Complaint Review: MOVE IT FORWARD - NJ NY area New Jersey

I NEVER write these bad reviews, but I would honestly never want anybody to use this company ever. Please take my word, I tried moving across the country on a budget, and thought "Hey its not my own POD, as long as it gets there, I don't care if it's on a big semi truck with other peoples belongings, at least I'm saving $1000".

My first bad move- the Internet at my fingertips and I didn't read reviews first. I booked my move, the salesperson was very pleasant and kind.  I was quoted 1900 lbs = $1030 and anything over would be .60lb.  He instructed me it would take about a week to get to my new home in TX from NJ. I paid the 30% deposit. I called a few days ahead to confirm & everything seemed fine. I was called 24 hours ahead from the foreman to confirm, and was asked if I wanted to be at the truck weighing place (40 minutes away), the night before my move. (Bad move, I said no)

Moving day: Foreman comes in, Benny, walks through my apartment without picking anything up and tells me it's going to be an extra $1000 because "he can just tell by looking at everything". He tells me my options: Either pay an up front binding cost, after moving everything without taking the truck back to the weigh station, or go to the weigh station and get everything weighed and pay the price for whatever it may way. [Note: truck was weighed at 8:20AM, I lived 40 minutes from the weigh station, truck arrived around 10AM..why an extra gap????]. I told him I'd pay by check, he told me if I did that I would have to wait an extra 7-10 business days BEFORE my shipment was sent for the check to clear.  Nowhere in the contract did it state this. I was telling him this and all he said was there's nothing I can do about it, that's the policy, either that or pay cash.  My mother was there and didn't understand why his company would do this, he proceeded to call her rude, tell her she was not listening to him, and told us that he would just leave it that's what we wanted.  I obviously already paid a deposit so I was stuck.  They packed the truck, and told me I can either pay them $2000 or go get it weighed which would be even more then that.  I was so angry, livid and ready to punch this man in the face that I went to the weigh station because I knew he was ripping me off. He was by far the MOST ignorant and unprofessional person I have ever encountered in my life. Nonetheless, driving to the weigh station, the truck weighed in my shipment an extra 50 lbs that I was quoted (1950lbs). Oh and one more thing, I had pictureframes, wrapped in a blanket, taped up and was told it may break but Benny offered to put it in a box for me. I agreed, and then later when presented with the bill, there was an extra $71 charge for "packing supplies". When I argued I wasn't paying it, I was told "I told you you had to pay extra for packing supplies". I told him to take it back then and I'd pack it myself. He said it was too late. He never told me how much it would be to pack THREE boxes. The price included prices of the boxes ($10-15 a piece), and then labor costs for packing it which took all of about 5 minutes. ($12-17 a piece). It costed more to pack it then for the box.

Please take note: when you have a reliable moving company, they insist on cash, and they DON'T show up in a rented moving truck from the local Avis truck rental place. Oh, and they don't scream at you. 

Two days after pickup of items, I called the office and spoke to "Rachel in Accounting" and the next day she told me it doesn't take that long for a check to clear, maybe 3-5 days. So the 3rd day after my pickup, I called and she told me that the check cleared, and my shipment would send out the following day or the day after (Day 4 or 5). Day 5 comes around and I call to make sure the truck left, and spoke to someone else who said the check hadn't cleared yet (when the bank confirmed it was cashed on Day 2 after the pickup). 

My items were "suppose" to arrive the following week, 7 days after pickup.  I actually got the truck drivers number who was moving my items down and called him on Day 8, and when I mentioned Move it Forward moving company he sounded puzzled. I guess he finally realized what I was talking about and stated he hadn't even left NJ yet and would leave the next day.  Lets just say I called him a few times after, and the company about 15 times from the time they picked up my items until they delivered, and maybe got through 2-3 times without any messages returned. 

So when did my shipment arrive? 2 weeks later. A WEEK after it was supposed to. So the truck driver, Alex arrives and measures how far he'd have to bring my items and tried charging me an additional $550. I tried getting him to move his truck closer to my building, but he "said" the truck wouldn't fit. He then told me I owed a balance of $525 before they would take anything off the truck, in cash.  I only owed $500. On the contract, all the prices were added up, minus the deposit and amount paid at pickup= $500. They actually wrote OVER the 500 and wrote 525. You could clearly see it. When I told "Alex" I wasn't paying it, I was told it was probably for packing supplies. I told him if you add up the numbers, the balance equals $500. He then stated "Oh its only $25". I refused to pay it. Then a little later he tried charging me an additional $75 saying the company told him to charge me that for the waiting time since we were trying to find a closer place for the truck to park so I wouldn't have to pay the additional $550. I refused and said nowhere in the contract stated that. He said it's not on "that" contract (the one I had) but in the other one, and the company office was closed so I couldn't call. I refused, my bf stepped in & started arguing with him and then Alex said he was going to just leave (with my stuff STILL on the truck). I told him I'd call the cops and walked away. I did, but then my bf told me it was fine so I hung up. 

So in the end, I refused to pay an extra $550 for them to bring my items upstairs so they unloaded on the sidewalk, and my boyfriend and friend lugged everything upstairs. They ended up breaking the legs off my TV stand, scratched up my couch, coffee table, tv stand and my box springs were dirty from the move. I did not feel like filling a claim because it would take a lifetime to even get through to the office & I know I'd never get any money from them for damaging my items.

If you took the time to read this, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, find a reliable company to move your items, do your research on the company beforehand, and pay the extra money for a reputable company.  I would never wish this stress and frustration upon anybody.  Please spread the word to everybody you know to NEVER use Move it Forward as each person scams you, and tries to overcharge you in any way they can.