Bad Removal Companies to Spain

I recently moved to spain and used a well known british removal company. This company sold me the option of export wrapp my things and they would take particular care of our belongings, especially furniture. Looking after the customer was their strength

In reality what happened was that they damaged furniture and they way we were treated by them was awfull. In one converstaion when i took them to task at their warehouse in spain, they stated they had staked my belongings incorrectly and would repack them (A little late i thought after 4 weeks in storage and a valuable chest was stood on its side). Packing materials were inadequate or damaged from staff clearly stacking to heavy items on delicate wrapping(Also not to spec in the order). One member of staff had stated that they packed my belongings in this way as they had to make a profit.

I took this up with a director of the company who just stated , claim on your insurance we have done what we promissed. What he failed to see was how you feel when someone treats your property wrongly especially when you pay almost £3000 for them to do it and they justify it by telling you they need to make a profit. After reading his email it was obvious why their company operate in this fashion. The directors mantra is make money and don't care for the customers.

Issues we had were.
Inadequate wrapping (called export wrap)
Damaged furniture from staff stacking boxs incorrectly , not transit.
On the day of removal , ordered crates not available and no one knew where they were.
In adequate number of staff sent to load and pack
Ran out of packing materials and had to transport items to a warehouse to pack and then they used a paper bag.
Instructions for items staking and ignored lost and not communicated to depot in spain.
Depot in spain (English staff) not willing to retrieve items from crates even though this was promissed in sale.

I will post the email from the director in good time. But for now so you all don't get caught. snip/

Originally Posted by mucus

I recently moved to spain and used a well known british removal company. This company sold me the option of export wrapp my things and they would take particular care of our belongings, especially furniture. Looking after the customer was their strength

In reality what happened was that they damaged furniture and they way we were treated by them was awfull. In one converstaion when i took them to task at their warehouse in spain, they stated they had staked my belongings incorrectly and would repack them (A little late i thought after 4 weeks in storage and a valuable chest was stood on its side). Packing materials were inadequate or damaged from staff clearly stacking to heavy items on delicate wrapping(Also not to spec in the order). One member of staff had stated that they packed my belongings in this way as they had to make a profit.

I took this up with a director of the company who just stated , claim on your insurance we have done what we promissed. What he failed to see was how you feel when someone treats your property wrongly especially when you pay almost £3000 for them to do it and they justify it by telling you they need to make a profit. After reading his email it was obvious why their company operate in this fashion. The directors mantra is make money and don't care for the customers.

Issues we had were.
Inadequate wrapping (called export wrap)
Damaged furniture from staff stacking boxs incorrectly , not transit.
On the day of removal , ordered crates not available and no one knew where they were.
In adequate number of staff sent to load and pack
Ran out of packing materials and had to transport items to a warehouse to pack and then they used a paper bag.
Instructions for items staking and ignored lost and not communicated to depot in spain.
Depot in spain (English staff) not willing to retrieve items from crates even though this was promissed in sale.

I will post the email from the director in good time. But for now so you all don't get caught. snip/

If you want to know who it was email me

If you can't name and shame why can you recomend. Seems a little biased!!!

[jojo]

Originally Posted by mucus

If you can't name and shame why can you recomend. Seems a little biased!!!

Maybe, but we all have different experiences and one bad experience could jeopodise someones whole livelyhood and this forum could then be held liable and responsible I guess??!

But I'm happy for you to point out the pitfalls that you've encountered as this will give others an insight into how difficult moving to Spain can be

Jo xx

[Stravinsky]

Removals companies. Where do I start!

Well, if you go for the cheapest quote then you risk disaster. Theres so much involved in a removal, planning and infrastructure. There are good removals companies and bad ones. But within that is the added complication that a lot of removals companies subcontract their work. So one removals company might have any number of self emplyed "teams" working for them. One mans good experience with a removals company could end up a terrible experience for another, just because they got a different team.

You should see if the removals company you choose is a member of BAR ( Welcome to the British Association of Removers ) and / or BIFA ( The British International Freight Association )

At least you know you have someone to complain to if it goes wrong. Theres also a removals ombusman you can go to ( THE REMOVALS INDUSTRY OMBUDSMAN SCHEME )

Sorry you have had a bad experience. If I were using a removals company (I did mine myself) I would be looking to ensure that the vehicle it was loaded on was the vehicle it was delivered on, and letting the goods go unpacked to the removal companies warehouse was, in retrospect, probably your first mistake. Having said that you would normally expect them to treat the goods with respect!!!

Regarding naming & shaming, its the unfortunate truth that if a bad experience is posted here with a name then it leaves the site owner open to legal action ...... whereas of course no one is going to take legal action if a recommendation is made

The point re: livelyhood should be considered the otherway round. Should a business who clearly does not deliver be allowed one. The only way to get them to improve is to threaten their livelyhood.

If you recommend a removal company and this leads to someone losing all their belongings arn't you as liable and culpable as if you state the truth about a companies opertaion.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by mucus

The point re: livelyhood should be considered the otherway round. Should a business who clearly does not deliver be allowed one. The only way to get them to improve is to threaten their livelyhood.

If you recommend a removal company and this leads to someone losing all their belongings arn't you as liable and culpable as if you state the truth about a companies opertaion.

There is the issue that if we allow everyone who has had a bad experience with a company to report it on here then the flood gate would open. It would also allow competitors the right to pretend they're peaved customers who've had bad experiences etc... Sorry, but thats how it has to be

Jo xxx

[SteveHall]

I'm with Jojo and Strav all the way. IF (and you did not) Taliban, for example, had siad "Oh you must use ABC Removals - they are the best /cheapest etc" and you then found out that they were illegal, useless and her brother-in-laws I'd have more sympathy but it's not right that you just come on and say "XYZ are crooks"

If I shamed every bad bar/hotel/shop/Carrefour etc that I'd used over many years there'd not be a lot more on here! I prefer to look at the positive.

Really sorry that you have had a raw deal but here is not the place to solve it.

[Tallulah]

Absolutely - one should complain to the association to which said company is a member (if indeed it is) and you may be entitled to a degree of compensation. Unfortunately public forums are not the place. Frustrating I know, but rules is rules I guess.

[jojo]

Its not just this forum, or any forum. Its the law regarding any public publication. Unless the offending company is given the right to reply knowing that its public

Jo xxx