Complaint Review: Time To Move Moving Packing &Storage

This company used deceptive practices by low-balling the estimate to get my business for a move from Illinois to Pennsylvania.

On the day that they picked up my items, they left me a voice mail on my cellphone informing me that my items were being shipped out to Baltimore so that delivery on the East Coast would be easier. It took two weeks to get a delivery date of my items, and they intentionally did not tell me the balance of the bill. The movers arrived on a Saturday afternoon and presented me with a $1900 balance to be paid in full before they would unload the truck. They had to wait until Monday when banks are open.

As soon as the men left, I starting finding various large items missing from the delivery, like the frame to my futon, five 18-gal. containers filled with yarn and craft materials, a black manager's chair, and two mantelpiece-sized pieces of art, all of my pots and pans, winter coats and clothes, etc. I called right away that afternoon to report it. After two weeks I finally got a copy of the inventory list, which had a total of 168 items. I only received 108 items, which means they did not deliver 1/3 of my goods. I have been in contact with them daily if not weekly since July 21, 2003.

Karen Howes, one of the owners, no longer takes my calls or return calls. Her husband, Amir, is the dispatcher, and trust me, he could care less about customers. He is the one who authorized this mess but no one wants to tell me how they could conveniently "lose" as much of my shipment as they have managed to do.

This started on June 23, 2003 and I have yet to receive my items. They know that as consumers we have no protection because the ICC lost the power to help people like me. THIS IS REVERSE HOSTAGE TAKING!!! As of the date of this report, they tell me that my items are lost and that they will find them when they can.

IF YOU VALUE YOUR BELONGINGS, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE!!! The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says that their liability insurance expired September 11, 2003, and they should not move anything across the street without it.

If you know of any organization who can assist, please share your info.

Darlene
Maywood, Illinois
U.S.A.