Complaint Review: All Towns & Country Moving - Saddle Brook New Jersey

Heres a summary in case you dont want to read through the following detailed account of our experience with these masters of fraud:  We were overcharged, given the run around, shaken down for gratuity, boxed out of knowing where our stuff was, and basically held at the mercy of the fact that they had our belongings hostage.  Regardless of what their salesman says, this company does NOT care about its clients, and has NO qualms with baiting and switching honest people who are just looking for a solid service they can trust.

Having read some other reviews across the internet, it seems that our experience echoes a number of others. We were planning our first long-distance move, and were looking to work with a local company. After obtaining numerous estimates, we received what seemed to be a reasonable one from Mike Munoz, the head salesperson at All Towns and Country.  Mike's job is essentially to make you comfortable hell tell you all about how he's just a local guy, that their best business is obtained through word of mouth, etc.  WHAT A CROCK. We hired All Towns & Country Moving on 5/11/2009 to execute a scheduled 5/27/09 move from North Bergen, NJ to Raleigh, NC for a job transfer. After much correspondence, and e-mailed submission of a very detailed inventory list, we received a binding quote from All Towns sales rep Mike Munoz. We sent him a revised inventory via e-mail one day prior to pickup (5/26) in order to get an adjusted estimate, and he didnt respond and after calling him in order to get some sort of answer or at least confirmation that they had received the revisions and would work out the numbers for us, he just blew it off, saying "Oh, dont worry about it -- it'll still weigh about the same.

The movers arrived over an hour behind schedule on pickup day, and the foreman was unapologetic.  Nearing almost completion of the loading process, the foreman approached and said our inventory size increased to 850 cubic feet 355 cubic feet OVER the initial quote from Mr. Munoz. I asked about the updated inventory wed submitted, and the foreman said the paperwork has been in the truck for since 5/11, and he was not notified of any changes. I then requested he and I call Mr. Munoz, and measure the load over the phone to affirm the alleged 885 cubic feet of inventory. He refused, saying the truck was already closed up, and there would be additional charges to unload the truck for a re-size measurement. He then proceeded to overcharge my credit card, saying it would be put toward my final balance, but in reality giving himself an unauthorized tip in the amount of 10% of the total for the move!

When we attempted to follow up on these issues on 5/29 (after two days of no response from Mr. Munoz), the communication from All Towns became nonexistent altogether.  During the transport window (5/28-5/30), our calls were twice intercepted by a woman named "Nicole" who was as unhelpful and sour as humanly possible, and after that point all communication with the company ceased, despite our continued attempts.  We pressed every option possible on their phone menu, and even left messages for their owner, Andy.  

At this point, the truck was a day late, and when we finally DID speak with the driver, he wouldnt let us know exactly where they were only that they were on the way. 

We continued to try and reach the company, and finally got a hold of a salesperson named Stan who, after some conversation divulged to us that what we were going through was not unusual.  He told us that he had only worked there a month or two and felt horrible that they typically bait-and-switched people.  He apologized, and alerted me to the fact that the lack of communication from All Towns was on purpose, and I should expect the worst of outcomes. After consistent interrogation and concern, Stan pulled up our actual contract in their database, and confirmed my inventory was in reality: 630 cubic feet (only 130 feet over Mr. Munozs original quote. In fear of losing his job by divulging this information to me, he hung up, and that was the last time I heard from Stan.

The movers finally called me late afternoon on 5/31, citing I now owed another fraudulent balance. Cautious because of the information Stan gave me, I told the movers I would only pay this balance if they measured the inventory before unloading, and sign a letter I drafted that would corroborate what Stan told me. They agreed to this request. The load actually measured out to be exactly 630 cubic feet; the exact amount Stan told me over the phone on 5/30 (instead of the re-assessed 850 cubic feet I signed for at the 5/27 pickup). 

In retrospect, we should have had the police present when they pulled up to make them have to wait until the truck was emptied before they got the final balance paid to them (in cash, no less) instead, they essentially told me they would not unload until they had their money in hand.