We're In

Saturday was the big moving day and beforehand, everything that could go wrong did...but that was nothing compared to the day itself. You could have guessed that as it was us, it wouldn't go smoothly and would be full of drama and disaster. Even a bit of heartache.

First off the removal firm I booked bailed on me on the day beforehand as he said that his lorry wouldn't fit down the street. Start panic mode as Virgin had already cut me off so I couldn't ring round for a new firm. So he said leave it to him to ring round some firms that he knows have [Luton] vans.

Being so anxious and stressed as it was, I just said yes to the first company that rang me. BIG MISTAKE!!! I should have waited as another firm EasyMove rang me half an hour later and I bet they would have been better than the bunch of cowboys i ended up with.

Saturday morning came and i hadn't slept much so i was running around trying to get all the last minute stuff done. At 9.23am I got a call from the "Removal men" saying they would be here in 30 mins. I was running a bit behind with getting the beds down but I knew if we sped up we would make it.
By 10am they hadn't arrived but we had managed to get DD's bed dismantled...DS's bed wasn't as easy though and I had to give that a rest hoping that the big moving men would be able to do it easier than me. 10.13am and still no sign of the movers but I got a call from the cable guy telling me he is already at the new house to connect the cable. I panic but negotiate with him to allow DD and DS to meet him there to let him in. By 11am the cable is all fitted but still no sign of the movers.

Finally they arrive and start taking all my belongings onto the street. I had an uneasy feeling as they just dumped boxes and bags out there with no security or care. They were a bunch of Black guys. Not that that is a problem but they also didn't talk very good English and were chattering away in another language the whole time. They also stunk! I am sorry but if you are doing a demanding job you should have good hygiene habits and use plenty of deodorant.
At 1pm they announced that as they had packed the van they were going to get lunch. I didn't see them again until way after 2pm. At this point I was starving and dehydrated and so were the children stuck up in the empty flat with nothing to do.

Once they left on their first trip I spent my time cleaning up and tidying. I couldn't really bag up anymore rubbish as there were 8 black bags out the front and another 5 out the back waiting to go out.

They were gone a pretty long time. In fact I was getting anxious because the England match against Israel was due to start at 5pm and it was already 4.30pm. It was about 5.45pm when they arrived back for the second lot. They didn't hang around and were getting everything in the van when one of them told me they tried and couldn't get Ds's bed apart. I doubt they tried very hard but i just wanted to be reunited with my children in our new home so I agreed that they could leave it. Finally the van was shut up for the last time and off they went. Now tell me I am stupid after the fact but I know I should have checked before they left but as I went for one last look around the house, I found they had left lots of stuff behind. A huge box of mine, lots of items belonging to DD and also my ironing board and a bookcase. Plus as I went out the house I found they had left all DS's bedding on the street so I had to gather all that up and take with me in my taxi. When I got to the house and told the cowboys what they had done all I got in reply was "Is it?" I just wanted to tell them to FUCK OFF at this point.

Well the aftermath is this...DD's printer was broken, my TV (from bedroom) is broken there are several broken pictures. None of the boxes I bought online are re-usable as they are all wet and ripped and mushed up. Everything was just dumped in DS/DD rooms as well as the boxes just being chucked on top of each other and items lying all over the floors. The suite was stuck in the hallway as they couldn't get it in the room and I just wanted to cry. I know that I should really have withheld the money but I wanted it all to be over so I handed it over and they were gone.

I am not leaving it at that. I am going to get advice from the CAB and take legal action if need be.
It is a good job that I could be distracted by the England game and be consoled in the afterglow of an England win 3-0 no less.

As all the rooms were jam packed with boxes and bags we got the 3 mattresses and all 3 of us slept on the living room floor.