[james the mechanic]

Firstly sorry for the very long post.

I used ALS in the UK a small shipping company who did exactly what they said on the tin, they utilize both NZ van Lines and the Moving Company at the NZ end.

In my case they use NZ Van Lines, I was quite pleased about that, as most of the bad press NZ Van Lines had got was quite old while the Moving Co’s press was ongoing, so I thought they were the lesser of two evils.

I self packed so ALS basically just supplied a container which I loaded then we sealed it and off it went, I paid for delivery of the sealed container to my door by NZ Van Lines at this end and two guys to help unload it.

I was well warned about NZ Van Lines MAF scams and itemized every item with full descriptions including how relevant items had been treated and cleaned. Thus MAF cleared the container without inspection or comment.

The container landed at the port on time on the 16th February and I was told to expect delivery within 10 days. I should probably point out that the port is well under a mile from my house, you turn right out the port first left and that’s my road.

Now the problems started, basically due to the gross ineptitude of NZ Van Lines it took them a week to even contact me as Email is a far to complicated media of communication for them. They then required further copies of our passports that ALS had already given them, as they had clearly lost them.

The container has all of my tools in it and I need them to start work, I was meant to start on the 1st of March but this clearly hasn’t happened. NZ Van Lines claim that the earliest that they can deliver is the 12th March which is yet another week, I might add that they have charged me storage till then as well.

Once clearance was final complete this morning (9 days late) they called me to tell me…

‘We have just received an email from our carriers in Napier and unfortunately we are unable to deliver the container intact as there is no room for the container to be left on your road.

So we will have to organise a Ferry Vehicle which will transport your goods from the container to your residence. This will incur additional charges.’

I told them there is room in the street directly outside the house for a container and truck to park and that the whole street is derestricted parking both sides, very wide and there are never cars parked there. I stated this when I originally contracted their services, through ALS to whom, they are now subcontracting.

If I had wished for my possessions to be shunted from van to van etc. I would have opted for a shared container; considering that mine is only 2/3 full, this would have been much cheaper; however I didn’t, as this is not the service I required or paid for.

After much arguing it turned out that they are subcontracting the container moving to a company called Mainfrieght and their trucks have a kind of Hiab on the back so the doors can’t be opened without offloading the container.

The real issue is that fact that they want to off load the container at all. Although I understand that this is the only service that Mainfrieght can offer them. They have said (Mainfrieght) this is not possible at my address, as it is illegal to leave the container in the road anywhere in Napier. I have checked with the police and planning office and it is apparently impossible to obtain a permit to do so. However, if the container was parked outside the house on the back of a truck in the street, it would be perfectly legal and that is actually what the police suggested, but of course, impossible due to Mainfrieghts Hiab.

I visited Mainfrieght in Napier and they were very helpful, professional and knowledgeable. They gave the impression that they thought NZ Van Lines were a bunch of clowns and said that they (NZ Van Lines) intend to shunt my possessions from the container to the ‘ferry vehicle’ in their yard and have done this several times in the past. The guy from Mainfrieght said that he wouldn't be happy with this if he was the customer. It's totally unacceptable, as their yard has wide open gates with little or no security, (I just walked right in and through the yard without anyone giving me a second glance) of course it goes without saying, they are not willing to indemnify me against loss or damage during this process.

I have told NZ Van Lines that they have two choices organize a subcontractor who can actually do the job I paid them to do or pay me to find one.

Ether way one option will be happening by the end of the day tomorrow…

Rant Over
Best wishes :nice1
:mad: James

[dilanium]

Oh geez! I hope it works out for you James!


-Liz

[JandM]

That's awful! Good for you for sticking up for yourself. Let us know how it goes.

[shakyle2906]

Good for you James, let us know how it goes!

Sharon

[marcia]

I hope you have got in touch with the agents you used in the first place and got them involved in all this, at the end of the day your 'contract' was with them, and they have subcontracted the work this end to NZ van lines, they should be ensuring you are toatlly happy with the service they are providing, and if they are subcontrating to a bunch of idiots they need to know about it!

Good luck - stick to your guns and if you do have to back down and have the container opened for your stuff to be moved, insist on being present so you can at least keep an eye on whats going on!

[sizzlingbadger]

Definitely stick to your guns about this, can't believe the attitude of them, it's outrageous :mad:

If they ferry your stuff from port to home that's where the problem starts of things going missing or getting damage. It might work fine but then you don't really want to take the risk especially when you were told it was door to door delivery of a container.

Feel very frustrated for you, how these guys get a way with it is very unfair. As Marcia said contact the company in the UK to let them know what's going on and if they can sort something out.

Good luck I hope it all gets sorted quickly from now and painlessly :)

[james the mechanic]

Well the saga continues…

I have just discovered almost by accident that my container is not at the port at all (as NZ Van Lines had led me to believe) it has been removed on the 20th February (under some form of customs license) and been in storage.

Yes, you may think, in some kind of secure bonded customs warehouse with big gates, CCTV and big angry dogs, well that’s what I thought.

Wrong, it’s basically in a field protected by a 3foot high wire fence adjoined by a vehicle breakers scrap metal yard; it’s not even on hard standing.

Fortunately the plastic seal hasn’t been broken (so no one has been in it) but it’s not even got a padlock on it and it’s facing a neighboring field that adjoins a main road.

Our insurance only covers storage in the port so it has basically been in a field uninsured for a fortnight.

Oh and I nearly forgot NZ Van Lines are basically trying to charge me $1260 to store it there.

This hasn’t exactly done much for my mood this morning.:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Georgebulldog]

The whole thing is shocking, they cannot surely charge you for their own mistakes & if they can't deliver within the timescale that's not your fault, it just makes my blood boil & it's not even my problem.
Have you thought about just getting your stuff & say you will pay at the end then don't pay any more than you should do?
I had a chair that was accidently delivered to me when it should have been cleaned, because of their mistake they had to take it somewhere else to clean it & tried charging me almost double, I told them on yer bike (I have the rest of my stuff) & as soon as I get the chair then they will be paid only what MAF told me & no more, they don't seem to be able to get my bill right but now I have my stuff tough
Good luck & just keep thinking it will soon be over & you can relax :)

[zardell]

Welcome to my world ...

Hope yours gets better than mine is right now. I'm at the 'threatening with solicitors' stage.

What really angers me is that these companies take your money BEFORE they provide you with an appalling service and then they lie to you in order to cover their incompetence!!

My OH waited over 4 weeks before he could start work, as that was how long it took before we took delivery of his tools.

Unacceptable.

Feeling your anger...:mad:

Julie

xx

[james the mechanic]

Well after conversation with the NZ Van Lines director’s office…
It seems that I’m actually delusional, as apparently the container is in a secure yard and the doors are block with another container and what’s more it has been like that since it arrived.

After asking their spokes person whether she believed I was lying and if so for what purpose she backed down and said that the doors were now blocked by another container and they would remain that way until it was delivered by a new contractor on a truck that could park outside the house.

Apparently the very virtue that it is now blocked in, makes it secure storage, well stupid me!

She went on to say ‘the seal is still intacked, so you must be very relieved about that’. Yes, I consider it to be a right result that all my stuff hasn’t been stolen despite your cavalier attitude.

It goes without saying that I will be regally checking that it stays blocked in, until it is delivered, now scheduled for Tuesday.:mad:

[JandM]

Go, James! Tell 'em we're all watching, too. They should just think how many people, potential customers, are hearing about every stage of this saga.

[jubjub]

James, go take photos, if you have not already... fingers crossed everythign is safe and secure and you have it delivered without incident on Tues.

What a disaster all the companies are being at the moment, if all of you that had trouble did complain, en masse, someone here would HAVE to take notice and deal with it.

[holland]

What an absolute joke James...oh my goodness I feel your anger!!!!!!!

They are a joke these people...you get pushed from pillar to post and they just tell you what you want to hear and move you onto to someone else...oh, it makes me cross!

Think I would be asking to go and view it and take pictures.

Gosh.....ridiculous...hope you get it Tuesday...are your employers alright hanging on??

J

[zardell]

Well after conversation with the NZ Van Lines director’s office…
It seems that I’m actually delusional




I rest my case....:mad: :mad: :mad:

Julie

xx

[Sam B]

Grrrr, how maddening. Although our stuff arrived intact and the crew that unpacked it (NZ Vanlines) were helpful enough, I found their customer service and communications at head office abysmal - actually just plain rude.

[marcia]

Make sure you don't part with any money till you get your stuff from them, and then I'll tell them to shove it where the sun no longer shines!!! You shouldn't have to pay storage fees becasue they are incapable of delivery, you were ready and waiting, its their mistake not yours. keep a log of cals and emails - we really ought to get this lot on fair go - or exposed or whatever - people need to know who don't come on forums like this, thank god most of us are aware of these mongrels, but its still a pain in the bum.

I was going to suggest you sneak into the 'secure' storage and empty the container yourself, with the help of a few friends, at least you'd have your stuff but could then show them up for the incompetant idiots they are, but if they have blocked it in - thats a no -go! :o

Fingers crossed it goes ok on Tuesday!

[james the mechanic]

Thanks for your support guys,
Employer is reasonably happy to wait, the guy I’m replacing only went at the end of the month and luckily there’re not that busy at the moment.
In the mean time I’ve just got to wait and see what happens on Tuesday, like it or lump it (which it pretty much what Van Lines have told me) so fingers are certainly crossed.
Best Wishes:nice1
James

[james the mechanic]

It was quite clear that NZ Van Lines weren’t going to deliver the container until they had the $1260 (alleged) storage and asked that I send them a cheque by courier prior to delivery. I queried this as it was unlikely that said cheque would be cleared by today (delivery day), and I was told ‘that’s ok all we need is sight of an un-banked cheque in order to action deliver, weird ha’. So I diligently wrote them a cheque and sent it to them in the aforementioned manner.

The following day I got a phone call to say ‘we can’t accept this cheque as it’s a personal one and not a bank counter one.’ Their operative went on to reaffirm that they can’t / won’t action delivery until it’s paid, and asked me ‘what do you want me to do with your cheque?’ I replied ‘rip it up and I’ll transfer the money’ (transfer had allegedly not been an option the previous day, when only the cheque by courier would do). To which the operative replied ‘I can’t, it’s against company policy’. I asked ‘so why did you ask me?’ and hung up the phone.:confused: :mad:

Very unhappy off I went to the bank and transferred the $1260 to the extortionists and cancelled the cheque at the same time.

Last thing yesterday I received a phone call, explaining that the sealed container would be arriving at our house between 12.00 and 1.00 today, and that their team would as originally arranged unload the container, unpack and take packaging away.

The container arrived at 11.30 this morning and was still sealed, of which we were obviously very relieved; the crew were all really nice and we very quickly had the container virtually empty.

I was aware that one of the crew was on his mobile and he suddenly shouted ‘quick stop unloading, shut the doors, they haven’t paid us’.

My mobile simultaneously started ringing and it was the chief extortionist, from NZ Van Lines, who said ‘You’ve cancelled our cheque, so you’re not having your stuff, bla, bla, bla’…

Unfortunately as Douglas would have to moderate it to oblivion:yes , I can’t include any of my response, but it’s sufficient to say that the container doors were reopened and it was unloaded very quickly in virtual silence.

One of the crew then came and asked me to sign the inventory, so that they could go.
I explained that they still had to unpack and take the packaging away, and I wasn’t signing anything until they had done so. The crew said they didn’t think they had to unpack.

We just walked off and started unpacking, after sometime the crew reappeared and started assisting in the unpacking. Once they had finished another of them approached me with the inventory to sign. As I now knew that we had everything and it was all undamaged I was quite happy to sign. When signing, I noticed that it was a copy of a copy that ALS had faxed to them that they had previously denied ever receiving, which was allegedly part of the delay in customs clearance that resulted in the $1260 bill for storage in a field.

If I had to ship from UK to Napier ever again what would I do differently?
I would defiantly use Andy at ALS at the UK end again however I would possibly get him to use Crown this end (which he could do) but would more likely, organize/do everything myself this end.

If you can’t be bothered to read all my ranting above & quite frankly I don’t blame you…
I got all my stuff today, no breakages/losses & I still hate NZ Van Lines

Best Wishes:nice1
James

[zardell]

My mobile simultaneously started ringing and it was the chief extortionist, from NZ Van Lines,


The position of 'Chief Extortionist for Well Known Removal Comapanies' should be on the SSL !! There seems to be so many of 'em around that I'm convinced it's a skilled occupation !!!!

Glad to hear you eventually got your consignment James, even though it did cost you...:roll

Julie

xx

[JandM]

Oh, James, WHAT A LOAD OF ..... (you can fill that gap). You must be SO relieved it's over, and my blood-pressure rose in sympathy from here.

[mgbridges]

So pleased that you finally got your stuff James even though it was at a price (in more ways than one)!

After all these posts about NZ Van Lines & the Moving Company I can only breath a huge sigh of relief that we went with Allied Pickfords last year as they have offices both in the UK and here. Seems though that won't be an option for much longer though with the collapse of Sirva!

I also can't help thinking more and more that both NZ Van Lines & the Moving Company need grassing up to the likes of Fair Go. However as I don't have personal experience I don't feel I can.

Good luck with the rest of your unpacking.
Anneliese

[JandM]

I also can't help thinking more and more that both NZ Van Lines & the Moving Company need grassing up to the likes of Fair Go. Hear, hear. Not to mention informing the police (in either country), and trading standards in the UK and whatever the NZ equivalent is.

[thezorbster]

I have to say that we had fantastic service from NZ Vanlines, couldn't fault them at all. Service appears to differ wildly from company to company and area to area which is a fault in itself but it tends to be the negative things that people post about. If you have a great service, a smooth move etc it's generally not worth posting about so you tend not to hear the good things. It's only when things go wrong that people often post as they are understandably upset by the situation. I'm not knocking people's experiences at all and all those who have had bad service have my every sympathy as the move is stressful enough as it is. I just think you can't generalise about a company - for those who have had a negative experience I bet there are hundreds whose move has gone smoothly.

[james the mechanic]

I have to say that we had fantastic service from NZ Vanlines, couldn't fault them at all. Service appears to differ wildly from company to company and area to area which is a fault in itself but it tends to be the negative things that people post about. If you have a great service, a smooth move etc it's generally not worth posting about so you tend not to hear the good things. It's only when things go wrong that people often post as they are understandably upset by the situation. I'm not knocking people's experiences at all and all those who have had bad service have my every sympathy as the move is stressful enough as it is. I just think you can't generalise about a company - for those who have had a negative experience I bet there are hundreds whose move has gone smoothly.

Absolutely, but it’s strange you hear bad about the same companies again and again and never hear it about bad about others.

NZ Van Lines do 2-4 deliveries (according to the crew) for people relocating to NZ each and every day; I’m quite convinced the vast majority of those customers are quite satisfied like you.

However it seems that when these companies get it wrong they get it very wrong and couldn’t care less so it's a case of Cavet empor.

Best wishes:nice1
James

[marcia]

Zorbster - you are right in what you say - but at the end of day every one makes mistakes, but its how the company deals with them thats important and half these beggers couldn't care a damn once they have your money!

James very glad to hear you got all your stuff eventually :clap and it was all in one piece, shame the 'robbers' got more money from you though - have you alerted them to the bad press they are getting on this forum due to their attitudes? Perhaps it might be worth sending them an email with a link!!! :p

[Hongi Hicker]

I have to say that we had fantastic service from NZ Vanlines, couldn't fault them at all. Service appears to differ wildly from company to company and area to area which is a fault in itself but it tends to be the negative things that people post about. If you have a great service, a smooth move etc it's generally not worth posting about so you tend not to hear the good things. It's only when things go wrong that people often post as they are understandably upset by the situation. I'm not knocking people's experiences at all and all those who have had bad service have my every sympathy as the move is stressful enough as it is. I just think you can't generalise about a company - for those who have had a negative experience I bet there are hundreds whose move has gone smoothly.

Well said Zorbster, bad news travels fast..good news is rarely heard....seems that people like knocking NZ companies..maybe they forget that their new employers are Kiwi's or their new homes are built on Maori land

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between Maori and the Crown in 1840 at the time when there were 100,000 Maori and one to two thousand settlers. There were two versions of the treaty that concern us today.

One in English ceded sovereignty from Maori to the Queen of England. It was signed by 38 chiefs who had had the Maori version explained to them, and who did not speak English.

The Maori version was the one that was explained and signed by over 500 of our chiefs. It ceded governance by the Queen over her own subjects in New Zealand and kept tribal sovereignty in Maori hands.

The English version gave the settlers enormous economic and political advantages, so appeared seven years after the treaty was signed in the courts. Thereafter the Maori Treaty was never seen again.

In 1877, in a famous decision, Judge Prendergast buried the Maori Treaty commenting that you couldn't have a treaty with primitive savages in grass skirts.

By the way James

Speaking of quality, as noted in the above post, your Latin needs work. "Cavet empor"? You might have something with "cavet", but it is a completely improper use of the inflected form. "Cavet" is the 3rd person singular future active form of caveo ("beware"). You mean to use the 3rd person singular present subjunctive form: "caveat". "Empor" is not a word in Latin. We are wary of current nonsense. "Caveat emptor" ("let the buyer beware", I think properly conjugated) would apply in this case,;) ;)

[zardell]

Well said Zorbster, bad news travels fast..good news is rarely heard....seems that people like knocking NZ companies..maybe they forget that their new employers are Kiwi's or their new homes are built on Maori land

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between Maori and the Crown in 1840 at the time when there were 100,000 Maori and one to two thousand settlers. There were two versions of the treaty that concern us today.

One in English ceded sovereignty from Maori to the Queen of England. It was signed by 38 chiefs who had had the Maori version explained to them, and who did not speak English.

The Maori version was the one that was explained and signed by over 500 of our chiefs. It ceded governance by the Queen over her own subjects in New Zealand and kept tribal sovereignty in Maori hands.

The English version gave the settlers enormous economic and political advantages, so appeared seven years after the treaty was signed in the courts. Thereafter the Maori Treaty was never seen again.

In 1877, in a famous decision, Judge Prendergast buried the Maori Treaty commenting that you couldn't have a treaty with primitive savages in grass skirts.

By the way James

Speaking of quality, as noted in the above post, your Latin needs work. "Cavet empor"? You might have something with "cavet", but it is a completely improper use of the inflected form. "Cavet" is the 3rd person singular future active form of caveo ("beware"). You mean to use the 3rd person singular present subjunctive form: "caveat". "Empor" is not a word in Latin. We are wary of current nonsense. "Caveat emptor" ("let the buyer beware", I think properly conjugated) would apply in this case,;) ;)



Sorry, but am I missing something here?

What on earth has your post relating to the Treaty of Waitangi (interesting though it may be) got to do with the appalling service that NZ Van lines provided to one of it's customers?

And I just took James' misspelling of caveat emptor to be a typo..:yes

Of course TheZorbster is right - maybe people don't sing the praises of a job well done as often as they should, but as TheZorbster also pointed out, that doesn't mean to say that people who receive a less than acceptable service should not use this forum as a vent for their frustrations.

Have a look at some previous posts that Moorf started relating to the good and bad moving company experiences that our forumites have suffered, or not as the case may be.


Oh and just out of pure nosiness, is you user name a take on the famous Maori Chief Hongi Hika, also of Rewas Village fame?

Julie

xx

[Moorf]

What on earth has your post relating to the Treaty of Waitangi (interesting though it may be) got to do with the appalling service that NZ Van lines provided to one of it's customers?

You got there first, Julie!

We had fantastic service from NZ Vanlines - as have others - and we've used them in 2 subsequent moves within NZ, with equally good service. Others haven't.

The more I read the more I am convinced this is a problem based on location rather than the removal company itself (iykwim) - although I need to find a better way round ascertaining this.

[Smiler]

What on earth has your post relating to the Treaty of Waitangi (interesting though it may be) got to do with the appalling service that NZ Van lines provided to one of it's customers?

I've read it 4 times now and still can't figure it out? Is it in code?

I also can't see what kiwi employers have to do with it either? No all immigrants are employed by kiwi's, are they? :confused:

[Hongi Hicker]

Julie, you are correct Hongi being the breath of life and Hongi Hiker was indeed a Maori warrior which fits nicely with your...

"Life is not measured with the quantity of breaths you take, but with the quantity of moments that took your breath away"

Moorf...I agree with you

but greener grass is always nicer to mow...

and Smiler

being on the outside is a just place to be


must go now to breath in some grass and smile

[zardell]

must go now to breath in some grass and smile


Quite...

Julie

xx

[Smiler]

must go now to breath in some grass and smile


I guess that says it all! :yes

[willsken]

Quite...

Julie

xx

:yes

[Nienke]

:)

[james the mechanic]

Well said Zorbster, bad news travels fast..good news is rarely heard....seems that people like knocking NZ companies..maybe they forget that their new employers are Kiwi's or their new homes are built on Maori land

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between Maori and the Crown in 1840 at the time when there were 100,000 Maori and one to two thousand settlers. There were two versions of the treaty that concern us today.

One in English ceded sovereignty from Maori to the Queen of England. It was signed by 38 chiefs who had had the Maori version explained to them, and who did not speak English.

The Maori version was the one that was explained and signed by over 500 of our chiefs. It ceded governance by the Queen over her own subjects in New Zealand and kept tribal sovereignty in Maori hands.

The English version gave the settlers enormous economic and political advantages, so appeared seven years after the treaty was signed in the courts. Thereafter the Maori Treaty was never seen again.

In 1877, in a famous decision, Judge Prendergast buried the Maori Treaty commenting that you couldn't have a treaty with primitive savages in grass skirts.

By the way James

Speaking of quality, as noted in the above post, your Latin needs work. "Cavet empor"? You might have something with "cavet", but it is a completely improper use of the inflected form. "Cavet" is the 3rd person singular future active form of caveo ("beware"). You mean to use the 3rd person singular present subjunctive form: "caveat". "Empor" is not a word in Latin. We are wary of current nonsense. "Caveat emptor" ("let the buyer beware", I think properly conjugated) would apply in this case,;) ;)

Please seek help mate…:confused:

[Hongi Hicker]

Please seek help mate…:confused:


Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves;)

[james the mechanic]

Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves;)

Heres one for you mate

Always be a little kinder than necessary.
James M. Barrie also:laugh

[zardell]

Always be a little kinder than necessary.




:nice1

If only we could all live by that one eh?

Julie

xx

[Hongi Hicker]

These then are my last words to you. Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.”

Now I'm off back to my cave in the mountains to watch the sun come up:cheers

[peebles16]

Confused :( - no really I am, what the heck has all this to do with the appalling time James has been having with the shippers??? Am all for folk sharing their views on life, the universe and everything but pick a thread please :)

cheers
Karenx

P.S hope you are currently enjoying your container load James :)

[Caroline and Dave]

Confused :( - no really I am, what the heck has all this to do with the appalling time James has been having with the shippers??? Am all for folk sharing their views on life, the universe and everything but pick a thread please

cheers
Karenx




:clap :clap :clap

[james the mechanic]

One last quote for you Hongi…

‘Wisdom is learning what to overlook.’
Also, William James

Quite relevant to all your comments I think; my final word also.

Best wishes
James

Do you have anything good or bad to say about a NZ based company?
http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16892

[lnz]

Hi James,

At the risk of dragging this back to the subject of NZ Van Lines..... Are you anywhere near Palmerston North?

I saw this on NZ.Herald.co.nz and noticed that the incident took place at the same time that you were having your delivery difficulties:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10507227

lnz