Quick summary

I Would Never Use this company again. The Sydney pickup was almost the opposite: despite repeatedly asking to be called directly (I wasn't at the property), I never received a single call, my mother was left managing communication she didn't have context for, a pickup document was signed with a signature that isn't hers, and several items I'd confirmed with the sales team — including a computer worth around $3,500 — were left behind. I'm currently asking Holloway for a refund or an equivalent insurance claim.

Where it went wrong

The Sydney pickup: no communication, as promised repeatedly

I wasn't at the Sydney property on pickup day, and I said so — six or seven times, to different people on the Holloway team, before the move. I asked explicitly to be called directly for any and all issues on the day. I did not receive a single call from anyone at Holloway. The only contact I had that day was when I called their support line myself.

As a result, my mother — who was at the property — was stuck in the middle of a three-way communication problem, trying to relay information she didn't have enough context to handle. Being able to manage everything remotely and directly with the team was one of the specific assurances I was given during the sales process, and part of why I paid a noticeably higher price than competitor quotes. That assurance wasn't honoured on the day.

A signature that isn't mine — or my mother's

A pickup confirmation I never saw, signed by no one I know

After pickup, I received an email containing a signed pickup confirmation. The signature on it is not mine. I've also confirmed directly with my mother that she was not asked to sign anything at the time. I still don't know whose signature is on that document.

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Screenshot of the pickup confirmation email and signature

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Items left behind, including a $3,500 computer

Confirmed in writing during the sales process — then not picked up

I understand the crew could only take what was listed on the invoice. What's disappointing is that I flagged during the sales process that I wasn't sure exactly what information Holloway needed from me to quote accurately — so I sent photos to the sales team specifically to confirm the quote covered everything. I was assured it would all be included.

It wasn't. I'm now missing a number of items, including a computer worth approximately $3,500, because they weren't on the final invoice despite being confirmed with sales beforehand.

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Photos sent to the Holloway sales team confirming the items to be included

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What I sent to Holloway's support team

Let me start by saying the 2 lads that finalised the move on the Melbourne side were awesome, handled absolutely everything with very little input from myself. They were friendly and professional. It's such a shame the Sydney side of the move was almost the complete opposite. Two things stand out: I explained 6–7 times to different members of your team before pickup that I would not be at the property, and asked to be called directly for any/all issues. I did not receive a single call from your team that day — the only contact I had was when I called your support line myself. As a result, my mother was stuck in the middle of a three-way communication problem she didn't have enough information to manage. Your service was significantly more expensive than competitors, but part of why I chose Holloway was the assurance during the sales process that your team could handle any enquiries with me directly while I was remote. I also received an email after pickup with a signed confirmation — that is not my signature, and I've confirmed with my mother that she wasn't asked to sign anything at the time. Separately, I understand the removalists could only take what was on the invoice — but I was clear during the sales process that I wasn't familiar with exactly what information you needed to quote this properly, and I sent photos to your sales team specifically to confirm the quote was accurate. I was assured everything would be included. As a result, I'm now missing a number of my belongings, including a computer worth approximately $3,500. I signed up for a service that hasn't been delivered — the lack of communication and organisation has been significant. Please advise on remuneration: either a refund for the items not delivered, or I'll submit an insurance claim of equal value. I'd like to hear back this afternoon before taking this further. — Email sent to Holloway Removals & Storage customer support

Current status: Awaiting a response from Holloway. This page will be updated once I hear back — including if the situation is resolved fairly.

Is this a one-off? What other customers say

Holloway holds strong overall ratings on Google, ProductReview, and Trustpilot, and plenty of reviewers — including me, for the Melbourne leg — report a genuinely good crew on the day. But looking across other public reviews, a pattern shows up that matches parts of my own experience:

Communication that's responsive and helpful during quoting, but noticeably drops off after booking is confirmed.
A number of reports of damaged or missing items, and customers describing a difficult, drawn-out claims process.

Worth reading a spread of reviews yourself before booking:

Had a similar experience?

If you've dealt with Holloway Removals and had a similar — or different — experience, I'd genuinely like to hear about it. Get in touch here.