CAs beware: Disgusting, faceless company that *****s money, time and energy from people

This review is not for South African Relocations to respond to with the same patronising response they have given all the low rated reviews; as if they were sincere, they would really take accountability for shipping people’s goods with the care they promise. This is for someone who is relocating and trying to find a company that will help them move stress free.

I would not wish this company on my worst enemy. The emotional rollercoaster they have put me through is sickening. Not to mention the time i spent on the phone and sending emails pleading with them when i should have been settling into a new job and focused on moving into my new place which was empty for a whole 2 months because of them.

I had declined a quote from them (based on past experience) and accepted a quote with Five Oceans. My goods were collected from the UK by British Relocations who I later learned was a sister company of Sa relocations. My goods were the last goods as they would no longer be sister companies thereafter. There was a lack of transparency in the whole matter. How can you allow people who are losing their jobs to pack people’s valuables?

My goods were collected and I was never invoiced 7 days before collection as mentioned in the quote. Then as the goods were approaching South Africa I was told to go to the nearest customs office. They sent me without a bill of lading and then sent a draft and I was sent away by SARS for not having a final BOL. I had to go to another city with a draft as my goods were arriving and their freight company was not releasing the bill of lading and I was told the cost of delays would be on me. No accountability.

Then the goods arrived in April. All documents were submitted on time and the clearing agent THEY appointed, Basic Blue Trading, made a mistake on the forms which caused the full container to be detained by SARS. The cost of storage and demurrage was R56000. They tried to make me pay the full costs when I had groupage because their clearing agent would not take accountability. Again lack of accountability on their part. They were insisting on making me pay for the full container and not releasing my goods. As the invoice from the port was addressed to them and the costs accumulated daily by R8k, and their constant threats were not working (although extremely stressful), they paid at the end of the day. Naturally, because other people’s goods were in there. They just decided that they will finally invoice me and add the 56k to the quote of 36k so that my bill would be 92k and then hold my goods ransom till I paid.

I got a lawyer involved (extra hassle and cost) and they removed the costs after a long battle without the lawyer. Countless emails were sent. Once they updated the invoice, I paid immediately and sent proof. But they had the cheek to make me wait longer till the money cleared on their side.

Goods have been delivered as of today. 18 handbags, printer, nespresso coffee machine, monitor among other things are missing. The labelling on the boxes was mismatched. Possibly ****** to sell since I would not pay the R56k. I just received a message that I would be transferred to claims who was then cc’d and no one actively followed up. They also broke a stove while delivering.

The whole time I asked to speak to the director who supposedly was in meetings with these people and instructing them to make me pay the port storage costs (invoice being addressed to SA relocations and not me). Meanwhile he was cc’d in emails the whole time hiding behind his staff. I only learnt this when he responded to my lawyer a month later.

They are friendly when giving you the quote but these people have no souls, no empathy and they hide behind the phone and computer in Cape Town. Do not be taken by the competitive pricing as it is a front.

Their ETAs shifted a lot as well.

Also don’t trust a faceless company. There is no information on their website about their executives or how to contact people. Absolutely disgusting and may they reap what they sow.