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A Blackpool performer has slammed a courier service after he made the move from Cornwall to the north west seaside resort, saying his belonging arrived battered, bruised and broken.
Ryan Condy, 29, is a Scottish performer based in Blackpool. He moved to the resort, known for its family entertainment and nightlife, in July after moving from an eight-month job in Cornwall. After a DPD courier cancelled his booking to relocate his belongings from the South up North, Ryan booked a courier through Parcelforce Worldwide, part of the Royal Mail Group.
When his belongings arrived, Ryan’s suitcase faced what he described as ‘beyond a joke’ with the belonging arriving smashed. He also says boxes had been opened and another split when it turned up on Monday, July 25. Almost one month after they arrived, Ryan is now seeking compensation for the damage caused as well as the stress that he says came with the delivery.
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The Blackpool performer told LancsLive: “I booked a DPD courier but they didn’t turn up three times. So I was in Blackpool and all my stuff was in Cornwall. I had rung Parcelforce because they were the next reasonably priced. I spoke to a lady and explained the situation, I asked what they offer and if they can guarantee my things would be safe, because I’m not in Cornwall now, I’m nine hours away.”
Ryan says he was assured his belongings would be looked after and paid for Parcelforce express delivery so it would arrive next-day before 10am. He said: “My boxes arrived and they were all open and damaged. My suitcase hadn’t arrived but my suitcase had everything I owned in it for my shoes and gigs. I ended up losing a lot of work that night because I still didn’t have anything to wear.”
The 29-year-old was told his suitcase had been lost at the Preston depot and it would be forwarded to the complaints team. He then was told to go online and put in a claim, before claiming it would only let him claim for one rather than all three that were impacted.
The following day, Ryan’s suitcase arrived where he says a wheel was missing and the case was ‘smashed’. He said: “The suitcase was £90 on its own because I travel for work so I bought a decent one. I have been back and forth [with Parcelforce] and they’ve told me to get on Twitter to message them. I’ve been messaging back and forth. I just keep getting automated emails.”
Ryan says he was told his belongings contained what were described as ‘prohibited items’. He said: “I went through the whole list and there was nothing on there. It was all clothes or toiletries or whatever. So I said well, how do you know it’s prohibited without opening the boxes? If they think there’s prohibited items, which there wasn’t, then they shouldn’t collect it.”
Ryan says the trouble has now being going on for weeks. He has received a refund for the order, but not for his additional insurance where he says he would be entitled to up to £200 compensation for inconvenience and damage.
(Image: Dawn Keeling)
Ryan said: “I still haven’t heard anything, I keep being told they’ll be in touch. There’s no one I can speak to and I’m getting very, very frustrated. I’m not bothered about the money. I’m bothered by the fact I had to throw a suitcase away which cost £90 in total. I’m saving to move to London for this amazing opportunity and for those two nights, I couldn’t do any work because everything I owned was in a suitcase that was meant to arrive and which I paid for.
“I wasn’t bothered about compensation but now I am because it caused me a lot of stress. I was at the other end of the country in Cornwall, my stuff was there and I was in Blackpool. They’ve damaged it, they’ve done whatever they’ve done with it. I’m fuming every day I ring them, its just the same every day.”
Parcelforce is part of the Royal Mail Group. The Royal Mail was contacted for comment but did not respond prior to deadline and publication.
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