Not Honest Movers
Charmaine Young
Submitted this review about
BR Movers
Review made Live: 12/21/2012 11:41:00 PM
I hired BR Movers on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 to handle my move from Washington, DC to Bladensburg, MD. I am writing to inform you of my dissatisfaction with the overall experience with your company. After searching online for movers, I was contacted (via phone) by Nicole. Please know that I did not find you online. I informed Nicole that I had already selected a moving company. She informed me that your company could move me from my efficiency apartment for approximately $300 for two hours and $72 an hour which included 3 movers. In the end, the move cost close to $900. As previously stated, I moved out of an efficiency apartment and did not have a lot of things to move. I understand the time factor, however, it was not explained to me that I would have to pay for packing supplies (tape, shrink wrap, boxes, etc.) in the amount of $237 which I believe is excessive for what was used. Here are a few of my particular grievances with your company regarding my move:
1) I was quoted a low estimate price and in the end slammed with a much larger dollar amount. Unbeknownst to me, your company requires payment for the move before it is completed which resulted in an overestimation of work hours. However, since the move was several hundred dollars (approximately $600) more than the estimate and payment was due before the movers could proceed to moving in my furniture which left me feeling like my things were being held hostage unless I paid this much higher amount. This seemed like a bait & switch ploy. After reading reviews on your company (after the fact), I was unnerved to learn that this was a common complaint and others shared in this inflated final bill experience. If payment is due before the job is completed, then it should have been stated during my initial conversation with Nicole and it was not.
2) As stated above, I was told that three movers would handle my move. Three movers showed up but only two were actively involved in the move. I was later told that the third man was the moving manager. This is something that was not explained up front. Having three movers suggests that the move would be quicker and more efficient. However, this was not the case. The moving manager did little to expedite the move. He took an extensive amount of time with paper work and did very little with the physical move. Initially he was unwilling to provide me with an explanation or a breakdown of the charges. It was not until he was getting ready to leave and after many inquiries from myself and family that he finally relented and showed us the cost breakdown. Not to mention he was prepared to leave without providing me with the moving paper work. Initially, he only gave me a copy of the credit card receipt not any other paper work. It was only after inquires from my family that he left the other moving documents. To make matters worse, he was argumentative and rude. After seeing the breakdown it immediately stuck out that he overestimated an hour of work. In addition, I was charged an excessive amount for packing supplies ($237). Some of my items were already wrapped and were re-wrapped by the movers. For instance, My TV was completely bubble wrapped prior to the move but it was boxed and re-wrapped which I was told for insurance purposes. If the extra wrapping was to cover the company “for insurance purposes” my question is why would I need to pay for the $10 for a box and additional money for tape, etc? In addition my box spring and mattress were in protective zipped covers but the time was still taken to plastic wrap both items. Had the moving manager been more productive in his efforts with regard to physically moving items, the move could have been more efficient which could have resulted in less time and less money.
3) Furthermore, it was not explained to me by Nicole when she called that there were different levels of moves, one being a $99 move that covered packing supplies. This was explained by the moving manager after the fact. Please keep in mind that I did not find your company on the Internet, Nicole called me on the phone and explained what your company estimated rate would be for my particular move. Unfortunately, she failed to mention the $99 per hour move that would have mitigated the exurbanite amount charged for packing materials.
4) I made several attempts to speak with someone about these matters during and after the move. I spoke with a gentleman and Nicole during the move. Nicole informed me that she would contact the moving manager and that I should request a breakdown of the charges. I repeatedly asked for a breakdown of the charges from the moving manger and he repeatedly dismissed the request until the end. His words to me were “the longer I sit here and explain this to you, the longer it’s going to take and the more it’s going to cost because the guys can’t bring your stuff in until the bill is paid.” I repeatedly got this type of rude dismissive behavior from the moving manager. In addition, I asked if someone from the office called to speak with him and he informed me that he was contacted about the timing of the move and nothing else. Also, I followed up after the move and was repeatedly told that I had to speak with a manager and that someone would call me back. No one called me back. After finally following up yet another time, I spoke with Nicole who informed me that it was nothing that she could do and that I had to send you an email.
For the above reasons, I will never use or recommend your company again. In fact, I will let others know specifically not to use your company. I feel as though I was cheated and was provided with extremely poor customer service. And, because others have provided written testimony that corroborates my experience regarding your company’s practice of low estimating and then slamming customers with an exurbanite final bill (a practice that is akin to bait & switch) I will be filing a complaint with the state’s attorney general office. Even if your practices are legal they are certainly unethical and you have lost a repeat customer and future referrals. I am walking away from this experience completely dissatisfied.
