Removal companies

stickywicket

It's a stressful time in the SW household.

We've just had our first removal man (of four) round to give a quote. This firm moved some friends from Leeds to Edinburgh two years ago.

BUT

He rocked up ¼ hr late and said, breezily, “Sorry, you're the third on my list today.”

My view is that I wouldn't want to be third on his list on removal day. Mr SW's view is he seemed like a nice guy and our friends said they did a good job. Hm.

I've made notes and we'll see what the other firms and all quote are like but my instinct is definitely no on this one.

daffy2

Recommendations are useful, but need to be taken into account with other factors. Is it the same firm/personnel as 2 years ago? Being 15 mins late to do the quote is impolite, but not necessarily an indication of attitude to doing an actual removal. Is their insurance adequate. Are there any adverse online reviews? I tend to take positive online reviews with a pinch of salt, especially if not from an external site, as they can be the result of selective editing,such as not posting adverse comments, or not asking 'problem' clients to complete a feedback form.

stickywicket

I agree that one can't judge how they will move things by the man turning up late for the assessment but I do think, in the age of mobile phones, all he had to do was ring in advance to apologise for running late. Even a more sincere apology on arrival would have helped.

I also agree about online reviews and the proverbial pinch of salt.

Our home insurance people say we're covered by our policy so we don't need the removals' insurance.

We shall have to take several things into account when we get the quotes but I'm making notes

GraceB

Go with your gut instinct Sticky!

We used a local firm we'd used before and which were an "old, well known to the town firm". Had good service throughout on both occasions. However, no help to you really so sorry for the waffling!

Hope you get something sorted.

GraceB

frogmorton

Don't even go there Stickywicket!! This is so recent for me!!

I had 3 quotes (well two one didn't turn up so I disregarded that one). The 2 who quoted were professional, polite on time, had excellent attitudes and paperwork, BUT....

When the time came neither were available to move us. It was a Tuesday so not a popular day. We were only told of the date on the FRIDAY before. neither were available until weeks later.

We were the only ones really needing removals as those ahead were going to family and so had started early while those behind us were moving from a smaller property.

In the end the we were coerced into using a company with availability recommended by our buyers!!! Turned out to be the no-show company under another name :roll:

When the chap turned up to 'quote' he was scruffy, LATE (2 hours??) and slap-dash. No paperwork.

He promised to deliver boxes the following day, (Saturday), they did not arrive. On Sunday we had to buy a whole load of them from Argos in sheer desperation.

On Monday someone turned up with boxes :roll: the only ones I now needed were the clothes rail ones, but he didn't have them.

As you can imagine I was terrified!

Tuesday arrived with us all ready to go at 6am.

In the end the 'lads' on the lorry and luton were FABULOUS!!!! Nothing was too much trouble. They did the garden which their 'boss' hadn't even looked at and when I pointed out, (after we were all packed up), that no-one had yet been up the loft they still didn't bat an eyelid.

So I was wrong to judge them by my first point of contact although I did add that comment to the feedback form.

Love and HUGE luck

Toni xxx

Ps. for paintings/mirrors/pictures etc a good company will have big envelope sleeves to put them in, but my sister who is an artist puts bubble wrap inside the front and back to the level of the frame them 3 more layers over the whole thing them into a blanket labelled fragile

stickywicket

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Crikey! I think we'll just stay here

That really was a dreadful experience for you. Luckily, we have time - about 5 weeks - and have already packed loads of stuff as our friend who moved 2 years ago, warned us that the companies charge a lot for boxes and we have a good place nearby who sells them. Plus, of course, the wonderful banana boxes that forum members put me on to. It's like Bananarama here right now.

We're doing our own packing as we have time and it's cheaper. However, I did have to tell a friend yesterday that, although he and his wife are more than welcome to stay overnight, could they please bring their own towels as we've packed most of ours

I'm trying not to sit still for too long as I'm sure, if I do, Mr SW will pack me up.

tkachev

The one thing I would go on would be personal recommendation as there are many horror stories out there about stolen/missing/broken items.

Toni it is not always easy to be given a moving date too far in advance. I've been very lucky to use family for most of my moves.

Elizabeth

frogmorton

I agree with you there Elizabeth and I would actually recommend the company I used, but make sure that they knew they needed to be very firm regarding boxes etc

Stickywicket I hope you get enough notice to secure your preferred firm. I had packed loads too and done dozens and dozens of tip and charity shop visits, but '3 kids' and 15 years meant a lot of 'stuff'

Whatever happens remember it's just one day in the end only one actual day.

I have no regrets at all and we are very very, very happy.

I hope you will be too ((())) xxx

stickywicket

frogmorton wrote:

Whatever happens remember it's just one day in the end only one actual day.

Actually, it'll probably be two

They suggested that, as with our friend, they picked up the furniture one day (apart from our bed and two chairs) and moved us the next given the length of the journey. My preference would be for one day but it could mean extra men and costs. We shall see.

stickywicket

Removal company no2 were due to come at 12 noon today. (Note the past tense :roll: ) Admittedly, we'd changed the time from the original 2.30 because Mr SW had, as usual, failed to look at the calendar when arranging the appt. so hadn't noticed that we had dental appts then.

Anyway 12 noon came and went. This lot were making the first ones seem exemplary timekeepers. At 1pm we rang. The girl in the office had failed to change the time. So we re-made it for 5.30pm.

She thinks they'd solve the access problem of our ginnel by bringing two smaller vans. I don't. Even ambulances can't get all the way. I don't want our parting action to be demolishing our neighbour's long picket fence.

GraceB

It's so frustrating when people don't turn up on time. You'd almost think they don't want the business! Hope they eventually turned up tonight.

I suspect from the use of the word "ginnel" you're a Yorkshire lass? My sister Moira (lives in Maltby) used the term "ginnel" years ago when we went to stay with her and we are were really confused :roll: (doesn't take much at the best of times!). We then got a book of Kentish sayings and when she visited us, she found reading that very amusing!

GraceB

stickywicket

I am, indeed, from Yorkshire, Grace.

Yes, my son married an Persian / American girl. We got her a Yorkshire / English dictionary and him a Farsi / English dictionary. He started to learn farsi but was quickly overtaken by his 2yr old 'nephew-in-law'.