Garment care & liability

1. Our standard of care

Every piece is inspected, tagged and recorded when it arrives. We follow the care label and use methods suited to each fibre and finish. We assess specialist pieces (leather, bridal, couture, heirlooms) before we start, and quote first where needed.

2. Before you send your pieces

• Please empty every pocket. We'll return anything we find where we can, but we can't be responsible for items left in pockets.
• Remove detachable trims, belts, brooches and anything valuable, or tell us about them.
• Tell us about stains (what they are and how old), delicate trims, earlier repairs or treatments, and any piece of special value. Use the notes when you book, or call us.

3. What we check on arrival

We note existing stains, wear, weak seams, missing buttons and other damage. If we think a piece is at risk from cleaning, or it has no care label, we'll contact you before going ahead. We may decline a piece we can't clean safely.

4. What cleaning can and can't do

• Some stains are permanent, and cleaning can reveal wear that was already there, such as thinning fabric or fading.
• Some problems come from how a piece was made: shrinkage, colour loss or bubbling from an inaccurate care label or faulty materials. When we've followed the care label, these are the maker's responsibility. We'll give you a written report to support a claim with the retailer.

5. While your pieces are with us

We're responsible for your pieces from the moment we collect them (or check in your drop-off bags) until we return them to you, or to the person or concierge desk you've asked us to leave them with.

6. If we lose or damage a piece

• Please check your pieces when they come back and tell us within 24 hours about anything missing or damaged. Keep the piece and its tag so we can look at it. If something only shows later, such as damage you notice the next time you wear it, tell us as soon as you can and we'll look into it fairly.
• If the loss or damage is our fault, we'll repair or restore the piece where we can. If we can't, we'll pay compensation based on its value at the time: what it cost, adjusted for its age and condition. We use the industry's Fair Claims Guide to work this out. Receipts or proof of purchase help.
• The most we pay for a single piece is £500, unless you told us it was worth more and we agreed in writing before cleaning it.
• This doesn't affect your legal rights.

7. Pieces in the Vault

Pieces stored in the LAVE Vault are covered by our separate Vault policy.

8. Talking to us

If you have any concern about a piece, email hello@lavelondon.com or call +44 7763 566 145. We'll always look into it carefully and tell you what we find.

Last updated 27 October 2026.