Paid for professionals, got subcontractors. Overcharged, no accountability. STAY AWAY!
Don’t be fooled by Groove Removalists’ high rating on Google and their website. Scroll down and filter by 1-star reviews, and you’ll find story after story just like mine. In my experience, those are the ones that tell the truth.
I feel completely misled. Before booking, I asked them directly whether they use subcontractors. I was told no, and that their jobs are done by their own permanent, experienced staff. Their website shows removalists in blue and yellow Groove shirts with branded trucks. That is exactly why I chose them over cheaper quotes, and it is not what I got.
What turned up was an unbranded white truck and two men with no uniforms. The driver told me he wasn’t a Groove employee. He was a subcontractor, given the job through a friend, and he normally delivers single items for furniture retailers. Groove later admitted in writing that their removalists work under their own ABNs.
I don’t blame the two men. They were friendly and did their best, but residential moves were clearly not their expertise. Moving our four-bedroom home took 13 hours. Furniture was needlessly pulled apart, and we paid by the hour for every minute of it. Pieces we had wrapped ourselves had the wrapping cut off and were then damaged. Heavy boxes were stacked on lighter ones, crushing what was inside.
I had upgraded to their largest truck. By Groove’s own figures, our inventory was 52 cubic metres and the truck was 65, yet everything still didn’t fit. We had to move leftover items in our own ute, and my husband had to drive back the next day for three bicycles and more. In the end, the crew simply couldn’t get the job finished, and with the clock ticking, my husband and I had to jump in and help.
The final bill was $2,613.75, about $760 more than the estimate I was given. Many of our belongings were broken or damaged, more than on any of our four previous moves.
When I complained, Groove refused any refund. When I sent them photos of the damage, they simply ignored me.
I paid for a professional company and got subcontractors who weren’t equipped for the job. I paid the price twice, in money and in damage. STAY AWAY!.