collection, handling, or administrative support. If you discover an error, you should notify us promptly so we can review it before the storage period begins. We are not responsible for issues caused by inaccurate information supplied by you.

2. Payments and Charges

All fees must be paid in accordance with the invoice, payment schedule, or service agreement we provide. Charges may include storage rent, deposits, administrative fees, late payment charges, insurance-related costs where applicable, and any additional amounts for special handling or extra services. Unless stated otherwise, fees are payable in advance. We may amend our pricing from time to time, but any change will apply only from the relevant renewal date or as otherwise permitted by law and the contract.

Payment must be made using an approved method. If a payment fails, is reversed, or is not received in full by the due date, we may suspend access to the stored items, charge reasonable administration fees, and/or treat the booking as in default. You remain responsible for all amounts due until the agreement is properly ended and the goods are removed from storage. Any discounts or promotional rates apply only for the period stated and may be withdrawn if the conditions are not met.

If we incur costs because of your failure to pay on time, including costs of debt recovery, legal action, or the exercise of any lien or retention rights allowed by law, you may be liable for those costs where permitted. Any payment disputes must be raised promptly and in good faith. Undisputed sums must still be paid on time, even if another part of the invoice is under discussion.

3. Storage Period, Access and Use

The storage period begins on the agreed start date and continues until the end date stated in your booking, or until the agreement is lawfully terminated. If no fixed end date is agreed, the arrangement continues on a rolling basis until notice is given in accordance with these terms. You must not use the storage unit for living, sleeping, business operations that require public access, or any activity that creates nuisance, hazard, or breach of law.

You are responsible for keeping your stored items appropriately packed, labelled, and protected against reasonable risks such as dust, minor temperature variation, or movement during handling. We do not provide a guarantee that items will remain in the same condition as when stored, and we do not inspect or verify the contents of sealed boxes or containers unless required by law, safety policy, or an emergency. Access may be restricted for security, maintenance, health and safety, or operational reasons.

We may impose rules on opening hours, supervised access, vehicle use, loading methods, and the maximum number of people permitted in the storage area. These rules may change where necessary for safety or operational reasons. If you authorise another person to access the goods, you remain responsible for their actions as if they were your own. We may rely on any instructions reasonably believed to come from you or your authorised representative.

4. Cancellations, Ending the Agreement and Uncollected Goods

You may cancel your booking before the storage period starts by giving us notice in writing. If cancellation occurs after a deposit has been paid, the deposit may be retained or partly refunded depending on the timing, any non-recoverable costs, and the terms of the specific booking. If you cancel after the storage period has begun, you must pay all charges up to the effective termination date, together with any applicable notice period fees or administration costs set out in your agreement.

Either party may end the arrangement by giving the required notice stated in the booking documents or invoice schedule. We may terminate immediately where you seriously breach these terms, fail to pay sums due, store prohibited or dangerous goods, or act in a way that creates a legal, safety, or operational risk. On termination, you must remove all goods by the deadline we specify and leave the storage space clean and in a condition fit for re-use, subject to fair wear and tear.

If items remain uncollected after termination or after a reasonable notice period, we may take steps permitted by law to deal with them, including charging continued storage, moving the goods, disposing of waste, or exercising any sale or lien rights available to us. We will usually try to contact you using the details you supplied, but failure to respond may affect your rights. Any proceeds from a permitted sale will be applied first to costs and unpaid sums, with any balance handled in accordance with legal requirements.

5. Liability, Insurance and Risk

We will exercise reasonable care and skill in providing the storage service, but our liability is limited to the extent permitted by law. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded. Subject to that, we are not responsible for loss or damage arising from events outside our reasonable control, including fire, flood, theft, vandalism, weather events, power failure, or third-party actions where we have not been negligent.

You remain responsible for arranging adequate insurance for your items unless we have explicitly agreed to provide a different arrangement in writing. If insurance is available through us or a third party, it may be subject to separate conditions, exclusions, and claims procedures. You must notify us promptly of any incident that may give rise to a claim and must take reasonable steps to prevent further loss or damage. We may ask for evidence of ownership, value, condition, and the circumstances of any alleged loss.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total liability to you for any claim arising out of or in connection with the storage service will be limited to the amount paid by you for the affected storage period, unless a higher limit is required by statute or expressly agreed in writing. We will not be liable for indirect or consequential losses, including loss of profit, business interruption, loss of data, or loss of opportunity, unless such exclusion is not allowed by law.

6. Waste Regulations, Prohibited Items and Environmental Compliance

You must not store, abandon, or leave behind any item that is classed as waste, controlled waste, hazardous waste, or household rubbish unless we have expressly agreed to handle it in compliance with applicable law. You are responsible for ensuring that any materials placed in storage are lawful to store and are not contaminated, leaking, unstable, or capable of causing harm. Items that smell, attract pests, create seepage, or pose environmental risk may be removed at your expense.

You must comply with all applicable UK waste regulations, environmental rules, and health and safety obligations. This includes not storing asbestos, chemicals, explosives, gas cylinders, fuels, oils, solvents, biological waste, stolen goods, counterfeit goods, or any item prohibited by law or by our operational policies. We may refuse access, quarantine goods, notify authorities, or arrange lawful disposal where we reasonably believe the stored items breach legal requirements or present an immediate risk.

Where items are found to be waste or contaminated goods, you may be charged for inspection, segregation, cleaning, transport, storage, disposal, and any professional advice or reporting costs. You remain responsible for all consequences of non-compliance, including regulatory fines, claims, or remediation costs caused by your actions or by the items you stored. Our acceptance of goods does not mean we have inspected or approved them as compliant.

7. Customer Responsibilities and Security

You must ensure that the goods you place into storage at Downham Storage are your property or that you are properly authorised to store them. You must not store items subject to a third-party title, lien, hire agreement, or finance arrangement unless you have permission from the relevant owner or lender. You are also responsible for keeping your account details up to date so that we can contact you about invoices, notices, access changes, or safety matters.

Security arrangements are designed to reduce risk, but they do not guarantee that loss will never occur. You must keep any keys, access codes, fobs, or passwords secure and confidential. If you suspect unauthorised access, a breach of security, or misuse of your account, you must notify us as soon as possible. We may suspend access or alter security arrangements if we reasonably believe this is necessary to protect the site, other customers, or your stored goods.

We may inspect goods where reasonably necessary for safety, compliance, or legal reasons, and we may refuse items that are improperly packed, excessively heavy, infested, odorous, or otherwise unsuitable for storage. You must not obstruct staff, tamper with security systems, or use the premises in a way that interferes with other users. Any breach of these responsibilities may result in immediate suspension or termination of service.

8. Changes to Terms and Governing Law

We may revise these storage service terms from time to time to reflect operational changes, legal requirements, or service improvements. Updated terms will apply from the date they are published or otherwise communicated to you, except where a different effective date is required by law or agreed in writing. If you continue to use the service after a change takes effect, you will be treated as having accepted the updated version, provided the change has been made lawfully.

If any part of these Terms is found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in force. No failure or delay by us in exercising a right or remedy will mean that right has been waived. These terms, together with your booking confirmation and any written schedule, form the entire agreement between the parties regarding the storage service unless otherwise required by law.

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising from or in connection with the service, these terms, or the use of stored goods will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, unless mandatory law provides otherwise. By using the service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these conditions.