Will overcharge after loading your items
Adilet
Submitted this review about
South North Vanlines
Review made Live: 9/6/2009 2:02:00 PM
Ok, here is the account of my very unpleasant experience with this moving company.
When the representative (Ibrahim) came for an estimate, he gave me 300c.ft*5.00=1500$,
and said that this estimate was based on inventory.
This wasn't the lowest estimate compared to other online estimates, but I wanted to go with the company which makes an on-site estimate. Unfortunately I didn't have too much time to schedule other on-site estimates,
so decided to place an order with them in spite of reviews here. What a mistake!
When I decided to place an order with them, they charged me 300$ twice on my credit card instead of once, but after calling them said that they will just reduce the total amount due on the pickup date.
After that I sent them my inventory list, but they kept forgetting putting a sofa into it. At this stage, estimate kept changing up to 1800$ and 430c.ft, and the price per c.ft was 4.29 at some point. Only after 5th attempt they gave me an estimate agreed upon the on-site visit.
On the day of the move, he came in and at
this point somehow the price of the job became based not on the inventory, but on the volume, but Ibrahim again said that we are not going to be over the 300 c.ft.
Meanwhile, he immediately tried to make me sign rescission of the original estimate even before loading anything which I refused. He told me that he will give me copies of all other documents I signed at this point after loading, but never did.
Now they start loading, and charge me for packing the following: 70$ for wrapping tape, 30$ for wardrobe box, 35$
for picture/mirror box, and 20$ for packing (in spite of the fact the estimate said "Full service and wrapping of all items"). Also , they didn't provide any special picture/mirror box - it was just the 1$ carton wrapped around the blanket - I found out this only upon pickup. He also "accidentally"
calculated the total wrong and tried to overcharge me 30$.
Now, after all things are loaded he announces that I'm over 70c.ft and should pay extra 350$. On my question
why are we over he claimed that this is because of the wall unit. Well, that wall unit was there in the morning, when
he was confirming his estimate!
I had too many things on my mind and didn't realize that he is not allowed
to charge me more that 10% extra percent
for the non-binding estimate, and since my family has already left to Texas I didn't have time to argue with them and agreed to pay - what else can you do when all your stuff is already loaded into the truck, and they keep your 600$
on a credit card charge (how convenient that they charged initial 20% twice, huh)?
At the departure he told me that he will find out when my belongings will be loaded into 18wheeler to go to Texas within two hours. Well, he didn't reply to any of about 10 calls I made him while my stuff was being transported. Main office was also useless, they didn't know anything about the estimated arrival date, or whether the items have left New Jersey.
At the pickup date, rental "Penske" 18-wheeler truck shows up 2 hours later than the time they told they would come.
I live on the 3rd floor and there is no elevator. Guys who do unloading say that I have to pay extra 150$ for 2 stores,
in spite of job estimate saying that all loading and unloading is covered. Another 2 hours are spent trying to contact the South-North office in the middle of the day - they just don't pick up the phone! At this point I didn't have more time to argue about that and
negotiated with unloading people to pay 75$ for only one store. Not all of my items were originally given to me, so I had to go around the rental truck which had several orders in it looking for my stuff.
Overall, the experience was very unpleasant and I would highly discourage anyone from using this company.
