General terms for furniture take-back and transfer of ownership

The Second Life Furniture service

Second Life Furniture is a service operated by Saônoise de Mobiliers (SDM), enabling public institutions that are UGAP customers to offer used furniture for collection with a view to its reuse or refurbishment.

The form allows applicants to declare available furniture and provide the information needed to assess the request: contact details, collection locations, furniture types, quantities, estimated volumes, descriptions and photographs.

Scope of the scheme

The scheme applies exclusively in mainland France, excluding Corsica, to a batch of furniture with a volume strictly greater than 20 m³.

When a request covers several sites, the 20 m³ threshold applies to each collection site. Nearby sites may, however, be grouped into a single collection round with SDM’s prior agreement; the threshold then applies to the total volume of that round.

It covers furniture within the scope of UGAP contract no. 417483 awarded to SDM, including school chairs, tables, storage units and other educational furniture compatible with its refurbishment capabilities.

Every request is assessed and requires SDM’s prior agreement. Meeting the volume threshold does not constitute automatic acceptance of the furniture.

Approval from the owning authority

The transfer of ownership of the furniture requires prior approval from the owning authority, in accordance with the rules applicable to the management and disposal of its assets.

The applicant must be authorised to act on behalf of the institution concerned. If the applicant is not personally empowered to authorise the transfer, they are responsible for arranging for this authorisation to be obtained before collection.

For furniture belonging to a public entity, the competent authority checks that the conditions for its transfer to SDM are met and completes the necessary formalities. These terms do not replace that decision.

Where a transfer without financial consideration is authorised, SDM pays no purchase price for the furniture handed over. The transfer authorisation and supporting documents must be available before collection.

Declaring and assessing the request

The applicant specifies the types of furniture offered, their approximate quantities, general condition and estimated volume. They provide representative photographs of the furniture and disclose known major defects, significant missing parts and any contamination or infestation that could affect reuse or collection safety. A detailed inventory of each individual item is not required at the declaration stage.

They also specify the collection conditions: each site’s address, the location of the furniture, floor, lift, stairs, vehicle access, parking, any dismantling requirements and the preferred period.

Submitting the form requires ticking the box accepting these general terms. This acceptance allows the request to be assessed; it constitutes neither authorisation of the transfer by the owning authority nor SDM’s agreement to take back the furniture.

The confirmation email only acknowledges that the request has been registered. It confirms neither acceptance of the furniture nor a collection appointment.

SDM assesses the batch of furniture and logistical possibilities. It may request additional information or photographs or, if necessary, propose an on-site assessment before communicating its decision. Any on-site assessment or collection takes place strictly by appointment agreed in advance between SDM and the applicant.

Confirming and preparing for collection

Once SDM has accepted the batch of furniture and transfer authorisation has been obtained, SDM agrees with the customer on the furniture selected, the location, date and collection arrangements.

For operations accepted under the UGAP / SDM scheme, transport and take-back logistics costs are covered by SDM.

The furniture must be accessible and prepared as agreed. Any uninstallation, sorting or special handling operations are defined with SDM before the intervention.

Furniture must be handed over empty of all contents: documents, archives, supplies, personal belongings or other objects. Before collection, the customer checks that no confidential documents or sensitive data remain in the furniture. Removing and retaining these contents is the customer’s responsibility; collecting, archiving or destroying them is not part of the service. SDM may postpone or refuse collection of an item that has not been emptied. This obligation on the customer does not release SDM or its service provider from their own responsibilities when carrying out the intervention.

The applicant reports any changes concerning the furniture, quantities, its condition or access conditions. No journey, drop-off or collection should be arranged solely on the basis of submitting the form.

Furniture handover and traceability

Declaring the batch of furniture does not transfer ownership of the furniture to SDM. The transfer is formalised in a document identifying the owner, SDM, the furniture concerned and the terms of its transfer.

At collection, a collection note or handover report is drawn up and validated by the parties’ authorised representatives. It specifies the request reference, date, location, furniture types and quantities actually collected, together with any reservations. A copy is given to the customer.

As part of this collection for reuse, SDM may refuse an item before loading if it differs significantly from the information declared, if its condition prevents reuse even after the refurbishment operations envisaged, or if it presents a risk that prevents the intervention from being carried out safely with the resources planned. A refused item is not collected: it remains the customer’s property and in their care. The refusal and its reason are recorded in the collection note or handover report. Quantities actually collected are distinguished from those refused. This right of refusal is subject to the statutory take-back obligations mentioned in Article 8.

Ownership is transferred in accordance with the arrangements specified in the transfer document.

Collected furniture is sent to SDM’s refurbishment stream, which ensures the traceability of flows and operations carried out. Reporting information may be provided to the customer and UGAP, including volumes collected and their subsequent destination. Acceptance of a batch of furniture does not guarantee reuse of every item.

If, after collection and assessment, some furniture or components cannot be reused or refurbished, SDM directs them to an appropriate treatment stream, prioritising recycling, followed by other forms of recovery, in accordance with waste regulations. Disposal is only considered when the priority solutions are unsuitable, in accordance with those regulations. SDM may in particular use the extended producer responsibility scheme for furniture. It ensures the traceability of the flows concerned and retains the acceptance records available from the operators.

Tracking and cancelling the request

The personal link received by email allows the request to be viewed and cancelled until take-back has been completed. This link must be kept confidential as it provides access to the case details.

If a collection has already been scheduled, the applicant also notifies the SDM team handling the case to avoid an unnecessary journey.

The request reference must be quoted in communications with SDM.

Statutory take-back obligations

This service organises voluntary collection for reuse. It is separate from the free take-back that regulations require furniture distributors to provide in certain situations, particularly when equivalent furniture is purchased (known as “one-for-one” take-back).

Where a customer is entitled to free statutory take-back, this right remains applicable even if their furniture amounts to 20 m³ or less or cannot be reused. The conditions of this service cannot be used to refuse legally mandatory take-back; such take-back is assessed under its own rules. Likewise, the geographical scope of this service does not alter any statutory obligations applicable to the distributor.

For a take-back request linked to a purchase, the applicant provides the order reference so that SDM can identify the applicable framework.

Collection support and responsibilities

The customer designates an authorised representative of the institution to accompany the collection. This representative, or a replacement notified to SDM in advance, is present to welcome the teams and validate the handover. They remain contactable and available throughout the intervention. Continuous presence may be agreed in advance where site constraints require it. They provide access to the premises, identify the furniture authorised for transfer, confirm the items actually handed over and sign the collection note or handover report.

The institution ensures that the information provided is accurate, reports any known changes and ensures that the furniture is accessible at the agreed date and time.

SDM or its service provider organises handling and loading operations as agreed and ensures the safety of the operations within its intervention. The presence of the customer’s representative does not transfer control of these operations to that representative. Each party remains responsible for its own obligations.