Complaint Review: SILICON VALLEY MOVING & STORAGE

This company was hired to move the contents of a one bedroom apartment from Palo Alto CA to Los Angeles CA. This company was chosen because they were able to guarantee a pickup time within a 3 hour timeframe and their price estimate was reasonable. The terms were clearly stated as cash or cashier's check due on completion of the move. Because I was on a tight time schedule I specifically asked Joe if any money would be required at the time the goods were to be loaded on the moving van. His answer was "no" they didn't require any money up front.

The movers arrived as scheduled on Friday afternoon July 25, 2008. The packing was done by two courteous employees in a very competent manner. Then the trouble started.

Once all the goods were on the truck, the "owner" (Cheri) called the packers and told them to transmit the message that we were to appear immediately at their office in San Jose with a cashier's check. This was not the agreement and would have been an impossible task late on Friday afternoon as San Jose is at least 3/4 to 1 hour away from Palo Alto and the amount of the cashiers check had not been determined as the load needed to be taken to a certified weighing station before the amount could be calculated. I had the packers call her back and hand me the phone. She agreed that I didn't need to come to San Jose with a cashiers check and that we would talk on Monday morning when I was back in Los Angeles to finalize the arrangements for delivery.

On Friday afternoon, Joe Klees from Silicon Valley Moving sent an email with the calculated charges. On Monday morning Joe Klees answered the telephone at Silicon Valley Moving and asked for $1658.71 before the truck would leave for Los Angeles. He agreed with me however when I protested that it would be reasonable and protect me if I sent a cashiers check for $1000 immediately and then had the balance in cash or cashier's check ready when the truck delivered the goods so that agreement was made. That afternoon the "owner" called me to say that Joe Klees was an employee not authorized to make that agreement and she insisted on full payment in advance. She threatened to put the goods in storage and begin racking up storage charges.

After a week and two calls from our attorney, including one to another "owner," we were offered a different category of move, an "exclusive move," which would cost $2500 and would be within a definite time frame.
We had to agree to sign a new contract and have a cashier's check for this increased amount ready for the driver in order to complete the move.

They misrepresented the terms of the move at the time they pitched their services to us. Once they got control of our merchandise they completely changed the terms demanding immediate payment when they didn't even know the amount they were charging. They countermanded a compromise agreement we had worked out with their employee, Joe Klees, who had called us with the charges.

The whole experience was very unpleasant and I would advise anyone contemplating a move to avoid this company like the plague.

Paula
LOS ANGELES, California
U.S.A.