Warehouse and logistics agreements that match how goods move through your business

Problems often arise at the handover points. Goods may be damaged, delayed, miscounted, stored incorrectly or released without clear authority, and the parties then discover they never properly agreed who carries the risk. A well-drafted agreement can set out service levels, liability positions, claims processes, insurance expectations and operational responsibilities in a way that matches the arrangement on the ground. That matters especially where warehousing, transport and customer delivery involve different parties or overlapping responsibilities.

It will usually deal with the services being provided, storage and handling obligations, delivery or dispatch processes, stock control, fees, invoicing, liability for loss or damage, insurance, service standards, confidentiality, termination and what happens to goods on exit. Depending on the arrangement, it may also need schedules for operating procedures, reporting, pickup authorities or special handling requirements. The drafting should be matched to the commercial arrangement, the documents already in use and the facts around how the work is performed, not just the title of the contract.

Key details include what goods are being handled, whether they are high value, perishable or regulated, where risk passes, who controls transport, how inventory is tracked, what turnaround times are expected and whether subcontractors are involved. If personal information is handled through delivery records, customer contacts or tracking systems, that can also affect the drafting. The wording should reflect the information your business collects, the reasons it is used and the parties it is shared with, as well as how the logistics process works in practice.

A template may be too general once your arrangement includes multiple service stages, custom operating procedures or non-standard risk allocation. For example, a basic form may not deal properly with stock discrepancies, authority to release goods, shrinkage, damaged inventory, storage conditions or the split between warehouse services and transport services. A tailored agreement is more useful where the factual working arrangement can matter as much as the contract wording. This service is for the contract itself, rather than broader supply chain advisory work.

Timing depends on how complex the arrangement is and how quickly you can provide the commercial details. After you engage us, we gather the practical information needed for the agreement, prepare the draft and work through any required changes within the included scope. If the arrangement involves unusual risk allocation, multiple parties or detailed operating schedules, that can affect timing. The fixed-fee covers the stated drafting work, but not negotiations with the other side, dispute representation or implementation of warehouse systems and procedures.

Submit an enquiry on this page or click 'Get started'. One of our legal consultants will review it within 1 business day and get in touch to understand what you need.

Your consultant will then email you a fixed-fee quote setting out the cost, scope and timing. If you're happy with it, you can accept the quote and sign our engagement letter online.

Once you've accepted, one of our Australian-qualified lawyers will work with you to complete your project. They'll contact you by email or phone if they need anything.

Sprintlaw works on fixed-fee pricing wherever possible, so you can review the scope and cost before you decide whether to proceed. For the Warehouse And Logistics Agreement service, pricing starts from $900.00.

After you enquire, a legal consultant will confirm what is included, the expected timing and whether any extra work is needed before you engage us.

We work online, so we can help wherever you are in New Zealand. Our team works remotely, mainly from Australia.

Your work is done by our Australian-qualified lawyers, who hold Australian practising certificates and specialise in business law. None of them are New Zealand lawyers or hold a New Zealand practising certificate.

Sprintlaw NZ Limited is a legal consultancy, not a law firm, and is not regulated by the New Zealand Law Society. We don't act in court or tribunal matters, conveyancing (including leases and business sales) or other reserved areas of work. Communications with Sprintlaw are unlikely to be protected by legal professional privilege. We still keep everything confidential under our engagement letter.