Your piano is now fixed – no strings attached
Mrs P.A. writes: I used Anyvan Limited to move a piano from my house to my daughter’s property. The piano was damaged in transit. A large chunk of wood was ripped off and multiple scratch marks are visible. I was careful to select a mover claiming to have the necessary expertise. Anyvan advertises that it moves more than 200 pianos each week – including complete orchestras – and says it provides a flawless service, ensuring no scuffs or scratches. However, Anyvan now says it only acts as an agent and accepts no liability.
THE most important thing to know about Anyvan is that it does not seem to have, er, any vans. It is a kind of removals dating agency.
You enter on its website the details of what you want moved and where, and van owners who sign up with Anyvan then quote you a price so you can choose one.
This is not quite the picture painted on the website though. It claims: ‘Our piano Transport Partners are experienced and knowledgeable’, adding that you can ‘Let our specialist piano moving services be music to your ears’.
The website even used to say: ‘It all starts with getting an instant free quote and £50k insurance.’
However, at some point this changed to: ‘It all starts with getting an instant free quote and free basic compensation cover up to £50k for fire and theft (in accordance with our T&Cs).’ So, less insurance and more strings than a piano.
You might have been reassured too, by Anyvan’s picture of two reliable looking movers in branded shirts, carefully loading a heavily padded piano into a removal van with the aid of a hydraulic tail lift.
What turned up at your door was not quite t he same. You photographed two men – one in jeans and the other in a tracksuit and trainers – as they struggled to manhandle your unpadded piano over the lip and into the back of their vehicle, which already held other unsecured furniture.
The van came from Bluehaven Couriers Limited, of Chester-le-Street in County Durham, run by Jeffreys Muguti. It was less than reassuring to find that last year he entered into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement with creditors but failed to keep up agreed payments. Yet I did track him down to ask a few questions.
Muguti, who is from Zimbabwe, told me: ‘Our expertise has been acquired through doing multiple jobs of the same kind over a few years.’ He accused you of ‘already throwing tantrums’ when he arrived at your house, telling me: ‘We come from a group of ethnic minority and we really felt unwelcome and uncomfortable.’
He accused you of having ‘ an agenda behind the whole stunt’ and claimed that your piano ‘already had its wears and tears which we are getting blamed for’.
Meanwhile, I asked Anyvan’s owner, The Hon Angus Elphinstone, what he made of this. He declined to comment, but allowed one of his staff, Layla Eissa, to tell me his company was no longer dealing with Bluehaven.
She explained: ‘ It’s clear in this instance that we have fallen short and this formerly registered partner should not have been undertaking the customer’s move.’
Discussions then moved to the question of who would foot the bill for repairing your piano. Anyvan offered £100, far less than the cost of a professional repair.
Next, Anyvan offered a replacement piano costing up to £850, which you turned down as your piano is an unusual make, hard to replace and had sentimental value as a family possession.
Finally, after months of negotiation involving you, me and Anyvan, and estimates from repairers, it has been a big relief to you (and me) that your piano is now fully repaired and varnished, and Anyvan has met the cost of £1,270. I hope that you and your daughter are happy with the result.