Pickfords Removal Nightmare

MistyViolet

First let me say if I have posted this in the wrong place, please move it to the correct location.

Hi everyone, having a nightmare here. We agreed a quote with Pickfords, they collected our goods and placed them in storage. We moved to Sweden, bought a house then requested our goods. Only to be told in an email, that the price had gone up, we queried this and were then told a second even higher price (double the agreed quote), when we asked why it was so much more we were then (and only then) told that the amount collected was double the original quoted size. We showed the man who came to look round all the things that we were taking, and we only had a few extra things, certainly not double the volume. At no time prior to that had any mention of this increase been stated by Pickfords. We have attempted to resolve this matter with Pickfords, but to no avail. Our work computers and stock etc for our businesses are also within this consignment and we wish to get this resolved as soon as possible as we are unable to earn a living without our goods. But Pickfords are refusing to send us our goods without paying double agreed quote. We have contacted BAR, which that are a member of and still we have heard nothing from them either, over a fortnight later and still nothing.

Does anyone know what our rights are? We just want our stuff, but cannot afford to pay double what was quoted, as we only budgeted for that.

jamei305

You could ask Pickfords to collect only the original items for the original price, and find another company to deal with the extra items

Browntoa

Not sure what you expect , you got a quote for x amount , admit that there is more than that . In pickfords eyes there is twice the amount that they quoted for and are charging you as is their right . If you wanted to ship more than the quite then you should have asked them to quote again not just "add a few items "

davidmcn

MistyViolet wrote: »

Does anyone know what our rights are?

Not without seeing your contract. What does it say you're meant to pay?

moneyistooshorttomention

I would agree that we need to see exactly what is written in the contract.

Also - do you have it in writing re the first amended quote?

I am sympathising - as I personally landed up using Pickfords (not by deliberate choice) and I certainly wouldn't use them again.

You are on a bit of a sticky wicket - as it sounds like you added "a few extra things" to what the original quoter saw and we have no way of knowing what constitutes "a few".

In your position - I would be inclined to make them an offer for the first higher figure they quoted (and refer to their first email as proof that this is what they are asking for) and do so on a "without prejudice" basis and say words something along lines of "I trust this resolves the matter forthwith - and it wont be necessary for us to proceed any further with making a complaint through BAR".

It's probably far from uncommon for people to slip in "a few extra things" to what the quoter that came visiting saw. I know the vendor of my first house did that to his removal firm when he sold the house to me and I expect he is far from the only one that has done that.

I just have some sympathies because of what happened when they were the ones packing my goods personally for me...

Browntoa

They got a quote for x , tried to ship y , estimate only applies for x

Mickygg

You tried to be sneaky rather than ask for a quote for the extra items.

They want more money for this.

All seems fine to me. You need to pay up to get your stuff. if you drag your heels it will probably only be you being the loser by not having your stuff to earn money and still having to pay the fee.

MistyViolet

I can assure I did not try to be sneaky, Pickfords did. I showed Rob from Pickfords all round my 3 bedroomed house and showed him everything that was going, as did my friend in his 1 bedroomed flat. I was trying to sell some furniture right up until the last minute but some didn't sell, it was a book case and a small computer desk, so that is all that was extra. I never saw the list he made when he gave me the quote, I only saw it recently, after they said the volume doubled. I noticed that in a room where I had pointed to 4 large suitcases filled with clothes, he had only marked down 2, and I am sure he must have left off a lot off other items because a book shelf and a small desk do not double the volume of a 3 bedroomed house and a 1 bedroomed flat. He also lied and said I had seen and signed the formed, when I saw a scanned copy of the formed my signature was no where to be seen on it, but someone else had signed it, I am not sure if that is supposed be my signature, because if it is they are committing fraud!

Also on the day the men came to collect the items I overheard them saying "Rob has under quoted yet again." I didn't think anything of this, as I thought if he was the one who made the mistake, then he is the one who should get a cut in his commission, not to blame the customer!

I might also add that we were quoted for mid Sweden, which is 6 hours north from here, but ended up in the much closer southern Sweden, which should have cut the cost down some.

Also in their terms and conditions it clearly states "In the case of a change of price, the Company will always contact the Customer first to ensure that the price is acceptable." We were never contacted about such a change, we were told months later when we asking for our goods to be delivered, that the price on the quote had suddenly double, not even by hundreds of pounds more, but thousands!

Rob from Pickfords knew we were getting quotes for this move from several companies, I can only think that he purposely unquoted in order to get his commission, knowing that he could later blame me for having too much stuff.

I think the only way forward is to get another firm, hopefully NOT a BAR registered firm, and pay them to bring it over for us. Seeing as BAR are a waste of time and could be liken to a members protection scheme, as I know the members pay a high a price to be in it. And it seems they will be serving the interests of the hand that feeds them, not the consumer.

I will be making sure to warn everyone I know away from using Pickfords. and being someone who has a vast amount of contacts worldwide this bound to affect their business. I know not all the people who work there are bad people, the guys who came to pack the stuff were great guys, but the company have taken the side of their staff, when in my view if this is something he is constantly doing, he should be fired. And so they deserve what they get.

katipip

I think the only way forward is to get another firm, hopefully NOT a BAR registered firm, and pay them to bring it over for us.

I very much doubt Pickfords will release your goods until a large percentage of your bill is settled.

You could end up paying even more to employ a new firm and to settle up with Pickfords.

Celticheart

First of all I'd just like to ask why both Browntoa and Mickygg seemed to have assumed that MistyViolet is to blame and not the company? comments like that are unhelpful to someone who has simply asked a question, this is supposed to be a friendly helpful forum! especially as anyone who has moved and even more so if they have move abroad, will understand that this is an extremely stressful time.

Having lived and worked in many different countries over the years I have used several UK based removal companies Pickfords included and can honestly say this has happened to me on more than one occasion, it seems almost as if it is standard practise to under quote by big firms, then increase the amount later, I had it with Pickfords and Britannia, both times I went to BAR and that was a complete waste of time, I ended up going to Trading Standards and even to court with Pickfords.

It clearly states in the terms and conditions that they must notify you of any increase before your move and that you must agree it in writing for it to be valid! this is what happened to me with Pickfords Maidstone... Finally went to court and the Judge threw the book at them, now I cant say this would happen every time, and it cost me a lot to take them to court, even though I got it all back again...

And after that I decided to only use removal firms from other countries or small independent non BAR registered UK companies.

D_M_E

Pickfords have your stuff in storage and you are now talking about getting another company to collect it from Pickfords and deliver it to you.

What is there to stop Pickfords holding it for ransom and refusing to allow the new firm to collect your stuff until you pay for storage for their "double the volume of original quote" and how will the new firm know what size van to use to get it to you - was it taken away in a furniture van and how much space did it take in the van - when an overseas move is involved there could well be 2 or more deliveries/loads in one van.

You get a printout/copy of the invoice with your fake signature on it as proof and go to the small claims court for redress after having retrieved your stuff.