Company provided online estimate of $1125 for move from Portland, OR to San Francisco with weight limit of 2500 pounds. Also confirmed this amount in a phone conversation.
Movers showed and presented original $1125 estimate to sign and requested 70% in cash. Gave them $800. Also requested me to sign paper charging $75 for each flight of stairs. Refused to sign this as the estimator told me over the phone that I would not be charged for tape or stairs.
All belongings were pre-packed, taped, and labeled by me beforehand except for the large furniture items. I had purchased large plastic wrap, bubble wrap, and tape for these items, and the movers used my materials.
They proceeded to 'wrap' my stuff in the most elaborate, overkill fashion you can imagine, using blankets, MULTIPLE layers of plastic wrap, and way too much strapping tape (I came to realize that this is to justify the charges they would be tacking on - imagine a minimum wage nobody doing all this work so the company can extort unGodly additional charges).
AFTER loading all of my furniture onto the truck, they presented new paperwork charging $800 for 'packing materials' which I refused to sign. I told them to unpack my stuff since they didn't reveal this bogus additional cost beforehand and they refused.
Called their customer service dept. And complained to several different people about the bogus charges and the movers refusing to return my stuff. Phone rep. Assured me that come Monday morning they would have resolved the dispute and that I would be given a more reasonable price. Told him that his word was not enough and we either agree or I want my stuff back. He said he would see what he could do.
They did not do anything.instead the driver came back and said they would not unload the stuff but that I did not have to sign anything with the new price. I would need to call Monday morning for the prices to be reviewed and any changes made.
Received a call Monday morning from a Cameron, who claimed to know nothing about the complaint and now stating the total cost was $2600, more than $1700 greater than their original quote. They claimed the weight was greater than 2500 pounds (highly suspect as we had just moved 6 months previously and came in under 2500 pounds. Also, no paperwork ever detailed what the charges would be for overage on the weight).
Since then I learned that Best Relocation and MTF Relocation are the same company, and I found many complaints online. They were given an 'F' rating by the Better Business Bureau. I have filed a complaint with the District Attorney and the CA Public Utilities Commission. I also plan to take them to Small Claims Court.
I rented my own moving truck and went to their storage facility to pick up my stuff and get it out of their stinking, lying, cheating hands. For this they were willing to go down to 70% of their cost.
So, I paid $1768, plus the cost of my own rental truck, to get my stuff from Portland to SF and back into my own hands.
DO NOT USE THESE THEIVES AND TELL ANYONE YOU KNOW WHAT LOW LIFES THEY ARE. They deserve to go to jail for the way they do business.
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