Change to removal quotation after acceptance.

Manxman_in_exile

I don't think I'm particularly bothered whether it was an hour later or a week later.

The OP says the removal firm gave him a quote*.  Some months later - presumably after the OP contacted them - the removal firm wanted to re-new the quote*.  They did so and confirmed the original figure.  The OP decides to rely on and to accept that figure and a contract is formed.

How many opportunities should the removal firm be given to re-new the quote to get it right?  I think getting it wrong once could be considered acceptable, but not twice.  Could the OP have the original quote confirmed half a dozen times and still find that he couldn't rely on it?

And I don't see that mistake comes into this.  Any competent removal firm is likely to be making as many quotes in a week as an average person will be in their lifetime and shouldn't be underestimating the cost by a third**.

*I have no idea whether the OP got a quote or an estimate, but he says he got a "quote".

** It's not clear from the OP's comment of "50%" whether the removal firm's original quote was half of the final figure or 2/3 of the final figure.

pinkshoes

C0lin61 said:

Hi, my original quote was several months earlier. Once we had a likely completion date, the removers requested a requote. This confirmed the original price.

The time lag between me sending my acceptance and them increasing the price was an hour or so.

OK... so they gave you a quote MONTHS ago. Did it say how long the quote was valid for?

Usually, you'd get quotes then accept one at the time within a short time period, with the view to arrange the specifics nearer the completion date. If this was the case, then when you'd contacted to book the specifics and they changed the price, you would be in a good position to refuse to pay the extra (or pay it, get the move done, then push for a refund of the extra).

As you didn't accept the quote until MONTHS later, then quite rightfully they've reviewed it, and within just an hour they have said that it needs to increase. As this all happened within an hour it would be hard to show any losses as you hadn't accepted any quote prior to that.

cx6

@pinkshoes I think this is the nub of the matter - quotes are not valid indefinitely.

The original quote was months ago and therefore 'expired'

The re-quote was done and thus became the only valid quote. It was corrected an hour later, and thus the OP's losses are zero unless something happened in that hour to cause financial loss.

C0lin61

C0lin61 said:

I received my removal quote confirmation and sent off the acceptance form.

Shortly afterwards, I was told that there had been an error and the revised quote was substantially higher.

I did not have time to source an alternate company so, reluctantly, paid the higher price.

I have now exhausted the company's complaints procedure.

Any thoughts on best way of seeking redress?

Colin

Sorry for not responding to some of the comments sooner... it's been busy in our new home.

The situation was resolved... i emailed the CEO and gave him the opportunity to investigate before I escalated the issue. After doing so, he honoured the original quote and paid us compensation!

For completeness, I will answer some of the queries raised in the thread but this may take a few days.

Thanks for everyone's input.

C0lin61

jon81uk said:

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

You say "shortly" afterwards, but what timescale is it?

If you accepted on Monday and they say on Wednesday, that seems reasonable, they checked back and found an error. The fact you didn't then have enough time to get an alternative is likely becuase you didn't allow enough time between quote and the move taking place.
It it is several weeks later they found the error that is a bigger problem.

Hi, my original quote was several months earlier. Once we had a likely completion date, the removers requested a requote. This confirmed the original price.

The time lag between me sending my acceptance and them increasing the price was an hour or so.

I think it needs someone much more knowledgeable in contract law and similar to decide if you have a case or not. 

Informing you of a mistake within an hour seems reasonable; but if you checked the price months after the first quote it shouldn’t be a surprise it has increased either but then doing it after accepting a revised quote seems unreasonable 

..... the requote confirmed the original price which is what i then accepted.

C0lin61

Manxman_in_exile said:

** It's not clear from the OP's comment of "50%" whether the removal firm's original quote was half of the final figure or 2/3 of the final figure.

teh price increased  to 150% of the original price.

Manxman_in_exile

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

You say "shortly" afterwards, but what timescale is it?

If you accepted on Monday and they say on Wednesday, that seems reasonable, they checked back and found an error. The fact you didn't then have enough time to get an alternative is likely becuase you didn't allow enough time between quote and the move taking place.
It it is several weeks later they found the error that is a bigger problem.

Hi, my original quote was several months earlier. Once we had a likely completion date, the removers requested a requote. This confirmed the original price.

The time lag between me sending my acceptance and them increasing the price was an hour or so.

I think it needs someone much more knowledgeable in contract law and similar to decide if you have a case or not. 

Informing you of a mistake within an hour seems reasonable; but if you checked the price months after the first quote it shouldn’t be a surprise it has increased either but then doing it after accepting a revised quote seems unreasonable 

..... the requote confirmed the original price which is what i then accepted.

Thanks for letting us know the outcome.  I'm not particularly surprised that they eventually honoured the original quote which they had subsequently confirmed to be correct.  I was surprised that so many other posters thought it would be acceptable for them to renege on it after they had confirmed it.  How many opportunities do you need to give them to get it correct so you can rely on it?

Ath_Wat

Manxman_in_exile said:

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

You say "shortly" afterwards, but what timescale is it?

If you accepted on Monday and they say on Wednesday, that seems reasonable, they checked back and found an error. The fact you didn't then have enough time to get an alternative is likely becuase you didn't allow enough time between quote and the move taking place.
It it is several weeks later they found the error that is a bigger problem.

Hi, my original quote was several months earlier. Once we had a likely completion date, the removers requested a requote. This confirmed the original price.

The time lag between me sending my acceptance and them increasing the price was an hour or so.

I think it needs someone much more knowledgeable in contract law and similar to decide if you have a case or not. 

Informing you of a mistake within an hour seems reasonable; but if you checked the price months after the first quote it shouldn’t be a surprise it has increased either but then doing it after accepting a revised quote seems unreasonable 

..... the requote confirmed the original price which is what i then accepted.

Thanks for letting us know the outcome.  I'm not particularly surprised that they eventually honoured the original quote which they had subsequently confirmed to be correct.  I was surprised that so many other posters thought it would be acceptable for them to renege on it after they had confirmed it.  How many opportunities do you need to give them to get it correct so you can rely on it?

Really?

That six months down the line, after all their costs have potentially changed massively  and the old quote was expired, you think it's entirely unreasonable to say "yes I think that's still ok" and then call back an hour later to say "Sorry, we got that wrong"?

They've honoured the original quote and fair play to them for doing it. Using words like "renege" for calling back after an hour to correct something is hugely loaded.

powerful_Rogue

Ath_Wat said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

You say "shortly" afterwards, but what timescale is it?

If you accepted on Monday and they say on Wednesday, that seems reasonable, they checked back and found an error. The fact you didn't then have enough time to get an alternative is likely becuase you didn't allow enough time between quote and the move taking place.
It it is several weeks later they found the error that is a bigger problem.

Hi, my original quote was several months earlier. Once we had a likely completion date, the removers requested a requote. This confirmed the original price.

The time lag between me sending my acceptance and them increasing the price was an hour or so.

I think it needs someone much more knowledgeable in contract law and similar to decide if you have a case or not. 

Informing you of a mistake within an hour seems reasonable; but if you checked the price months after the first quote it shouldn’t be a surprise it has increased either but then doing it after accepting a revised quote seems unreasonable 

..... the requote confirmed the original price which is what i then accepted.

Thanks for letting us know the outcome.  I'm not particularly surprised that they eventually honoured the original quote which they had subsequently confirmed to be correct.  I was surprised that so many other posters thought it would be acceptable for them to renege on it after they had confirmed it.  How many opportunities do you need to give them to get it correct so you can rely on it?

Really?

That six months down the line, after all their costs have potentially changed massively  and the old quote was expired, you think it's entirely unreasonable to say "yes I think that's still ok" and then call back an hour later to say "Sorry, we got that wrong"?

They've honoured the original quote and fair play to them for doing it. Using words like "renege" for calling back after an hour to correct something is hugely loaded.

I totally agree. Six months is a long time and things change - NMW increase, NI increase, Fuel prices etc - Certainly all reasons why a quote six months ago could increase when re-quoted.

C0lin61

Ath_Wat said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

C0lin61 said:

jon81uk said:

You say "shortly" afterwards, but what timescale is it?

If you accepted on Monday and they say on Wednesday, that seems reasonable, they checked back and found an error. The fact you didn't then have enough time to get an alternative is likely becuase you didn't allow enough time between quote and the move taking place.
It it is several weeks later they found the error that is a bigger problem.

Hi, my original quote was several months earlier. Once we had a likely completion date, the removers requested a requote. This confirmed the original price.

The time lag between me sending my acceptance and them increasing the price was an hour or so.

I think it needs someone much more knowledgeable in contract law and similar to decide if you have a case or not. 

Informing you of a mistake within an hour seems reasonable; but if you checked the price months after the first quote it shouldn’t be a surprise it has increased either but then doing it after accepting a revised quote seems unreasonable 

..... the requote confirmed the original price which is what i then accepted.

Thanks for letting us know the outcome.  I'm not particularly surprised that they eventually honoured the original quote which they had subsequently confirmed to be correct.  I was surprised that so many other posters thought it would be acceptable for them to renege on it after they had confirmed it.  How many opportunities do you need to give them to get it correct so you can rely on it?

Really?

That six months down the line, after all their costs have potentially changed massively  and the old quote was expired, you think it's entirely unreasonable to say "yes I think that's still ok" and then call back an hour later to say "Sorry, we got that wrong"?

They've honoured the original quote and fair play to them for doing it. Using words like "renege" for calling back after an hour to correct something is hugely loaded.

It is true that prices may have increased in the 3 months since the original quote which had, anyway, expired. The removal company asked to requote... which confirmed the original quote. They then ramped up THAT  quote within an hour of me accepting it