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Removal nightmare (Read 4353 times)
sabineopp
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Removal nightmare
Apr 24th, 2007 at 8:33pm
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We moved in January 2007 from L'Ampolla back to the UK. We used an English guy in Miami Platje which we cannot recommend whatsoever. What should have worried us was when he arrived late on the second day of our move to pick up the rest of our furniture and brought along a trailer that he completely trashed that morning by backing it into a tree or so. The side and front were badly damaged. He then proceeded to "chuck" the rest of our furniture onto this trailer without securing it properly. When he arrived with the lot at our UK address not only were two pieces of handmade furniture badly damaged and another one had what looked like oil sucked up by the wood, he also tried to say my partner was responsible for damage to one of the pieces as we had to unscrew the top and he put it onto some stones.....A bit later he confessed that 4 pieces of our furniture he had to leave behind as they did not fit onto the trailer. What then followed were three months of delaying tactics and non-communication. In the end I issued an ultimatum and was called "snotty". Our furniture was finally delivered. alas - no surprise there - a large floor vase was completely smashed. For which apparently I was responsbile....
My partner managed to get payment out of the bloke for the trashed vase but be warned - never use a local guy who is not really experienced with moving furniture and uses his wife and daughter plus friends and neighbours to help him out. All this we found out of course only when it was too late. If you want to know the name of the "company" reply to this post. He came recommended by the way....
  
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Pondgirl
Ex Member


Re: Removal nightmare
Reply #1 - May 4th, 2007 at 9:52pm
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I'm sorry, I don't want to get into an argument with anyone over this but I cannot agree with denouncing people on a messageboard,  especially if the information given makes it quite clear who the subject is.  If they try to defend themselves there will inevitably be a slanging match, if they don't their business could be irreparably damaged. 

What is to stop someone with a grudge telling complete untruths just to score points? I'm not saying that this is what has happened here but the internet is a very dangerous place to try to garner independent information. 

If you have a problem with someone then it should be dealt with personally, not by slagging them off via a messageboard.

PG

PS since when was it wrong to have family members help out in a business?

  
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biki
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Re: Removal nightmare
Reply #2 - May 5th, 2007 at 10:18am
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Hi Pondgirl

"DO AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY"

I agree with you negative references are unpleasant,especially when one only hears one side of a story.
There are always two sides and they rearly match.I dont know who is being discussed, they must feel terrible..equally sabinop had a rough time. Also maybe the move back must in a way make everthing you leave seem really bad thus reinforcing the decision to leave.
Maybe we should all live by

"IF YOU CANT SAY GOOD THINGS SAY NOTHING"

I am sure these posts could not create an argument with anybody except possibly with sabinop who must feel she was only trying to warn others and save them going through the same thing.
Lessons learned are sometimes hard and hindsight ,well. Often you get what you pay for and maybe thats why companys like Pickfords International charge so much for removal.

So for pondgirl speak out for things you belive and for Sabinop I hope you are settling back into U.K life and your experince here has not left you disliking Catalonia.For the removal company lessons learned so your reversing skills have improved.

Regards
Biki   


  
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sabineopp
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Re: Removal nightmare
Reply #3 - May 7th, 2007 at 8:16pm
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What I listed was not meant as revenge or enlarged in any way. I am not slagging off anyone or denouncing anyone and I do object aginst Pondgirl's assumption that I do. If you want to come by and check out our furniture - you are welcome. The proof is in the pudding as they say ..... If Pondgirl is in any way connected with said firm then of course will she know who I am talking about. I haven't mentioned any names and I stuck to the rules of this forum.

As for "you get what you pay for" - Pickfords was cheaper, so were a few other well known companies. We decided to use a local company as they came recommended and we wanted to give business to a "local". If you charge top fees then you employ professionals, not family members. Family members and friends are employed because they are cheap labour. They are not trained and accidents happen more often. We were given the impression that said firm employs professionals. Enough said there.

Personally I had a great time in Spain and only returned to England because of business reasons. I don't bear a grudge against Catalonia and the locals or any expats, quite the opposite. I did not leave in a huff and the move hasn't reinforced a non-existing bad feeling about the area.

All in all nobody has highlighted the severe failings in the service of said firm. Also nobody actually said it didn't happen or squeal that they had been wronged. No apology has ever been offered either.

And finally if we are all asked to post only happy stories (if you can't say good things say nothing!) then this is indeed a very sad forum - which I know it isn't as I greatly enjoyed it and found it tremendosuly helpful over the past 2 years. Plus I made quite a few friends through it and they will know that I am not a hyped-up individual who has a tendency to tell porkies over the internet  Wink

Cheers, have a wonderful life and enjoy Tortosa. It is a great place to live in.
  
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Pondgirl
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Re: Removal nightmare
Reply #4 - May 7th, 2007 at 10:14pm
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As I said Sabine, I didn't post my comment in order to get into an argument and I'm sorry you object to my post.  I still stand by my comment that I don't llike messageboards to be used to denounce people, how many English removal guys do you think operate out of Miami Playa?  I am not connected with the firm you used in any way, apart from having used them for our move and without complaint.

"All in all nobody has highlighted the severe failings in the service of said firm" I really am sorry that you had a bad experience and don't doubt that your experience was upsetting, but if they 'came recommended' then presumably someone that you trust also used them without any problems and perhaps the 'severe failings' you tallk about are not the norm?

Anyway, I'm glad you're happily settled back in England, we are certainly very happy with our life in Montsia.

PG Smiley
  
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sabineopp
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Re: Removal nightmare
Reply #5 - May 7th, 2007 at 11:39pm
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Dear Pondgirl

What happened in respect of our removal experience, happened,in fact we have played down other aspects of our removal back to the Uk by the company in question.The whole point about this situation is that we reserve the right to outline what occured.No one is making anything up, every thing we have said is a statement of fact ,and can be fully supported by evidence if so required.Frankly we are far too busy to engage in fabricating mis information.We accept the point that this may have been a one off,but do not accept that this should be just swept under the carpet because the truth hurts.Stuff happens god only knows we understand that.But what occured during our move went beyond just stuff happening,it resulted in more damage to our furniture than on 5 previous moves put together plus 100%,because all our other moves we only had VERY minor marks to maybe one item.The point is this we paid top dollar,we have already confirmed that the quote in question was in fact £300 more than the next Mainstream removal company based in the UK!.We chose the removal company concerned because we wished to support a local company plus the individual concerned seemed very professional,so we chose this company,i do not dispute that the person concerned is a hard working individual etc ,but it still does not alter the fact that we had a crap move by his company.We are the losers here and to be honest it hurts,we tried to do the right thing and it went wrong.All we did was book a removal company to get our stuff back to the UK,The  company mucked it up not us.Also we do not take exception with your responses as far as we are concerned you are fully entiled to  your views,as we are fully entitled to put the facts across as we se fit,we do not feel that we are getting into an argument with any one its just a frank and healthy exchange of views.However as far as we are concerned we will leave it at that.As mentioned  we can provide all the evidence and proof in order to support everything that has been written,we are not saying that the next person  will  have the same experience its just that ours was so poor we reserve the to make that point.Some folk do learn from experience we  hope that is the case here            
  
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Pondgirl
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Re: Removal nightmare
Reply #6 - May 8th, 2007 at 1:31pm
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Fair enough Sabine.  I would like to say that at no point did I doubt the veracity of your comments, that was never my point.

As you say let's just hope that lessons have been learned.

PG
  
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Nobrot the Great
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Re: Removal nightmare
Reply #7 - Sep 12th, 2007 at 9:48pm
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We have just used a removal firm based in Miami Platya for some heavy stuff from UK to Tortosa....I can only 'assume'that it is the same firm as mentioned above.Now whilst I agree the internet is a great/evil tool,I also agree that if someone has been genuinely mistreated/ripped off etc it can be used to great effect but fair's fair,if someone deserves praise then so be it.The above firm,if it is the same outfit(Mike and his collegue from Removals and Storage),were brilliant.On time picking up and on time dropping off,no messing about,great pair of guys,I would use them again and can't recommend them enough.Thanks Fellas


Ian
  
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