Frequently Asked Questions

• • What is a pallet?

    • A pallet is a flat transportable structure made generally from wood, occasionally plastic, designed to support a variety of goods giving stability to the item whilst in transit. Goods must be placed securely on the pallet using strapping or shrink-wrap plastic film. It is essential your goods are secured in this way to ensure they do not move during transit.

  • Why the different pallet sizes?

    • Although it may seem a little confusing, by offering the different pallet sizes, we can offer you the best possible rate for delivering your pallet. We don’t want you to have to pay for a full 2m high pallet when you’re sending an item 1m high, which would be classified as a 1/2 pallet. We would ask you to accurately measure the goods to ensure you are charged correctly. The collection company will measure your pallet to ensure it corresponds with what you have booked. If the pallet is oversized, it will be held by our depot until the additional payment has been made to release it.

  • What is an oversized pallet?

    • An oversized pallet is a pallet outside the dimensions quoted of 1.2m x 1.2m. If any of the dimensions of your pallet is larger, you would need to book this as an oversized pallet. The weight limit is the same as a full pallet, a maximum of 1,200kg. If the pallet is over 2.1m in length the pallet will have to be fork lifted on and off the vehicle as it is too long to go safely on the tail-lift. Please be aware that if you have asked us to supply the pallet, the goods will overhang the pallet as we cannot supply empty oversized pallets. If in doubt, please contact our team and they will advise you.

  • Can EasyPallets provide pallets?

    • Yes, we can. Once you have entered all the necessary details an empty pallet can be requested by ticking the required box. A charge of £10 per pallet is made for this service and we require at least one working day’s notice, therefore a premium collection service is not possible.

      A pallet will be presented at the collection point and the customer will be given 10 minutes to pack and secure the goods safely on the pallet. It is not the driver’s responsibility to place the goods on the pallet. Please note that large and heavy items need securing with either ratchet straps or another form of strapping to ensure they are safe and secure during transit. Unfortunately, this is not something we can provide. We are unable to supply empty pallets for the shipment of engines or personal house moves. These items will need to be pre-palletised prior to collection.

      Note: Please be aware that if ordering an empty pallet from us, these are of the standard dimensions mentioned within our quoting system, as oversized empty pallets do not exist.

  • What are access restrictions?

    • Collections/deliveries cannot be made to:

      Soft ground such as grass, gravel or soil;

      A premises where it is illegal for a lorry to park or unload;

      Where the surface of the access road is very unstable to park or unload or where the access road is on a steep incline.

      If you are in any doubt of the suitability of the collection/delivery premises please contact us and we can advise you.

  • Do the goods have to be put on a pallet and what type of goods are suitable?

    • To enable you to use EasyPallets services, the goods can only be transported using a pallet. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure the goods are secured safely for transit. Within reason, anything can be put on a pallet – from domestic appliances, motor spares, building materials, furniture, the list is endless. However, goods we are unable to carry are hazardous goods and temperature critical items.

  • What information do I need to place an order?

    • You will need to know the dimensions of the item you wish to transport and the approximate weight. You will also need the full collection and delivery address (with postcodes) and telephone numbers for both – if you can provide a mobile phone number as well, this will speed up any delivery/collection issues.

  • How are you going to get the pallet on the vehicle?

    • All collection and delivery vehicle’s carry pallet trucks and the vehicles are fitted with tail-lifts. The driver will move the pallet onto the tail-lift of the vehicle using the pump truck and ensure the pallet is safely placed on the vehicle. The maximum weight the tail-lift can carry is 1,000kg. To be able to use the pump truck effectively the surface must be flat and constructed of either tarmac or concrete. We are unable to move goods using a pump truck on a gravel drive or grass verge. All collections and deliveries are kerb-side. Unfortunately our drivers are unable to enter your premises to collect or deliver goods.

  • What access is needed for collections/deliveries?

    • It is important to make sure the vehicle will fit down your road before you request a collection/delivery. The smallest vehicle used is a 7.5 tonne. If a dustbin lorry can get to your property then this won’t be a problem. If you are unsure, put a note on the instructions and we will check access directly.

  • What happens if I miss my collection/delivery?

    • The price you pay is for one collection/delivery attempt. Commercial vehicles are not cheap to run and if the goods are not ready for collection, an additional charge of £20 plus VAT will be made. Collections and deliveries will be made between 10am until 5pm.

  • Are the goods insured?

    • Whilst the goods are on the pallet and in transit with EasyPallets the delivery will be insured in accordance with our terms and conditions of carriage.  The limit of liability is restricted to a maximum of £1.30 per kilo for freight collecting and delivering within the UK or £8 per kilo for freight being exported or imported from or into the UK. We do recommend customers purchase either our additional or extended insurance if the quoted rates are not sufficient.

      Please see our section on insurance under Pallet Requirements for more detailed information.

  • Collection of engines and gearboxes

    • There are strict guidelines concerning the collection of engines and gearboxes.  These items have to be pre-palletised prior to collection.

      Due to recent changes within the network, engine collection and deliveries within Europe also now have to be crated on a pallet. This applies to new and second hand engines.

      The primary reason that the shipping industry has to deny damage claims is that the pallet has not been prepared for shipping correctly. This is further exasberated when shipping an engine pallet delivery, oils and fluids can leak on to other cargo, which may result in unnecessary surcharges.  Please follow the steps below to ensure the correct packaging of engines.

      1. Drain all fluids. Each component must be fully drained of all fluids including water. The collection driver may test this using a dipstick. If the driver discovers oil the consignment may be refused and a non-collection surcharge may apply.
      2. Prevent leakage. Place your engine on absorbent material, such as old carpet, before placing the engine on the pallet.
      3. Position. Your engine or gearbox must be positioned centrally on the pallet. We recommend that you allow a minimum of 3” excess pallet area on all sides around the goods in case of movement and to prevent the goods from overhanging, as this would constitute a second pallet space charge.
      4. Stabilize. Ensure as much of the engine surface area makes contact with the pallet. Securely strap the engine to the pallet to prevent the engine from tipping and moving, which could present a risk of damage to your own and other cargo. We recommend ratchet straps or steel banding, employing at least two straps secured on top of small pieces of non-slip material to minimise movement in transit.

      If you think about the engine pallet journey, your engine will be loaded and unloaded on several vehicles and pass through a regional depot to be sorted before it reaches its destination. Obviously, this process significantly increases the risk of damage to unsecured goods.

      Top Tip: The safest way to ship an engine is to place it inside a car tyre before shipping. Then ratchet strap the engine. This will make it much more secure.

  • Are the delivery dates guaranteed?

    • Whilst we are committed to get your pallet(s) to the destination on time, we cannot guarantee that everything will go to plan. All our vehicle are regularly serviced but breakdowns and incidents do happen. They can also get stuck in traffic jams and will, on occasion, be affected by adverse weather conditions! The one thing we will do is keep you informed until your pallet is collected / delivered. With European deliveries we endeavour to quote accurate delivery dates, however, the European vehicles coming to and from the UK can get held up due to the distance they have to travel. We unfortunately cannot be held responsible for the late delivery of pallets – particularly within Europe.

  • Do I need to put an address label on my pallet?

    • Yes you do. Once your order is placed, you will receive an email which will contain the tracking number for your consignment. Address labels must be placed on securely and on both short sides of the pallet. Once your pallet(s) is with us we will generate an address label with your consignment number which we will be able to track for you.

  • What time will my collection/delivery be made?

    • Collections and deliveries can be made any time between 9am and 5pm. Please contact us on the day of collection if you would like an estimated collection time and we will contact the haulier to find out what time they will be in your area. Saturday collections / deliveries can be made but will be done in the mornings only at an additional charge of £70.

  • Do I sign for the goods if they have arrived damaged?

    • In the unlikely event your goods arrive damaged, please sign the delivery note to accept the goods but make a note of the damage. If you sign without reference to the damage we will not be able to process an insurance claim.

  • What is handballing?

    • Handballing is where we deliver goods to the premises, unload (on the ground floor only), then take away the pallet and any wrapping. If you do not request handballing your pallet will be delivered kerbside.

      There is an additional charge made for this services at £20 per pallet to be made at the time of booking.