A Move I Didn’t Choose: A Traumatic Experience Across Borders

Not My Choice — Stressful, Quick, and Emotional

It was not exactly a choice to move, so it was really stressful in a quick turnaround, and pretty emotional. I’m also moving with my cat, with an international move, so this was difficult.
The experience was as described – hard and stressful and chaotic – and I’m not sure what else to add.
I had decided never to move again 5 years ago, and there I was having to do this once more, especially across countries and bodies of water.
I would not recommend it, but needs must – and I was hoping to be quickly on the other side.

The Search for a Mover

I did some – I used this website and CompareMyMove to try to find the right removal service.
On the way in, I had found one – Seven Seas Transport – but the volume was limited and it had taken a total of six weeks to ship my stuff from France to the north of Ireland, which, even by boat, I did not anticipate.
I assume there were some customs issues, but it was still excessive, so I was looking for something cheaper and faster somehow without compromising on what a move requires, which is a lot.

Moving Day: A Horrific Experience

The moving day was horrific – I couldn’t hire professional cleaners for my old place and I barely had any time since I was busy clearing everything out.
I also had to be driven 2 hours down to the only airport that would handle pet travel.
We had to go through security, the flight was delayed, there were a lot of weather-related issues, my cat was terrified, I hate flying, it was terrible.

It wasn’t as terrible as the moving company that made everything worse:

• Items arrived late
• Some were damaged
• The mover just randomly placed furniture in front of doors and made it impossible for my cat to eat or drink
• He terrified the cat on two occasions
• And was extremely rude and dismissive

The True Cost of a Budget Mover

Do not hire budget moving companies or you’ll find out why they are budget companies at your own expense.

This one asks for you to share the loading/unloading 50/50, and I had explained I had a disability so would do what I could.
Loading was fine, we did it in order to facilitate unloading, and they switched lorries halfway through.

• My clothes and bedding ended up on the dirty floor of a new lorry
• Some of my wooden furniture arrived wet for some reason
• The cardboard boxes suffered from being moved from one place to another, despite some clearly having been marked with fragile tape

The driver for the unloading refused to participate in the loading; then refused to move the furniture to allow the opening of doors.
He locked my cat in a broom closet for an hour by 35+ degrees, and I could hear him cry.
He didn’t speak a word of English until I wanted to note items were damaged, then suddenly he did find his English and was yelling at me.

It was traumatic, and I now have to throw two thirds of my stuff away.