(This blog is written in the present tense, but it actually happened a few weeks ago. I decided against posting it until the situation was resolved to avoid any unnecessary angst while the movers still had my stuff!)
January 24, 2008
I've got the moving blues. It's not as if I expected moving across the country to be fun, but one can hope. Actually, almost everything has gone smoothly with one big 
exception... my MOVERS.
I don't have my stuff yet (that's a story in itself), but I'm almost dreading the day it arrives. I've heard so many horror stories about how crooked movers will hold your stuff hostage until you pay some previously undisclosed and un-agreed-to charge. You can argue all you want, but eventually you give in out of frustration.
In a nut, here's what's going on. About six weeks ago, I went online to get moving estimates. Filled out a few inventory lists and was then bombarded with emailed estimates and phone calls. Estimates ranged from $1600 to $5200. I eventually hired Moving-on-Time because they had both the lowest price and the nicest salespeople. Bad move.
Every time I talked to one of these nice salespeople at Moving-on-Time, I got a different story as to how my move would be handled. The first guy said that the truck would show up in Alabama on January 15th and drive straight to Denver where the driver would wait for me to show up if I lagged behind. Wow - that sounded pretty good. The next guy told me that my things would be loaded on a freight truck with other households, but that I'd be the last one on, therefore the first one off, so again, I'd have my things quickly.
The next person I spoke to told me I could request a delivery date and as long as I called 48 hours ahead of time, they'd be able to honor it. I requested delivery on January 21, and called to confirm that date three times. "No problem" I was told all three times. Even on January 20, I was told that my delivery was on schedule, but that I should call the driver directly to find out what time he'd be here.
So I called the driver on January 21 and apparently got him out of bed. Oops. When I politely asked what time my things would be delivered, he informed me that my things were still in a warehouse in Atlanta and would not be in Denver for at least a week, maybe two. The conversation deteriorated from there as it sunk in that I'd be sleeping on the floor and wearing the same clothes for much longer than I'd expected. Oh, and spending $500 at Target to purchase all the things I'd need to camp out in my empty house.
But oh well. Nothing I could do. So, I broached the next subject with one of those nice salespeople at Moving-on-Time. I was double-charged for fuel; once by Moving-on-Time and once by A Van Lines - the company who Moving-on-Time subcontracted my move to. Ahhhhh....a light goes on. Moving-on-Time is a moving BROKER, not an actual moving company and I'd been warned not to use a broker because all sorts of fun things can happen!
Anyway, Moving-on-Time agreed that I'd been double-charged and directed me to contact A Van Lines to get the problem corrected. I called A Van Lines and spoke with Eddie, the supervisor/owner. I explained that my contract with Moving-on-Time included the fuel charge and that his driver made a mistake when he included it on my revised bill.
Well, the supervisor/owner at A Van Lines told me in no uncertain terms that because I signed the paperwork that showed the extra fuel charge, I was obligated to pay it, whether it was valid or not. He said it didn't matter at this point what the charge was for; because I agreed to it with my signature, the law was on his side. He used the example that if I went to a car dealership and negotiated a price of $40,000 for a car and then signed paperwork agreeing to pay $55,000 without realizing what I'd signed, would I expect the dealership to honor the $40,000 price? I so wish I'd recorded the conversation - the guy was so smug and so condescending and so, well, slimy!
I then read some reviews online (a little late) and found that I'm not the first person this has happened to with this company.
I tried going back to Moving-on-Time for some help, but they're tired of hearing from me by now. And I kind of understand - there's really nothing they can do to help. They're just brokers after all and they have to deal with Eddie as well ... who probably isn't any nicer to them than he was to me.
So, my point is... listen to those in the know who say not to use a moving broker, who make up the majority of online FREE Moving Estimates sites. I so wish I'd hired the guy who actually came to my house to give me a binding estimate, even though his price was quite a bit higher (although in the end, it's close to what I paid).
I'm anxiously awaiting the delivery of everything I own and am trying to be optimistic that this final step will go well. But I'm scared. I'm scared that as a single woman who can be a bit wimpy when it comes to confrontation I'll be further taken advantage of by A Van Lines. I'm scared that because I've complained they'll intentionally break something or accidently leave something vital on the truck. My imagination is working overtime on all the scenarios that could arise.
Wish me luck!
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