Beware of Dolphin in karakum

macgiblet


Joined: 07/07/2009
Posts: 65

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 08:43

There is a rogue dolphin in Cyprus, in the form of the removals company based in Karakum and the Uk. We recently used them to move us out of the TRNC at a cost of 6500 sterling - they ruined a lot of our goods by negligence by jumping on boxes (you can see the boot marks on most of the boxes and packaging). They packed a container at the docks that must have been carrying soot, as almost all of our goods were covered in black powder - our clothes were all but ruined. When we asked how Dolphin were going to resolve the problems, we got three months of being messed around then told to take it up with our lawyer ( which we are now doing). Insurance are not interested as it comes under " negligence" and you get passed between the mover and insurance - worthless insurance. Be very very aware of these poor service providers, they take your money under false pretences, ruin your goods then deny any responsibility - a really terrible service that will cost you a lot more than just your removal

Jefferson


Joined: 17/05/2010
Posts: 360

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 09:21

We have posted about Dolphin in the past with very similar experience to yourselves. They talk the talk in the UK but fail to deliver an acceptable service. It cost us nearer £8000.00. They sent too few people to pack and so the truck driver had to stay overnight as he was out of hours. WE had to pay the extra £300+ as we were told our goods would not be shipped unless we paid. I leave you to make up your mind whether to use them, or someone who cares.

CJtill


Joined: 02/05/2008
Posts: 836

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 10:04

We used them for transporting our goods to TRNC many years ago and things got 'lost' and broken. I would never recommend them.

Ailletoo


Joined: 24/01/2009
Posts: 1003

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 10:24

My God! are they still in business? Charlatans!!!!!!!

teatime


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 852

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 11:07

We used them and had excellent service.

MsGarnet


Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 989

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 11:33

As did we - I am surprised it is the same company - we filled our Van to the gills - and it arrived in TRNC (albeit two months later than originally told - we kept checking where it was and it still hadn't left London for one reason or another) with not a mark on the Van and not one single thing missing or damaged from inside - this was three years ago...

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 11:45

Maybe it is a change of staff in terms of packers, drivers, or even top kids. But I do feel sorry for you. We moved from Australia years ago and had an excellent team - nothing got broken and it arrived on time and at a much lower cost (pro rata) than you seem to have paid. We had a 40ft container

do any of you feel that you need a 'name and shame' action here, and does anyone else have any good or bad reports of the company. You maybe aware that is a certan amount of controversy on this board about a certain internet provider and how this board was used to 'destroy our business'. But your cases (bad ones) sound heartbreaking. I am so sorry, but if there is anything any of us can do to help you fight, then do say so. I don't know what, but.....

IbrahimAbi


Joined: 24/10/2010
Posts: 245

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 11:46

Is there a good rival company that anyone else can suggest working on the TRNC- UK route?

TRNCTed


Joined: 30/06/2011
Posts: 29

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 12:33

I was tempted to use Dolphin but after asking around I had very mixed reviews about them, some very good and some very bad but with the amount of money it was going to cost I felt it was not worth the risk. I'm not sure if there are any other transport companies but would gladly welcome a recommendation.

roisin


Joined: 19/03/2009
Posts: 358

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 12:41

We used Euromed. They were excellent. Sorry dont have their number to hand but i'm sure it'll be easy to find on the internet

MaggieAndBernie



Joined: 26/07/2008
Posts: 2012

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 13:01

Give Jo Valentine a call - brilliant service! she does full containers & part loads - regular service to & from Cyprus. For the email/tel type Jo Valentine into the search box above.



Maggie

timefore


Joined: 01/08/2008
Posts: 495

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 13:39

we used dolphin when we moved to cyprus 6 yrs ago, their service was excellent

Cyprusquest


Joined: 09/12/2008
Posts: 428

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 14:08

Marion Msg 7 - The first sentence may have "hit the nail on the head". Many times when a company changes staff or owners is when a good reputation changes too sometimes better, sometimes worse.

Unhappily that is no compensation for problems suffered by the clients. (Sometimes the problems are out of a suppliers control though.)

boysie2670


Joined: 28/01/2008
Posts: 65

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 16:27

Just paid over 100 stg to have our damaged goods repaired. Turns out that the insurance

only covered damage over 500 stg! ! Damage was obviously caused by a fork lift truck

in spite of their assurances every item would be carefully loaded by hand.



Would not use this firm again.

loulou



Joined: 14/05/2008
Posts: 785

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 17:25

Best set of wankers iv ever used went via Pickfords uk told 4 weeks delivery

ended up 5 days no one hear to accept most of our crystal broken and they dont want

to know what more do have to say,could go on and on but whats the poit

britvic



Joined: 05/09/2008
Posts: 3039

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 17:29

loulou, Indeed, what is the 'poit'?



We used Olaytrans and although late, not one broken item, I have heard recently though that people are now experiencing problems with Olaytrans.

cyprusdave



Joined: 18/08/2009
Posts: 83

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 17:42

I HAVE SHIPED DOZENS OF CONTAINERS FROM THE UK TO NORTH CYPRUS NEVER MORE THAN $2500

FOR A 40 FOOT CONTAINER YOU ARE BEING RIPED OFF

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 17:56

Macgiblet, we used Aerofreight Cargo back in 1997 which was run by Bruno and who I believe is now Dolphin. We packed and wrapped all our own goods with staff turning up to take to the port for onward journey to NC. Upon delivery on an opened backed lorry to Ozankoy from Famagusta it became evident from the damage caused, that we had shared the container with someone from the construction industry. Because I was able to prove the way things were packed ourselves and the way they arrived it also became evident that our goods were tampered with before leaving the UK.

I contacted the insurance company who put me onto an agent in Lefkosia who came out to me and examined everything and wrote a letter to Aerofreight Cargo and the Insurers. I was compensated 4 weeks later. I still have the letter written with good information when making a claim and if anyone wants a copy quite happy to fax or send photocopy, if it can help. On return used Euromed and they were very good no problems at all.

itsadogslife


Joined: 17/03/2009
Posts: 121

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 18:02

cyprusdave please tell us more as cant find those prices anywere.

Jimbo51


Joined: 24/09/2010
Posts: 79

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 18:36

Our furniture was shipped out and received a year ago as now.Goodwins removals in Lincolnshire packed and stored our belongings until we found a property and Olaytrans handled everything this end.Nothing was damaged and I have no complaints whatsoever in the service and communication that we got.Cost around £5000. Would use them again no problem.

Carndi


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 613

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 18:50

We used Dolphin and when the goods were delivered the 3 piece suite was missing. I asked how that was possible as it was packed in the same container.

Then I got a phone call to say they had found it and it would be delivered that day. They turned up at 2130 with the suite and got it into the house and then presented me with a bill for 150 pounds. I asked what the bill was for and they could not tell me due to the language barrier.

I rang a TC friend and asked him to sort the problem out. He told me that it was delivery charge because they had to come twice from Famagusta. I aske him to tell them that I would ring the offices in England in the morning as I had paid 'door to door'.

They left and the next day I rang England and was told they should not have asked for more money.

Later told by a friend that it was a standard trick to hold back some item and then get the owner to pay more which they, the delivery crew, split.

phoebe_cat


Joined: 06/01/2009
Posts: 146

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 19:10

My goods were collected in TRNC on 16th June. I was told I would receive them in UK in the first week of July. As it stands I am still without my belongings and repeated calls to Bruno in the Uk office has left me with no clue as to when they will arrive. I am constantly lied to and fobbed off every time I call. I am without any income as all the tools of my trade are in transit. I am living out of the contents of one small suitcase. I have no PC so am without all my personal documents and points of contact. I am having to beg steal and borrow items to enable me to conduct my day to day living. I have no idea where to go from here....

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 19:17

phoebe-cat...cannot help you regards calls to Bruno, but one thing on my goods being returned from NC to UK with Euromed, I had to wait 6 weeks because what I did not realise or was told, that they wait for the ship to be fully laden before it leaves. Maybe this could be part of the problem. Has he told you anything at all, whether the ship has left Famagusta.

Glorybee


Joined: 30/04/2010
Posts: 132

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 20:05

Got to say that Dolphin's service, 4 years ago, was excellent. We only had a handle broken and that was on an old mug. However, what we did experience was an extra service charge of £200 as they said they couldn't get their lorry through our village streets (Ozankoy) and they had to decamp everything into a smaller lorry. We were surprised at this as their local office is only up the road and I would have thought that the narrow Ozankoy streets would be known to them and that delivery of our goods could have been better organised. Their big container lorry arrived at 7p.m. at night and they wouldn't go ahead with our delivery until we had paid the extra cash.

Tango1


Joined: 19/02/2011
Posts: 1151

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 21:00

I started to write just what I thought of Dolphin and their service but decided it would go into pages. Just to say the service in UK 6 years ago was excellent and everything went like clockwork. The service in TRNC was diabolical, , 6 rude, threatening. greedy men arrived with our struff. They wanted £200 if we didn't open and empty boxes there and then (it was middle of August and very hot) They sat and watched us trying to cope with it all whilst they ate the full lunch we had to go and buy them.They bamboozled us into believing all the boxes had arrived (they hadn't), they didn't show us the boxes hidden in the garage which were open or crushed (including our PC). Because I inadvertently signed to say everything was OK, I then had no recall to claiming all the extra we had paid for insurance. To cap it off, all our clothes which had been in cardboard hanging wardrobes had been taken out and squashed into cardboard boxes. Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful company.

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 23:01

So who is to blame, and UK end or its representatives this end? We were fortunate with our workers this end from our stuff from Oz who worked like trojans to unload the gear, whilst the boss dranks copious cups of tea, as did the Customs Men. But it was all great fun. No, we didn't use dolphin, but we did have Turks (they were not Cypriots) unloading, and maybe these same men get used by many companies here.

But theft should not be allowed, and I think the main agent should accept responsibility.

We did almost get ripped off by the agent in Turkey who demanded money but I said the contract was door to door. The nasty man phoned me and tried to intimidate me, including threatening the agent this end that he would not get his money unless we paid for the storage in~Turkey (which was not necessary, nor even proven). So, just WHO are the dishonest and rip off people. all our goods were O.K, but it seems that not everyone in the chain is honest.

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
11/08/2011 23:07

who is then x

Agobard


Joined: 20/08/2008
Posts: 271

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 07:51

Message 10: for info on Euromed, their website is: http://www.euromed-uk.com. Phone number in UK is0208-3658888. Excellent company, have been using them over the years and they have always been very helpful and professional.

macgiblet


Joined: 07/07/2009
Posts: 65

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 08:45

Thanks everyone for your comments, i could go on and on with the issues with Dolphin - UK & TRNC, they are all the same company and are as bad as one another. In general most people seem to suffer at their hands in some form, wether by damage, theft or poor service, in either case they are a poor example of service providers that charge exhorbitant rates. Our intention is to follow up and chase them for compensation, even though the dreaded Bruno has made it clear that he is a "non responsive" individual. I intend to send him the link to this forum so he can at least see that there are a considerable number of his customers that are dissatisfied and are willing to say so, maybe it will save others getting ripped off by his miserable company that takes money under false pretences and causes misery by their lack of care and professionalism. More on this as we take our case further..........................

cooper


Joined: 23/10/2007
Posts: 3386

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 08:53

If Dolphin had done their job right in the first place then you wouldn't have needed to take your case further as they would have delivered it to your door.

the cat


Joined: 22/06/2008
Posts: 71

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 10:09

After reading all the comments, think we will buying all our goods here.

Carndi


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 613

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 10:15

When are these people going to learn that if they give a good service then the expats will recomend them to others or if they give a bad service we are quick to point this out.

Be honest and give a good service and you will not need to advertise. Your company name will be shouted by those who have used them.

phoebe_cat


Joined: 06/01/2009
Posts: 146

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 10:33

message 23

I was told that my goods would be with me first week of July... When given a date I don't understand how they can then say they have to wait for the van to be filled! I have been told my goods are in the UK and have been for over 2 weeks now. However, they are having difficulties arranging for it to go a few miles up the motorway... Unless I part with more cash that I simply don't have... TBH I am starting to worry that there is a serious issue with my goods that they aren't telling me about....

pg2464


Joined: 18/07/2010
Posts: 42

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 11:20

As stated before, had our vehicle returned by Dolphin, after collecting "Fee's" for border charges, although I had paid door to door, signed paperwork, and then told there was damage to my windscreen, Bruno acted as if I would take vehicle anyway and have our insurance replace windscreen, then send bill to Dolphin, I refused and they took two days to replace windscreen. Didn't they realise windscreen was damaged prior to having me pick up vehicle???



We have a family moving to the TRNC, will never suggest Dolphin.....

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 13:50

Patrick Msg 34 - For that family who are moving over. You have heard higher up about Euromed msg 28 and why not ask Jo Valentine from James Valentine Removals http://www.removalstocyprus.co.uk ?

cyprusnewbie


Joined: 28/06/2011
Posts: 27

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 16:04

I used Dolphin.



Atrocious service from the UK via Adnan the sales director and Cem the alleged shipping manager. They got their original estimate and quote wrong and tried to make the money up by adding additional charges or no delivery; container held because they hadn't paid their subcontractor despite having been paid by me in full resulting in weeks delay. Threatening manner on the phone which changed to abusive when challenged. Office sounded as if it was being run by teenagers. totally unprofessional - the worst service and manner I have seen in 25 years of working with professional companies.



Whoever owns this company needs to be made aware of what their employees are doing to their formerly good reputation!

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 17:28

Pheobe Cat, where have your goods come into, is it Felixstowe? or elsewhere, is there no way you can get to where your goods are and ask to see them. How frustrating for you. Are they just not co-operating because of the money or do you think he is stalling for other reasons.



Message 36, I thought Bruno was the owner.

kaiserphil


Joined: 14/12/2008
Posts: 1096

Message Posted:
12/08/2011 18:26

Msg 16 - "We used Olaytrans and although late, not one broken item, I have heard recently though that people are now experiencing problems with Olaytrans."

You are correct, Olaytrans lost all my goods!

phoebe_cat


Joined: 06/01/2009
Posts: 146

Message Posted:
17/08/2011 23:15

Message 37

Sorry for the delay in answering... Lack of PC, lol! Believe it or not, I don't know which port my goods "alledgedly" came into, and again, when I ask, I get the company line and never a straight answer.

I'm in the North East of England, so it would be a huge expense to get down south (where I am assuming my goods are) even if I knew where I was going. I would go however, if I knew where I was going... AAAAaarrrggghhh!

I really don't know the reasons for the evasivness, if they think they will get more cash, then they won't get anything.. All I have to my name is the balance I owe them due to the fact they have taken my livelyhood away, so I simply do not have any more to give them...

suel5


Joined: 16/01/2011
Posts: 69

Message Posted:
18/08/2011 00:33

Msg 1,



Sorry to read about your bad luck!



Moved from Uk in May and read all the posts on shipping and was confused as to whom I should give my precious goods. We used Jo Valentine, very thorough, helpful and container arrived earlier than expected and all intact,]Few weeks later decided to bring over our vehicle and used Euromed, again excellent service, lots of support and intact car on arrival.

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
18/08/2011 00:52

So sorry to hear that Pheobe Cat I do hope you get your goods soon and get some normality. Good luck