Is This Quote Fair?

eskbanker

Spectralis said:

Are these online brokers regulated?

No.

Spectralis said:

Can they charge what they like with impunity?

Effectively, yes.

Spectralis said:

I'm questioning sharp practices among these new online businesses. What are my legal rights?

If the company is failing to comply with its legal obligations, you can report them to Trading Standards (via Citizens Advice), but that wouldn't actually help you.

If you seek to make a case that their Ts & Cs contain unfair terms, then you can sue them under the relevant provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/part/2/enacted

Spectralis

TELLIT01 said:

A contract works both ways.  A price was given for a defined quantity of items to be moved.  That quantity was then approximately doubled so a price increase is entirely reasonable.  If a potential customer wishes to cancel then they are bound by the terms of the agreement.  There is another alternative, and that is to stick to the current contract and have half the items moved, then book another removal firm for the rest. 

I didn't double the quantity to be moved. I've already explained that the space taken up in the van would not have been affected because I deleted the large boxes and a suitcase.
What I'm questioning is whether or not it's legal for AnyVan to double the price of the contract the moment I have to pay 50% of the fee if I cancel 48 hours in advance?
They took the full amount (179) out of my account when I made the original booking. That's not losing a deposit it's effectively paying AnyVan the full price of the original quote for no service at all.
Online businesses are a relatively new phenomenon. They may differ in structure and the way they deliver a service because the internet facilitates those alternatives. Do the same consumer laws that existed before the internet apply online? 

tightauldgit

Spectralis said:

TELLIT01 said:

A contract works both ways.  A price was given for a defined quantity of items to be moved.  That quantity was then approximately doubled so a price increase is entirely reasonable.  If a potential customer wishes to cancel then they are bound by the terms of the agreement.  There is another alternative, and that is to stick to the current contract and have half the items moved, then book another removal firm for the rest. 

I didn't double the quantity to be moved. I've already explained that the space taken up in the van would not have been affected because I deleted the large boxes and a suitcase.
What I'm questioning is whether or not it's legal for AnyVan to double the price of the contract the moment I have to pay 50% of the fee if I cancel 48 hours in advance?
They took the full amount (179) out of my account when I made the original booking. That's not losing a deposit it's effectively paying AnyVan the full price of the original quote for no service at all.
Online businesses are a relatively new phenomenon. They may differ in structure and the way they deliver a service because the internet facilitates those alternatives. Do the same consumer laws that existed before the internet apply online? 

They didn't 'double to price the moment I had to pay 50% to cancel' they doubled the price when you changed the specifications of what you wanted moved. You can still move the original amount for the original price presumably. 

I'm not sure what consumer laws you think have been broken here but yes they apply online also. 

Contrary to what you believe Anyvan is simply a marketplace for "men with vans" which you use in line with the terms they specify. Your contract is with the person providing you the service.

Spectralis

I'm questioning the marketplace concept in AnyVan's case. Amazon also sells third party goods but all transaction are Amazon's responsibility ultimately.
If AnyVan is a marketplace like eBay and Amazon then why was I only given one quote by AnyVan? I was given no choice nor was the removal company disclosed to me. That's not a marketplace, that's AnyVan sub-contracting work without my participation or choice. All T&C's are set by AnyVan not their sub-contractors.
That's why I'm upset that the price doubled within the 48 hour period when only a 50% refund is issued. If I cancel I won't just lose a deposit but the whole amount of the original order. I'm trapped into accepting the new quote or lose everything because AnyVan has taken the full amount in advance. There's no marketplace choice involved at any stage of the process.

Alderbank

You keep saying they varied the price of the contract, they doubled the price of the contract, etc.

You still don't understand how these companies work. It's not one single contract.
Each time you enter your requirements and they come back with a different price is the basis of a new contract, probably with a different carrier. They don't double anything because they don't know (or care) what someone else might have offered to do a different job on a different day. They simply offer the price they can do that job for.

If the broker is not too greedy it keeps the vans full and works very efficiently.

tightauldgit

Spectralis said:

I'm questioning the marketplace concept in AnyVan's case. Amazon also sells third party goods but all transaction are Amazon's responsibility ultimately.
If AnyVan is a marketplace like eBay and Amazon then why was I only given one quote by AnyVan? I was given no choice nor was the removal company disclosed to me. That's not a marketplace, that's AnyVan sub-contracting work without my participation or choice. All T&C's are set by AnyVan not their sub-contractors.
That's why I'm upset that the price doubled within the 48 hour period when only a 50% refund is issued. If I cancel I won't just lose a deposit but the whole amount of the original order. I'm trapped into accepting the new quote or lose everything because AnyVan has taken the full amount in advance. There's no marketplace choice involved at any stage of the process.

Presumably you were only given one quote because only one vendor put forward a quote for your job. 

If you buy on Amazon marketplace from a third party your contract is with the third party and it's nothing to do with Amazon legally ultimately or otherwise. 

Yes, you're tied in now because you made amendments to your order at the last minute. But you knew the terms you agreed to. Probably would have been better to make the amendments 72 hours before the move and then you would have been able to cancel without loss? Especially since you didn't know what the amended order was going to cost you

I only used Anyvan once before and I think somehow my card details were compromised from it so I'm not in a rush to use it again. 

Alderbank

Spectralis said:

If AnyVan is a marketplace like eBay and Amazon then why was I only given one quote by AnyVan? I was given no choice nor was the removal company disclosed to me. That's not a marketplace...

Because you're not the bidder in this auction, you're the goods!

You were 'sold' to the lowest bidder

sheramber

You changed your order 48 hours before  so they couldn't have changed the charge any earlier

Had you changed it 3 or four days earlier then you would have been advised of any increase at that time and could have rearranged the removal, in necessary.

the way it works the second price may have been with a different person to the first one. 

Whatever the rights and wrongs you agreed to the Terms and Conditions when you booked

. Did you read the T & Cs?

Spectralis

In my experience Amazon has intervened with third party purchases every time where necessary.
If AnyVan, who handle the whole order process, aren't responsible for the contract between the subcontractor and the customer then who is responsible for protecting the consumer? That's what I'm questioning.
AnyVan clearly advertised changes up to 24 hours before the job front of house when I booked but didn't advertise the provisos such as the price potentially doubling or their 50% refund policy after 48 hours.
I'm sure many customers like myself rarely move home and are unaccustomed to catches like these. I think it's dishonest to advertise positive features about their booking system without equally disclosing the downsides. 
I booked seven days in advance for this Saturday and made changes on Thursday. The price then doubled. Even the call handler was surprised and questioned it with his manager to no avail.
If that's acceptable business practice nowadays and us suckers should read the fine print before buying anything then that's not consumer protection it's Lord of the Flies.

Alderbank

Spectralis said:

I booked seven days in advance for this Saturday and made changes on Thursday. The price then doubled. Even the call handler was surprised and questioned it with his manager to no avail.
If that's acceptable business practice nowadays and us suckers should read the fine print before buying anything then that's not consumer protection it's Lord of the Flies.

The original contractor would have been offered the revised terms and declined, possibly because he only had enough room for the original contract. The revised contract would have then been opened up to other bidders.

It's not Lord of the Flies and you're not Piggy! Don't take it as a personal vendetta.