Update:
The owner contacted me three months later and a resolution was made.
Worst Moving Company is Colonial Van Lines Relocation Division
If you are debating between hiring a moving company for a small one-bedroom apartment and doing it yourself, as I had been, do it yourself. I thought that for $300 more that Colonial was charging, this would be the better deal, as they pick up everything and deliver it to your door. It’s not worth it. Your original price will probably NOT be the price you will pay.
Dishonest, unprofessional, unresponsive, unreliable!
I chose this company because I believed the salesman who ensured me of the company’s integrity. He lied. One benefit would be having a SINGLE agent for the entirety of the move. Single? Try a dozen! I was bounced around between several agents over the course of my move and received inconsistent information from each of them.
THE BIG QUESTION IS: WHAT DOES MY PROPERTY WEIGH??
My weight approximation was 2000lbs for $2500.
Dishwasher? Nope! Couch? Nope! Washing machine/dryer? Nope! This should be perfect!!!
"I am calling to ask the weight for the truck?" Placed on hold....no answer provided...
I called daily requesting the weight without an answer.
Ten days later, the answer came! "Umm...Hello...is Dara Moss there?" "Yes.." "Yes, hi, I am with Colonial and I want to tell you your truck weight is 3180 pounds so your total price is $4xxx. I will take payment now by credit card. Of course, we will waive the 3% surcharge we'd initially quoted you."
Hold on a moment.... How is that possible? 1180 pounds OVER? And my price has nearly doubled?? There MUST be some mistake. This must be fraudulent! I tell him I will call back. I contact the company with my concerns and stated that I believe my property weighs less than they indicated.
"I'll just put you on hold for a moment."...10 minutes later...a new voice, "Hello, may I help you with something?".....Repeat previous conversation. "May I put you on hold for a moment?"
 |
| ALL my property is in this truck at the back! |
HOW DO I PROVE IT WEIGHS LESS??
It requires multiple conversations over several hours, most of which was spent on hold, to procure the necessary information. I procured permission through Colonial to be present at the weigh station, and had received credit card pre-approval.
Friday: Colonial Agent Kerlene Civil informs me that the driver will be coming Monday.
Friday night: Driver calls and says he'll be at the apartment between 1-5 on Saturday. However, NO Credit Cards and NO weigh station.
Saturday: all day (8 HOURS) on the phone, my significant other is on the phone with Colonial to clarify this error: I had received pre-approval for CC and to be present at the weight station. At the end of the business day, Colonial agent said: "Oh sorry, it's too late to do anything. The office is closed."
Saturday night: On the phone for 2-3 hours with Vista Van Lines, the sister company of Colonial who was doing the delivery. We are finally permitted to be at the weight station and pay by CC.
Step 1: Drive to local weigh station (40 miles away). Photograph truck. Watch it get weighed. Follow driver into station to procure weigh ticket.
Step 2: Follow driver back to apartment (40 miles back). Unload. Photograph.
Step 3: Follow truck back to weight station (40 miles again). Watch it get weighed. Procure new weight ticket.
Step 4: Do the math! SURPRISE! I WAS OVERCHARGED BY 1000 pounds!!!!!!!!!!
If it could happen to me, it can happen to you. When my property was delivered, I noticed property in the space next to mine in the truck. The container holding an extensive album collection had broken during the move and the contents were scattered in the truck. The Beatles Greatest Hits on Vinyl was flying around the truck!
According to the driver, the person was not able to pay to accept their property. Their property would now be relegated either to a temporary storage unit, or the trash. If what happened to me happened to them, maybe they were overcharged and couldn’t afford the price now ascribed. Vista Van Lines accepts cash only….so if your price jumps from 1000 to 3000+, that’d be challenging for most people to pay. Especially last minute.
A SHUTTLE? MY KINGDOM FOR A SHUTTLE!
What is a shuttle fee? Ask Colonial and they will say, an 18-wheeler truck will transport your property across America and, once it arrives in California, will transport your property to a smaller truck: a "shuttle." The salesman, Mr. Massey, stated that I needed a shuttle for my move at $198.09, however if the movers are able to access my street, I would be reimbursed. I questioned this fee, as I believed my street could accommodate a large truck, but it was reiterated that I would be duly compensated if a shuttle wasn't used. According to CHP and parking enforcement, my street CAN Accommodate an 18-wheeler truck. I have not been reimbursed for this $203.67 (updated fee) I was charged for an unused shuttle. As it is, only 6-wheeler trucks were used.
What if Colonial Van Lines charges EVERY CUSTOMER a shuttle fee of $200. Doesn't sound like much, but think about how much that could accrue. When my property was delivered, there were at least 4-5 other people's stuff in the truck (and it was a 6 wheeler, not an 18-wheeler.)...plus the driver stated he had made multiple deliveries on the way......At ~19000 moves per year, this is 3,800,000!!!
WOULD YOU ACCEPT A BRIBE TO INHIBIT YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH?
Colonial Van Lines offered me a "settlement." They would pay me the overcharged fees they owe me and throw in a $200 "level of service compensation" in exchange for signing a contract....$200 does not erase their complete lack of professionalism and overall negative dealings I have had with the company.
What's in a contract?
1) Confidentiality of their shady contract
2)** most importantly* "remove or retract the complaint filed with the Department of Transportation, Better Business Bureau, and any other vendor/website indicating that a satisfactory resolution had been established; including but not limited to the following listed on page(s) YELP."
They also included my original Yelp posting with a spot to initial that "this unsatisfactory review has been updated or removed" . I had initially removed this due to the pressure from the company, but then added another (which Yelp, sadly, filtered out.):
"Buyer Beware! I was overcharged by 1000 pounds for transporting my goods. It required 140 miles of total driving to go to the nearest weigh station to verify weight accuracy and countless hours on the phone attempting to resolve the issues. I am very disappointed that I selected Colonial Van Lines to assist with my move from Virginia to California. The information I was given was wrought with errors, miscommunication, multiple phone calls with no follow-up on behalf of the company, and misinformation which made my move even more stressful than need be. It took valuable time away from work for myself in order to continually pursue the whereabouts of my possessions, and try to clarify all the misinformation that was frequently given. I believe they need to focus improvements on customer service and communication, especially between their company, customers, and contracting companies. I attempted to lodge a formal complaint with the company's corporate director, but was provided with false information by agents. I am truly saddened by this entire experience."
MY new REVIEW:
Buyer Beware!
My main complaint about Colonial Van Lines (who link themselves with Relo and Vista Van Lines) is that they overcharged me for a shuttle fee and REFUSE to compensate me unless I sign an additional contract which would require removal or retraction of any negative review on yelp, and "ensure the terms of the agreement remain confidential." Both the Marketing Manager and Director of Customer Service suggested a revision on yelp of 4 or 5 stars, but 3 would be acceptable for their "Courtesy" compensation. I can only believe that providing substandard service and buying off customer reviews after the fact is a standard "policy" based on the amount of yelp reviews that have been altered. If you skim through reviews and see that someone has dramatically altered their review to 4 or 5 stars, be aware they may have received compensation to change their review.
The information I was given by Colonial Van Lines was wrought with errors, miscommunication, inconsistency, multiple phone calls with little follow-up on behalf of the company, and lack of internal communication between the three companies. There is no customer service or corporate integrity.
I would never recommend Colonial Van Lines.
Buyer Beware!
My main complaint about Colonial Van Lines (who link themselves with Relo and Vista Van Lines) is that they overcharged me for a shuttle fee and REFUSE to compensate me unless I sign an additional contract which would require removal or retraction of any negative review on yelp, and "ensure the terms of the agreement remain confidential." Both the Marketing Manager and Director of Customer Service suggested a revision on yelp of 4 or 5 stars, but 3 would be acceptable for their "Courtesy" compensation. I can only believe that providing substandard service and buying off customer reviews after the fact is a standard "policy" based on the amount of yelp reviews that have been altered. If you skim through reviews and see that someone has dramatically altered their review to 4 or 5 stars, be aware they may have received compensation to change their review.
The information I was given by Colonial Van Lines was wrought with errors, miscommunication, inconsistency, multiple phone calls with little follow-up on behalf of the company, and lack of internal communication between the three companies. There is no customer service or corporate integrity.
I would never recommend Colonial Van Lines.
