Thursday, March 24, 2016

Never Trust Leader Relocations Service for an International Move from Dubai

Leader Relocations (Leader Pack) Review

So this is how you feel when your relocation services company messes up.
Photo by carvalho on Flickr

I had booked Leaders relocations to transport our personal goods from Dubai to Sydney in June 2015.

Several delays, loss of goods, and broken items may be a regular story for many international shipping companies. However, I was amazed to find that this shipping company has no control of the carton's when they are up for inspection at the custom's authority and if a box is lost, these people just put their hand's up saying what can we do. 

Here is the story

After several follow ups with the company on the delay of the shipment, I came to know that the ship had sailed few weeks later than the due date (June 2015), however we were never informed about the delay. The ship arrived later than the scheduled time as there was some delay while transiting.

We got all our goods in Sep 2015 except 1 carton which had 2 ovens and a quilt and some misc items
After investigation by the Leaders Team and their partners in Sydney it was found that the carton was never loaded from Dubai itself and was lost somewhere. The insurance company had rejected my claim as it is not more than the min fee of USD 250.

I had several exchanges with the company and below is a response from a senior consultant for the missing box: - 

Leaders Relocation's Dubai based consultant responded - "In regards to loading and shipping of your shipment/ packages, I am not sure how you came across the information that it was not loaded at our end. I am attaching the loading sheet from the day of loading in the container which clearly outlines what was loaded. However in regards to the box going missing, there are multiple places that container examination takes place where a box can be easily misplaced - During UAE Customs Exam, Australia Port Customs Exam and during the AQIS exam at the Australian Warehouse. There is no way of knowing where the box could have gone missing to be honest."

So if there is no way the company can know where the box is why are they in the business of movers and removals?

My response was as follows, "I had trusted Leaders Relocation company to carry our goods and deliver them. If the goods are held in customs does your contract say that you won't be responsible to locate them? The agent here in Australia informed me that they never got that box and it may have never reached Australia. Insurance is just an easy way for Leaders to shift responsibility to the customer. I agree that your compensation  is so low that it would not even buy a one time meal"

The Leaders Relocation person comes back with the most weird answer: - 

In regards to customs, it’s a bonded facility and our employees are not allowed inside Dubai Customs facility once we drop off the container for shipping. This is where the inspection takes place and at random packages can be removed and x-rayed and later stuffed back in the container. It’s possible that the box went missing here but by the time we get notification, 1-2 months have passed and it’s impossible to recover the item from customs as we have no influence there. It’s also possible that the box went missing at Australia Customs/ AQIS Exam. There is simply no way of knowing to be honest."

So there was no moral obligation of the company to compensate us, however they were happy to take the money upfront from us. 

I would never recommend such a company who doesn't own the problem and keep shifting it on other authorities.

Have you had a terrible experience with a mover, please feel free to comment. 

9 comments:

  1. Hi Kapil!

    Your post just saved me from a terrible mistake as I was about to confirm the quotation with Leaders today! Just decided to have one more go on the reviews and found yours! Its terrible news and Leaders are now completely out of my list.
    I am relocating from Dubai to Melbourne within couple of months and honestly speaking its such a headache to come to decision for a moving company as they are a lot, and once I decide on a company based on good reviews, I read the bad review that put m e back to step one again :(
    I heard that its better to go for a moving company that has a branch office in the final destination as it will save you the hassle of lost goods and clear communication will be between the two branches.
    I would appreciate if you got to know a good moving company from here Dubai to Melbourne?

    Thanks for your review again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anon,

      I haven't done my research on any other movers after this experience yet. Which moving co. did you eventually select?

      Delete
    2. Same experience bad here, i use leader relocation and all my furniture are damage and broken!!!!!!! calling me in the middle of the night because they were blocked at the boarder as they lost the confidential PIN. Making me go home from work twice because they inform me wrongly about the arrival of the furniture.
      Home cinema broken, sofa missing the screw, cup board scratch, shoes cupboard broken/ damage etc..... the list of their rubbish job is long.

      Delete
  2. I am also facing major issues with this company. I would advise anyone looking for a shipping company to avoid them. Terribly unprofessional and introduce costs half way through the job that you have no option but to pay. Avoid Leader Relocations.

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  5. Similar situation. Boxes delivered but one was damaged due to improper packing and labeling by company. Now they don't want to take responsibility and claim is now over 2 months old!! They blame FedEx and FedEx blames them. I paid for insurance, for them to pack, and shipping. They put my fragile items at the top of the box and never labeled fragile them claim its out of their hands that it all broke!!! Never use this company!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete



  6. ***RED FLAGS, AVOID ****

    My items were picked up in Dubai on 13 Apr 2017 and were supposed to be delivered in Zurich within the agreed time frame mentioned by the booking agent (Jackie) which is mentioned as follows. This time line was provided to me on June 6, 2017 (after the shipment was en-route & was clear that it is group-age shipment). Transit time 5-6 weeks,Clearance 10/12 days, Delivery 1-2 weeks: Total= 68 days.

    I have not received my shipment so far and do not even know where it is. More than 90 days and me with my family in a new country without our belongings.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Worst company to deal with...we did door to door delivery..they did not have our contract on file I had to email it again. We received a bill for Aed 2100 after container left that their staff under charged us!!! Really

    ReplyDelete

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