Pickfords want more money from me.....
Dec 2nd 2008, 6:40 pm
#16
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Mount Barker, SA
Posts: 44
Re: Pickfords want more money from me.....
Not quite the same, but we shopped around, got the quote lowered substantially. Had a 20ft container - sole use, packed it up, paid in full and now have been hit with a £325 surcharge for oil prices and exchange rate fluctuations. We asked for a renewed quote 28 days before shipping and were told there was no change, although the oil price may reduce!
Well and truly hacked off! Sympathise with you Di90 and hope you get it sorted out soon,
Em
Well and truly hacked off! Sympathise with you Di90 and hope you get it sorted out soon,
Em
Dec 2nd 2008, 9:33 pm
#17
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 92
Re: Pickfords want more money from me.....
just to update you on the latest.
I was called by pickfords yesterday and they said they were going to the warehouse to try to reduce the load as much as possible and get back to me once this was done and go from there. I told her i was very unhappy and this was causing unnecessary stress. She appologised and said she would be in touch. That fine, though not sure i like the idea of people going through my stuff without me being there. I hope that nothing goes missing!!
I then called the guy from pickfords who came to quote me, as i had built a really good rapport with him (had his home number so called him there). He was aware of what had happened.
Just to give you some background before i continue - when i was getting quotes from different removal companies a few months ago, a competetor told me to avoid pickfords like the plague as they were finacially unstable and that they would charge me the extra when they discovered that i had more cu ft. In fact pickfords at the time had quoted me as having 430 cuft, compared to everyone elses 525-550 cuft. When pickfords contacted me later to see if i liked the quote i told them what the other competetor had said and that i was put off. The guy reassured me that they were NOT finacially unstable and said he was more than happy to requote and demontrate by bringing boxes to show me that i had indeed 430cuft!! I said ok and he came round and i then had 485 cuft (i had added some more stuff in though). I decided to go with pickfords from then on. So to continue...
The guy from pickfords was very understanding and appologetic yesterday. I reminded him of the above and said i felt that what the other competitor had initially said had actually come true and i was very dissapointed to be in that exact position. He totally understood, said he would speak with the appropriate people and get this sorted for me! I got the impression he was very much on my side and he implyed that he would make sure i was not charged the extra - though only my interpretation of what he said.
Now just waiting for them to get back to me. Not sure what the contract says.....will take a look. I know its only £160 but for me its the principal of things. If things had been done properly in the first place, i wouldn't be going through this! The packers were not subcontracted to pickfords, they actually worked for them.
I was called by pickfords yesterday and they said they were going to the warehouse to try to reduce the load as much as possible and get back to me once this was done and go from there. I told her i was very unhappy and this was causing unnecessary stress. She appologised and said she would be in touch. That fine, though not sure i like the idea of people going through my stuff without me being there. I hope that nothing goes missing!!
I then called the guy from pickfords who came to quote me, as i had built a really good rapport with him (had his home number so called him there). He was aware of what had happened.
Just to give you some background before i continue - when i was getting quotes from different removal companies a few months ago, a competetor told me to avoid pickfords like the plague as they were finacially unstable and that they would charge me the extra when they discovered that i had more cu ft. In fact pickfords at the time had quoted me as having 430 cuft, compared to everyone elses 525-550 cuft. When pickfords contacted me later to see if i liked the quote i told them what the other competetor had said and that i was put off. The guy reassured me that they were NOT finacially unstable and said he was more than happy to requote and demontrate by bringing boxes to show me that i had indeed 430cuft!! I said ok and he came round and i then had 485 cuft (i had added some more stuff in though). I decided to go with pickfords from then on. So to continue...
The guy from pickfords was very understanding and appologetic yesterday. I reminded him of the above and said i felt that what the other competitor had initially said had actually come true and i was very dissapointed to be in that exact position. He totally understood, said he would speak with the appropriate people and get this sorted for me! I got the impression he was very much on my side and he implyed that he would make sure i was not charged the extra - though only my interpretation of what he said.
Now just waiting for them to get back to me. Not sure what the contract says.....will take a look. I know its only £160 but for me its the principal of things. If things had been done properly in the first place, i wouldn't be going through this! The packers were not subcontracted to pickfords, they actually worked for them.
Its probably cost Pickfords much more than 160 quid in lost revenue from people about to ship put off from giving them business by reading this......crazy!
Have been there (DIY) and its stressful so you really don't need this....Good luck I hope it works out
Dec 3rd 2008, 9:13 am
#18
finally in melbourne
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 180
Re: Pickfords want more money from me.....
update -
The said call arrived just now from the guy who initially gave the quote for pickfords.
Problem resolved to my satisfaction - they are going to repack and dismantle some of the items that should have been done in the first place and they are not going to charge me the extra! He said if there was a cost for extra cu ft, they would pick up the fee, not me! I asked to have this in writing just in case there were problems at a later date and he said ok.
Thank goodness thats over and sorted, one less thing to think about.
Your right this may put many people off pickfords but at least people are aware of some issues that can arise with removal companies.
For me, i chose pickfords because of their price, but more so, it was the honesty, trust and genuine care for his customers that the guy who came to quote me, showed me. In the end, that trust and honesty paid off and he delt with my problem speedily and to my satisfaction. Had it not been for him, i believe pickfords would have made me pay for some of it once they had reduced the load.
Anyway, thanks for all your support and advice as usual BE.
The said call arrived just now from the guy who initially gave the quote for pickfords.
Problem resolved to my satisfaction - they are going to repack and dismantle some of the items that should have been done in the first place and they are not going to charge me the extra! He said if there was a cost for extra cu ft, they would pick up the fee, not me! I asked to have this in writing just in case there were problems at a later date and he said ok.
Thank goodness thats over and sorted, one less thing to think about.
Your right this may put many people off pickfords but at least people are aware of some issues that can arise with removal companies.
For me, i chose pickfords because of their price, but more so, it was the honesty, trust and genuine care for his customers that the guy who came to quote me, showed me. In the end, that trust and honesty paid off and he delt with my problem speedily and to my satisfaction. Had it not been for him, i believe pickfords would have made me pay for some of it once they had reduced the load.
Anyway, thanks for all your support and advice as usual BE.
Dec 3rd 2008, 1:00 pm
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2007
Location: Perth
Posts: 1,179
Re: Pickfords want more money from me.....
I am glad to hear you resolved it to your satisfaction.
I used Allied Pickfords for my move and they tried to pull the same trick. Difference is I had sole use of a 20ft container. When the stuff had arrived we unpacked to find a lot of half-full boxes and liberal use of wrapping paper, no bubble wrap or hermetically-sealed bags as offered in the contract. Some of our things were damaged because of the amateur packing so we claimed and got back what they over-charged us. Never again.
I used Allied Pickfords for my move and they tried to pull the same trick. Difference is I had sole use of a 20ft container. When the stuff had arrived we unpacked to find a lot of half-full boxes and liberal use of wrapping paper, no bubble wrap or hermetically-sealed bags as offered in the contract. Some of our things were damaged because of the amateur packing so we claimed and got back what they over-charged us. Never again.
Dec 3rd 2008, 11:55 pm
#20
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 365
Re: Pickfords want more money from me.....
Not quite the same, but we shopped around, got the quote lowered substantially. Had a 20ft container - sole use, packed it up, paid in full and now have been hit with a £325 surcharge for oil prices and exchange rate fluctuations. We asked for a renewed quote 28 days before shipping and were told there was no change, although the oil price may reduce!
Well and truly hacked off! Sympathise with you Di90 and hope you get it sorted out soon,
Em
Well and truly hacked off! Sympathise with you Di90 and hope you get it sorted out soon,
Em
Dec 4th 2008, 12:07 am
#21
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 365
Re: Pickfords want more money from me.....
we went with D Bonner based in Corsham near Bath.
They were quick at packing...perhaps a little too quick as stuff got packed that we weren't shipping! Tip - get rid of stuff that you don't want BEFORE they turn up. Stuff you are taking with you on the plane, put WELL OUT OF THE WAY !!
My only criticism was that they didn't bring enough packing material for fragile stuff and we ended up using my own roll of bubble wrap and "FRAGILE" tape coz they didnt have any ! poor planning as they knew we had valuable breakables.
No problems with space. I guess as we had our own 20ft container they didnt need to pad it out. Duvets and pillows went in drawers, much of my clothing stayed in the drawers, all boxes looked full, and in the end the container was 90% full and extremely tightly packed.
Just hope that their lack of packing material doesn't mean breakages at the other end. I had to pack my antique ceramics myself, just to make sure that it was done properly. As an ex antique dealer, I'm used to doing this. Clearly they weren't.
20fter arrives here early Jan. Fingers crossed.
They were quick at packing...perhaps a little too quick as stuff got packed that we weren't shipping! Tip - get rid of stuff that you don't want BEFORE they turn up. Stuff you are taking with you on the plane, put WELL OUT OF THE WAY !!
My only criticism was that they didn't bring enough packing material for fragile stuff and we ended up using my own roll of bubble wrap and "FRAGILE" tape coz they didnt have any ! poor planning as they knew we had valuable breakables.
No problems with space. I guess as we had our own 20ft container they didnt need to pad it out. Duvets and pillows went in drawers, much of my clothing stayed in the drawers, all boxes looked full, and in the end the container was 90% full and extremely tightly packed.
Just hope that their lack of packing material doesn't mean breakages at the other end. I had to pack my antique ceramics myself, just to make sure that it was done properly. As an ex antique dealer, I'm used to doing this. Clearly they weren't.
20fter arrives here early Jan. Fingers crossed.
