0:00:02 > 0:00:04I've been battling for consumer rights for years
0:00:04 > 0:00:07but it seems that some companies are still not getting the message.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09The customers were technically paying your wages
0:00:09 > 0:00:11and keeping your company afloat.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Day in, day out, thousands of you have been taken for a ride.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17And it's always the same old things.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Shoddy products, the small print and bad customer service.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Customer service is really important and if the company is good
0:00:23 > 0:00:25I'll go back to it.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Too right, but some firms are driving you barmy,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30causing you sleepless nights and making you feel like
0:00:30 > 0:00:31you're the one to blame.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34But don't despair because I'll take them on to make sure
0:00:34 > 0:00:36you don't get done.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44It's often said that moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47I mean, after all, you're moving all your life's contents from A to B.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50And that's exactly why we employ removal men,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52to make sure that all your possessions, from furniture
0:00:52 > 0:00:57to your favourite books, get there safe and sound and in one piece.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05'But that's exactly what didn't happen to Lucy Fitzpatrick.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08'She has a major complaint with Pickfords.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11'She employed them to move her and her husband's belongings
0:01:11 > 0:01:14'from their holiday home in France back to London.'
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Steve and I never had any intention of selling our home in France.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23But life suddenly dramatically changed in June 2011
0:01:23 > 0:01:26when he was diagnosed with cancer.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32'Their belongings went into storage as they waited to complete building work
0:01:32 > 0:01:34'on a new house they were moving into in London.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37'A couple of months later, Steve sadly passed away.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42'It was a few months before Lucy and her son could move into the new property.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45'It was a bittersweet day.'
0:01:46 > 0:01:51Every single piece of furniture we have has a strong memory.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53And much as it's lovely to have that memory,
0:01:53 > 0:01:56under the circumstances, it's very painful.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00'And as Lucy started to unpack the van, her feelings weren't made any better.'
0:02:00 > 0:02:04It looked like a jumble sale.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08All my items had been literally thrown in.
0:02:08 > 0:02:15And the first box I opened was full of glass.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19It was a side table that had been smashed to smithereens.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22'Some of the worst damage was to a pair of oil paintings.'
0:02:22 > 0:02:26All the oil paint had come off
0:02:26 > 0:02:30and it was completely ripped, the canvas was completely ripped.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34At that point, to be honest with you, I burst into tears.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39And the second painting had an over 12-inch rip down the centre of the entire painting.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42'The case is now in the hands of Pickfords' insurers,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45'but for Lucy, it isn't just about the money.'
0:02:45 > 0:02:50They will never be able to give me back my memories.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54They will never be able to replace irreplaceable items, I know that.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57'Sadly, Lucy isn't alone.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02'Carol Bellard-Thompson has also written to me and has a similar story of damaged goods.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05'She's back in the UK from Europe visiting her daughter
0:03:05 > 0:03:07'and is keen to tell her story.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12'She employed Pickfords to move her to France after she retired.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15'As well was her furniture and belongings,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17'Pickfords were also going to move her precious piano.'
0:03:18 > 0:03:22When I bought the piano, it was just after I'd retired,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24and I had to retire due to ill health.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27That was £2,500 for a new piano.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30'Pickfords placed Carol's belongings in storage.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34'Three months later, she was in France, ready to take delivery of her things.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38'But alarm bells started ringing when the hydraulic lift she'd been expecting
0:03:38 > 0:03:40'to move her piano didn't arrive.'
0:03:40 > 0:03:43The next thing I knew, the two French removers were walking up the steps
0:03:43 > 0:03:47at the front of the house with the piano between them on straps.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51'Once positioned, Carol had to leave the piano untouched,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54'to allow it to acclimatised to the new environment.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57'Six weeks later, it was ready for the piano tuner,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59'but it wasn't good news.'
0:03:59 > 0:04:01The piano tuner's opinion in France
0:04:01 > 0:04:04was that the piano had suffered some kind of impact.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07It had either been dropped or something else had hit it very hard.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10'Damaging it both inside and out.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15'Carol has been reimbursed the £600 charge for the no-show crane.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19'But she's had to fork out for repairs on her treasured instrument.'
0:04:19 > 0:04:21What I'd like from Pickfords is at least an apology,
0:04:21 > 0:04:26an acknowledgement that something happened in the three months when my things were in storage with them.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29'Right. That's two stories of damaged items.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33'But I've also had a third complaint about Pickfords which is slightly different.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38'Vivien Hanson chose Pickfords to move her belongings out of her flat and into storage
0:04:38 > 0:04:44'for a period before transferring everything to two separate addresses.'
0:04:44 > 0:04:46From their documentation,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50there was nothing to suggest that there would be any extra payments
0:04:50 > 0:04:52over and above what we had asked for.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57'And when the time came for her belongings to be moved out of storage,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01'Vivien was shocked when Pickfords informed her there'd be an extra delivery charge
0:05:01 > 0:05:04'of approximately two grand.'
0:05:04 > 0:05:07We could either leave all our goods in storage
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and pay monthly for however long.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Or we could pay what Pickfords were demanding.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19'Vivien reluctantly agreed to pay the extra, but to add insult to injury,
0:05:19 > 0:05:23'she was also hit with a parking fine for one of the removal vans,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25'and she's still receiving demands for this.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30'I've got to say, I'm pretty shocked by these three stories.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34'I've come to meet Lucy, Carol and Vivien to see how I can help them.'
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Hello, ladies. Vivien, lovely to meet you.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Carol, lovely to meet you. And you, too, Lucy.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44'So, what made them choose Pickfords in the first place?'
0:05:44 > 0:05:46I chose Pickfords because it was a household name.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49I felt that they would do the best job for me.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52And I trusted their name.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54- Would you all agree with that? - Yes.- Yes.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59'Unfortunately, it seems that all of them feel that that trust has been misplaced.'
0:05:59 > 0:06:02The way that Pickfords have dealt with my claim...
0:06:03 > 0:06:06..has been appalling.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10We were extremely upset at the sort of service we were getting.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13I couldn't believe what was happening.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17'Lucy and Carol have brought along photos of their damaged belongings,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21'and I've got to say, I'm pretty shocked at what I'm seeing.'
0:06:21 > 0:06:24- There doesn't seem to be any respect for your personal belongings at all. - No.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28'So that I can build a complete picture of all these cases,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32'I need to talk figures. Firstly, Lucy's damaged belongings.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38'Pickfords have actually already offered Lucy £14,308 as settlement.
0:06:38 > 0:06:44'That's £5,808 cash and £8,500 towards repairs.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48'Lucy calculates the damage to her goods at much more.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52'In fact, £22,703.'
0:06:52 > 0:06:57I would be financially out of pocket by thousands.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00I end up with paintings that have got great big rips down them,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04and even though they can be patched together,
0:07:04 > 0:07:09all the restorers have said they will never look like the paintings that we had.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13'Carol is in a similar position when it comes to her damaged piano.'
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Why have you not been able to claim on their insurance for this?
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Because they have a catch-all, seven-day insurance period.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24It is in the small print, which I might add I can't read
0:07:24 > 0:07:27cos I have sight problems.
0:07:27 > 0:07:33Erm, I don't know actually why they have that because it's not suitable for a piano,
0:07:33 > 0:07:38you cannot bring a piano to a new environment and tune it immediately.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42'She has been refunded the charge for the crane which was never used to move the piano,
0:07:42 > 0:07:47'but believes the piano has lost value, plus she's out of pocket for the repairs.'
0:07:47 > 0:07:52- Which is how much? - The repairs were about 650 Euros.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55'Now, Vivien's case was slightly different.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58'It came down to an additional redelivery charge she knew nothing about
0:07:58 > 0:08:03'for Pickfords to get her belongings out of storage and into her two properties.'
0:08:03 > 0:08:05Can I ask how much?
0:08:05 > 0:08:10Erm, for the two flats, it was approximately £2,000,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13- which I did negotiate down with them.- To what?
0:08:13 > 0:08:17For one we negotiated down to about 200 plus VAT,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19and the other was 800 plus VAT.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23'Vivien managed to negotiate this charge down at the time,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25'because Pickfords did soon acknowledge
0:08:25 > 0:08:29'they'd mistakenly left the redelivery charge off the original quote.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34'Although they reduced the additional charge by £720 in recognition of this,
0:08:34 > 0:08:40'Vivien still had to pay £974.16 plus VAT.'
0:08:40 > 0:08:43If we can get that wiped, and also the parking fine,
0:08:43 > 0:08:48- which I don't think is enforceable anyhow, you would be happy? - Yes. Yes.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51In your case, Carol, what would you be happy with?
0:08:51 > 0:08:55I would like Pickfords to pay for the cost of the repair of the piano at least,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58and probably for the loss of value.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00And, Lucy, your one gets very complicated.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05- Because there's items there which can't be replaced.- Correct.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08- Or repaired, by the sounds of it. - I desperately want closure,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10because my house is full of broken items
0:09:10 > 0:09:14that just remind me and anger me and upset me.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15- You want to get on with your life. - Got to.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18'It's up to me to fight these ladies' corners
0:09:18 > 0:09:21'and get them the results I think they deserve.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23'But I don't think it's going to be easy.'
0:09:24 > 0:09:29- I shall keep you all informed. Lovely to meet you all.- Thank you.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Pickfords are probably one of the biggest removal companies in this country.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39We've all heard about them. I'm quite shocked to hear these stories from the three ladies.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41The pictures are pretty horrific, as well.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Let's see how Pickfords respond once I get on the dog and bone to them.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50'But before I start, I like to know a bit more about who I'm dealing with.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52'According to their website, the Pickford family
0:09:52 > 0:09:57'first set up Pickfords Removals as early as the 17th century.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59'And today, the MD is still a Pickford.
0:09:59 > 0:10:05'With generations of experience, it's no wonder they're the UK's largest moving and storage company.
0:10:05 > 0:10:11'However, I know a few ladies who are less than impressed with their experiences of Pickfords.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13'Time to give the company a call myself.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17'I've only got the general number for Pickfords,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20'but they should be able to point me in the right direction.'
0:10:22 > 0:10:23Good afternoon, Pickfords.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26My name's Dominic Littlewood, I'm calling from the BBC.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30'I explain I want to speak to somebody about my group of complaints.'
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Which department do I need to speak to, please?
0:10:32 > 0:10:36'The receptionist tells me it's a lady called Lyndsey in the marketing department.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39'She's not in until tomorrow. Shame, but fair enough.'
0:10:39 > 0:10:42It's been lovely talking to you. Bye-bye.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46'I've given all my details, got an email address to send everything through to,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50'and the second the phone is down, I send over all three cases.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52'I hope it lands on Lyndsey's desk.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57'But as I start to get to grips with these cases,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59'will I get the answers I'm looking for?'
0:10:59 > 0:11:02That was one of the most polite conversations I've ever had.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13'I've got my work cut out with these three cases,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17'and so far, I've managed to leave a message and send over the relevant paperwork to Pickfords.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21'And a few days later, I get a message to give them a call.'
0:11:23 > 0:11:26I've got a lady who's waiting for a call back.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28I have sent her an email so she's aware of the cases.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Let's see what she's got to say.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Morning. Can I speak to Lyndsey Daykin, please?
0:11:34 > 0:11:36'Lyndsey is happy to talk to me about the cases
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'but she doesn't want her voice to be used.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42'First up, I want to chat about Vivien's invoice.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47'She ended up paying over £900 more than she was originally quoted.'
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Nowhere on there does it actually state
0:11:50 > 0:11:53that this does not include redirection of your furniture.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55It's just purely removal and storage.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59And I would've assumed, even if it is an extra charge,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01that you somewhere need to list that and itemise that.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05'There's also the issue of the parking fine that I need to talk about.'
0:12:05 > 0:12:09If she's paid for one van, and that's what she was asked to supply,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11she doesn't feel she should have to pay for a second van
0:12:11 > 0:12:14or any parking penalties that turned up.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18'Lyndsey says she'll gather all the case details and get back to me with some answers.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21'Now, onto Carol and her damaged piano.'
0:12:21 > 0:12:24The big problem there, of course, is you've got a seven-day period
0:12:24 > 0:12:26which you give people to report problems.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30'Carol's point is that she had to let the piano settle for six weeks
0:12:30 > 0:12:33'so didn't spot the damage within seven days.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38'But Lyndsey assures me she'll speak with the person who dealt with Carol's move and get back to me.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41'And finally, on to Lucy.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45'Lyndsey has got most of the details but hasn't seen any photos.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47'So I fill her in.'
0:12:47 > 0:12:52I can't see any restraining cables whatsoever. Everything's falling over.
0:12:52 > 0:12:58'Pickfords have said that Lucy should've itemised belongings worth over £500
0:12:58 > 0:13:00'to be certain they were properly insured,
0:13:00 > 0:13:05'and that she didn't, hence their offer of just over £14,000.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10'But Lucy believes the items were worth £8,395 more.'
0:13:11 > 0:13:15She said it's because of the circumstances, her husband was very close to his death,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18and as you can appreciate, there was a lot more on her mind.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22You have made a settlement, an offer, I should say, for some of the items.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25However, there's a few items there which she disputes,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28and quite rightly so, I think.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31'Lyndsey is saddened to hear about Lucy's circumstances.
0:13:31 > 0:13:36'She says her role now is to coordinate the responses from Pickfords for all three cases,
0:13:36 > 0:13:40'and then she'll get back to me.' Thanks, Lyndsey. Bye-bye.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44That was one of the most polite conversations I've ever had.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Hopefully, things are starting to move in the right direction. Cup of tea!
0:13:48 > 0:13:52'The problems that Lucy, Carol and Vivien have experienced have got me thinking.'
0:13:54 > 0:13:56When you employ the services of removal men,
0:13:56 > 0:14:01you're entrusting them with some of your most precious, personal possessions.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06So, what do you do if something goes wrong
0:14:06 > 0:14:10and one of those personal possessions gets lost, stolen or damaged?
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- GLASS SMASHES - Oops!
0:14:13 > 0:14:20'Martin Rose from the National Guild of Removers has some sound advice when it comes to moving house.'
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Moving can be a stressful experience, but it needn't be.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26'Firstly, do your homework.'
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Because people move not very often,
0:14:28 > 0:14:32it's difficult to know how to choose a remover,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34and there are certain rules that we publish
0:14:34 > 0:14:38that will tell them how to do it.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40'Being one of the best-known names in the business,
0:14:40 > 0:14:44'Pickfords are a member of another trade organisation
0:14:44 > 0:14:46'called the British Association of Removers.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50'And, like the National Guild of Removers, they have codes of conduct, as well.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53'But if you are moving with an accredited company,
0:14:53 > 0:14:57'how can you make sure you're properly covered?'
0:14:57 > 0:15:03The best way of doing it is to let your remover carry out his insurance,
0:15:03 > 0:15:08because he has expert insurance which will cover you for all eventualities.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12Quite often, you won't have to pay anything extra for insurance,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14it will be included in the removal price.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18'The three ladies I'm helping had all taken out insurance,
0:15:18 > 0:15:23'but in Lucy's case, Pickfords are saying some of her items worth over £500 weren't itemised,
0:15:23 > 0:15:27'so she was underinsured.'
0:15:27 > 0:15:30It's probably wise to itemise or specify
0:15:30 > 0:15:34any particularly valuable items, and that gives you added protection.
0:15:34 > 0:15:41'Good advice, but itemised or not, what should you do if some or all of your items are damaged in transit?
0:15:41 > 0:15:44'And what, as consumers, do we need to be aware of?'
0:15:45 > 0:15:49If some of your goods turn up damaged,
0:15:49 > 0:15:54the first thing you need to do is report to the remover,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58who will decide whether or not to bring in his insurers,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00or if it's fairly small,
0:16:00 > 0:16:04he may have discretion to sort it out with you directly himself.
0:16:04 > 0:16:10There is an instance where a household could find themselves uninsured as part of the move,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13and that is if you pack your own belongings.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16And the reason is, the insurers won't cover you
0:16:16 > 0:16:20because they had no control over how you packed the goods.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23'So, if you want to make sure your move runs smoothly,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26'it's fairly simple. Choose an accredited removal company
0:16:26 > 0:16:29'and get recommendations from others if you can.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33'Make sure you get the appropriate insurance cover for your belongings.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37'Anything of particular value should be flagged up with the removal company.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41'If you do notice something is damaged when it comes to unpacking,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44'make sure you inform the removal company immediately.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52'Some sound advice there from the National Guild of Removers, which I can apply to my cases.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Of course, Pickfords are fully accredited,
0:16:55 > 0:16:59'but things still seem to have gone wrong in all three of my cases.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03'For Vivien, the big problem is that
0:17:03 > 0:17:07'she was hit with unexpected charges of over £1,200
0:17:07 > 0:17:09'after she had been given a written quote.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12'But can a company actually do this?
0:17:12 > 0:17:16'Looking online at the latest consumer directives, Vivien's not so sure.'
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Retailers must ensure that the total cost of a product or service
0:17:20 > 0:17:24is disclosed, including any extra fees or charges.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28If shoppers are not informed in advance, they will not have to pay these fees.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31And it goes on to say any services which attract a fee
0:17:31 > 0:17:34must clearly set this out before purchase.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Well, certainly in our case,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I would've thought that we had agreed on a price,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41we'd agreed on a service,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45but that this was changed later on when we were asked to pay
0:17:45 > 0:17:48extra money for the redelivery of our goods.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53'This is just what I needed. I think it shows that Vivien has got a case.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56'So I plan on getting a result for her.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59'It's been almost a week since I spoke with Lyndsey at Pickfords
0:17:59 > 0:18:02'and I'm ready for some answers.'
0:18:02 > 0:18:04I think it's time to chase up Pickfords.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09Even though I'm out on the road, there's no rest for the wicked, as they say.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Oh, hi. Can I speak to Lyndsey Daykin, please?
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Hi, Lyndsey, good morning. It's Dominic Littlewood from the BBC.
0:18:16 > 0:18:21I wondered if you'd be kind enough to give me a call back please. Thanks very much, Lyndsey. Bye-bye.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23'It will be a waiting game for me, then.
0:18:30 > 0:18:36'I had a good old chat with somebody in the press office at Pickfords, a lady called Lyndsey.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41'She's been looking into the cases and I'm now just waiting for her to get back to me.'
0:18:41 > 0:18:44I've just had a voicemail message and I've got a funny feeling
0:18:44 > 0:18:47it might be Pickfords. So, let's have a listen.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50'I was right and I'm hoping it's good news.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53'Lyndsey says she'll come back to me today on Vivien's case.'
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Lovely-jubbly. I like it when people are ringing me and not the other way around.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00But I'm actually not going to wait for her to call me this afternoon,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03I'm going to ring her right now, see what's happening.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06'Thankfully, I get straight through to Lyndsey.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10'She tells me she's just finalising the details of Vivien's case this morning
0:19:10 > 0:19:12'and will get back to me with the results.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16'So, it's good news.' You're crossing your Ts, so to speak.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20'Lyndsey also tells me she's still working on Carol and Lucy's cases
0:19:20 > 0:19:22'and will let me know when those are finalised.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Brilliant. Lovely talking to you, Lyndsey.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Everything she said was quite positive.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30And she did say, I will have an answer for you on one of the cases,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33which is Vivien Hanson, this morning,
0:19:33 > 0:19:35which is one third of the way there.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Two thirds of the way still to go.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40But it's better than I was last week. Bingo! So far.
0:19:40 > 0:19:46'Waiting to hear back on these cases has got my mind reeling with what can go wrong with removals.
0:19:46 > 0:19:52'Just listen to Martin Rose from the National Guild of Removers one more time. It's for your own good.'
0:19:52 > 0:19:57There are absolutely no laws that regulate the removals industry in the UK.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00And that's one of the big problems that householders face.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02'Wow! That's quite a shocker.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07'However, both the British Association of Removers, that Pickfords belong to,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11'and the National Guild of Removers may be able to provide support in some instances.'
0:20:11 > 0:20:15The Guild actually offers a conciliation service,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19which is impartial, to the customer.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24'And there you have it.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26'There is help out there, but my advice is to help yourselves
0:20:26 > 0:20:30'by understanding everything you sign up for in the first place.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34'True to her word, a few hours after my phone call to Lyndsey,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36'she gets back to me on Vivien's case.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40'But I have to wait a few more days for answers on Carol and Lucy's.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43'I forwarded on Pickfords' statements to Carol and Lucy
0:20:43 > 0:20:46'so they can read them themselves.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51'Lucy's case was that Pickfords had moved her belongings from France to London,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55'and during the move, a large number of her belongings were damaged.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'Pickfords accept responsibility for this,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01'and they tell her they have conducted an internal investigation
0:21:01 > 0:21:05'and taken action to try and stop it ever happening again.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:10We deeply regret the distress caused to Lucy and her family during this time
0:21:10 > 0:21:14and apologise unreservedly for the packing and loading standards
0:21:14 > 0:21:16that contributed to the damage.
0:21:16 > 0:21:23'Lucy was told she didn't itemise all her items that were worth over £500, which she acknowledges.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28'But this was just as a result of her husband's serious illness at the time.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32'Lucy only listed a handful of items worth over £500 originally.
0:21:32 > 0:21:39'However, Pickfords had offered her a cash settlement of £14,308 in light of the damage.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42'But Lucy declined this.'
0:21:42 > 0:21:46These payments are in the form of repairs or cash settlements
0:21:46 > 0:21:51to the items that Lucy did not insure in the accurate declared value.
0:21:51 > 0:21:57In response to this request, we are prepared to pay, as an additional ex gratia payment,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59from Pickfords
0:21:59 > 0:22:02£1,692.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06To make a total payment of £16,000.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09'It's a disappointing result for Lucy.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12'With my involvement, Pickfords have increased their offer,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16'but they maintain that Lucy should have correctly itemised her valuables.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19'Sadly, it is not the result she was hoping for.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25'Now for Carol's response. Luckily, she's over from her retirement home in France
0:22:25 > 0:22:27'visiting her daughter in Blighty.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30'The statement starts by saying that
0:22:30 > 0:22:35'Carol accepted the terms and conditions and declined goods in transit insurance.'
0:22:35 > 0:22:38I don't remember being offered anything of the kind.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42'They state she signed a delivery note saying the move had been a very good one
0:22:42 > 0:22:45'and they didn't hear from her until six weeks later,
0:22:45 > 0:22:50'but that she had agreed to the terms that state all claims must be notified within seven days.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54'Carol had raised with Pickfords the issue of being reimbursed
0:22:54 > 0:22:57'for a potential loss of value for her piano
0:22:57 > 0:23:01'after its accident and repair. Pickfords say...'
0:23:01 > 0:23:03We accept that, as a service provider,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06we have an implied obligation
0:23:06 > 0:23:09to carry out the service with reasonable care and skill.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12We have taken legal advice on this point
0:23:12 > 0:23:16and we are advised that in the event of a breach being established,
0:23:16 > 0:23:23compensation would be dictated by any agreed limits in the removal contract.
0:23:23 > 0:23:29In this case, Mrs Bellard Thompson accepted a limit of £40 per item in the contract.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34'But Pickfords go on to say that if the item is professionally repaired,
0:23:34 > 0:23:39'like Carol's was for 650 Euros, then the value may not the affected,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42'and so to say so would be speculation at this stage.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45'They accept the piano needed to rest after being moved,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48'but say it could have been looked over at that time.'
0:23:49 > 0:23:55We are prepared to pay 325 Euros as a contribution towards repair.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58This offer is made on a without prejudice basis
0:23:58 > 0:24:02and should not be interpreted as an admission of liability.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06It is a genuine offer to reach an amicable compromise.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09'Again, Carol had hoped for a little more.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12'But although pianos need time to settle,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16'Pickfords maintain they don't understand why she didn't check the piano when it was delivered.'
0:24:16 > 0:24:20All I'd had until Dom took it up was just a straight refusal,
0:24:20 > 0:24:25no, nothing happened, you're outside the seven-day catch-all insurance.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Go away.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32Erm, and I am just incredibly grateful to Dom for taking it up.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37'I'm disappointed that both Carol and Lucy haven't got quite the outcomes they wanted.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41'But nonetheless, they're grateful that I was able to at least get them something more from Pickfords
0:24:41 > 0:24:44'than they had managed to achieve themselves.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46So, what of my third case, Vivien?
0:24:46 > 0:24:49'Well, before I heard back from Pickfords about Lucy and Carol,
0:24:49 > 0:24:54'I went to meet her to break the news about what the company was doing for her.'
0:24:54 > 0:24:58- Vivien, it's good to see you again. - Thank you. Very nice to see you. - Thank you.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01In your case, I've got a statement I'm going to read from Pickfords.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04'In their email, they outline Vivien's case
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'and state that her quote should've been made up of five elements,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11'including the delivery from store to the new properties,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14'and that when Vivien came to arrange delivery of her belongings,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17'it became clear the charge had been missed off the quote.'
0:25:17 > 0:25:20When the error was realised, the move coordinator
0:25:20 > 0:25:24contacted Mrs Hanson and personally apologised for the oversight.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28'They recognised that a discounted charge for redelivery was offered at the time.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32'And they also offered a discount on any future move Vivien might make.'
0:25:32 > 0:25:38It is regrettable that both parties did not realise that redelivery was not specified on the original quote.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Which, to me, sounds like an apology.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44However, it is not our customers' responsibility to police our paperwork,
0:25:44 > 0:25:49and there was a failure of process by the move coordinator. They put their hands up.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52In view of the failure of our process in this instance,
0:25:52 > 0:25:57we will waive the redelivery costs to Mrs Hanson as a gesture of goodwill.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01They're addressing the problem and hopefully they'll make it clearer so it doesn't happen again.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05- That's very positive. - It is good news. Now we're going on to the parking fine.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09'They explain that on the day they did send two small vehicles,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12'which should have occupied the space Vivien had reserved,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15'but that one vehicle was refused entry to the parking area
0:26:15 > 0:26:18'and so had to park further away.'
0:26:18 > 0:26:22On reviewing the case, it is unacceptable that this cost should be passed to Mrs Hanson.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26We apologise to Mrs Hanson and we will waive the cost of the parking fine.
0:26:26 > 0:26:32Thank you very much indeed. I'm very happy. At the end of the day, I've got what I want. Thank you.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34- And hopefully it won't happen again. - I hope so.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37I'm going to love you and leave you. Thanks, Vivien. Bye-bye.
0:26:39 > 0:26:44'We asked Pickfords to comment on our cases and they said...
0:26:51 > 0:26:54'They also say that it doesn't reflect the level of service that they strive for.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57'But they do point out...
0:27:07 > 0:27:09'But despite this, they say...
0:27:17 > 0:27:20'And so, with that in mind, Pickfords say...
0:27:31 > 0:27:36'What I can say is that's good news for all future Pickfords customers.'
0:27:36 > 0:27:39I think Dom made an enormous difference. I don't think this is the way it should've been,
0:27:39 > 0:27:45but I think without him we probably would never have resolved this issue satisfactorily.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48What a charming lady Vivien was,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51but what I found quite interesting, this was never about the money.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54She wanted Pickfords to realise they'd done something wrong,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57stand up, take it on the chin like a big boy and apologise.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Pickfords, you did that, so good on you.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02The fact that she got her money back was almost irrelevant.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Anyhow, job done.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd