House removal costs

eattothebeat

We move into our new house tomorrow. I've used a removal company which is a friend of my dad's to move all our stuff out of our old house, out it into storage, collect a few things from my mums (as we moved into hers for 2 months whilst waiting for our new place) and then move the things back to my mums and the rest to our new house. he told me it would be £10 a week storage and not to worry about the price for removals and that he would be kind to me. Today he tells me the cost is £600 for cash and that there is no vat. Is this a good price? I was a bit shocked but then have no cost comparison for using removal companies.

voytovdwiof

Probably had a cashflow problem and figures he can use you as a get-out.

To go from £80 and "don't worry" to £600 is a bit of a leap.

lightwarrior

seems they are just making good money on you. it is very expansive

ankspon

voytovdwiof wrote: »

Probably had a cashflow problem and figures he can use you as a get-out.

To go from £80 and "don't worry" to £600 is a bit of a leap.

Where does it say £80?

voytovdwiof

davidhwdn wrote: »

Where does it say £80?

eattothebeat wrote: »

our stuff out of our old house, out it into storage, collect a few things from my mums (as we moved into hers for 2 months whilst waiting for our new place)

eattothebeat wrote: »

he told me it would be £10 a week storage

Maybe I misread, but I think they were in storage for 8 weeks, £10 x 8?

Catatonia

How much stuff is it and how far is it going?

I was charged £400 to move a 80 square metre's worth of stuff 250 miles if that helps as a comparison?

eattothebeat

yeah the storage is very cheap so I thought he was going to be cheap to move my stuff and it's 32 boxes and a few bits of furniture like a washing machine and desk. I'm annoyed at myself for not asking about the cost for removal as I prob would have been cheaper using the self storage option. I am going to phone a few other removal companies tomorrow to set my mind at rest. It would be good to know other peoples costs for removal though cos I am still trying to swallow the cost he told me. At first i thought he was joking! The move is in Edinburgh and my mums place is about 5 miles from where we;re moving and the new house isn't far from the guys depot.

Yorkie1

Definitely get some other quotes - self storage, removal firm, man with van.

Then offer in writing to pay something which you feel fairly reflects his labour / input, taking into consideration the price you accepted for the storage and the fact that he indicated he'd do you a good deal i.e. less than market rate.

The fact he wants cash and no vat is an indicator of the sort of business practices he's up to.

He's then placed in a position of deciding whether to accept what you offer, negotiate based on your proper figures, or to justify his claim in the small claims court - which I guess he'd be unlikely to want to do, particularly if there's previous friendships involved and he's provided no quote / wants to avoid VAT.

Hammyman

Yorkie1 wrote: »

The fact he wants cash and no vat is an indicator of the sort of business practices he's up to.

You mean someone with common sense who is sick of being fleeced by the govt and acting as an unpaid tax collector?

eattothebeat

He actually owns one of the biggest removal companies in Edinburgh and he's a millionaire! My parents seem to think it is a reasonable price considering he is doing 2 moves. They seem to think a normal removal price is in the region of £1000.

Yorkie1

Well neither you nor your parents will know whether it's a decent price unless and until you get some comparator quotes. They may be right. He may be pulling a fast one. You either pay up or do some more research.