Family's moving misery

Patrick and Hilary Hopkins wanted to move just one mile but they never dreamed it would prove so difficult until they hired Davis and Daughters Removals, in Birmingham Road.

The couple, who have three children under four, wanted everything in their Church Road cottage packed, moved to Sandown Drive and then unpacked.

They agreed to pay £450 plus VAT for the work but trouble began when two women and a child arrived to start the mammoth packing job on Thursday June 27 and then left early because they ran out of cardboard boxes.

On Friday, the removal van arrived an hour late at 10am and Patrick was dismayed to greet just one man.

Patrick told the Advertiser/Messenger: "I was getting worried. The job was too big for one person."

The father-of-three then had to pop out and on his return 20 minutes later the removal man had gone and left the front door open.

"I was reaching breaking point. "We couldn't contact the firm so we began frantically calling other businesses," said the IT consultant.

Eventually Burke Brothers, in Wolverhampton, came to the rescue and the family were in their new home at 8.30pm.

They were supposed to have left Church Road at 12.30pm and the couple moving into their property could not move until Saturday.

"It was the house move from hell," said Patrick.

"I can't believe the firm just abandoned us and afterwards we couldn't even get in contact with them. It was an unmitigated disaster."

Although no cash changed hands, Patrick wants compensation for the extra money he spent on enticing another removal company at such short notice.

Davis and Daughter general manager, Les Dixon, disputed the complaints.

He said the job had been cut short because the half shaft on the lorry broke and no other vehicle was available. He also said two men had arrived to carry out the removal - not one.

"We've been in this business for 25 years and that's not the way we work," Mr Dixon added.