June 15
RE: Continental Express, Inc AKA Fast Lane Movers
I hired Continental Express, Inc AKA Fast Lane Movers to move my 1100sf 3 bedroom 2 bath house on May 31 at 1:00pm.
The sent me a quote for 3 professional movers and truck @ $90.00 per hour 3 hours minimum. The price included
Door to door service
Loading and unloading
FREE wrapping of furniture with moving pads
FREE uses of tape, bubble wrap and shrink wrap
FREE use of wardrobe boxes
FREE basic insurance of. 60 cents per pound
FREE disassembling and reassembling of furniture
The movers arrived at 12:30pm, which was great as they were one half hour early. For the first half hour we walked around the house so I could point out what we need to have moved.
2 queen beds
2 couches
1 large wall unit (that needed to be disassembled)
2 coffee tables
1 end table
4 dressers
2 desk
1 kitchen table set (with 4 chairs)
1 refrigerator
1 washer
1 dryer
1 dining table
The driver pulled out a contract and had me initial in several areas and sign. I asked him what the cost would be and he told me he didn't know. I noted that nothing was filled in for loading, double driving time, unloading, packing and estimate.
When I asked the driver, he told me he didn't understand what I was asking about. His English was poor and English is my second language.
When they started, I asked them to use the FREE moving pads for the furniture. I was told that they had to wrap every item with cardboard and paper. When I told them I just wanted the pads, they told me they could not move my furniture, so we moved on.
I then asked for the tape and bubble wrap, so I and my Mother and Father could wrap our breakables. I was told they didn't bring any and they would have to wrap everything. Again, I asked them to wrap them with the furniture pads and was told they could not move them. This went on for everything I wanted moved.
I had bought a large quantity of medium, large and x-large boxes from U-Haul several weeks before and we had packed most of our personal items. There were a few items not boxed, but we were going to wrap them with bubble wrap and box them as the movers were loading the furniture. But of course we could not, as they did not bring any bubble wrap.
The movers took over 10 hours to wrap and load our furniture and boxes. During that time they had wrapped the refrigerator and it would not fit out the door. They had to unwrap and take out and wrap again. I asked them one more time to use the furniture pads and was told they would not use them and would unload the truck and leave.
When it came time to move the dining table, they asked if they could disassemble it. I told them no and they told me they could not take it. I told them that was OK.
It was about time for them to leave and drive to the other house, so I left to open it up. During that time they asked my Dad, instead of a tip (What tip at this point with all the problems they gave us on wrapping and moving of our items) the driver wanted the small air conditioner in the master bedroom. He told them no.
Upon arriving at the new house (1 miles away) the driver worked on the bill and told me it was #3849.63. I asked him why and to show me. He would not. He told me that I had to pay him first and then he would show me the breakdown and if I didn't pay now, he would drive the truck back until I paid and would charge me additional driving time and storage @ $80.00 per hour.
At that point I call a friend that could try to talk with him. My friend got nowhere with him so I paid the bill with 3 credit cards of $1000.00 each and the rest in cash.
After looking over the bill, they charge 7.0 hours for packing, 3.5 hours for loading, 1 hour for driving and 5 hours for unloading. A total of 16.5 hours. The also charged me a total of $2280.63 for Container Rates. The only containers they used were the ones I purchased at U-Haul.
First, They were not there 16.5 hours and during the unloading, the driver slept in the cab of the truck for 1 hours. Second, they unload all the medium boxes first and put the large and x-large boxes on top of them. Third, they took the air conditioner from the master bedroom (I found out the next day when we went over to bring other items to the new house). Forth, the took the dining table and did not wrap it or use furniture pads and damaged it. Fifth, they were to take hour off for the packing and unpacking of the refrigerator.
We also had several items damaged in the move and are putting in a claim for them.
I do not feel that it should take 16.5 hours to move an 1100sf home 1 miles. I should have not been charged for containers, as they used mine. They should not have wrapped every item as they were told to use furniture pads, as offered in the e-mail. They should not have taken the dining table, as I told them not to and they should not have taken the air conditioner as a tip when told no.
At every point they held the moving over my head as I had to use them at that point and if I didn't pay them they would not unload the truck.
After the move, my friend looked them up on the computer and found out that they have scammed other customers as well (see attached). This is why I'm disputing the charges at this time.
Awc
Fairfield, California
U.S.A.
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