We have just experienced the most horrible move of our lives. We are almost 70, both just retired the end of 05 and ready to relax.
We found Moving Star on Vanlines suggested by our Realtor with Prudential. We read all of the specs on the movers who sent quotes and chose Moving Star CA. I was told the weight would be about 5000 pounds and around $3,010.
They were to pick up on the 31st of May and called to see if the 30th would be ok. We agreed and hurried to get ready. They showed up in 2 white box trucks and said they didn't have enough room, and we would have to reschedule. We got another date for the 3rd of June.
A larger white box truck showed up, and we were told by Moving Star our items would stay on the Van that they were picked up with. The driver of NW Relocation out of Portland said this is the way they do it, as it would be more expensive to send a large van. Take it to Portland and unload and reload on Van!
Since we had a time schedule we let them go ahead and load. When they loaded... Left and got to the scale they claimed our weight was over 11 thousand pounds, and total was now almost $8,000.
We couldn't even read the fax they sent with the weight slip, so we don't know what it said. We told them not to deliver until after the 8th as we would arrive late the 7th.
Finally on the 21st a man called with such an accent I hardly could understand him. He said he would arrive that night to unload. We said OK, as we were anxious to get our stuff and "move in."
Around 9:30 pm he called again to say it was too far to make it that night, so he would call at 6:30 in the morning to get directions. He had no idea how or where to get to us.
I got up at 4:45 so I would get his call, and he never called until 10:30 am. Said he had truck problems. Wanted directions again. Finally he called again to tell us where he was and wanted to get directions again!
My husband said you are almost there... I'll meet you at Flagstaff and Pine Ridge which he did. They got here around 2:30 pm, asked if I had the correct payment amount, which I said I do and have a Certified Check. He didn't know if he could accept Certified Checks and would prefer cash. I told him we were told cash or certified check or money order!
He called for verification and started to unload. Took them about 6 1/2 hrs, and was in a hurry as he had to get to Miami that night. He hurried thru the broken pieces of furniture, and missing boxes, etc. And had us sign the slips and write down what was broken or missing. He said he would file a report as soon as he got to NY from Miami of our missing and broken items. We had almost 500 tagged items to check off.
Not finished yet. We have lots of antique furniture. And many pieces were badly damaged. One an old roll top oak desk that belonged to my husbands grandfather is so badly damaged I don't think we can fix it. A Victorian Curio Cabinet has the leg broken off. Many of my pieces of China from wedding presents 50 years ago are broken.
A Large Folding suitcase with my husbands Best Clothes... White Dinner Jacket, Wool Blazer he got in Scotland, Green Silk Suit and several pair of trousers is missing. A 10 foot long oak top that goes across my dresser is missing.
A box with my Oster Kitchen Center, Toaster, Frying Pans, Stainless Steel Pans and other misc. Is missing. We had almost 500 red number tags on items and still haven't finished going thru them, so don't know what else is missing or broken.
When he backed out of the Triple wide driveway in front of the 3 car garage, to the double car driveway half way down to the road, he went off the driveway into the lawn.
He tried and tried and tried till after midnight to get out and was still here in the morning. He finally decided to call a tow truck to get him out after totally tearing up our front yard and tore out the cable TV.
The cable company has to come totally reinstall the cable as it was installed when the house was built and goes under the concrete driveway all across the acre lot. It hasn't been done yet.
We are broken hearted about this move and have no idea what to do about it. We fed the movers for 24 hours, took them wet towels as it was sooo hot while they were unloading and yes. They were in my driveway for just about 24 hrs.
They showered with our garden hose in the driveway... They even urinated right in the front yard.
There were cigarette butts all over the driveway, and trash from one end to the other. We couldn't have gotten out of the driveway if we needed to, as the truck was "jackknifed" across the driveway and yard on both sides.
I took many pictures and have written to both Moving Star of California and NW Relocation with no response from either of them... Twice. I also sent them one of the pictures of the truck stuck in the yard.
We don't know where to begin, as we haven't finished unpacking all of the boxes, but working as fast as we can.
Connie
Beverly Hills, Florida
U.S.A.
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