Age Verification Service Terms & Conditions

These age verification terms and conditions (AV T&Cs) set out the terms agreed between Parcelforce Worldwide (we, Parcelforce Worldwide) and you (Customer, you, your) that apply to our provision of and your use of the “AV Services” (as defined below). Once entered into, these terms will be incorporated into and form part of the Conditions of Carriage.

1 Meanings of capitalised words

1.1 In these AV T&Cs, the capitalised below shall have the meanings:

Except as otherwise defined herein or amended hereby, words and expressions defined in the Conditions of Carriage shall have the same meaning when used in these AV T&Cs.

2 AV Service

2.1 The AV Service will only be available to you following Parcelforce Worldwide’s acceptance (in writing) of your request to receive the AV Service, and will be subject to:

(a) your compliance with these AV T&Cs;
(b) the Conditions of Carriage terms that apply to the AV Available Service used by you as part of the AV Service; and
(c) the CSA (as applicable).

2.2 The terms in the Conditions of Carriage which are applicable to the Available AV Service used by you as part of the AV Service, shall also apply to these AV T&Cs.

2.3 If there is any conflict between these AV T&Cs, and the Conditions of Carriage or CSA (as applicable), these terms will prevail and take precedence.

3    CUSTOMER OBLIGATIONS

3.1    If the Customer wishes Parcelforce Worldwide to provide the AV Services in respect of a Parcel or Consignment that is being delivered under the Conditions of Carriage or a CSA (as applicable), it shall:

(a)    notify the purchaser (prior to the purchaser placing the order for the relevant item) of:

(i) the requirement for an individual aged 18 or over to be present at the Recipient’s address upon delivery;
(ii) that Parcelforce Worldwide practices Challenge 25 and may require the individual present at the Recipient’s address to present a Relevant ID to Parcelforce Worldwide; and
(iii) that failure to do so may result in the AV Item not being delivered;

(b)    ensure it generates and uses labels and barcodes in a format pre-agreed in writing by Parcelforce Worldwide in order to notify Parcelforce Worldwide that the Parcel or Consignment is an AV Item to which these AV T&Cs apply;
(c)    ensure that Pre-Advised Information in a format pre-agreed in writing by Parcelforce Worldwide is sent to Parcelforce Worldwide for each relevant Parcel or Consignment in order to notify Parcelforce Worldwide that the Parcel or Consignment is an AV Item to which these AV T&Cs apply;
(d)    pay Parcelforce Worldwide any AV Surcharges;
(e)    ensure that the AV Item fully complies with Parcelforce Worldwide’s requirements in respect of Prohibited Goods and Restricted Goods as set out in:

(i)     the Conditions of Carriage (as may be updated from time to time); and
(ii)    under the heading "Prohibitions and Restrictions" (or similar expression) on www.parcelforce.com and/or at www.parcelforce.com/customerinformation (as such websites and webpages may be replaced or updated from time to time);

(f)    package and label all AV Items in accordance with:

(i)    UK Law (which, if you are sending any Restricted Bladed Item may include (but is not limited to) the Offensive Weapons Act 2019); and
(ii)   provided such instructions do not contravene any UK Law, any instructions provided by Parcelforce Worldwide to the Customer; and

(g)   not send an AV Item to a purchaser, or the Recipient outside of the (i)Territory; (ii) to a PO box address; or (iv) to a Locker.

3.2    To avoid doubt, these AV T&Cs are subject to the Prohibited Goods and Restricted Goods restrictions as referred to in section 3.1 (e) (ii) and any requirement set out therein shall take priority and precedence over any provision in these AV T&Cs (in particular your attention is drawn to the restrictions therein which expressly prohibit you from sending certain items including but not limited to Prohibited Bladed Items and certain other offensive weapons under any circumstances).

3.3    To avoid doubt, if the Customer fails to:

(a)    meet any of the requirements as set out in sections 3.1 or section 3.2 above in respect of any Parcel or Consignment, then Parcelforce Worldwide shall:

(i)    be under no obligation to perform the AV Services in respect of such item;
(ii)    have no liability to the Customer in relation to the non-performance of the AV Services; and
(iii)    be entitled to assume that the arrangement between Parcelforce Worldwide and the Customer under the CSA and/or Conditions of Carriage does not cover the delivery of items which, by law, may only be delivered to a person over the age of 18;

(b)    meet any of the requirements as set out in sections 3.1 or 3.2 above, then it shall indemnify and keep indemnified Parcelforce Worldwide and its employees, contractors, subcontractors and agents against all loss, damage or injury howsoever arising as a result or as a consequence (whether directly or indirectly) of such failure.

4    Parcelforce Worldwide obligations

4.1    During the term of these AV T&Cs and subject to the other terms set out herein, Parcelforce Worldwide shall provide the following AV Services to the Customer, specifically:

(a)    as part of the delivery of an AV Item, Parcelforce Worldwide shall apply its Challenge 25 in practice in relation to the individual at the Recipient’s address (who, for the avoidance of doubt, may not be the Recipient) if that person looks under 25, request that they present a Relevant ID as a requirement for the delivery;
(b)    if the relevant person looks to the relevant Parcelforce Worldwide staff member to be 25 or older or a Relevant ID is presented to the reasonable satisfaction of Parcelforce Worldwide, Parcelforce Worldwide shall deliver the AV Item and record on its system the type of Relevant ID that was presented;
(c)    if the relevant person looks to the relevant Parcelforce Worldwide staff member to be under 25 and no legible Relevant ID is provided to the reasonable satisfaction of Parcelforce Worldwide within a reasonable time after it being requested, Parcelforce Worldwide shall not deliver the AV Item; if appropriate in the circumstances, Parcelforce Worldwide shall attempt delivery of the AV Item for the second time on the following day and the same process as described in (a) & (b) above shall apply; if no delivery is made on the second attempt, the AV Item will be returned to Parcelforce Worldwide’s depot awaiting instructions from the Customer (such instructions may include to attempt delivery for the third time at the Recipient’s address (but not any other address)), in the absence of any instruction within 16 days of the AV item being returned to Parcelforce Worldwide’s depot, the AV Item will be returned to the sender, for the avoidance of doubt, an AV Item will only be delivered to the specified address and will not be delivered to a neighbouring address or to a Post Office branch; and
(d)    in all other respects other than as described above, the delivery of the AV Item shall be subject to and governed by the relevant Conditions of Carriage terms that apply to the AV Available Service used by you and, (if applicable) the CSA (including without limitation delivery times and requirement for a signature).

5    Termination and Changes

5.1    At any time and for any reason whatsoever:

(a)    either the Customer or Parcelforce Worldwide may terminate these AV T&Cs with immediate effect (and therefore the AV Available Services will cease to be available) by giving written notice to the other party; or
(b)    Parcelforce Worldwide may change these AV T&Cs immediately and without providing you with notice except if Parcelforce Worldwide makes any changes to the AV Surcharges in which case Parcelforce Worldwide will provide you with 14 days written notice prior to such change, and in either instance, to the maximum extent permitted by law, neither the Customer nor Parcelforce Worldwide (as applicable) shall under any circumstances owe each other any liability whatsoever (whether under contract, tort, statute or any other law) as a consequence of exercising either of its rights under sections 5.1(a) or 5.1(b) above.

5.2    The termination of:

(a)    these AV T&Cs shall not automatically terminate the Conditions of Carriage or the CSA (if applicable) which shall continue to be governed by their own terms; and
(b)    either the Conditions of Carriage or the CSA (if applicable) for any reason shall result in these AV T&Cs being immediately terminated (from which point the AV Services will cease to be available to you).

5.3    If these AV T&Cs expire or are terminated, Parcelforce Worldwide and the Customer will each continue to retain their rights against each other existing at the date of such expiry or termination.

5.4    If Parcelforce Worldwide receive an AV Item after these AV T&Cs have terminated or expired, or if at the time these AV T&Cs have terminated or expired, Parcelforce Worldwide is in possession of an AV Item, Parcelforce

Worldwide may, at its absolute discretion deliver, or return such AV Item either at a charge which it determines or at a charge which is agreed with the Customer.

6    Customer’s statutory obligations

6.1    The Customer undertakes and warrants in relation to all AV Items that are the subject matter of these AV T&Cs, that it has complied with all applicable law in the Territory relating to the sale of age-restricted items, including without limitation the Offensive Weapons Act 2019, Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Licensing Act 2003 (as amended), that it has in place effective systems for preventing sales to underage customers and that it took all reasonable precautions to verify the age of potential purchasers to avoid such sales.

7    Parcelforce Worldwide’s liability

7.1    Parcelforce Worldwide’s liability in respect of the AV Items and the AV Services shall be governed by the terms of the Conditions of Carriage that apply to the AV Available Service used by you, and the CSA (if applicable), including without limitation in respect of maximum compensation, exclusions, limits and refunds that apply to the AV Available Service you have used.

7.2    Notwithstanding any other provision of these AV T&Cs, Parcelforce Worldwide does not exclude any liability relating to personal injury or death caused by our negligence, or for any losses which are caused by Parcelforce Worldwide’s fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

7.3    Parcelforce Worldwide shall not be liable where any person including without limitation the purchaser, the Recipient or the individual providing the Relevant ID has been fraudulent or dishonest in any way, including by misrepresenting themselves or their identity or by presenting a fake Relevant ID.

8    General

8.1    If the CSA includes any KPI’s and/or service credits then under no circumstances shall these apply in respect of the AV Items and the AV Services, which shall be excluded from any relevant service measurements and no rebates will be due in relation thereto.

8.2    A person who is not a party to these AV T&Cs has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any of its terms but this does not affect any right or remedy of a third party which exists or is available apart from that Act.

8.3    These AV T&Cs are subject to and shall be construed in accordance with English law and the English courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection therewith.

8.4    Except as expressly varied and amended by these AV T&Cs, all terms and conditions of the Conditions of Carriage and (if applicable) the CSA shall continue unamended and remain in full force and effect.
 

Schedule 1 – Excluded Postcodes

The AV Services shall not be available where the Recipient’s address is in any of the following postcodes: