Complaint Review: AA Online Moving & Storage

I wish I had read the previous ripoff report because it would have avoided my frustrations and saved me a lot of money.

Like the previous complainer, I dealt with Mark Ash who made it seem like he was doing us a big favor by quoting us $480 for an estimated 5 hour move. We packed and moved most of our stuff and only required a mover to move some larger items in our 2 bdrm apartment. There were no appliances to be moved.

Here is how I would characterize this company:

1) INCONSIDERATE - their drivers showed up 3 hours late. There was no phone call or any contact informing me of when and where this crew was. When I called the office, the receptionist suggested that I go and track down the whereabouts of the crew. When the crew was 1/2 late, I got a response that they would be there shortly. "Shortly" to them means 2.5 hours later! When the crew showed up, only the foreman spoke english and never apologized.

2) DECEITFUL - My supposedly cheap $480 LOCAL move for a small apartment ended up being a bill of $1300! I am fine with paying the hours for the crew worked (6.5) but the surcharges and packing materials that Mark Ash conveniently left out amounted to over $600.

3) UNETHICAL - The crew deliberately inflated the packing material amount. The way the move is structured (i.e., you must pay before they will unload) basically holds your stuff hostage. They show you the final bill (always some outrageous amount) and force you to pay it to get your stuff.

- I paid $5/roll of tape for 25 rolls (I personally picked up every roll of tape the movers left and it was more like 15)
- I paid $5 to RENT 35 disgustingly dirty blankets (only 20 was used) they wrapped around my furniture. I forgot to thank them for all the dead bugs they left on my floor when the crew decided to dust off the blankets on my floors rather than outside.
- I paid $30 in tolls for a $5 toll
- I paid $160 for the crew to drive 1/2 back to the office
- I paid $100 because the crew decided that 1 item was too heavy

I wrote to Mark Ash similar to what I wrote here and got what you would expect from a sleazy operation - excuses and justifications.

DO NOT make the same mistake we did and hire this company. We have moved several times in our lifetime and never felt so ripped off by anyone. Save yourself the aggravation and money and use someone else!

Michael
Roseland, New Jersey
U.S.A.