Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd – Terms & Conditions of Cartage © A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd - 2019 1. Definitions 1.1 “Carrier” shall mean A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd trading as Sydney Plt Transport and its successors and/or any person acting on behalf of and with the authority of A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd 1.2 “Sub-Contractor” shall mean and include; (a) Railways or Airways operated by the Commonwealth or any State or any other country or by any corporation; or (b) Any other person, firm or Carrier with whom the Carrier may arrange for the carriage or storage of any Goods the subject of the contract; or (c) And any person who is now or hereafter a servant, agent, employee or sub-contractor of any of the persons referred to in clause 1.2(a) and 1.2(b). 1.3 “Customer” shall mean the Customer or any person or persons acting on behalf of and with the authority of the Customer. Where more than one Customer has entered into this agreement, the Customers shall be jointly and severally liable for all payments of the Price. 1.4 “Consignee” shall mean the person to whom the Goods are to be delivered by way of the Carrier’s Services. 1.5 “Guarantor” means that person (or persons), or entity who agrees herein to be liable for the debts of the Customer on a principal debtor basis. 1.6 “Goods” shall mean cargo together with any container, packaging, or pallet(s) to be moved from one place to another by way of the Carrier’s Services, or for storage by the Carrier. 1.7 “Services” shall mean all services supplied by the Carrier to the Customer and are as described on the quotations, invoices, consignment note, airway bills, manifests, sales order or any other forms as provided by the Carrier to the Customer and includes any advice or recommendations. 1.8 “Price” shall mean the cost of the Services as agreed between the Carrier and the Customer subject to clause 3 of this contract. 2. Acceptance 2.1 Any instructions received by the Carrier from the Customer for the supply of Services shall constitute acceptance of the terms and conditions contained herein. 2.2 Upon acceptance of these terms and conditions by the Customer the terms and conditions are irrevocable and can only be rescinded in accordance with these terms and conditions or with the written consent of the manager of the Carrier. 2.3 These terms and conditions are to be read in conjunction with the Carrier’s quotation, consignment note, agreement, airway bills, manifests, or any other forms as provided by the Carrier to the Customer. If there are any inconsistencies between these documents then the terms and conditions contained in this document shall prevail. 2.4 The Customer shall give the Carrier not less than fourteen (14) days prior written notice of any proposed change of ownership of the Customer or any change in the Customer’s name and/or any other change in the Customer’s details (including but not limited to, changes in the Customer’s address, facsimile number, or business practice). The Customer shall be liable for any loss incurred by the Carrier as a result of the Customer’s failure to comply with this clause. 3. Price And Payment 3.1 At the Carrier’s sole discretion the Price shall be either; (a) as indicated on invoices provided by the Carrier to the Customer in respect of Services supplied; or (b) Carrier’s quoted Price (subject to clause 3.2 & 3.3) which shall be binding upon the Carrier provided that the Customer shall accept in writing the Carrier’s quotation within thirty (30) days. 3.2 The Carrier may by giving notice to the Customer increase the Price of the Services to reflect any increase in the cost to the Carrier beyond the reasonable control of the Carrier (including, without limitation, foreign exchange fluctuations, or increases in taxes or customs duties or insurance premiums or warehousing costs and costs of fuel). 3.3 The Carrier may charge freight by weight, volume, measurement or value, and may at any time re-weigh, or re-value or re-measure or require the Goods to be re-weighed, or re-valued or re-measured and charge proportional additional freight accordingly. 3.4 In the event of the Carrier incurring any fines, fees or other costs as a result of a misrepresentation of the weight, volume, measurement or content of the consignment, then the Carrier reserves the right to on-charge the respective fine, fee or cost as a liquidated claim to the Customer. 3.5 Time for payment for the Services shall be of the essence and will be stated on the on the invoice, consignment note, airway bills, manifests or any other forms. If no time is stated then payment shall be due seven (7) days following the date of the invoice. 3.6 At the Carrier’s sole discretion payment for approved Customers shall be made by instalments in accordance with the Carrier’s payment schedule. 3.7 Payment will be made by cash, or by cheque, or by bank cheque, or by direct credit, or by any other method as agreed to between the Customer and the Carrier. 3.8 GST and other taxes and duties that may be applicable shall be added to the Price except when they are expressly included in the Price. 4. Carrier Not Common Carrier 4.1 The Carrier is not a Common Carrier and will accept no liability as such. All articles are carried or transported and all storage and other services are performed by the Carrier subject only to these conditions and the Carrier A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd – Terms & Conditions of Cartage © Copyright – A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd - 2006 reserves the right to refuse the carriage or transport of articles for any person, corporation or body, and the carriage or transport of any class of articles at its discretion. 5. Customer-Packed Containers 5.1 If a container has not been stowed by or on behalf of the Carrier the Carrier shall not be liable for loss of or damage to the Goods caused by: (a) the manner in which the container has been stowed; or (b) the unsuitability of the Goods for carriage or storage in containers; or (c) the unsuitability or defective condition of the container. 6. Nomination Of Sub-Contractor 6.1 The Customer hereby authorises the Carrier (if it should think fit to do so) to arrange with a Sub-Contractor for the carriage of any Goods that are the subject of the contract. Any such arrangement shall be deemed to be ratified by the Customer upon delivery of the said Goods to such Sub-Contractor, who shall thereupon be entitled to the full benefit of these terms and conditions to the same extent as the Carrier. In so far as it may be necessary to ensure that such Sub-Contractor shall be so entitled the Carrier shall be deemed to enter into this contract for its own benefit and also as agent for the Sub-Contractor. 7. Carrier’s Servants or Agents 7.1 The Customer undertakes that no claim or allegation shall be made against any servant or agent of the Carrier which attempts to impose upon any of them any liability whatsoever in connection with the Goods and, if any such claim or allegation should nevertheless be made, to indemnify the Carrier and any such servant or agent against all consequences thereof. 8. Method Of Transport 8.1 If the Customer instructs the Carrier to use a particular method of carriage whether by road, rail, sea or air the Carrier will give priority to the method designated but if that method cannot conveniently be adopted by the Carrier the Customer shall be deemed to authorise the Carrier to carry or have the Goods carried by another method or methods. 9. Route Deviation 9.1 The Customer shall be deemed to authorise any deviation from the usual route or manner of carriage of Goods that may in the absolute discretion of the Carrier be deemed reasonable or necessary in the circumstances. 10. Charges Earned 10.1 The Carrier’s charges shall be considered earned in the case of Goods for carriage as soon as the Goods are loaded and despatched from the Customer’s premises. 11. Dangerous Goods 11.1 Unless otherwise agreed in advance in writing with the Carrier the Customer or his authorised agent shall not tender for carriage or for storage any explosive, inflammable or otherwise Dangerous Goods. The Customer shall be liable for and hereby indemnifies the Carrier for all loss or damage whatsoever caused by any Dangerous Goods. 12. Consignment Note 12.1 It is agreed that the person delivering any Goods to the Carrier for carriage or forwarding is authorised to sign the consignment note for the Customer. 13. Delivery 13.1 The Carrier is authorised to deliver the Goods at the address given to the Carrier by the Customer for that purpose and it is expressly agreed that the Carrier shall be taken to have delivered the Goods in accordance with this contract if at that address the Carrier obtains from any person a receipt or a signed delivery docket for the Goods. 13.2 The Carrier may deliver the Goods by separate instalments (in accordance with the agreed delivery schedule). Each separate instalment shall be invoiced and paid for in accordance with the provisions in this contract. 13.3 Delivery of the Goods to a third party nominated by the Customer is deemed to be delivery for the purposes of this agreement. 13.4 It is the Customer’s sole responsibility to address adequately each consignment and to provide written delivery instructions to enable effective delivery. 13.5 The failure of the Carrier to deliver shall not entitle either party to treat this contract as repudiated. 14. Loss Or Damage 14.1 This contract is “at limited carrier’s risk”. 14.2 Subject to statutory provisions imposing liability in respect of the loss of or damage to the Goods (including but not limited to chilled, frozen, refrigerated, fragile or perishable Goods): A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd – Terms & Conditions of Cartage © Copyright – A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd - 2006 (a) The Carrier shall not be under any liability, howsoever caused or arising and (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) whether caused or arising as a result of the negligence of the Carrier or otherwise, for any damage to, loss, deterioration, mis-delivery, delay in delivery or non-delivery of the Goods (whether the Goods are or have been in the possession of the Carrier or not) nor for any instructions, advice, information or service given or provided to any person, whether in respect of the Goods or any other thing or matter, nor for any consequential or indirect loss, loss of market or consequences of delay; and (b) The Customer will indemnify the Carrier against all claims of any kind whatsoever, howsoever caused or arising and, (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) whether caused or arising as a result of the negligence of the Carrier or otherwise, brought by any person in connection with any matter or thing done, said or omitted by the Carrier in connection with the Goods. 15. Insurance 15.1 The Customer acknowledges that; (a) the Goods are carried and stored at the Customer’s sole risk and not at the risk of the Carrier; and (b) the Carrier is under no obligation to arrange insurance of the Goods and it remains the Customer’s responsibility to ensure that the Goods are insured adequately or at all; and (c) under no circumstances will the Carrier be under any liability with respect to the arranging of any such insurance and no claim will be made against the Carrier for failure to arrange or ensure that the Goods are insured adequately or at all. 16. The Commonwealth Trade Practices Act 1974 and Fair Trading Acts 16.1 Nothing in this agreement is intended to have the affect of contracting out of any applicable provisions of the Fair Trading Acts in each of the States and Territories of Australia, except to the extent permitted by those Acts where applicable. 16.2 Liability of the Carrier arising out of any one incident whether or not there has been any declaration of value of the Goods, for breach of warranty implied into these terms and conditions by the Trade Practices Act 1974 or howsoever arising, is limited to any of the following as determined by the Carrier; (a) the supplying of the Services again; or (b) the payment of the cost of having the Services supplied again; or (c) where the Customer is a consumer as defined in the Trade Practices Act 1974 then the client shall also be entitled to a refund. 17. Default & Consequences Of Default 17.1 Interest on overdue invoices shall accrue from the date when payment becomes due daily until the date of payment at a rate of 2.5% per calendar month and such interest shall compound monthly at such a rate after as well as before any judgement. 17.2 If the Customer defaults in payment of any invoice when due, the Customer shall indemnify the Carrier from and against all costs and disbursements incurred by the Carrier in pursuing the debt including legal costs on a solicitor and own client basis and the Carrier’s collection agency costs. 17.3 Without prejudice to any other remedies the Carrier may have, if at any time the Customer is in breach of any obligation (including those relating to payment), the Carrier may suspend or terminate the supply of Services to the Customer and any of its other obligations under the terms and conditions. The Carrier will not be liable to the Customer for any loss or damage the Customer suffers because the Carrier exercised its rights under this clause. 17.4 If any account remains overdue after thirty (30) days then an amount of the greater of $20.00 or 10.00% of the amount overdue (up to a maximum of $200) shall be levied for administration fees which sum shall become immediately due and payable. 17.5 Without prejudice to the Carrier’s other remedies at law the Carrier shall be entitled to cancel all or any part of any order of the Customer which remains unperformed in addition to and without prejudice to any other remedies and all amounts owing to the Carrier shall, whether or not due for payment, become immediately payable in the event that: (a) any money payable to the Carrier becomes overdue, or in the Carrier’s opinion the Customer will be unable to meet its payments as they fall due; or (b) the Customer becomes insolvent, convenes a meeting with its creditors or proposes or enters into an arrangement with creditors, or makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or (c) a receiver, manager, liquidator (provisional or otherwise) or similar person is appointed in respect of the Customer or any asset of the Customer. 18. Unpaid Carrier’s Rights to Dispose of Goods 18.1 The Carrier shall have a lien on any Goods (and any documents relating to those Goods) in the possession or control of the Carrier for all sums payable by the Customer to the Carrier, and the Carrier shall have the right to sell such Goods or cargo by public auction or private treaty after giving notice to the Customer. The Carrier shall be entitled to retain the sums due to it, in addition to the charges incurred in detention and sale of such Goods or cargo, from the proceeds of sale and shall render any surplus to the entitled person. 19. Security And Charge 19.1 Despite anything to the contrary contained herein or any other rights which the Carrier may have howsoever: A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd – Terms & Conditions of Cartage © Copyright – A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd - 2006 (a) where the Customer and/or the Guarantor (if any) is the owner of land, realty or any other asset capable of being charged, both the Customer and/or the Guarantor agree to mortgage and/or charge all of their joint and/or several interest in the said land, realty or any other asset to the Carrier or the Carrier’s nominee to secure all amounts and other monetary obligations payable under the terms and conditions. The Customer and/or the Guarantor acknowledge and agree that the Carrier (or the Carrier’s nominee) shall be entitled to lodge where appropriate a caveat, which caveat shall be released once all payments and other monetary obligations payable hereunder have been met. (b) should the Carrier elect to proceed in any manner in accordance with this clause and/or its sub-clauses, the Customer and/or Guarantor shall indemnify the Carrier from and against all the Carrier’s costs and disbursements including legal costs on a solicitor and own client basis. (c) the Customer and/or the Guarantor (if any) agree to irrevocably nominate constitute and appoint the Carrier or the Carrier’s nominee as the Customer’s and/or Guarantor’s true and lawful attorney to perform all necessary acts to give effect to the provisions of this clause 21.1. 20. Privacy Act 1988 20.1 The Customer and/or the Guarantor/s agree for the Carrier to obtain from a credit reporting agency a credit report containing personal credit information about the Customer and Guarantor/s in relation to credit provided by the Carrier. 20.2 The Customer and/or the Guarantor/s agree that the Carrier may exchange information about the Customer and the Guarantor/s with those credit providers either named as trade referees by the Customer or named in a consumer credit report issued by a credit reporting agency for the following purposes: (a) to assess an application by Customer; and/or (b) to notify other credit providers of a default by the Customer; and/or (c) to exchange information with other credit providers as to the status of this credit account, where the Customer is in default with other credit providers; and/or (d) to assess the credit worthiness of Customer and/or Guarantor/s. 20.3 The Customer consents to the Carrier being given a consumer credit report to collect overdue payment on commercial credit (Section 18K(1)(h) Privacy Act 1988). 20.4 The Customer agrees that personal credit information provided may be used and retained by the Carrier for the following purposes and for other purposes as shall be agreed between the Customer and Carrier or required by law from time to time: (a) provision of Services; and/or (b) marketing of Services by the Carrier, its agents or distributors in relation to the Services; and/or (c) analysing, verifying and/or checking the Customer’s credit, payment and/or status in relation to provision of Services; and/or (d) processing of any payment instructions, direct debit facilities and/or credit facilities requested by Customer; and/or (e) enabling the daily operation of Customer’s account and/or the collection of amounts outstanding in the Customer’s account in relation to the Services. 20.5 The Carrier may give information about the Customer to a credit reporting agency for the following purposes: (a) to obtain a consumer credit report about the Customer; and/or (b) allow the credit reporting agency to create or maintain a credit information file containing information about the Customer. 21. Conditions of Storage 21.1 The Carrier will prepare an inventory of Goods received for storage and will ask the Customer to sign that inventory. The Customer will be provided with a copy of the inventory. If the Customer signs the inventory, or does not do so and fails to object to its accuracy within seven (7) days of receiving it from the Carrier, then the inventory will be conclusive evidence of the Goods received. The inventory will disclose only visible items and not any contents unless the Customer ask for the contents to be listed, in which case the Carrier will be entitled to make a reasonable additional charge. 21.2 The Carrier is authorised to remove the goods from one warehouse to another without cost to the Customer. The Carrier will notify the Customer of the removal and advise the address of the warehouse to which the Goods are being removed not less than five (5) days before removal (except in emergency, when such notice will be given as soon as possible). 21.3 The Customer is entitled upon giving the Carrier reasonable notice to inspect the Goods in store but a reasonable charge may be made by the Carrier for this service. 21.4 Subject to payment for the balance of any fixed or minimum period of storage agreed the Customer may require the Goods to be removed from the store at any time on giving the Carrier not less than five (5) working days notice. If the Customer gives the Carrier less than the required notice the Carrier will still use their best endeavours to meet the Customers requirements, but shall be entitled to make a reasonable additional charge for the short notice. 21.5 The Customer agrees to remove the goods from storage within twenty-eight (28) days of a written notice of requirement from the Carrier to do so. In default, the Carrier may after fourteen (14) days notice to the Customer SELL ALL OR ANY OF THE GOODS by public auction or, if that is not reasonably practicable by private treaty and apply the net proceeds in satisfaction of any amount owing by the Customer to the Carrier. A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd – Terms & Conditions of Cartage © Copyright – A & H Express Lines Pty Ltd - 2006 22. General 22.1 If any provision of these terms and conditions shall be invalid, void, illegal or unenforceable the validity, existence, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected, prejudiced or impaired. 22.2 These terms and conditions and any contract to which they apply shall be governed by the laws of New South Wales and are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales. 22.3 The Customer shall not be entitled to set off against or deduct from the Price any sums owed or claimed to be owed to the Customer by the Carrier. 22.4 The Carrier reserves the right to review these terms and conditions at any time. If, following any such review, there is to be any change to these terms and conditions, then that change will take effect from the date on which the Carrier notifies the Customer of such change. 22.5 Neither party shall be liable for any default due to any act of God, war, terrorism, strike, lock-out, industrial action, fire, flood, drought, storm or other event beyond the reasonable control of either party. 22.6 The terms and conditions set out herein shall prevail over the terms and conditions set out in any document used by the Customer, the owner or any other person having an interest in the Goods and purporting to have a contractual effect.