Rant time!!

Posted in General Discussion.Skip To Latest

GH Transport Scotland

Original Poster

Friday 28^th September 2012

So, been quite busy lately and due to the sprinter been in for a new steering rack I had to sub some of my work out.

Now like it or hate it I still do some removal work etc so had a small removal to do mainly boxes and small items with a pick up from storage which wasn't much.

Phoned a few different companies and got 1 who where willing to do it, told them everything I knew about the job and asked them for a price, they told me they would rather do price work than an hourly fee (fair enough I thought) so agrees price and as it was short notice I gave them a bit extra (the full amount for the job) so no cut to me which didn't bother me.

So thinks great that's all sorted, phone goes at 8pm,(they started this job at 1) turns out to be my customer very worked up saying the guys where demanding much more money and refusing to remove her belongings from the van. So hearing this I'm absolutely fuming.

Now the guy gave me a price of £160 for doing the a gave them the £190 a was getting for the job they then demand £500 out of my customer. Not only did they take 7 hours to do a 2 bedroom flat removal going less than a mile they then have the cheek to pull that.

Honest to god who does that and what do they think it will achieve, as it turns out I have more work I need to sub and certainly wouldn't go near them.

Are people so short sighted they would rather rip someone off there and then than get regular work.

Nottingham & Derby Couriers

3179

Friday 28^th September 2012

We had a kind of similar situation but the other way around, We were begged to do a removal from Derby to Wales a few years ago, We don't do removals as a business but this was helping the guy out.
Anyway we agreed a price for a 7.5tonner and 3 men but we will only move things from the ground floor as we have no experience of removals as such. Also the customers 4 sons were at the other end to help offload.
When we arrived the customer informed us of all the belongings in the attic, The 5 wardrobes that need dismantling and also the bunk beds that needed dismantling.
We explained the situation and after some complaining theydismantled the furniture and brought everything downstairs.
Next problem one 7.5 Tonner wasn't big enough and the guy we were helping didn't bother to recce the amount of stuff to move. I had to negotiate a LWB sprinter to follow directly as the main chaps phone was switched off.
All loaded and journey commenced.
Upon arrival at the destination end the sons were no where to be found, They has driven there quickly and were in the pub.
The customer then started labelling boxes for "room on 3rd floor" boxes for cellar etc, again we agreed only to deliver to ground floor,
After 45 mins and no sign of the sons and the ground floor getting full her sons turn up quite pied.
They started arguing that they had paid for the move and are doing fk all.
We finally emptied the truck apart from 1 cheap chipboard bookshelf.
At this point one of the sons pressed the down button on the tail lift which shook the lorry, The bookshelf fell over and disintergrated into many pieces.
The customer then demanded a £200 discount for damage to a family heirloom which was caused by her own son and looked like it had come from the tip anyway.
The only upside is that we were paid before the job by the guy that originally took it on apart from the extra van charge which we also insisted on upfront payment.
The moral of the story is.
"We never did house removals prior to this and haven't bloody done one since".
And i know why!

GH Transport Scotland

Original Poster

Friday 28^th September 2012

That reminds me, the customer and a friend had been bringing the boxes down from 2nd floor for them .

I see what you mean about how it can work the other way but these guys advertise as doing removals.

Speed Couriers Nationwide Ltd

10314

Friday 28^th September 2012

I think rather like CX there should be different forums on here

1-Business Issues

2-Got any Questions

3-The Friday Rant

But back to the matter in hand, I do think the problem with removals, and forgive me, but i know very little about this one, is that it must be nigh on impossible to price without actually being there, get the size of vehicle right without a hell of a lot of knowledge, and how long it will take...not to mention how many bods, how much you pay them etc etc.

I did work for a Receiver many moons ago and we got to emptying shops off to a fine art....but with receivers its just a license to print money so wasn't an issue.If you got 10 bods to price a removal up, you;d get 10 very different prices...subbing this out must be a nightmare...and i bet everyone thinks they can do removals whereas i think its quite a skilled job.

This thread proves my point

Bloody good film with Warren Mitchell about removals from 1984 "The Chain"..hilarious

GH Transport Scotland

Original Poster

Friday 28^th September 2012

Speed I understand what you are saying and you are right in the sense that if you don't go look at the stuff it is impossible as people giving you an inventory always leads to tons of extra stuff.

Now had that been the case then in my eyes he would have been perfectly justified to as for more money, but ask me not the customer then I can deal with my customer.

However in this case it wasn't and from speaking to him and the customer it wasn't even a full van load.

Speed Couriers Nationwide Ltd

10314

Friday 28^th September 2012

I'm not disagreeing with you.Outrageous way of working...one reason we keep to what we know....sameday.

Now is it me or has this thread been edited?

Doo Moves

242

Friday 28^th September 2012

Wow they sound Professionally (not) idiots bottom Line for them your the customer so yes any Problems they should contact you, it seems to me they don't know what they are doing and are trying it on cheeky sods , 7 hours are you kidding me wow with access problems , dismantling and major troubles getting items out if it took me 3 to 4 hours I would be embarrassed, not even a van load at £190 they should have started at one cracked in got the job done and moved on to the next one or the pub , crazy .

It is a tricky Job but if you know what your doing its easy, estimating a job is never easy when working for Pickfords Experienced Estimators would get it totaly wrong, but if you have done the job you know what too look for.

I hope you get this issue sorted buddy and really dont use them chuck there number in the bin.

Cowboys

GH Transport Scotland

Original Poster

Friday 28^th September 2012

Yeah Speed am sure there was someone having a go then edited lol.

Doo Movers yeah they are well in the bin, to me that would have been 2 -3hours work max, especially on a friday, you rattle the job and as you say you are in the pub better off and with the knowledge more work is coming your way.

I agree though, people may think its all about just lifting stuff with moves but there is more to it.

Thanks for the replies feeling a little calmer now.

Doo Moves

242

Friday 28^th September 2012

Welcome Buddy , live and learn I guess :) all the best

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