Looking for a removalist company? Then DO NOT choose Vanlines Australia
I don't normally rant like this, so apologies in advance. I feel like, given my current situation, this is the only option I have left to warn people from hiring Vanlines Australia as their removalist.
Short version
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Despite advertising themselves as 'professional' and 'experienced', this is not true. Due to our removalist's lack of care and clearly experience, we suffered multiple breakages and other damage to crockery and pottery items, furniture and bikes.
Over the past four months of trying to obtain some form of compensation from the company, they have been rude and aggressive, uncommunicative and completely unwilling to claim a shred of responsibility for the abysmal service they provided us with.
If you value your belongings, your money and your time, I urge you to NOT hire Vanlines Australia as your removalist company, and warn your friends and family against doing so too.
Longer version, in case you'd like more details...
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During my initial contact with the Queanbeyan office of Vanlines, I dealt with Marjorie Afamasaga, and she was the only decent person I had dealings with in the company. Very nice and polite, eager to help.
Once we arrived at our destination and started unloading, we discovered several shattered boxes. it was fairly evident that the truck had not been packed very well as there were several damaged items including boxes of crockery, furniture and bicycles.
Details of damage:
- Several boxes containing crockery and similar items were destroyed, including most of their contents. This included several unique, hand made pieces made by my grandfather, who has since passed away.
- Several items of furniture sustained damage and wear from rubbing, evidence of improper restraint and padding. This included a valuable antique dresser.
- Several expensive bicycles were mishandled during packing, reinforcing my belief that this removal job was handled unprofessionally. The removalists, in their effort to fit the bikes into the truck, had wrenched around the handlebars without loosening the bolts first. As an experienced bicycle mechanic, I can assure you that this is the easiest way to twist the front forks of a bicycle as well as damage other components.
Once I discovered and recorded all the damage details, I contacted Marjorie. She was deeply (and I believe genuinely) concerned at what had happened, and promised to chase it up. From then on I struggled to make contact with Marjorie, either by calling or emailing.
I then contacted the Head office in Sydney to escalate the issue. I spoke to a man called Bryan who works in the International section. After more chasing I received a reply from him via phone which was incredibly rude and abrupt, and he told me that there was no way that compensation could be given due to "the stupid way I had organised to move house". He placed blame squarely on my shoulders, refused to listen to a word I had said, and left me quite speechless with his behaviour in fact! He directed me to call the National Operations Manager, Warwick Foley.
I contacted Warwick, and after further chasing he 'sent me an email' which I never received.
My next step was to register a complaint with the NSW Department of Fair Trading. They did their best, but just got brushed off by Vanlines.
My final option was to bring Vanlines to the Tribunal and hope for a favourable decision, resulting in some compensation for my damaged goods. However I have made the decision not to pursue this due to yet more time, effort and stress required to prepare the case. Even if I won, Vanlines would no doubt just claim any costs on insurance, and continue to treat their customers like sh1t.
Instead, I have decided to use the power of word of mouth, in the hope that no one else out there suffers the same frustrations we have had.
DO NOT CHOOSE VANLINES AUSTRALIA!!!