helen52

Hi can anyone give me an idea on how to find a removal firm to take my stuff to France, have a fair bit of furniture etc but big companies want to charge in excess of £3000 was looking for more a man with a van type of firm, but cannot find anything in my area can anyone help please,

Ka Ora!

Either rent the van and do it ones self like or there is the yellow pages, Failing that Google "part load to france" it throws back quite a few results.

RichardP

When we moved to France we used a "proper" removal firm --- Hunts of Redditch ---- they stored our furniture until we had manged to get the previous owners out of our new property, it was delivered on time, and the two removal men were very considerate when moving our furniture about.

This by the way is not an advertisement, we paid roughly the same as you are being charged, around the three thousand mark, but that ensured everything was taken care of.

To hire a vehicle large enough to take all your furniture etc will not be cheap, you will then pay a high price for bringing it either over or under the channel, the larger the lorry the less M.P.G. you will get, I don't know where you are moving to but at roughly 10 /15 miles to the gallon it could work out expensive. With all that in mind you will HAVE to load the lorry yourself, which could take a day or two, drive it where you live, unload it again, which could take another day or two, and then return it to the U.K. AND THEN have to pay for your return trip back to France. Food etc is also an extra, stopping for a lunch break all adds to the cost, so all in all, I would suggest you bite the bullet and pay the professionals their asking price , ( you can always try haggling) which will give you peace of mind ---insurance cover for damaged goods (if any) --- two willing men unloading a lorry waiting for your instructions as to where to put said goods.

If you were to take all things into account I would suggest you wouldn't save a great deal of money doing it yourself, or using a "A man with a van" who possibly won't have that insurance type of cover to safeguard your goods. Plus the main fact ----NOT AN ARGUEMENT BETWEEN YOU ---- because as we all know no matter how good the intentions there is always that possibility of a --shall we say --- disagreement.

cmread

I agree with RichardP: if you have quite a bit of stuff, it could work out cheaper and easier to go with professionals.

One note of warning, though, whichever route you decide to take, and that is to check carefully about insurance. It's not good enough, for instance, for a company to say has insurance that will take care of problems. Check the details. Many, if not most removal companies are 'self-insured', that is, they don't have insurance and 'guarantee' damages themselves. They often have requirements that are hard to meet, such as requiring that you show receipts for everything, and such as huge limits for pay outs.

When we moved here three years ago, we went with a company that was properly insured; I even checked with the FSA myself. They even delivered our stuff on a Saturday. The way it worked out meant that I could stay in the UK and be there for the move and for things like cleaning up the flat afterwards and arranging various things with our landlord, while, at the same time, my husband could be in France for the delivery and, at least somewhat take care of arranging things in our new flat. Given that he was starting a new job at the same time, using professionals really worked out for the best.

cyrian

We used a removal company with a part-load.
They collected a few part-loads to fill a van - going to central France southern France and Italy.
They charged by the cubic metre.
The downside was that they would deliver when they had a full van - not on a specific date. They did collect in the UK on an agreed date and the delivery worked well for us. This reduced the shipping costs. When they had a full load they delivered as we agreed.
We had a full inventory ( in triplicate ) of everything that was in the shipment for both french customs and insurance.
If you use a man with a van - or do it yourself - then you would be advised to have such an inventory.

Good luck

helen52

sounds a good idea

kirstyp

A part-load move is definitely worth enquiring about to lower your costs as you share the costs of transports with other customers moving along a similar route, as mentioned above you may have to be flexible on your delivery date but if you can do this there could be savings depending on the volume you're moving and the size of the vehicles the company you are using has available (for example some companies have high capacity draw-bar trucks and trailers meaning they can take double the volume of a single truck on one trip).

bigglesworth

Helen be VERY, VERY careful with part loads. We used the biggest removers, who used a road train. Although we had a fair bit of stuff, clearly we could not fill a thing like that so did a part load. We were guaranteed IN WRITING that our property would not be reloaded or moved before delivery. If the movers take on any new loads, yours will almost certainly be moved. Moving is when the damage occurs.
Almost the moment they left the UK, they told us they were taking a different route to the one they had specified. Having told us that we were the last load, they then rerouted themselves across France and Spain, both picking up and dropping off. They arrived six weeks late, and our effects had to then go into a local store. We did check as best we could as they were off loaded, but clearly could not check too closely. By the time we could take them out of store, we were told we were a) -out of time for a claim, and b) we could not prove definitively that we ourselves had not caused the damage when we finally took our stuff out of store,
We paid a huge sum of money, (we went to Spain first), far more than you are quoting. We are unable to calculate the damage they caused, but on the most conservative estimate it was well in excess of ten thousand pounds.
A single load may be more expensive, and I accept that we were "unlucky". But just be aware that you need to be very very vigilant.
Good luck.

danielle1000

Hello all,

Just to add my tuppence worth and experience to the part load debate...

We did a part load transfer from the south east to the Ile de France area with Channel Moving, a small independant firm based in Kent whom I would thoroughly recommend.

They picked up our load (a good house and garage full) from a storage unit, stocked it for over a week and then delivered it perfectly on time, as agreed and right into the house. We paid around £1600 for excellent service (and no breakages) in 2010. Our load was one of 5 coming to France on that occasion.

At the same time, they were even delivering a single sofa, manufactured in France, sold in England and cheaper to buy there, then have Channel Moving deliver it, than to buy the same one in France! Crazy but true.

Hope this helps.

cyrian

Our part-load was packed into large wooden containers which fitted into the removal van.
These containers could be removed or stored or loaded separately which meant that the contents were not being separately handled.
At the destination, these containers were opened and the contents delivered.
We had no damages and the service did what it said on the tin.
We used Luker Bros in Oxford.
I would use them again.

helen52

Thank so much for every ones help

grannybunz

I am going to add my words of caution with a similar tale to Bigglesworth.

We used what we thought we a reputable and well known company to deliver a part load when we moved here permanently several years ago. they wouldn't give us a date. then they did and then rang two days before the stated date to say they were arriving that day.

There was one driver - who was clearly faking his driving hours - and the company said that an agent would be arriving to assist. He didn't because they hadn't told him to!! The driver then said that if we wanted our stuff we would have to help. He was verbally abusive and we( being well past middle age) refused and after a very uncomfortable series of telephone calls ( at our expense) he finally agreed with head office to park up at a local routier cafe for the night and await the arrival of the agent next day.

The stuff was finally delivered with such bad grace and agression that several items were damaged.

It took us many months and the services of the Association of UK Removal Firms to get either an apology or compensation.

RichardP

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
May I make a suggestion, when relating a bad experience such as this one that you name and shame the company, this will help others that are contemplating using said firm.

If you are telling the truth --- and I have no doubt in my mind that you are, you cannot be sued by a company for giving you a bad service as long as you are NOT abusive.

grannybunz

Hi RichardP

No problem. It was Hoults, but soon after or possibly in the course of this event they were bought out/taken over by Pickfords.

I was going to post again anyway to say that a few years ago our daughter and husband bought the house next to ours and had some stuff, including a complete bathroom, sent down as a part load, by a local firm in York (S-I-L was stationed there at the time.)

I can't honestly remember the name of the firm but I think it was one who had moved them on their various postings around the UK and to Germany. They were brilliant, kept us informed all the way, arrived on time with cheerful grins and did a great job and it didn't cost and arm and a leg.

superman2

Can I surgest you place your load on a web site called Anyvan.com this is where the carriers bid on jobs bit like ebay and if they are going there anyway then you can get some really good prices you are able also to check the feedback before you acept any bid to see if the company are good and reliable