All United Van Lines gave us an estimate that was far lower than competitors to move our son's apartment stuff home, after college.
FIRST they do NOT send you the consumer-protection warning paperwork beforehand. The truck driver hands it to you after he parks in your driveway (when you are committed, under pressure and he is on the clock.) This practice has got to be illegal. The whole point is to WARN you in time.
SECOND our saleman, Chris E., encouraged me to casually list the stuff in my son's apartment from memory. He said "Oh, don't worry, I do one bedroom apartment estimates all the time and I promise it will be right on." He also promised me that if I'd forgotten a few items or boxes it would make little or no difference. THIS WAS FALSE INFO: there is a big penalty for anything not listed from the start on the pre-printed manifest and it jumps the price to nearly double per pound. (Our estimate $900. Our actual cost $1,800.)
AND I had actually called the saleman back when I arrived at my son's apartment the WEEK BEFORE the move to update our moving list. He put me off, said it wouldn't really matter. That statement was a boldface LIE.
THIRD The advertising says that wrapping all furniture in blankets is FREE. However, the movers use rolls and rolls and rolls of their expensively-priced packing tape to secure that blankets—which they charged us for. There were hidden extra little charges for many things like that—and the "5 free included wardrobe boxes" weren't offered or on hand when we asked. "I ran out with the last customer, " said the truck driver. So, we had to run out and buy wardrobe boxes from Public Storage at the last minute (and were not reimbursed by All United.)
FOURTH When I called the manager, Kevin L., to complain that my salesman had mislead me and had refused to update my moving list and which the truck driver had then PENALIZED me for during the move... The manager was very snide, even cruel; he actually seemed pleased and proud when he said, "Well, Lady, you signed the Bill of Lauding so you're stuck paying what we want now. Ha! There's nothing you can do."
Well, at least I can write this Report and warn other unsuspecting folks. Do NOT use this company; they are professional rip-off artists with a whole practiced routine going on. Hidden costs everywhere. The salemen and manager actually bragged about how they sucked us in with the bogus low quote. BAD company. Dishonest, conniving people who believe their deceits "are just business".
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