This my story which happened 2002.
I was sent in Europe for the temporary job relocation at the beginning 2002. I needed to move out from FL with my wife (no kids, no pets), just less than two weeks.
Q: Where to find storage for our household goods? A: From the internet! I did choose Morgan Van Lines... And so the nightmare begun.
PACKING;
First contact came from the Morgan Van Lines. Down payment was agreed and FULLY REFUNDABLE - "Unintentionally" 300$, instead of telephone agreed 200$, was taken from my credit card.
When day of moving arrived (three days before flight out of country), team leader Ben with two helpers arrive nearly 5 hours late - They mention that WE did not give enough accurate address for them. If I am moving out of country, I really douple and triple check everything! This includes that movers has a right address. How about map and confirmation call, mr. Ben?
Team leader Ben had weird way to enter in our apartment. I.E. "This is 2nd floor - we did not know that, so we need to charge per hour more." I disagreed.
Earlier I did fax the size of our sofas, kitchen and living room tables, book shelves, bed etc... Everything what we have can be disassemble. Everything was disassemble excluding book shelf. I just tried to save time and nerves. It did turn out so that nothing was done in Morgan Van Lines and my fax was completely ignored. Totally waste of time!!!
The charge of the additional packing material, especially carton was fatuous! Why 10$ posters does need 2 x 25$ carton?
Felts and blankets for the sofa, etc... Were EXTREMELY dirty including oily or grease substances.
One of helpers was complaing all four hours how everything sucks, including packing our belongings. Job quality went had-in-hand with compainings.
Dream team was communicating with their mother-tongue, which was arrogant because already heated-up atmosphere.
Finally when everything (I was thinking that time) was loaded into truck, team leader Ben handed me a bill... 2400$! Mainly carton boxes and packing tape. Spent amount of packing tape was something unbelieveable!
This amount of ONE bedroom rental apartment. Basically we had one couch, two tables w / chairs, silverware, clothes, TV and hifi set, masterbed and two trunks. No washer/dryer unit etc, big stuff. We were living there just a few months and we had not so much belonging. We have been moving several times earlier and I consider this so called "easy moving".
Totally upset and ripped-off we returned to the apartment to cleand it up for the land-lord... And surprise, surprise! Three (3) closets in kitchen were full of our belongings!!!
WHILE OUT OF COUNTRY;
While in Europe due to my job, I was told (from secretary of our company in Ft. Lauderdale, just 20 mins. From 400 C Ansin Boulevard) about nasty and arrogant notes, that our belongings will be removed from Morgan Van Lines "air conditioned" facility if I do not pay monthly payments in time. Bills never, ever arrived. Due to "Morgan Van Lines company policy" they just do not send bills. Customers has to send check monthly for them... Odd.
RETURN eight (8) months later;
The returning of our belongings was "according Morgan Van Lines company policy" as well. I needed to pay - cash - 220$ (it was truck rent, extra mileages and plaa-plaa-plaa...), before movers (the dream team leader Ben must have been busy with other customers) even bothered to move their a from the truck.
Belongings were just dumped into our new apartment. No condition check, no unwrapping, etc. Naturally I did not sign the delivery without written notice in delivery documents, but I was already pissed off and suspected the worst.
RESULT; 1) Matresses were smelling mould. 2) Selection of egg-case insects were discovered in ALL expensive carton boxes (they were not so HiTec despite of the price?!?!?!). 3) Oak table from 1930's was missing two legs. 4) We did receive someone else's boxes (poor them - hopefully they get their own back!). 5) Dirty felts and blankets did what I assumed them to do...
6) Scratch, dents, etc... I do not even bother to list them.
I did ask about insurance and liability of Morgan Van Lines - the driver did ask; "Do not you have any insurance?" (Folks, check the Morgan's web page - they talk about their fully coverage, etc.)
I entered to Morgan's "air conditioned" facility week later. None of gentelmen were there, but older lady. I explained to her that I want them to compensate part of our things. She was "surpised", because "very seldom anything like this happens". Anyhow, she handed me papers - Customer Complain Forms I guess. According those forms Morgan is happy to compensate missing or broken parts according its WEIGHT - I am remembering now - about 30 cents per pound! This means in my case - missing two table legs - they were willing to pay me roughly 3 to 4$, which comes from two 7-8 pound legs. I walked out.
This "air conditioned" 400 C Ansin Boulevard facility sucks. I visited there several times. Big sliding door was always open. Anyone could walk in. There is one big hall. There is NO A/C. One big rusty fan hanging in the middle of hall - moist and dusty air circulation is guaranted.
Customers' belongings are piled and separated from each others with cardboard. Unfortunately I did not have digital camera during that time.
Dream team leader's teenager Acura did lie in the middle of everything in those days - nice garage.
Most likely customers who has trusted Morgan Van Lines does not know anything about their low moral, ripping-off attitude. Their way of doing business is out of all acceptable ethic and moral golden rules.
Stay away from Morgan Van Lines for your own sake!
Peter
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
U.S.A.
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