When Moving Goes Wrong

The furniture removalist and car transport industry is one of the most complained about industries in Australia and globally. Considering an industry worth multi-million dollars, where there is money to be made, it will inevitably attract unlicensed transporters and dodgy business owners who are looking to make a quick profit.

Every year, hundreds of consumers in Australia complain to their states consumer affairs and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over issues relating to freight and logistics. Complaints range from delays in turning up or delivery of furniture or the family car, non-delivery of the car being transported to excessive hidden charges and damaged items upon delivery.

For those who are thinking about moving a car interstate or looking for vehicle transport, furniture transport, one of the easiest ways to find out about the car carrying company you are leaning towards is to perform a quick search on the internet for car transport. It doesn’t take up a lot of time and you can get answers relatively quickly. At the end of the day, you choose who to give your business to; you are the paying customer so you deserve to be treated fairly.

What people don’t know is that there is something called ‘Consumer guarantees’ in Australia and that is there to protect Australian consumers. You automatically receive certain guarantees when you buy, hire or lease goods, or buy services. You are covered by law if the goods or services you purchase cost less than $40,000. Vehicles and trailers are also covered, irrespective of cost, provided they are used to transport goods.

Paying a company to help move your car is an example of buying a service, therefore the provider guarantees three things:

  • they will provide the services with due care and skill
  • the services will be fit for a particular purpose
  • the services will be provided within a reasonable time

In a perfect world, all providers will meet the guarantees set out but we know this is not always the case. When a service you buy does not meet a guarantee, you as the consumer will have the right for remedy, this can include:

  • Refund
  • Repair
  • Replacement or exchange
  • Compensation
  • Cancellation of contract

When the problem is still unresolved, it is important to contact the business and clearly explain the problem and state the solution you want to achieve. It’s good practice to raise your issues in writing and include the steps you will take if both parties are unable to reach a solution and ask for a response within 14 days of the letter.

Useful Links

Legal Vision – Get professional advice from consumer lawyers to assist you.

Product ReviewRead and search reviews on vehicle transport companies.

The Beginning

What you’ll find on this blog is information on how you can turn something negative into a positive. Life is such a roller coaster and you’ll never know when a string of bad luck will come your way. So when it does, know how to turn the situation around or how to fix the problem and move on.

What inspired me to starting this page up is when I first moved interstate. As if moving is not stressful enough, when you are dealing with business that do not treat you as a paying customer, that is where it makes you feel uneasy. I moved from Melbourne to Brisbane and it was a big moment in my life. My experience with businesses during this time, in particular the moving business was not the best. From removalists being late on moving day to being charged various fees upon delivery, moving my vehicle did not improve with poor customer service, constant phone calls chasing the whereabouts is my vehicle and weeks of delay in delivering my car.

I just don’t know how some businesses are in business; how they treat their customers are sometimes unacceptable.  Regardless of how poor their online presence is, they manage to stay in business, is it because they prey on unsuspecting consumers or perhaps they just change their company name and continue with their tactics?  I hope you find this website useful and hope it provides some useful information.