Trapped with dodgy removals company

John00

Hi folks! :beer:

I arranged for 20m3 of contents of a small 3 bedroom bungalow to be moved from the UK to Portugal. I used a local company trading for 25 years specialised on international removals. They refused to come and check my goods and said 10m3 would be enough over the phone. We've packed everything up well and had the content measured by other professionals. I also used their online calculator. I was surprised it was well bellow the volume of 3 bedroom house but we still decided to buy 20m3 to play safe. I paid whole bill in advance.

The shipping was booked for 8am, but no one arrived until 4pm and it was clearly a third party service. The guys looked around the house, chatting in polish among themselves, made few calls and started loading the van. They were very unmotivated, dragging my furniture across asphalt, scratching, bumping my white goods and refused to use our blankets to cover them saying their insurance would cover the damage!

They stopped loading it at about 1/3 of van volume. One spoke english and said the van weight limit had been reached and a second van would be required. I was surprised they just told me that after loading the 1st van. I asked if 2nd van will cost me extra. The polish man didn't know and asked me to talk to my salespeople. It was 6pm and my removals company office was closed. Polish guy was rude and said if I wasn't happy with it they would just ship one van and leave the remaining contents behind. My family with a toddler had a flight to catch in few hours so they left me with no option but accept a second van to be loaded.

During loading the porter said his company operates on auction websites hiring people to do the job for the least amount of money and it is a very profitable business. I felt like I was trapped with a sort of "gang" people.

Fortunately all goods have been delivered safely to Portugal, some with cosmetic damage. I rang the removals company to report the incident and send them pictures of both 1/3 full vans to prove it was well bellow the volume purchased. He agreed I was right and would speak to the third part company.

I also found out the vans where not suitable for house removals, as originally they are designed for other purposes. Very likely the vans where converted by putting large frame cage with plastic cover!

One month later removals company emailed me saying I owe them extra £800 and that included the discount for the damaged contents. The manager said he wasn't aware of weight limit and it wasn't my mistake but his company had to pay the third party service and they had to pass on the bill to the customer (me).

So they sent some cowboys hired via the internet for little money, with an unsuitable van for the job, the loaders where late, rude, rough with furniture. I was trapped in the situation with no option and now they want me to pay extra for the contents equivalent of 1 bedroom flat, even if I paid for shipping of 3 bedroom house.

How do I deal with this legally? The logistics company is not registered with NGRS (National Guild of Removers & Storers).

Guest101

Dont pay and await a letter before action.

If local company, suggest the local media may wish to run a story

pinkshoes

As above, do not pay.

Send them a letter before action, with a copy of your original contract showing you have purchased a suitable capacity for a 3 bed house, and then give them 28 days to pay in full for the damage caused to your goods.

Did you take photos of them dragging goods without using carpets.

We used Bishop's Move who were really careful packing then unpacking, and if anything went overboard putting carpet protectors and rugs down to prevent damage.

thesaint

Are you sure they were Polish?
In what way were the vans not suitable for house removals?

eddddy

So it sounds like a couple of space cadets set up an online business in their bedroom - selling removal services, then sub-contracting out the work.

But they didn't understand about weight limits, so they've lost £800. Maybe it was their first contract! (Maybe they'll have to sell their Xboxes to cover their losses!)

As others have said, you don't have to pay (unless they can demonstrate that you agreed to pay them the £800 in advance).

PuzzledDave

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your most recent communication. I was most distressed to hear of your additional costs from your 3rd party suppliers. Upon reviewing my contract with your company, I cannot see any provision for additional charges being levied against me where your company has failed to take into account additional weight limits, I would be most grateful if you could confirm where this provision was documented.

In the meantime, I look forward to full payment of damages your suppliers have made to my goods.

Yours sincerely,
John00

nearlyrich

Reminds me of the window company who gave us a price based on a telephone call with exact dimensions turned up to measure up before making the window and said "oh it's really big it will need safety glass" and then proceeded to ask for nearly twice as much. We didn't hire them, it's not your fault they gave you a duff quotation don't let them get away with it.

Munteoir

Out of curiosity, what does the fact that they were Polish have to do anything?

Munteoir

Fair enough.
I doubt, however, that it was the fact that they spoke Polish to each other that caused them to damage OP's belongings, be late, or unmotivated:)

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

OP, best of luck with your new place!

Corelli

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