Sunny Coast Removalists

Be warned: Absolutely appalling experience with 'Sunny Coast Removalists' company. Several times I rang to confirm and re-confirm a 10 am start for the service I requested on March 31st, to move our belongings from Mooloolaba to Maroochydore, just minutes down the road. I also emailed to let them know just prior that we as a family had delivered all the boxes over to the new house already, all the paintings, and all that was left was the furniture and beds. Had we not done all that ourselves, it would have been two trips in the small BUDGET HIRE truck that arrived, it would have been well over $4000 dollars, to move 3 people with minimal possessions, 5 minutes up the road.

I was called at 9:30 to say the boys were going to be a couple of hours late, and I was surprised by such a delay, but I was understanding towards it all the same. I was told I'd get a call 10 minutes before they were to arrive; I didn't.

I had sent an email with photos of where they were to park, at my side access, but that was not communicated. The removalists drove past my side access, in a small to medium sized BUDGET HIRE truck, and as it went passed my side access entrance I convinced myself it was not for me, as it was too small. I had arranged for a large truck for the move, not from the hire company BUDGET, but from Sunny Coast Removalists.

My carport was housing the majority of furniture, all ready to go. The two Islander guys were friendly, but not what I was expecting, as I had spoken on the phone several times to SCR to arrange, and every time I had gone through to strong Australian accents. I knew the van was not going to be big enough, I was told a large truck would be coming, and this was anything but large. I was already disappointed. The boys spent much time deliberating over how to fit my furniture into this small cavity, and so much time was wasted in talk and negotiation as to what could be placed where, to make it all fit. My 15 year old son helped them massively with moving the fridge downstairs; he took a third of the weight. Without his help, it would have not happened, or would have been further damaged. The air pressure in the tires on the trolley were scarily low, which impacted the transportation of this heavy item.

At the 2 1/2 hour mark they could fit nothing more in, and my two beautiful meter high terracotta plant pots had to stay behind. Very disappointing. The new owners will hopefully enjoy them. I also had to do two more unplanned trips filling my small car, as the boys could fit nothing more in. As we all arrived at our new house, the boys told me to now expect a call for payment. Wait What?! But all our belongings are in the back of the van! I'm on an hourly rate clock here! (or so I thought) .. let's get this show on the road and start unpacking to keep time and costs to a minimum, yes??? But no, the boys just chilled and told me to wait for a call to pay, and THEN they would start unloading.

How could this be I thought? It's probably only going to take an hour to unload... then, I'll pay, right? So as to calculate the hourly rate properly, obviously.

30 seconds later my phone rang. An Islander accent, telling me I need to pay now for the service immediately, for the boys to then unload. Huh? I said, but we can't calculate the amount as they haven't uploaded yet! We double the time it took to load, to equate the unload duration, so it's six hours, he swiftly told me, plus gst, plus stairs, plus depot journeys...That's nonsense, I responded. I was held to ransom here. I had no choice but to pay the almighty fee of $2,190.50 there and then, on the phone, for things to proceed. This felt really weird, and really wrong. I had only factored in $180 an hour, and we had only done 2 hours 45 minutes at this point. I was shocked and horrified. Pushed into a corner here, I paid it, feeling like I'd been taken for an absolute ride, all on one of the most stressful days of my life in many years.

The boys then started to unload. It took them one hour and 20 minutes. My son continued to help them, furniture was put wherever, with no thought, my fridge and several walls were damaged, I have since discovered further damage sadly to floors and tiles.

I am utterly perplexed and disgraced. I have a theory. The usual crew were busy on another job. These friendly but clueless cowboys were sub contracted or 'hired' to do my job, with a hired 'budget' van. Nice enough as they were, they had no clue how to move furniture. I had mentioned in previous correspondence that it was just me with my two kids, and it had been assumed that I wouldn't care about them being a few hours late, with a small van, etc? The boys were surprised when they arrived, to see that I had just sold that house for over a couple of million.

That rate, that amount I paid, to move a small amount of furniture 7 minutes down the road, is extortion. I was quoted $180 an hour, for a large SCR truck, and all would be taken care of.

I have sent photos of all the damage, and emailed that I expect costs returned to cover damage and repair costs, and to revise the costs for my job schedule, at the very least. I have heard nothing back, I chased them up once again yesterday... nothing.

It just all seemed so very unprofessional from the moment they arrived. I have been taken for an absolute ride by what I thought were a reliable and legitimate local company, but no. And to now completely ignore me, is just unbelievable.