Complaint Review: A.S.A.P. Relocations - San Jose California

The company I am complaining against is ABM Van Lines, but according to their MC and DOT numbers, they go by the name, "ASAP Relocations."

My online quote was for $305.00 because I was getting a 5% discount; without the discount, it was going to be $320, which was 4 hours of work for $80.00/hour. I told the sales rep, "P" (Don't want to use their real names) that I needed my dishes, small appliances (i.e., toaster, griddle, etc), and pots and pans packed because I did not have the necessary packing supplies. I listed my furniture for "P"  - queen size bed, couch, entertainment unit, TV, 2 stools, 4 side tables, desk, and approximately 15 bins. I asked "P" repeatedly if it was extra to pack my dishes, and she said it was not because the movers go by amount of time. She also told me that shrink wrap, bubble wrap, moving pads, and packing tape were included in the price.

She also told me that Double Drive Time would not apply because my move was only 3.69 miles in total.

I asked "P" for an "overestimate" - if the move would realistically cost more than $305; she said it shouldn't. Regardless, I was prepared to pay around $500.00 for any additional charges.

On the day of the move, the movers showed up on time. After going through the contract and finding out that the mover "required" the use of additional boxes (which ended up costing over $100.00), he wanted me to set my Not to Exceed Limit as $800.00. He also wanted to charge me Double Drive Time. I told him that the move really should not take 7 hours, as he estimated, and that his office told me Double Drive Time would not apply for my move. In a false attempt to negotiate with me, he said, "I won't charge you for tape." I replied, "You're already not charging me for tape because it's included in my contract."

We finally decided on a Not to Exceed of $600.00, and they started moving my things at 9am. I called his office to inquire about the Double Drive Time, and he aggressively approached me while I was on the phone with them and expressed his anger than I called his office. After I was off the phone, he told me he wouldn't charge me for Double Drive Time.

ABM also claimed that their movers are "well-trained" but the foreman had to explain taping and packing procedures to his partner repeatedly.

After approximately 5 hours of inefficient packing, the foreman told me that they were going to run out of time. He said if this happened, they would put all my things in storage. I felt trapped and hesitantly asked to set my Not to Exceed Limit at $800.00, which is what he originally wanted.

After 6 hours, my 1 bedroom apartment was finally packed up and ready to go to my new apartment.

After arriving at my new apartment, the mover asked for the $800.00 up front. I wanted to think about it, and he brushed me off, saying he didn't mean to be cruel but said they were on a time limit and didn't have time to discuss it. I asked if I could pay it on credit card because I didn't have enough cash. He said no. I paid $400 in cash and $400 on my credit card, and I asked him to indicate on the contract that none of the cash was to be his tip. He told me they don't indicate it on their contract.

After 2 hours of slowly moving my boxes and several small furniture items into my new apartment, the mover told me they were going to run out of time again, and they needed me to sign a new contract for a Not to Exceed Limit of $1000.00. I asked to speak to his manager. His manager was surprised that they had been moving my 1 bedroom apartment for 8 hours and were not finished. I then spoke to the dispatcher, who told me that his men would not work for free, and that I had to sign the new contract. I said no. The movers then left all my belongings in the parking garage of my new building. They removed all their moving pads, and emptied the wardrobe boxes (which were free) full of my clothes and other things all over my bins and furniture in the parking garage.

I asked the mover for the first contract I signed for $600.00, and he said no. I said that my signature is on it, and I am entitled to a copy. He still refused. I asked him for the names of the people I had spoken to on the phone, but he claimed that he couldn't remember their names.

In the end, I had to get my apartment's maintenance man and 2 of his mover friends to help me move the great majority of my belongings into my apartment, which only took 2 hours.