
About
David Dale Removals have been operating from their North Yorkshire base for over 30 years and specialise in a wide variety of removal and storage needs, from commercial and home storage to European and international removals.
Sirelo asks...
What is your insurance policy? How do you deal with damaged items?
What is the best advice you would give to customers?
Reviews
79


[name removed by Sirelo] was extremely brusque and unhelpful in that time. So much so I was reluctant to ask him about delivery in case he delayed it further. I understand he had staffing problems but not once did empathise with me.




I contacted them to make a removal from Spain to the UK and sent them a standard email which I sent to other companies asking for quotations. This document specified the addresses at both ends and the exact dimensions of each piece of furniture.
They provided the cheapest quotation of all companies but also estimated the lowest volume (13 m3)so I queried if the volume estimated was correct. Thy confirmed it and said that I could even add a few more boxes. I assumed that they were better at packing than other companies and signed a 10 page document with a tiny 10 font print and paid my deposit.
It was agreed that they would collect on a specific Tuesday and deliver the Friday or Saturday after. I live in the UK so I book my flights and travelled to the house in Spain to pack everything and carefully dismantle the furniture (although that service was included in the contract).
Once packed I wrote again saying that I had dismantled the furniture for them but had more boxes that expected. The answer was that ‘a few more boxes would not matter’.
On the Friday before the removal I receive a message ‘Sorry I make a mistake, Can we collect from you on Monday afternoon and deliver to you on Friday in Norfolk.’
I had got a job in Spain for Sunday and Monday so I couldn’t change it and also the delivery was due in Suffolk!!!
I told them that I could do Monday evening after work. They replied ‘Will you be available on Monday Morning??Sorry Suffolk not Norfolk’
I replied saying that I had found a friend who could be there on Monday afternoon. There answer was: ‘What time??? We can load Sunday better if you are there to supervise. When can we deliver in Sussex? Letnow soonest as I need to book ferries’.
Now they were delivering to Sussex and I started really worrying!! Eventually I finished work earlier than planned on Sunday to accommodate to THEIR requirements and they came.
They appeared to be very thorough examining all items and writing lots of notes. However they did not appreciate that I had done lots of work for them. When they took the extra boxes they told me that it had taken much more space than expected and it would cots me more. I had added 10 boxes (56x33x41cm) what means 0.8 m3. I explained that central office had agreed to it and I would speak to them.
They asked me to sign several pages with the inventory and lots of acronyms by them what I did when they finished quite late in the evening. When I checked it I realized that the acronyms indicated that each piece of furniture was damaged right left and top. I had not realized that my furniture was so damaged!
When I returned to the UK they sent me an invoice which was £240 higher than quoted! And very abruptly reminding me ‘This account must be settled in full prior to removal day as per our terms & conditions, section 8.’ In other words, if you don’t pay you don’t get your furniture’
When the furniture arrived two of the pieces of furniture (one of them an antique) had been badly damaged. I don’t mean scratched. I mean a large piece of wood completely broken off the furniture. I was really upset but I had paid £150.20 on top of the removal fees for insurance so I asked the delivery man how I could claim from the insurance. In a very rude manner he told me to glue it myself!!! I could not believe it. When I recovered from the shock I asked if I could get it valued by the insurance. His rudeness increased and told me that he was in a hurry and I had to glue it myself (we are talking about an antique) or he could take it away and glue it himself. Trying to explain the value of the furniture was wasting my time. I finally agreed to him taking it away as he said that if he left it behind I would have to do it myself. I insisted it had to be professionally repaired. He did not even bother about the other piece of furniture.
By the way, when I checked the rest of the furniture it was not as badly damage as they indicated. They just try to say that everything is damaged in collection to cover their back although large pieces of wood broken off are difficult to hide.
A week after he took my furniture away I wrote to David Dale removals asking if they had a rough idea of when I would have my furniture back. The answer was this: ‘No not at present “rough idea” you will want to know the exact date and exact time.
When I know I will mail you.’
Is it me? Is it unreasonable that I want to know when I will have my furniture back?
Two days ago I sent another email that was ignored and today, half a month after my furniture should have been delivered, I phoned David Dale removals. They told me that they could not tell me when I would have my furniture back as it would be when they would be back in the area.
Do in need one of my neighbours to arrange their removal with them so I can have my furniture back?
In summary:
Collection date changed
Rudeness throughout
They charge more than quoted
Furniture damaged
You pay for an insurance they don’t allow you to use
They highjack your furniture and you never know when you will get it backRead more