AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Couriers complain of a registration fee rip-off

5th November 1998
Page 7
Page 7, 5th November 1998 — Couriers complain of a registration fee rip-off
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Courier

• Van couriers across the UK appear to have been duped by a firm offering work in return for a registration fee.

One courier, Walsall-based Ray Simms, paid £186 to Derbyshire-based Nationwide Express Couriers last June in reply to an advertisement he saw in his local paper.

The fee was meant to cover a licence to carry goods for the company plus insurance—there was a "guaranteed return" if operators were not satisfied after thirteen weeks.

Simms asked for his money back when his own work started to pick up but the money he paid has still not appeared four months later.

The Trading Standards Office at Matlock confirms that it is investigating a number of complaints against Nationwide Express Couriers from operators who paid the fee but have not had any work. It says there is no one to be found at the company's address.

The complaints came from as far afield as Scotland, Wales and Bristol.

A Companies House report shows that last September the company had a County Court Judgement against it for £1492.

Simms says other operators should be very careful before parting with their money. "It's stupid to write out a cheque to a new company," he says. "I'm sure these people will start up again under a different name."

Tags

Organisations: Trading Standards Office
People: Ray Simms
Locations: Derbyshire, Bristol, Walsall

comments powered by Disqus