How to deal with UK moving company being 3 weeks late?

October 5, 2011 8:38 AM

We hired a moving company to ship our furniture/stuff from the UK to Switzerland. They said it would take 14 days. It will now actually take 35. All this while we've been paying rent on an empty flat it turns out we won't need for another two weeks.

This has been kind of financially painful, especially as we started renting the flat in mid-August afraid that we wouldn't be able to find one on short notice.

Is there any hope of convincing them to give us a refund / taking them to small claims court?

posted by Zarkonnen to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total)

Response by poster: (I hope I'm not coming across as petty here. The move took a big chunk out our savings, and these two months' worth of rent on an empty flat would have been pretty useful.)
posted by Zarkonnen at 8:41 AM on October 5, 2011

What's written down in your contract regarding delivery time?
posted by holgate at 8:47 AM on October 5, 2011

I hope you're talking about the moving company not the landlord.

I agree with holgate, check your contract. Have they offered you anything as an incentive/apology?
posted by arnicae at 9:49 AM on October 5, 2011

yes, read your contract
posted by koahiatamadl at 9:59 AM on October 5, 2011

Response by poster: So, excitingly, I don't actually appear to have a copy of the contract. I have a copy of the insurance conditions stating that they're not liable for delays "unless through negligence or breach of contract". I've contacted them and asked them for a copy of the contract. (I haven't mentioned anything to them about being unhappy with them yet.)
posted by Zarkonnen at 1:39 PM on October 5, 2011