Damages & Claims Policy

Paving and Slabs Ltd — Last updated May 2026

At Paving and Slabs Ltd, we take every reasonable step to ensure your order is securely packed, palletised, and delivered in excellent condition. However, due to the heavy and rigid nature of porcelain, natural stone, and composite materials, a minor level of transit damage can occur during long-haul pallet delivery — this is an accepted and well-documented characteristic of the UK construction and paving supply industry.

This policy sets out clearly how we handle damage claims, what evidence is required, and what our obligations and your rights are under UK consumer law. Please read this page carefully before placing an order.

Transit Damage Thresholds

In line with standard practice across the UK paving and natural stone supply industry, the following damage thresholds apply to all orders. We strongly recommend ordering a 10–15% surplus allowance above your required square meterage to account for cuts, edge shaping, and any minor transit variation.

Evidence Required to Support a Damage Claim

To allow us to assess and process your claim efficiently and fairly, the following evidence is required for all damage claims above the 10% threshold:

Full Evidence Checklist

• Continuous unpacking video as described above (strongly recommended)
• Clear, high-resolution photographs of all damaged items, showing the full slab and the specific damage area
• Photographs of the pallet label(s) showing your order reference
• Photographs of the outer pallet wrapping showing the condition at delivery
• Your signed delivery note, noting any visible damage at the time of delivery where possible
• A written description of the damage — number of affected units, nature of damage (full break, edge chip, corner fracture, etc.)

Reporting Timelines — Strict Deadlines Apply

• Email your claim to info@pavingandslabs.co.uk with your order number in the subject line.
• Include all evidence listed in the checklist above as attachments or shared links.
• Claims submitted after materials have been moved around site, cut, or installed cannot be accepted — once slabs have been handled or laid, transit damage can no longer be verified.
• We aim to acknowledge all claims within 1 working day and provide a resolution within 5 working days of receiving complete evidence.

Minor Chipping & Surface Variation — What Is Normal

The following are considered normal characteristics of natural stone and porcelain paving during international freight and do not constitute manufacturing defects or transit damage:

• Minor edge chipping on riven natural stone — riven surfaces have naturally irregular edges that are susceptible to very minor chipping during transit. This does not affect structural integrity.
• Small corner flecks on porcelain — fine corner abrasions on a small number of slabs are a known characteristic of palletised tile freight.
• Surface micro-scratches from protective interleaving sheets shifting in transit.
• Natural colour variation within a batch of natural stone — this is an inherent characteristic of natural materials and is not a defect.

Slabs with very minor edge imperfections can be set aside by your installer and used for perimeter cuts, edge margins, or areas that will be covered by edging strips — a standard practice on all professional paving installations.

Split Pack Orders

Where a customer requests split packs, our warehouse team must physically open, separate, and repackage factory-sealed units. Please be aware of the following:

• Opening factory-sealed packs removes the original compressional protection designed to prevent movement during transit.
• Split pack orders therefore carry a higher inherent risk of edge chipping or minor transit damage than sealed factory packs.
• By requesting a split pack, you acknowledge and accept this increased transit risk. The standard damage thresholds above still apply.
• We will always do our best to repackage split packs securely, but cannot guarantee the same level of protection as an original factory-sealed unit.

Refunds & Replacements

• Where a valid, evidenced claim is approved by our claims team, a pro-rata refund will be issued to the original payment method for the verified damaged proportion of the order exceeding the applicable threshold.
• Refunds are calculated based on the per-unit or per-m² value of the confirmed damaged items only.
• Free replacement deliveries are not routinely offered for partial damage claims due to the significant cost of pallet haulage. Where replacement materials are agreed, this will be confirmed in writing by our claims team.
• Refunds will be processed within 5–10 working days of claim approval.
• These terms do not affect your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If you believe your goods are not of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, or as described, you retain the rights set out under that legislation regardless of the thresholds above.

Fair Use & Honest Claims

We work hard to resolve all genuine claims quickly and fairly. In return, we ask that all customers engage with our claims process honestly and in good faith.

• We do not supply individual loose slabs. We operate on a wholesale and full/split pack model only. Requests for single loose units cannot be accommodated.
• Where evidence suggests that claimed damage did not occur in transit — for example, where damage patterns are inconsistent with freight handling, or where claims are submitted without any supporting evidence — we reserve the right to decline the claim and provide our reasoning in writing.
• Where a customer submits a claim that is found to be deliberately exaggerated or fraudulent, we reserve the right to refer the matter to the appropriate authorities and to pursue recovery of any costs incurred as a result.
• We treat all customers with respect and professionalism, and we ask the same in return. Our customer service team is here to help resolve genuine issues — aggressive, threatening, or abusive communication will not be tolerated and may result in us declining to continue correspondence outside of formal written channels.
• We are fully committed to operating within UK commercial law and consumer protection legislation. Customers always retain their statutory rights, and we will never seek to unlawfully exclude them.

Contact Our Claims Team