Looking for some suggestions and advice from those who have already shipped their goods or are about to do so.

I believe I have enough funiture that should just about squeeze into a 20ft container. I will be moving to GTA (Oakville to be specific)

I am about to arrange valuations from possibly the following -

Anglo Pacific
Allied Pickfords
Bishops
Bonner
Brittania
PSS

From your experiences do you have any tips on selecting the "right shipping company" or are there any companies you would strongly suggest OR avoid?

Many thanks in advance for any responses.

Rgds
Mans

Hubbies firm used Brittania to bring our goods over and i can not fault them they did all the packing and were excellent and very quick we came over in the November of 2000 and our goods were here at the beginning of January

We also got a good price and excellent service from Brittania and their partners on both sides of the Atlantic.

Thanks debbyathome and skigordi for the feedback....i'll make sure I get them round for a qoute.

Rgds
Mans

Bishops Move and UTS Bon Accord have been the cheapest I've found. We're using Bishops Move this week!

Hi,

We obtained quotes from 8 companies including some of those mentioned. White & Co proved to be far the cheapest and their service and attention to detail was exceptional.

SAW 04

Don't use Britannia - absolutely dreadful service, I rue the day we called them for a quote! Would gladly have paid more for a better service - beware.

we used Anglo Pacific as they were cheap and appeared professional.
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However, when the goods arrived in Kelowna, we noticed a box was missing. Not a small box, but one that holds a mountain bike!. the shippers in vancouver couldn't understand as they had received 79 boxes and loaded 79 boxes into the truck to get to Kelowna - Must be the truck driver who stole it!!.

Hmmmm. phoned the UK to claim on the insurance, were told that they had packed 79 boxes and shipped 79 boxes - Must be the truck driver who stole it!!.

2 days later, email from London, to say that they have found the bike in North Acton Anglo Pacific depot and would put it on the next shipment out (another 5-8 weeks). Phoned them up to complain and ask it to be air freighted. They'll get back to me they said. Two further calls before I received a smarmy condecending email saying that the bike was now on it's way to Vancouver and was shipped as soon as it was found. "Sincere apologies that we missed the opportunity to air freight this item for you sir". Yeah right!!!.

So everyone had miscounted the number of boxes that were shipped/received/shipped/delivered and the bike would still be in London if I hadn't chased it through. Lesson is that the box tallying process can't be working very well and you may find your boxes never get to where you want them.

Haven't got round to forwarding the email I received from Anglo Pacific back to the managing director, but I will, oh yes, I will.

OK, Rant over
regards
Alex

Why is the level of service people (including us) have received from these "professional" moving companies so appalling? Is there anybody out there who is actually happy with their movers?

Yes.

we used Robinsons International in the UK and then I think it was A.J. Williams here. No complaints at either end, our 20ft container arrived as it left.