Re: Crown Relocations
 

One question that is worth asking anyone who comes round for an estimate is regarding disposing of the packing materials the other end.

If you decide to unpack some of the boxes yourself will they come back and collect the rubbish for free?

John Mason (Kent International in Aus) left a dozen huge binliners and told me to call when I had rubbish for pickup and they would come back and collect, no charge, all part of the service.

I recall reading a post here where Crown had promised this in the UK and then their Aussie end decided it was only free to take away stuff on the actual delivery day.

Bearing in mind you pay to go to the tip here it could cost you money to get rid of it yourself.

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Hi

We had several estimates (PSS, Robinsons,Crown, Allied Pickfords)

A chap called Andrew Healey visited us from Crown and was excellent. Very friendly and helpful, much more professional set up than some of the other companies. We had some questions later and he was always prompt and helpful with his replies.

We queeried the quote as it was much more expensive than the others and they reduced it (thats business I suppose). It still worked out about £300 more than the others but we felt we were getting better service (free storage, they use there own depot for customs etc).

When the men came to pack, they were also very friendly and chatty. They did an excellent job (touch wood). We can also add to our container before it is shipped if we need to (my cricket bag and daughters bike maybe).

So up to now, we are more than satisfied. Maybe it is other offices that dont give as good a service as the Leeds branch and Andrew Healey. ( You watching Andrew :D )

Paul :)

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Hi Pete,
We've just had exactly same response a form to fill in on the net....utterly ridiculous, when everyone else gives a free home visit!!!
I rang them up this morning and asked for a home visit as some friends of ours had used them said how good they were.
After reading things on here tho' I'm wondering if I should have just tell them to go elsewhere, seems like they are dearer than everyone else and don't offer to come out unless asked!!
I am sure they are not doing themselves any favours!!!

Who are the best shippers??
Lots of people recommend PSS and John Mason.
Any one else like to comment?

Sherie.

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Hi we have had a few companies out and found Crown to be the best. They may not have been the cheapest but the service so far has been the best. The little extra they do for the kids and the fact they have there own company at the other end has also gone towards our decision to use them. As people have said before unfortunately I think it depends who you get on the day.

Re: Crown Relocations
 

We would never use Crown again and here's why.... Guy came out to do an estimate and was very friendly and efficient promised us the moon on a stick, Did the hard sell and pointed out all the reasons we should use them like door to door service and they even collect all the packaging (which we were told would be a lot). A half container was about £4k. We pointed out to him that we didn’t know where we would end up in Australia but were assured that it didn’t matter as it was a door to door service and the stuff would get kept in crown storage (which we pay for weekly) and then delivered to our new house once we found one. So we paid up and everything at the UK end went fine apart from they forgot to send our stuff until about 2 months later than when we asked. No problem here as like I said we didn’t know where we would end up.

Within 3 months of getting to Australia we bought a house 3 and a half hours north of Sydney and phoned to arrange delivery. And this is where Crown’s service went pair shaped. They wanted nearly $1000 to deliver our stuff as we were not in the Sydney metro area! I refused as we had paid for and signed a contract to the effect it was ‘Door to Door’ and no mention either by the sales man or contracts that it was metro only. We were told to pay or else we would not get our stuff and to take it up with the UK. So reluctantly I paid the money and delivery was arranged. I complained to the UK and was fobbed off that it was metro only, I asked them to provide proof of that in the contracts I signed and that was the last I heard from them.

Then on delivery day the delivery men brought all the boxes into the house and asked if we really wanted them to unload the boxes all over the floor as that was all they were contracted to do. They told us it would be ok to leave us to do it and they would come back in a week or so and collect the boxes on the next pass up the highway. Weeks went by and no one came to pick up the not too small pile of boxes, so we phoned crown to arrange pickup. We were then told they would only come and get them if we paid another $60. I pointed out that this was included as part of the original fee and they basically called me a liar and asked me to prove it!! I had to photo copy the contract and send it to Crown! They still did nothing until I phoned again for a 3rd time this time all pleasantries went out the window and was told they would only waive the fee once they had spoken to the original delivery men to confirm that they had indeed said they would pick them up for us. About a week later they came to get their boxes…

In a nutshell, Crown UK 10/10, Crown Australia 0/10

Crown if your reading this I still want my delivery fee back and while your at it you can refund the fee you charged us for cleaning mud off 12 pairs of the wife’s shoes, 4 pairs of which were BRAND NEW and had never been worn!

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Almost identical to our experience with Crown: we had paid for unpacking but the two who brought the stuff just dumped it in the living room and went. then they tried to charge us for collecting the packaging. Then they charged us for storage insurance - despite the contract including several month's storage insurance. We eventually got back most of the overcharge but only after getting back to London several times.

As I said, at least the insurance claim was paid promptly.......

Incidentally, where we are, there is no charge for disposal at the tip if it's recyclable, as are the boxes. Just make sure that any plastic is separate: you can get rid of that in the bin over a week or two.

In all honesty I can't say if it's only Crown: I think it's more to do with the Australian way and is probably common. Efficiency and commercial integrity here are more like the UK in the seventies but whereas the Thatcher era pulled a lot of the thinking into the twentieth century the rest of the world seems to have passed Oz by. See the banking threads <g>

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Hi we got three quotes and crowns quote was a £1000 more than both the other 2!The way we saw it in the end was the services are all the same and it costs so much to move out here in the first place, why pay more out unless you need to.All our furniture arrived in one piece and we are more than happy with the company we had.I have also read though that crown are not taking away at this end mwhich could work out costly as you would have to pay to have it taken away .Hope this helps.Shop around aswell for insurance as you can get it alot cheaper than the companies offer,I am sure there is a link on here ,might be worth doing a search...

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Experience with Crown seems a bit mixed. We were very happy, although they did stall on collecting the empty boxes here in Sydney.
The UK end was faultless, being the only ones to come and quote at the house and closely match the "blind" quotes.

We happily recommended Crown to a few people.

Firstly a couple being sponsered to go to Jakarta. They had great service and used them again to return a year later. No trouble.

Next my parents off to N Cyprus - what a nightmare!
Container size was under-estimated so on day of moving out mum and dad are left with some furniture and no where to put it. That got shipped seperately. Then the container got lost enroute, and no one knew where it had gone. The left over furniture arrived first. Then a call from the Turkish dockers to say that there was a container arrived for them!

Finally a couple in Brisbane who had packed up all their stuff a year or two before in the UK, but never shipped it. Crown went in and quoted, unpacked and repacked and shipped with no problems.

So overall I would still recommend Crown.

Re: Crown Relocations
 

We had Crown and PSS out, between the two Crown were far superior, the PSS guy couldn't even find or house (so how would they find Australia) and I wasn' impressed with the way he spoke to my wife on the phone. The PSS guy was more interested in getting away before the traffic got busy instead of giving us a decent quote. PSS were about £750 more than Crown so for us it was a no brainer.

Re: Crown Relocations
 

They told us to give them a rough idea of how many cubic feet. We told them they sent us an email said they'd be in touch never heard from them again :rolleyes:

Re: Crown Relocations
 

We too had Crown and PSS OUT, the pricing however was the other way around with Crown coming in almost £1k more expensive than PSS' and from the very good reports i'I'veead on PSS - It seems a no brainer - but before i make the decision this morning i will give them a call and find out why 30% difference in costs.

Re: Crown Relocations
 

We decided to pick Crown because they were prompt and knowledgeable about the move. Covered all angles and don't employ contractors at other end, which all other firms do, we believe.

Once we agreed to go with them, it been nothing but problems. Failing to send any forms out to us to fill in, unable to contact the person at Crown we were dealing with, and lies. Finally after complaining to this persons MD, i got some response, and he finally sent me all the paper work, which we filled in. Got a call yesterday from Crown, and we move in 7 days time, saying where is the rest of the paper work, and do you realise that you have too much stuff to fit into one container, and that you will have to pay extra for this. We had no idea, but she insisted that we were told all of this, as she has a note of it. Bloody lier's. We were told everything would fit into one container. She would not help us in anyway to resolve this. She has sent us loads of forms to fill in, and one is about the fridge and its CFC compliance. Phones her just now, to ask how to fill this form in, and she has told us, that we should have a letter from the fridge company telling us that it complies to CFC regs, and we were told about this on there first visit. more lies.

I would not recommend them to anyone. Beware. I thought that paying more, meant we would get better service. you pay for what you get is the old saying, but in this case, its rubbish. Avoid them if you can

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Hi just out of interest who is it you have been dealing with? We are also going with Crown and live in Hampshire and have had completely different help and was wondering if it was the same person. At least when we get to your stage we will be forwarned. They came out to us again yesterday as we move in 7 weeks time and she couldnt have been more helpful. Makes you wonder if its just who you get at the time Unfortunately.

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Typical! Having ruled out our favourites PSS because they wouldn't come out for several weeks we had a choice of Masons and Crown. The day after we signed up for Crown this thread appears which isn't too complimentary. :(

We also had Robinsons and Bishops Move out to quote. After 3 weeks we still haven't heard from Bishops Move. Robinsons quote was £500 cheaper than Crown/Masons but didn't arrive until 2 weeks after they measured up by which time we had already chosen Crown. :(

So, as a general point, bear in mind that this is the busiest time of the year for moving house so all shippers are busy. That also seems to mean they are less willing to negotiate on price.

We went with Crown as they use their own staff in Perth. Masons said they use several contractors to keep them all competitive. I will let you know how we get on with Crown in due course.

Re: Crown Relocations
 

Yes we chose Crown also mainly because they had offices here in Australia and thought we would get the same kind of decent service here as we did in the UK. How wrong we were!