I started my search of movers getting quotes from several companies. From experience, I didn't want to go with the cheapest but also didn't want to pay top dollar. Northern Van lines were my 3rd call for a quote.in talking with Chris, everything seemed professional. I had told him that I was getting quotes and he had asked me what companies I was considering. I told him of one company and he advised me I shouldn't use them because they sublet the work and are brokers, not a moving company. He informed me that in using Northern Van lines, I would be working with them, their trucks and employees which would all be clearly marked with Northern Van lines name. This did make me feel more comfortable that I can put my trust in one company. He gave me a quote, which was a little higher then the rest but figuring I would be working with a moving company and not a broker, I felt I would be handled on a more professional level. We were on a timeline and he reassured me that my belongings would be the last on the truck headed for Arizona and it would only take 6 days to get there. We were driving down ourselves and were planning a 5 day trip. Perfect! I gave the required amount for a deposit and the deal was made. The day of my move, the truck did not show up. I received a call from the mover stating the air brakes on the truck were out and they could not make it that day but he assured me they would be by the very next morning. The next day, two hours later then expected, I get a knock at the door. Three guys are standing outside the door with a clipboard, I look past them and also see a rented U-Haul truck. They explained they were with Northern Van lines and were there to get my stuff. The only thing that had any evidence they were indeed with Northern was the paperwork with my quote. After assencing what all was being moved, they added extra packing charges to the sum of $275 for the packing and wrapping of some furniture and the TVs, which Chris had informed me they would pack and it was already part of the charges. All the furniture was new which I purchased 2 years prior when I bought the home. While taking apart my bedroom set, the mover had informed me that he didn't have the right tools to disassemble my bed but after 2 hours, he somehow managed. He also told me that whoever put my bed together had used the wrong tools (which was the delivery guys from the furniture store). The move seemed fairly smooth from there, except when they got to my dining room table (my expensive dining room table). They had wrapped the table, legs and all, as one piece. Which was too wide to get out any door in the house. I mentioned it to the one that seemed to be the team leader and he measured and found this to be true. They unwrapped the table so that they could take the legs off. I had some things I was taking with me in my vehicle to still pack so I headed up stairs to handle that as they took care of my table. Later, I go outside as the are loading the UHAUL and see my table, wrapped up again, with the legs still on it. They said they managed to fit my 42" table out the 36" door. That's when I noticed that two of the legs were bent. I asked about it and they told me they loosened the legs to get it out and when they got to the distribution center they would get the tools needed to fully remove the legs. All is loaded and off they go with another $850. We arrived in Arizona on time (March 31st) and were eager to receive our furniture in the new house, which would be arriving the next day (April 1st)! Nothing, I call Chris and no one answers or returns my calls. Next day, more disregarded phone calls. Finally after three days I get through to someone (john). I get a story about the truck having air brake issues and the wouldn't be able to go through the mountains safely but that it was resolved and my items were on the way. He apologized for the unconvinced but my stuff would be here by the 7th. The 7th, nothing! 8th, nothing and again can't get a returned call. Then the 9th I get in touch with another person who tells me my belongings haven’t left Oregon! I'm in a rant! The manager, Amy calls me and tells me how sorry she is but that whoever told me I would get the things by the 7th was misinformed. Also, Chris would have NEVER told me my stuff would be there by the 1st! He's a team manager and wouldn't make a promise like that. I was then told that my stuff was either still in Oregon or in the Tennessee distribution center??? Tennessee? From Washington State to Oregon to Tennessee to Arizona? After multiple calls and tracking, and more calls I talked with everyone in the office at least 3 times each. I even found out that John isn't really John, it's a name he uses some times, an alias if you will. My belongings arrive on the 19th of April, 18 days after I was promised.in a moving truck labeled ZEFFY Trucking. Yeah, Not a Northern Van lines truck! They removed all my items to the driveway, all the battered boxes to the garage (of 42 boxes, 9 were undamaged). When everything was laid out, I noticed some things were missing and I was assured by the driver that everything was there and I would see this when he unwrapped everything. I walked to the back of his truck just to look and he blocked me and told me that he has everything unloaded and to "just wait". That's when I saw more boxes and other items still in the back! I started pointed and they unloaded the rest. They too had NO tools to reassemble my furniture; I had to borrow from the neighbor I didn't know. The bed they was "put together wrong" was broken and the side boards which hold the mattress up could not be put back together, firewood now. The dining room table glass top was chipped in 2 corners and when they went to put the legs back on, it seems the legs were just snapped off and could not be put together. I called Amy right away, nothing! I still had to pay for the rest of the delivery but I really wanted to talk with her first. Nothing, so the driver suggested we write everything down on the receipt and he would sign that all was damaged. After all this, the driver (in front of his guys) says to me..."so, are you going to tip us?" After days of calling, I decided to try my wife's phone since I never called from it before and it was answered the 2nd ring! They seemed to be screening the calls since not 1 minute earlier I had called from my phone 3 times with no answer. I was told by Amy that she believes I am entitled to some form of reimbursement to which I never saw, and she and the company was never heard from again. I filed a claim with the insurance company from the movers and after $3200 worth of damage was offered $96! You value what you have, DO NOT use Northern Van lines for your move. I KNOW I can't be the only one! In fact, during one of my conversations with one of the sales guys John, or whatever he calls himself, and Amy the manager, they both told me that over the past couple months they seem to be getting a lot of complaints and are working on it. Honestly, the only thing I feel they are working on is perfecting the LIES, and collecting YOUR money! At Northern Van lines: You know who I am! You know what you've done and you know what you promised. This will NEVER die until I feel everyone is informed.
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