hefbat Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Hey all, getting four quotes from removal companies next week. For those of you who've gone through the move, what didn't you ask that you wish you had, and what questions did you ask that helped you narrow down your choices. Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Check what is included in the payment, some companys seem to include more fee's than others, i have read of members arriving and being given a bill before their shipment will be released as fee's still needed paying, so definately worth checking. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I wish I had asked whether, as we had paid for a full container, we were able to take a full container, as stupid as that sounds. We chose our shipping company because they seemed professional, although they weren't the cheapest company that quoted. The shipping was packed up in the expected time, and in the expected space (one 20ft container), all paperwork was signed and given to them. After we had arrived in Australia, and once our container was at sea, we received notification from them (by mail), that we had to pay a further 400GBP, because our square footage was over the quote (we were quoted for the container, and took nothing that we hadn't shown the salesman). OH tried to get hold of them, was passed from pillar to post, calls not returned etc. As far as we were concerned we shouldn't have to pay it, because we had sent what had been quoted for. About four weeks after this, we received a credit card statement, which OH's parents had forwarded from the UK, to find that they had taken the payment from our debit card without authorisation. However we were still unable to get hold of anyone for answers. The icing on the cake came when after four months and no notification of our container having arrived, we managed to get hold of the Sydney office to be told that the container had arrived a month before, but that the UK end hadn't supplied the paperwork. On trying to sort this further debacle out, we were accused of having not provided any paperwork (which is obviously not possible, since it all has to be signed off and the paperwork given to the packers when they take the container). They were a thoroughly unprofessional company in terms of their office staff/managers, although in their defence the packers were excellent and nothing was broken or damaged (apart from my OH's stress levels!). Happy to provide details of which company by PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sids knee Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Looking at other threads on this site it seems there is a growing trend emerging whereby you are quoted £x based on an estimated volume of 'Y' but once the goods have been packed and taken away you are contacted asking for a further payment as the actual volume was 'Z'. As you have no way of verifying the true volume it seems the customer has no option but to stump up and pay or the goods simply don't get shipped/ Question I would ask is what happens if the volume is in excess of the salesman's estimate and get a clearly defined answer in writing so there can be no confusion. Equally, ask what happens if the volume is below the salesman's estimate though I suspect the moving company would never tell you this. If you get three or four quotes then there shouldn't be too much of discrepancy in the volume if these guys are doing their job correctly or are they simply sucking you in only for you to be hit with a bigger charge after you have signed up ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
octatonic Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Check what exclusions exist on the insurance policy. Don't be afraid to negotiate on those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstyLP Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Hey all, getting four quotes from removal companies next week. For those of you who've gone through the move, what didn't you ask that you wish you had, and what questions did you ask that helped you narrow down your choices. Cheers Mike Hi Mike, hope this isn't too long a list but here's some helpful questions you should consider to help ensure your move experience is a smooth one and to help you compare the companies on a like for like basis. Costs/Cost implications What costs/possible charges are excluded from the price? (things like customs inspections or periods of storage if necessary). What are they likely to be? Have they included everything? all the items you want to move? (Check their inventory, don’t forget the garden, loft spaces, outbuildings and any other items you’re planning to buy before you leave)? Have they included all the services you asked for? (anything like crates for fragile items, dismantling/reassembly, hanging pictures, unpacking into cupboards etc.). Do you need to arrange anything like parking in advance that would be payable separately? What assumptions have they made and what happens/what charges are there if things are different (e.g. if you don’t have a destination property yet have they assumed it’s within 30 miles of the city you named with good access not above a 1st floor? what happens if it's not?) Is the price fixed (providing your requirements don't change) or variable based on the actual volume that is collected? If variable, how is the actual volume measured and what are the charges for any variance? What is the process? (This is REALLY important if you’ve not had an in home survey from the company you're using) What are you responsible for doing in advance of the move? What circumstances and value does your insurance cover? What doesn’t it cover? How long do you have to claim and what is the process? Dates What is the estimated door to door transit time for your move? How do the dates work? Are these flexible based on the movers schedule (sometimes this is offered to offer you a more competitive price for part loads if they are already in your area) or are they fixed to fit in with your schedule? Does the cost include any weekend work if you can’t be available on a week day? If your move is a shared load, what happens if it takes the company longer than they think to fill your container, do they have alternative options for transport or does your consignment just get delayed? Quality/Credibility/Experience How will they address anything you’re specifically concerned about. Have you had a bad experience before? Is there an item of furniture that is particularly fragile/valuable? Do you need something to happen in a certain way? Is the company FIDI FAIM accredited? Is the agent being used at destination FIDI FAIM accredited? Are they a member of BAR Overseas (Providing an advance payment guarantee)? Can they provide previous customer feedback/reviews? Are there any from an independent source too? There are probably lots more regarding the softer factors that other forum members will have but hopefully the above will get you started! Hope it helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 It has been six years since we moved over, so I can't remember for sure, but I think that we were quoted for the full container. Having said that, even if we had been quoted per volume, there was a church pew and a big range cooker that we didn't bring in the end, so if anything the volume should have been lower. It is definitely worth checking and checking again, on exactly what the quote allows for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceddy Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 The company we used last summer were great from start to finish.We were quoted for a sole use 20ft container and literally rammed it. We were also given the ship details so we could track the shipment, arrived exactly on schedule.Happy to PM you their details, as I would highly recommend them.They were very forthcoming with information and a fair price.We did not use their insurance as from reading a lot of threads on it, the general consensus was that it is a lot cheaper to look at buying that independent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flappers263 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I wish I had asked whether, as we had paid for a full container, we were able to take a full container, as stupid as that sounds. We chose our shipping company because they seemed professional, although they weren't the cheapest company that quoted. The shipping was packed up in the expected time, and in the expected space (one 20ft container), all paperwork was signed and given to them. After we had arrived in Australia, and once our container was at sea, we received notification from them (by mail), that we had to pay a further 400GBP, because our square footage was over the quote (we were quoted for the container, and took nothing that we hadn't shown the salesman). OH tried to get hold of them, was passed from pillar to post, calls not returned etc. As far as we were concerned we shouldn't have to pay it, because we had sent what had been quoted for. About four weeks after this, we received a credit card statement, which OH's parents had forwarded from the UK, to find that they had taken the payment from our debit card without authorisation. However we were still unable to get hold of anyone for answers. The icing on the cake came when after four months and no notification of our container having arrived, we managed to get hold of the Sydney office to be told that the container had arrived a month before, but that the UK end hadn't supplied the paperwork. On trying to sort this further debacle out, we were accused of having not provided any paperwork (which is obviously not possible, since it all has to be signed off and the paperwork given to the packers when they take the container). They were a thoroughly unprofessional company in terms of their office staff/managers, although in their defence the packers were excellent and nothing was broken or damaged (apart from my OH's stress levels!). Happy to provide details of which company by PM. hello, tried to PM you but you your inbox is full!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Okay will empty some messages out in a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hefbat Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks everyone for responding, all very very useful. Will get back you via PM if i have any followups! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHL2511 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Hi Mike, If I was to do it again go for the cheapest forget all about how good they claim to wrap your items as they are all pretty much alike. I have spoken to other poms here who used different companies and pretty much all got their belongings in one piece. Get a fixed price if possible and haggle hard. Play one off against the other. Spend your money on insurance if you have items that are expensive to replace but be prepared to jump through hoops with the insurance company, as usual they argue every little item. Good tip. Save your boxes for when you have to move again. We have used ours 3x now and it has saved us buying more here (not cheap). We used White and Co and was very happy with their service. We have used Transcorp here and wouldn't ever use them again. Anything else feel free to get back to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hefbat Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 Thanks DHL2511, appreciate the tips. Got four coming by this week. May have more questions to come, but good advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KangarooCourt16 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hello I read your post with interest. Would you mind divulging the name of the removals company that you would not use again? Many thanks in advance Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srg73 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Looking at other threads on this site it seems there is a growing trend emerging whereby you are quoted £x based on an estimated volume of 'Y' but once the goods have been packed and taken away you are contacted asking for a further payment as the actual volume was 'Z'.? Did you tell the truth though or like us did you tell a few white lies? We lost a large sofa and a big box of clothes as there was not space. We got a quote and they have stayed behind and given away. Do ask if the container is yours exclusively or whether they are to sell any spare space? If they turn up with rails and ply wood then they are going to form a bulkhead and sell on the spare space despite charging you a full container. Our experience otherwise great, Bournes did a great job but not the cheapest. Chess movers Australua side also great. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Having just arrived in Sydney after moving from the UK and experiencing a hellish move just prior to Christmas...I would recommend checking what the rate per cubic feet charge is if you go over your original quote. We have had to pay thru the nose for our items to be shipped. This is partly due to our naivety and partly because we were so stressed and busy that we didn't insist on some of the things that we should have. If you are unsure what your volume will be...and lets face it ..I'm sure most of us wouldn't be able to accurately predict what volume of articles they have to send (unless you are just taking boxes of smaller of articles and no bigger items)...then do insist on a home visit and get a quote from them in person. We didn't, although I did ask them a number of times and they kept asking for a list of items...which I gave roughly..but there is always another cupboard to open and you find more stuff...so it was never going to be accurate. As a result when they came and packed it up I was told it was more than double the original estimate. The additional volume was charged at an extortionate rate and by then they can pretty charge what they want as they have your things. It turned out that I could have got a container cheaper than the half container worth of items that we ended up sending. Anyway I don't want to mention them publicly as I am still waiting for our items to leave London and will be so glad when the stress of removals is over and our stuff arrives safely. Sorry for droning on...in a nutshell make sure you get a face to face home visit quote (if you are not going for an average size like a container) and secondly check the rate they charge when you go over your original cubic feet quote. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hefbat Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Have had four companies in to give estimates, three came in around 800ish, one was much less, but I think we are going for a 20ft container rather than shared. Basically, anything over 650 sq ft they recommend a full container, as the cost difference is minimal (and you get your shipment quicker - hopefully). One company stressed that the shipment be sealed in front of you to avoid the 'shared' problem mentioned in a post above. One question for people - three companies said I wouldn't have to sign in person once the container cleared customs. One was adamant that I would (that would be a three hour drive to Sydney port to sign and pay customs charges and three hours back for us). What's the reality? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHL2511 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 when we finally said goodbye to our container it was sealed with a identity tie wrap but when our stuff got to Australia who knows where it had been. Once it gets to customs in Australia it was all off loaded from the container and items get picked out to be checked, for example golf clubs, bikes etc to see if they are clean. When our stuff arrived at our house it came in two trucks not the original container. Another good tip for anybody moving. The packers will write on the tops of the boxes what approx has been packed in that box and which room it came from. The problem is when they arrive all the boxes are stacked on top of each other and you cant read the tops of the boxes. Not a problem if you only have a few boxes but we had a 40ft container filled with boxes. You end up spending most of your time shuffling boxes to find the stuff you really need straight away. The removal companies need to write on the sides or at least colour code the boxes to say Bed 1, living room, kitchen etc as it would save a lot of lifting and moving boxes you don't need straight away. We didn't have to visit the customs to sign anything I am pretty sure it was emailed to us. That has ruled him out of your possible companies to choose from. Have had four companies in to give estimates, three came in around 800ish, one was much less, but I think we are going for a 20ft container rather than shared. Basically, anything over 650 sq ft they recommend a full container, as the cost difference is minimal (and you get your shipment quicker - hopefully). One company stressed that the shipment be sealed in front of you to avoid the 'shared' problem mentioned in a post above. One question for people - three companies said I wouldn't have to sign in person once the container cleared customs. One was adamant that I would (that would be a three hour drive to Sydney port to sign and pay customs charges and three hours back for us). What's the reality? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Clayton Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Hi LKC, My husband has just received his visa and we'll be looking for shipping company very soon. Please could I have the name of company you used so I can avoid. I've tried to PM you but it won't go through. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabri Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I can give you the name of a company you should avoid....Just pm me, we just cancelled with them and going with a total different one. Make sure that you do ask for every single possible requirement before you sign up. Absolute nightmare tbh so far, new company coming in February to do the job. I hope it goes smoothly, just so angry...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hefbat Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 So an update, the one consultant who told me about signing in person got in touch as he was sending quote to say he was wrong and you don't have to sign. Interestingly, had a quote that came in much lower than the others. Paperwork said it was groupage, though I had asked for a sole container quote. Queried it and they changed it to sole container with the same quote. Read that small print! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hefbat Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 I can give you the name of a company you should avoid....Just pm me, we just cancelled with them and going with a total different one. Make sure that you do ask for every single possible requirement before you sign up.Absolute nightmare tbh so far, new company coming in February to do the job. I hope it goes smoothly, just so angry...... Really sorry to hear that, can you share your experience of what we should be looking out for (keeping company anonymous except through PM)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I can give you the name of a company you should avoid....Just pm me, we just cancelled with them and going with a total different one. Make sure that you do ask for every single possible requirement before you sign up.Absolute nightmare tbh so far, new company coming in February to do the job. I hope it goes smoothly, just so angry...... Can I ask if you didn't use the company how do you know they would have been bad? Sorry you may have said elsewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabri Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 No answering emails, wanting to charge me £135 to deliver a few boxes, shouting at me when I cancelled, unclear terms and conditions.The list goes on. I complained to bar and got my deposit back today, plus £50 as goodwill gesture. I hope nobody will ever experience the level of unprofessionalism I was submitted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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