Movers do not keep to time line and add additional fees
J.Parrish
Submitted this review about
Colonial Van Lines
Review made Live: 6/14/2011 7:02:00 PM
Contracted with Colonial Van Lines to pick up furniture on May 13 no later than May 14th. Would not sign contract for move until they would guarentee pick-up as house was going under construction. I also went over contract and all items to be picked up. I have read about additional fees being added in at delivery time and expressed my concerns to Rosyln Dubbs, customer service rep. She assured me there would be no additional fees. I was paying minimum weight limit of 3000 pounds and I was a little over 2000 pounds.
May 13th - No Pick up - informed would be May 17th.
May 17th - Truck became stuck in a ditch before arriving for pick-up. Informed pick-up would be May 18th.
May 18th - Contracted for shuttle service as driveway steep. When movers arrived they had no idea what a shuttle service was and did not know what to do. I had informed movers from very beginning about driveway and did not want any problems when movers arrived, therefore contracted for shuttle service.
Construction workers were waiting at house for furniture to be removed. I had to hire them to move all furniture and appliances to bottom of driveway. They assisted movers in loading their truck.
Late pick-up cost thousands in delayed start of construction.
May 18th - Called Colonial Van Lines and asked that Shuttle Service fees be removed from Contract.
I was informed delivery would be week of May 25 - June 1st.
May 24th - informed delivery would be May 26th. Asked for final price and shuttle service was still included. Colonial Van Lines said "agent" was refusing to deduct shuttle service. I was SHOCKED! Not only had I paid 6 men to bring all items to moving truck at end of driveway, they helped the movers load their truck!!!
Colonial said it was their right to charge. I said I was contracted with Colonial not these "agents". It came as a shock they used third party movers.
May 26 - Colonial phoned to say delivery would be May 27th and they would not charge for Shuttle Service.
May 27th - Colonial phoned to say delivery was delayed to June 1st.
May 31 - Colonial phoned to say delivery was delayed to June 2nd or June 3rd.
June 1 - Colonial phoned to give new price - added in $150.00 Heavy Rug Fee.
I could not beleive it. I gave size of rug when itemizing items and told no additional fees because I was 30% under weight limit. I protested. Colonial said "agent" had right to charge bulky weight fee. I was told if I did not pay the movers would not remove my items from truck.
I spoke with Supervisor and she said she would look into it. I was concerned because delivery date kept changing. I told her I had an obligation out of town June 8 - 10. she said no problem because i would have my furniture that week.
June 2 - Kyle called to ask if I had heard from drivers. I said no. He said movers would be at house June 3rd - guaranteed. He said he would call me first thing in morning as I was his priority. That is a quote. I took day off from work. I did not hear from Kyle or anyone else.
June 4 - Tanisha called from Colonial to say movers would be delivering on Tuesday June 7th . Kyle would call Monday and confirm times.
June 6 - Tanisha called to say delivery would not be June 7th but June 8th.
I became very upset. I told her i had already told Cononial I would be out of town June 8 - 10. She said....and I am quoting, " well, you didn't tell me!". OMG are you kidding??? I didn't start talkeing to Tanisha until June 4th. She said "agents" were not told I was out of town those dates.
I decided to ask for the $30.00 a day reduction for everyday delivery was outside guarenteed delivery date, which was June 1st. Colonial said they didn't have to pay because i was not available on June 8th. I couldn't belive it. I was in shock.
June 7 - Tanisha called and said delivery would be June 11 or June 12th. I asked for final dollar amount due, I did not want to pay heavy rug charge or shuttle fee.
June 9 & 10 - left msgs for someone to call me back so i would know final amount to get from bank. No one called me.
June 11 - Colonial called to say no delivery until Thursday June 16th. The said they were still "working" on final price.
June 11 - "AGENT" Trans United called to say they would be delivering June 13th. I said are you sure???? I asked what final amount due was? They had added more fees.....Bulky charge for rug taking up room in truck. I protested. He said he would talk with Colonial on Monday before delivery. Delivery would be 12-3.
Monday June 13th - Colonial working on final price. Said that "agent" would not remove Shuttle Fee, even though I provided my own service. They said "agent" would not remove heavy item charge for rug, even though men I hired helped them load it into their moving truck. They would not remove bulky item charge, even though I had not heard of this fee before.
My husband took day off from work to meet delivery truck.
June 13 - NOON - Leon from Colonial Van Lines informed me that delivery would not be that day, but the next day, Tuesday June 14th between noon and 3pm. OMG are you kidding me?
When I told him my husband had taken day off from work and this was BS he said he was sorry. When I asked Leon about my late delivery fee being deducted from total, he said drivers said they were set to deliver on June 8th, but I could not take delivery. OMG are you kidding me???? This is 20 of delivery promises and because I was not available June 8th they are using THAT to avoid reducing fees? Colonial said they would see what they could do. I said....I contracted with Colonial, not these "agents".
Tuesday June 14th. - Spoke with Tanisha, she said she spoke with "agent" Trans United, and she was confirming they would be at my house between noon and 3pm.
I protested fees again. She said i would not recieve my items if I did not have their money. They would not unload the truck. I told her they were worse than the Mafia!
Tuesday June 14th. - 11:30AM - Leon phoned to inform me that delivery would not be that day. The truck had mechanical problems.
I am now questioning whether anyone has my furniture and appliances. Are they lost? Is this all a scam?
Do not do business with Colonial Van Lines. They have absolutely horrible customer service. They make promises and do not keep them. This is not just one person or one bad experience.....this is over 8 customer service reps and 3 supervisors I have been dealing with. All of them are trained like stepford wives to say the same thing.......I am sorry for your trouble. I am sorry for your trouble. I am sorry you feel that way. Their contracts are no good, as they contract with 3rd party movers to move your items and the 3rd party controls the fees. Colonial keeps saying, I'll talk with them to see if they will take that fee off. I'll see what I can do. But the bottom line is if you don't pay you will not get your stuff.
I don't know if I will ever get my stuff. After 21 days of promised deliveries, I am starting think something is seriously wrong.
I know there can be issues, but how customer service handles problems key to the integrity and value of a Company. Colonial Van Lines do not put customer first and repeatedly do not call back when they have promised to call. I am constantly calling because they do not follow up and call back when they have promised to do so.
I do not know how they are in business with such a horrible customer service team.
Do not risk going through the hell I am in....and do not see an end in sight.
There are too many other choices in moving. Stay away from Colonial Van Lines.
