Complaint Review: Olympus Moving & Storage

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!  THEY ARE RUNNING A SCAM!

Leo, from Olympus Moving & Storage came to my home to give me an estimate for moving everything in my home from PA to WI.  I was very clear that everything in the home would be going, and Leo indicated that he understood this.  He walked through the house and visually verified everything and I signed a binding estimate for $4596. I live alone in a very small place.

The day they showed up to pack, I was informed that the new cost would be $6300, an increase of more than 30%.  There were no additional items added to the inventory and it was the exact same furniture that was there when Leo made the original estimate.  Nothing had changed but the price.  I had no option but to sign the new contract and pay, as I had to vacate my home that day and had no time to make other arrangements.  They are fully aware of the position they put people in when they do this, and I’ve since found from researching online that they run this scam regularly on almost everybody.  If Leo is that poor at estimating, perhaps they need to find another manager.  If my professional estimates were off by more than 30% on a regular basis, I would be fired (as well I should be).

This is pasted from the revised estimate, but is patently untrue.  Nothing was added--in fact, I had gotten rid of some things, and the furniture had not grown bulkier since Leo’s walkthrough.

This email is regarding your move to *******, WI. Prior to packing and loading your belongings, you decided to updated your inventory list and the foreman notified you that you have more items than previously indicated, your furniture is bulkier and they also need to provide you with an additional packing services, supplies and labor that was not anticipated.After all the discounts, your new binding price for this move is $6,300.00, which includes loading, unloading, fuel, mileages, taxes, tolls, packing services and supplies.

Though the contract states clearly that tips are not required, the movers were extremely aggressive about pushing for a tip, and it was strongly suggested that the tip should be several hundred dollars (on top of the newly padded amount from the revised contract).  They were quite intimidating, and I felt extremely concerned that if they didn’t get the desired tip, I would not see my belongings again (or at least not in the same condition), so I gave the excessive tip they demanded.

They packed up and left on a Thursday, and told me that the truck would arrive the following Monday or Tuesday.  I had to call Monday night to see where the truck was, and they claimed it was broken down in Chicago (check other reviews; this also seems to be part of their scam).  Chicago is less than two hours from the destination, yet the truck did not arrive until the following Friday.  The contract states that it can take up to eight days for the truck to arrive, and of course it took the full eight-day period. 

When the truck finally arrived (three days later and more than $1700 more costly than originally quoted), several items had been damaged/broken.  I have contacted them about it, followed the long, detailed process for making a claim, but they have offered a token, insulting amount of compensation for the air conditioner, small garden statue, and dresser that arrived broken.

I urge you to avoid this company at all costs.  The entire experience with them was miserable and stressful, and sadly, it appears that this is their standard operating procedure.  In retrospect, it would have been less expensive and less stressful to abandon everything and purchase everything in my new state.  Moving across the country is quite stressful as it is, and this made it so much worse. I hope I can spare others the miserable experience that is Olympus Moving & Storage.