In spring 2005 I was quoted an estimate of $365 for a move to an apartment only 10 miles away from the current location in LA. My friends helped me pack up all of my stuff, except the furniture, which the company assured that they always blanket wrapped as part of the service at no extra charge.
There were elevators in both locations (no stairs). The move was supposed to take 3-4 hours.
Ten hours later, I got a bill for $1200, including hundreds of dollars for "packaging materials", which they say were tape necessary to put on the blankets, putting oversized boxes around all the furniture, none of which I wanted or requested.
Employees were rude and refused to finish unloading the rest of my stuff unless I paid the markup. They loaded on charges for "stairs" even though there were not any because (they said) they couldn't back the truck right up to the elevator! It was infuriating, esp because I specifically told them several times NOT to put all those boxes around everything!
In the end I paid b/c I felt like a hostage, being taken advantage of because of my disability but powerless to do anything after the fact.
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