Complaint Review: Long Distance Movers - delray beach fl

I need to be out of my current location, but have had issues finding a new place to move to. When I first contacted this company [I thought they were an actual moving company - they did not make it clear they were only a brokerage firm] I informed the person I was working with that I didn't know when I needed to move, as I hadn't found a home yet. They would call and tell me to just "out down a deposit with a date" and I'd be able to change the date out with no problem, but at least by putting down a deposit, I'd be able to secure their services. I gave them [what I later found out to be a significantly high] deposit of $2880 & at the time selected a date in April. The deal on the home I was looking at closing on in April fell through and I called to reschedule. I told them I didn't have a new location and didn't know when I needed to move but had to give them SOME date to reschedule the move for. I pushed the move out a month to sometime in mid-may.

After finding a new home and getting a closing date of June 11th, I called LTD today [May 11th] to reschedule my move for after my new closing date.

I was then quoted a new price [on a closer location] for $900 more than the original estimate. I then removed some items from the inventory list in an attempt to bring down the cost of the move & got it down such that the new 'estimate' was $500 more than I was originally quoted. I finally said fine and was told that I'd have to pay any additional $300 NOW as an additional "deposit" [ontop of the $2880 I'd already given them] or they wouldn't reschedule the move and were going to come here next week to pick up my stuff [despite my not having a house to move to until next month].

I don't understand why I need to pay more money to change the date but - whatever. My issue is their DEMAND that I pay an additional $300 NOW as some sort of additional 'deposit' after having given them over 30% of the 'estimated' price already. What difference does another $300 make if it is paid NOW or when I pay for the balance of the move?

I don't have the money right now and as of right now, the company is refusing to reschedule my move [intending to do my move next week - when I will be in Florida attending the walk-through & inspection of my new home] unless I pay them $300.

I read negative reports about this company under'estimating' and then 'over'charging customers at the last minute for their moves - but they haven't even picked up my stuff yet and are already DEMANDING I pay them additional money or THREATENING to continue to show up at a time I've outright told them I won't be available.

I was pressured into 'getting a date on the books' in order to give them a deposit - being told I could move the date out if necessary [as the person I originally spoke with was aware of my situation]. 

Now I am trying to move the date out [to AFTER the closing date of my new home and NOT for the time next week when I won't even be in the state.

I was not aware this company was a brokerage firm and not an actual mover, until I started looking into their business practices regarding overcharging people.

As I still have enough time to hire a real actual moving company to perform a legitimate on-site estimate of my property & move at the time I need to move - I just want my deposit back from this company.

I do not like the business practices of telling me it will be OK to move my date [when they knew I didn't have a home selected or closing date to move to] simply so they could get money out of me - only to charge me a different price when I did change the date [once I had an actual house to move to and a closing date scheduled for that house].

In addition to the change in the 'estimate' for the change of date, I do not understand, nor can I find anywhere that it is 'industry standard' to charge such a high deposit nor demand ADDITIONAL deposit money in order to process a change of date.

The fact that I haven't even started my move and this company is attempting to extort additional money from me concerns me to the extent that I do not want to do ANY business with the company - I just want my deposit money back.

At the current time, the company is REFUSING to cancel / reschedule my move from next week [during which time I will not be in the state] unless I pay them $300 !!!

I want all of my deposit money back & I don't want some sub-sub-contracted moving company showing up at my house next week when I am not home.

This company failed to inform me they were a brokerage firm and/or that they would be handing off the actual job of my moving to someone else. I would not have hired them if I knew.