Original Quote: $2083.71 (3354 pounds)
New Quote: $4000 (~6500 pounds I still have not been informed of the total weight or actual cost)
After investigating this company, and asking questions about their BBB rating; whether or not they were an actual moving company, or a brokerage (adamantly stated they were NOT a brokerage); would it be their trucks making the move (of course, they said); why they only showed 3 trucks on the DOT (they claimed 28); etc., I got an estimate with them on 10/16 and signed the contract (e-sign) shortly after.
I listed all of the items to be moved and Howard estimated 3354 pounds. I questioned him on several occasions about items that were missing from the inventory list, and my concern that some items seemed light. He continually said, don't worry about it - we had plenty of extra weight included to offset my concerns; and "the scale doesn't lie". I reiterated again that I could not afford any more than that given our financial problems. He told me over and over, not to worry about it. He went so far as to say that he guaranteed it wouldn't be much over the estimated weight if not under.
We had to be out of our apartment by Tuesday the 20th as the new tenant was moving in on Wednesday the 21st, so he said he would schedule the pickup for Monday the 19th in case they had any breakdowns. I called on the Friday before the 19th to confirm they're being here on time - no one called me back. I called first thing on Monday the 19th and they said the truck had left on Sunday and broke down in Daytona and they would call me back with an arrival time when they heard from the drivers. Monday afternoon I called back and the story changed telling me the truck had left that morning and broke down in GA. It had just finished being repaired and Howard promised me they would drive through the night
to arrive Tuesday morning. He claims he checked with dispatch and they were now in North Carolina.
At 9:00am on Tuesday, I called again to find out when the truck would be there and was told that they were still in Georgia, that they wouldn't get there until Wednesday morning. I exclaimed that that was not going to work since the new tenant was moving in the next day. They said there was nothing else they could do. On Tuesday, late afternoon, I called to follow up on the truck and was told they broke down again on the "turnpike" (assuming NJ?). I got extremely upset and after several attempts of talking with the GM (given the story that he was not in, wouldn't be in until later, etc) finally got a hold of him after hours and he got belligerant with me. He said he was having a truck from the affiliate office in Boston pick up my belongings and when their truck got there, they would transfer it to the Duntara truck.
On Wednesday 11/21, a Penske rental truck pulled up in front of my apartment and a company called Ocean Moving and Storage started loading my stuff. He said they
were a division of Duntara, and presented me with all new paperwork which I
Signed because I was desperate to get out of there. My landlady was
Threatening me the extra costs incurred by the new tenant as he had his movers
Scheduled for the same day. Additionally, I had originally requested that
Our stuff be delivered on November 30 as the tenant living in our home would
Not be out until then. Howard told me they could, but there would be a
Storage fee of $175. However, on Monday the 19th of November, I asked Howard to
Change the date to the 26th as our tenant had moved out early. Howard
Told me that would not be a problem, that he would change it and take off the
$175 "sit" fee.
On Monday the 26th, as I was driving the 24 hours back to
Naples, I called Duntara to find out when the furnishings would be
Delivered. I was told November 30th. I explained to them I changed
The date with Howard and was told that he never changed it in the system.
Never once was I told what the total weight was - they either wouldn't return
My phone calls or state they hadn't received the weight sheets, etc.
On Thursday the 29th of November, I received a call from the driver Leo that he
Wouldn't get there until Sunday and that I had to have a postal money order or
Cash for $3200ish. I explained to him that the estimate was only $2008.71
And I had already paid about $930 dollars - I should only owe just over
$1000. He said I would have to work that out with the moving
Company. I tried to get a hold of them on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
And still have not heard back from them.
I still do not have the total weight in writing and am not clear on it verbally, either. Leo came by on
Saturday late afternoon. I had cash for the amount I still owed from the
Estimate since I had never received an official weight or cost. He was
Very kind, but would not deliver my furniture because of the contract with
Ocean (he, by the way, was a DIFFERENT independent driver - not associated with
Duntara but contracted by Ocean). So my stuff is being held hostage, and
I can't get a hold of the original company as of today's date (12/3).
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