Cant rain all the time2

Hi all,

We are heading back to the U.K on Thursday this week. We have arranged to ship our furniture back on a 20 ft container which was loaded up last week and is in Melbourne waiting to be shipped. Now the company gave us a quote about 8 weeks ago which said the quote may fluctuate due to currency exchange etc, fair enough. But the furniture has gone, they have been paid and are now asking for an additional $400-$500 approx due to the above.(And can't tell us exactly for over another week)

Can they ask for more money once we have paid them and the furniture has gone? I mean if they said before hand you could say no thanks I'll get more quotes, seems as though they have us over a barrel now!

Anyone had the same happen??

Beedubya

My freight has left England today so may cross yours at sea. I only have 100 cubic feet but I did get a written quote. Surely that is like a contract as I wasn't charged anymore after it being picked up in March, I am sure currency has fluctuated quite a bit in 2 months..........

ozhappy981

What did the small print of your contract say? If it says they can charge you extra for currency fluctuations until they deliver the container to you in the UK - then they can do it.

But, if their contract doesn't say it, then they can't.

Cant rain all the time2

It says, "our quotation is subject to fluctuations in currency or ocean freight of greater than 5%. Prices established on rates of 8 April 2010."

"Our quotation is valid for 60 days and payment is required on or before uplift to your effects"

We also had to sign a form "Export quotation acceptance" which stated that we accept the quotation terms and conditions and accept the price of $7050 dated and signed.

Spoke to Consumer Affairs and they say it sounds like once we have agreed and paid then then they cannot ask for more money but gave me a legal helpline to double check but they were closed.

The main thing that pisses me off about this place is that EVERY company is out to screw you over, I will never say "rip off Britain" again!!

Jan n Neil

I think u will have to bite the bullet and pay it but i would make sure there name is written over every relavant forum i could find along with there pricing policy, theiving b******s

Genesis

Yeah we had the same in the UK..so rip offs do happen here too. and it was a rip off as we were misinformed about customs etc and the packing was done very poorly for some very valuable antique clocks. Cannot remember why the extra charge was laid but it seemed really unfair as it was 2-3 days afore the pack up to NZ from the UK. What could we do at that juncture. We had to be out of the house in 5 days, we paid it and got on with it. Of course in the small print there was the clause that said 'we can bloody do what we like because we are bigger than you and we can stuff you whereas you cannot stuff us....be warned'.