Denver (Northglenn) to Tampa (St Petersburg) move
Estimate:
Contacted via request with the lowest estimate. Requested in person inventory to get a more accurate quote. John was reluctant to provide this because of the expense associated to travel to do so and subsequently did not. Also he wanted to defer getting a quote until items were boxed anyway. The reality is that people dont typically have there stuff boxed until a day before and rely on the experience of a moving company to account for that. None the less, I updated their website with a my items and quote was updated. Discussed pickup date of Mon 6/16 and our first date of delivery in FL of Mon 6/23. I was given the impression that items would be delivered within that week and John also stressed that they do frequent moves to FL and that they already had other FL moves lined up in a similar timeframe. I did some research and found some companies in OH and DE that were reputable by the name of Midwest Vanlines - but I found out later these ARE NOT the same company. The quote was approx $3900. A deposit of half would be required on pickup date and credit card was taken as payment then. Also that the other half must be paid in CASH upon delivery. This quote was $300 less than quotes that I got from people that came in person to give quotes.
PickUp:
Roy Berko, head of distributiont (and owner), at 7:30AM that they would arrive around 9:00AM. They arrived close to 10AM at my home. But we had previouly discussed that I had to pickup stuff at a storage facility a couple blocks away as well. So we reviewed the quote and I signed some initial documentation. Roy made a point to say we still needed to review some other stuff, but wanted to begin moving items. Roy and 2 movers moved all the contents from my house into their truck. I had most of the items already boxed into the garage and only the large furniture had to moved from inside the house. So we then goto to my storage shed. There Roy looks at the stuff in the shed and states that what he already had from my house equated to weight in the quote and that shed contents obviously exceed that. He then proceeds to negotiate a new price. Seemed kind of weird that this discussion could not have occured at my house. But they have most of my stuff at point and I just want the day to be done. He agrees to a new price of $4600. This quote is a couple hundred beyond quotes that we provided by other movers that came in person. Then he reviews a delivery sheet that states the delivery window is 3-21 BUSINESS DAYS of the first delivery date I provided. This is in contrast to impression that John gave me in quote discussions that stuff would be delivered within that week. Again this is another untimely discussion considering they have already loaded the majority of my stuff and its near the end of the day.
Delivery:
I call Roy on Wed June 18th and he says that he has a driver coming in on Friday and that our stuff will likely depart on that following Saturday. So we (not the movers) reach FL on Sun 22nd. I contact Roy on Mon 23rd and he informs me that the driver wasnt able to make it and that our stuff will not depart until Wed 25th when another driver gets in Denver. I leave a voicemail on the 25th asking for status & also saying its becoming an issue. Roy returns the call and re-iterates the 3-21 Business Day document and that a driver will be in Denver on Friday the 27th and our stuff should depart the next day. I call Roy on Monday July 1st to get status and get the same driver excuse. Finally I get a message that our stuff left Denver on July 3rd and I should get a call from the driver a day before delivery.
I get a call on 7/7 @ 4PM that movers are in Tampa and that they would like to deliver it at 7AM. I tell them thats too early and that 9AM is the earliest. I get a call 1.5 hrs laters stating that they have to unload tonight for some reason. I stress to them that it will be dark and it's already raining heavily. But I reluctantly agree if they can get it done by 10PM. The semi drives down the sidestreet and makes a very meager attempt to turn in front of my house where the driveway is. They then proceed to park on the side and are blocking part of a residential intersection. I notice that one of the movers in injured and can barely walk. The driver then informs me that since he wasnt able to make the turn I have to pay an additional $165 long haul charge - although it didnt appear to me that he really tried. At this point I just want to have this over and I pay long haul & other half of the fees IN CASH - pay attention to that ;). The movers then unload a couple items in the rain and then I notice that they're arguing outside. Then we notice that the driver is gone and the remaining injured mover says the driver went to purchase some cigarettes. So the injured one starts to carry in what he can in his current condition. He's not making much progress in his condition and its dark - about an hour later and the driver had not come back. So I ask him where the driver is and he tries the drivers cell with no success. So my girlfriend and I begin to move our OWN stuff (that we paid a long haul charge for too). It's still raining as well. So my girlfriend and I keep on 'truckin' and we move 60%-75% of our own stuff. Its also obivous that the driver is not coming back. The remaining mover then informs us of the bitterness of the driver for this company & that the driver was the one stressing the urgency of delivery tonight. Also he states that the driver took all the money from ALL the moves that day - this is $7000-$10000. So one can assume that the driver wanted to ditch the company ASAP and figured that he could (illegitimately) stiff me with a long haul charge which would go into his pocket. Also I & the remaining mover are leaving Roy Berko (owner) voicemails every 30 mins about the crappiness of the situation. We finish unloading all my stuff at 11PM. I then let the remaining mover know that I will not sign the documents stating that I recieved the services - since I unloaded the stuff myself. Also since its apparent that none of the items will be assembled either. At this point my interactions with Midwest are complete.
Then the police show up becuase the semi is blocking the intersection and needs to be moved. But the injured mover cannot move the semi because he does NOT have a CDL. The cops are also informed about the driver taking the money. The police spend an hour trying to figure out how to move the vehicle and then they concede to let the remaining mover drive the semi back out of the intersection. The semi then sets next to my house for 2 days until a driver in flown in to proceed with the route for Midwest.
Follow Up:
Roy contacted me a day later and simply want to say that my trouble will be resolved but to give him a week to figure that out. I inform him that (financial) resolution has to be agreed to within 3 days. Roy then says that the driver took his money and that is his priority & he cant deal with me the customer now. I inform him that the driver is an issue internal to Midwest and has nothing to do with a customer. He concedes to have an agreement within 3 days and at the minimum that the long haul charge is a farce. 3 days later I contact Roy and get the same sob story. Roy offers $350 and that includes the $165 long haul falicy - essentially $200 for us moving our own stuff. I inform him that is not sufficient, so he states that he will send a check for $500 in the mail and leave it up to me to cash it or not. I have not recieved any check and have left Roy several voicemails & emails. Then on 7/25 I receive an email from Anthem Claim Management stating $350 has been offered 'take it or leave it' and that Midwest did not have a phone number for me so he had to resort to email. I replied to the email & left voicemails (starting on 7/25) with Anthem & Midwest and have not got a response. At this point I dont expect any compensation for my troubles.
Conclusion:
I'll leave it up to you to draw a conclusion. But the facts are that an upsell occurred once the majority of items were in the truck and the delivery terms were not exposed until then as well. Midwest could not provide an accurate delivery date as well for several weeks after they had my stuff. Then a long haul fee was contrived and I unloaded the majority of my stuff. Nor was my stuff assembled by Midwest either. No financial resolution commitments have been honored either and no communication form Midwest has been recieved since the claim email on 7/25. Also I would advise anyone considering Midwest Vanlines to research Atlantic Vanlines as well. It appears as if it has the same principals or at least a very strong relationship with Roy Berko as well. There is a reputation of movers changing names when under duress.
I think it's fair to say I would not recommend Midwest Vanlines.
Scott
Northglenn, Colorado
U.S.A.
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