A ACE Furniture Removals & Storage The blarney of this Irish company, trust me, there was no gold at the end of the rainbow, Internet

When we moved our belongings from Florida to Ireland, we found out too late that IntlMove,19707 Turnberry Way #20C, Aventura, FL 33180, United States of America about their track record about misrepresentation, their lies, deceit, repacking and I can't tell you how many times we were recharged.  Our shipment arrived late, damaged and trying to complete any claims were fruitless because of all the hidden rules and conditions.  It would have done no good to file a complaint with them and again, we just recently found out about Rip Off Reports.

Well when we began our move from Ireland to the United Kingdom.  The family owned business seemed to have all the right answers, the right quotes, the suave conversations to ensure that this company would never treat us like IntlMove did.  They reiterated over and over they were honest, trustworthy and would treat our belongings like their own.  The senior Michael came to our house and our storage center to review our belongings to give us an estimate.  He had the gift of gab and brought out the folksy charm, joking and laughing, sighing at times that we were so horribly taken advantage of by IntlMove.   He also said that since we had two areas that would be packed up; we would be the only pack out that day, with a full crew.  We knew we could not pack anything because if they didn't pack it, the insurance would not apply.  A couple of times in the remaining weeks, we called for a pack out time and continued to remind them that our things were in two separate areas....we were also waiting for a quote on how much we had and the estimated cost.  We finally received this:

Collection of your goods from your residence in Courtown and a storage unit as discussed, on Wed November 28th
Delivery to your residence, Norwich area  
Part-load (5-7 day turnaround) - 1600.00
Dedicated delivery (72 hour turnaround) - 2000.00

If you wish to proceed, we will require a 10% deposit to book the job in for the day required. If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me on the numbers below

There was neither discussion of the amount that was being packed, or the rates for size of shipments, and absolutely no contract.  In fact, there were no real emails after that, just phone calls.  Once when we called (normally no one was in the office, no matter what time of the day it was), we were rudely shouted at and were dismissed saying in effect quite bothering us.  At this point we still had not made any headway with the size of our shipment, and the time frame.  We had only this one day to pack out because we were leaving Ireland the following day.  We also reminded them that they stated we would be the only pack out that day and we would have a full team.  Yea yea yea, they said -- we will get back to you the secretary kept saying....and still we did not have a contract.  

The day before the pack out, the office called us to say they would be arriving o/a 5 pm and it would only take two hours to get it all packed.  We were floored - why - how did you come up with this.  Well we have a small pickup and delivery about 40 miles from you and half the crew will go do that and we will get to your place at 5 pm.  With a full crew it will only take 2 hours.  We absolutely would not agree to that and demanded to talk to the Senior Michael, who was not available but the secretary would relay the message.  We waited and waited.  Finally they called back very late that evening.

 They would drop of two men to start the packing; the other team would do the pack up and drop off.  It was a short run and they would return and continue helping with our belongings.   What happened to us being the "only one for the day", well they had to do this job too.  Ok but they had to show up by 9 AM at the storage unit to start.  They reluctantly agreed and we believed them.

The next morning at 9, there was a no show.  We called and the first excuse was, it was very cold and since the roads had iced up, they would not travel till it got warmer.  So around 10 AM, they notified us that they were on their way and we met them at the storage unit.  Dropped off were the Senior Michael and another older, not so fit man who proceeded to start wrapping items while the other team dropped off the supplies and left for their pack up.  Actually they were not prepared - no trolley for moving boxes.  They had to borrow one from the storage center.   They took a lunch and still no additional man to help.  

By late afternoon, we called to find out where the other team was and were told that the job was more extensive then they imagined but first had trouble doing the drop off and later only to get totally lost trying to find their way back to our storage unit/house.  These two old man were still packing by 6 pm when the team when the truck with the other team stayed at the storage unit to load all of our things in the main truck and head back up to Dublin.  The two old guys finally showed up at our house and started throwing things in boxes and into a smaller van.  We were told the two trucks would be combined.  It was after 8 PM when they finally finished and headed out.

The next day we called about the weight of the shipment, asked for packing invoices and also inquired about a delivery date.  We told them we would be in our new home on December 1st and assured them that between the 3rd and the 5th would be good for delivery, as those dates would fall within the 5 to 7 days quoted. 

 Well first we were told they had not as yet come up with the total weight yet, there were no packing invoices and they had not even contemplated a delivery date yet.  We said what about the 5-7 days we paid for, ah that was 5 to 7 work days.  No where was that stated but remember we also did not have a contract just the one email.  We called a couple of times to secure a date and but could not get a definitive answer, no one was in the office to tell us.  We were notified it would be delivered on the night of December 13 and we were explicit that it could not be delivered at night.

 The street would be filled with cars and there is no lighting in the area and recently the night temperatures had barely been in the teens.  So the truck driver agreed to come in the next morning and we thought wow, finally someone understood.  Later we found out he was not with this moving company only a contract worker so no wonder he was willing to meet us half way.

 Our belongings were unloaded by just two men and it had to be done quickly because they had to get back to the coast to catch their assigned 4 pm ferry back to Ireland.  

So a total of 16 days of which that was 12 working days.  In the weeks that followed in between the bad weather and the holidays, we began to slowly unpack our belongings.  We were notified after our items were packed that somehow between the original estimate of cubic feet (that they calculated) and just before the shipment was delivered, our cubic feet increased substantially.

 Yes more money was demanded before the items would be released.  We asked for a breakdown but never got one, just like we didn't get any packing invoices or a contract.  What we did get was the gift of gab from the senior Michael.

During January we started finding a lot of breakage because they had packed china with pots/pans and very little packing paper to cushion the dishes.  Once we started accumulating more breakage, we contacted Ace to see how we put in a claim.

 Well yes we were told you were given insurance but it was only applicable for 7 days (and this time it was not work days) to put in a claim.  There was no way we could have gone through approximately 900 cubic feet in 7 days, unpacking everything and all we got was sorry, we are not obligated.  And of course since we had no packing invoices how would we have found the fragile items and how could we look for anything in the contract to refer to because there was no contract.  

We contacted Ace and complained and this time the junior Michael wrote to us and this is what he had the gull to write:

Unfortunately, while insurance was included in your quotation, any insurance claim is void 7 days after delivery of your goods and as your goods were delivered on December 14th, that time frame has lapsed. Michael Senior has stated that he was instructed by you and your wife to re-pack broken items at your residence and that many of the items in your storage facility were already broken from a previous move from the USA.

Did he really write such garbage?  We did write back to him and confronted him on many issues.

They were delusional from the very beginning.  But to say we told the two packers to pack up the broken items. They stupidly knew they were lying.  We had checked our possessions when we arrived in Ireland.  When IntlMove would not let us file a claim, we disposed of the broken items months before we planned this November move.  This man LIED - no one in their right mind would say repack broken items, or if so...it should have been written on a packing invoice.  Ah but we didn't have one.

Senior Michael kept saying trust us, we will take care of your things ensuring they are delivered far better and quicker than that big firm that took advantage of you.  Well we told junior Michael that they were just as unprofessional because they blatantly stood in front of us lying through their teeth. 

Ace has never acknowledged our letter and we stated if they did not have the decency to acknowledge our complaints, well  this time, trust me, I am going to do everything I can to get the word out verbally and on line reporting their sloppy, irresponsible and untrustworthy work everywhere I can.  They are just as sleazy as all the IntlMove, if not worse.   Ah but they were cleaver, and we were too trusting and naive.   No packing sheets or contracts just a smile and a wink "trust me."  We were negligent for not for not checking references and not going for more references, we have learned a lot. We also should have not continued with this move WITHOUT a contract.  Our gut instinct truly failed us because their folksy manner and the gift of gab should not have replaced having a legal contract.  We were way too trusting and they took every opportunity to take advantage of us.  

If there are any decent moving companies out there, your reputations are being horrendously tarnished by the likes of these two companies.   They do not deserve or should be allowed  to continue operations.  Anyone moving into or out of Ireland, please do not use A Ace Furniture Removals & Storage services.....you will regret it, lose your belongings and  totally taken advantage of.