Are removals services covered by Consumer Rights Act 2015?

Tisiphone

I can't see why removals shouldn't be covered by the Act, but I also can't find any information to say they are.

Briefly, a relative booked a removals service to bring a large, awkwardly shaped piece of furniture to his house. The item was collected but on arrival at his house the men said they were unable to get it through the door without assistance. It  was then taken away and put in storage. My relative has now been told they can't do the job.

My relative paid up front by bank transfer, the offer of service was made and accepted over the phone but there is an email trail confirming details. The company is not offering a refund for failing to perform the service, and is also charging him for storage. He's also got to pay someone else to do the job, so he is significantly out of pocket.

Any thoughts?

TheSpectator

Should it have been evident to the relative that the item wouldn't fit through the door?

Brie

I know when we have bought furniture and arranged delivery there was always something said up front about them not being responsible if doorways were too narrow.  It has limited at times what we were willing/able to buy.  

was anything said about why they couldn't get it through the door?  We sometimes managed this by taking legs off sofas.  And sometimes by making it obvious there was a tenner or more if the movers could manage.  

Alderbank

Yes, removal services are absolutely covered by CRA2015.

Like all contracts, it depends on what the contract says.

...a relative booked a removals service to bring a large, awkwardly shaped piece of furniture to his house. The item was collected but on arrival at his house the men said they were unable to get it through the door without assistance. It  was then taken away and put in storage. My relative has now been told they can't do the job.

Based on what little you have told us, they successfully did the job of bringing the item to his house.

I think there is more to this story. What exactly did the contract say?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

"Are removals services covered by Consumer Rights Act 2015?"

Yes they are and that requires they are carried out with due care and skill. 

The storage is a separate matter, I'd expect the contract to cover this and state items that goods which can't be "moved" are put in storage at x cost and if the customer doesn't want to pay the storage they move it out of storage asap.

Tisiphone said:

He's also got to pay someone else to do the job, so he is significantly out of pocket.

Genuine question, if this company can't get it through the door how will someone else? I.e what will they do differently? 

Whatever way you look at it your friend will have a hard time getting any money back (I assume they won't release the goods until storage is paid up) and personally my primary concern would be getting the item out of storage and either through the front door or be disposed of/sold.   

FlorayG

I think if it won't fit through the door that's hardly the removal company's fault. WILL it fit through the door? What sort of 'extra help' did they say they would need?

Tisiphone

Brie said:

was anything said about why they couldn't get it through the door?  We sometimes managed this by taking legs off sofas.  And sometimes by making it obvious there was a tenner or more if the movers could manage.  

It was the angle of the entrance, rather than the size of the item or the door, both of which are standard. The company he booked specialises in this kind of removal. Essentially, the owner - an expert - failed to ask a question of my relative  - a customer with no expertise - resulting in not enough people being sent to do the job. The two guys who showed up said  customers are always asked to send a photo of property entrances but it seems their boss forgot to ask....

DullGreyGuy

Tisiphone said:

I can't see why removals shouldn't be covered by the Act, but I also can't find any information to say they are.

Briefly, a relative booked a removals service to bring a large, awkwardly shaped piece of furniture to his house. The item was collected but on arrival at his house the men said they were unable to get it through the door without assistance. It  was then taken away and put in storage. My relative has now been told they can't do the job.

My relative paid up front by bank transfer, the offer of service was made and accepted over the phone but there is an email trail confirming details. The company is not offering a refund for failing to perform the service, and is also charging him for storage. He's also got to pay someone else to do the job, so he is significantly out of pocket.

Any thoughts?

Did they visit beforehand to see both item and house? Were accurate measurements given beforehand?

What does the contract state? Normally they say you have to make sure stuff can fit

As others picked up, was it literally to his house? In which case that was achieved. Was it to a specified place in the house? 

Most removal companies are a bunch of relatively fit guys that can lug stuff about and these types say fitting is your problem. There are more skilled ones that have carpenters and other trades who can take doors off, windows out, have cranes etc and they can go much further in attempting to get something in or out but the price reflects the higher skill and more expensive equipment.