Complaint Review: Ori Van Lines - San Jose California

"Ori Van Lines, Inc., is to the American consumer what Bernie Madoff was to the American investor!

On March 27, 2009, I had to move from San Francisco, CA to New Jersey. Like most people, I decided to check out their reviews. Most reviews seem positive because apparently a routine practice at this company is for their employees to write fake reviews. It's the only way they can still be in business. Anyway, I called the reservation line and spoke to Ms. Natalie Blatt who gave me an excellent quote of $975.00 for a cross-country move. I had no elevator in my apartment and two flights of stairs to carry household goods. The reservations office told me I would get two free flights of stairs for the move. However, in Ori Van Lines fantasy world, a flight of stairs equals (seven steps). They charged me for every extra step - total amount $225.00 - just for walking up and down stairs. I figured I didn't want to move the stuff myself so I agreed to the charges. The reservations office also told me that packaging would not be included in the price. I thought, no problem, I went out and bought about $100.00 worth of boxing materials. I spent a week with my wife packing all my fragile and not so fragile things in my boxes. The only things left after we boxed all of our household goods from a studio size apartment were cushions and non-fragile items. When the foreman showed up on the day of the move he told his workers to box everything that was not in a box. These were my cushions and non-fragile things that did not need to be packed. After the foreman had his way and finished packing all things he wanted to pack the price for (packing materials alone) came to $757.00. I don't know where these guys buy their boxes but maybe they should consider changing their provider. $30.00 a box sounds a little excessive. Also, the reservations department told me that I would only have to pay 60% of the price of the initial quote ($975.00) on the day of the move.

Yeah right! The foreman that they send to your home on the day of the move, whose name is Joe, and is prominently displayed on the Ori Van Lines website wearing a grey shirt and looking like a nice guy, this guy is only there on the day of your move to con and swindle you into paying more. Case in point. When Joe the foreman arrived on the day of the move he shows me standard paperwork and goes over all the terms that I have agreed to with the reservations department. Everything sounds good at first, except he tries to squeeze in a on flight of stairs only offer, but I have him call the office and he reluctantly agrees to two flights of stairs. Then he has me sign and initial in all the places that he knows is necessary to complete his misrepresentation and ripoff act. This, of course, is under the impression that you are agreeing to the initial terms negotiated with the reservation office - 60% of $975.00. He leaves blanks throughout the forms with your initials and signatures. Then he says, "I have to go weigh the truck" to get you away from the forms and divert your attention. While he's out weighing the truck, his assistants keep boxing everything in sight. Then Joe the foreman returns with the truck and has the assistants load the truck. Then he decides he needs to revise the original estimate. Bottom line, after he loads my truck and it's waiting outside, and I have a cross country drive to attend to, he quotes me a new price of $2558.00 based on his visual inspection (not actual weight) of my items. I was surprised to say the least, I had never met anyone who could weigh things by sight! Go figure.

Anyway, what do you think happens next? He calls the office, they tell him to take whatever I have, I write a check for $600, then they make me write a post dated check for $1244.00. Total - 60% of $2558.00. By the time my goods arrived in New Jersey, I had to pay a total of $2874.60 or Ori Van Lines would not ship my household goods. Ori Van Lines currently has 16 major complaints with the Department of Transportation & the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. They also do not have a license to operate in the state of California. The public utilities commission of California told me their status is "pending". They cannot move things inside of California and interstate moves are outside the jurisdiction of California. I don't understand they moved my things from San Francisco, CA to San Jose, CA? Isn't that an intrastate move (within California)? So just for the record, Ori Van Lines is operating under no license in the state of California. What more proof do you need? They are located in San Jose, California, their fleet consists of only one truck and they move things from your home in California to San Jose, California before moving your things across state lines. They also drive your things to weigh stations in California. That's a move within California. The Public Utilities Commission should definitely have another look at this company.

Also since Ori Van Lines also has a fleet of only one truck, your things do not reach their destination on their truck. This means that they use agents from origin to destination and your household goods are moved around quite a bit. Many of my things were damaged in transportation and they of course delivered late, but still Ori Van Lines claims they want more money from me. Go figure? I have been so affected by this, I started my own advocacy company against "rogue" movers. Buyer beware, this is a matter of public concern to all planning a move in CA."

What else could I add. Well the foreman that they sent to manage my move was a complete sissy. At one point he screams at me from a half block away and tells me to come over. When I ask him what he needs he asks me, "do you think I am a donkey?" I ask him why? He says the box of books, yes books he's carrying is too heavy and he hurt his back. I say, "yeah I know, that's why I hired movers." Then he tells me to try and pick up the box and set it in the truck and complains some more about not having room to park and yada, yada. I just got tired of hearing a grown man cry like a little school girl and I picked up the box myself and put it in the truck. Then I told him maybe the company should give him a safety belt for his back. He says, "no I've moved couches on my back before." Well what do you want me to do about it then? I say, "look just load the rest of the truck okay, that's what I'm paying for." I'm sorry, I'm from New Jersey where men are real men not guys who expect to be felt out on their feelings. A mover is supposed to be a big guy who can move stuff around kind of like a construction worker. You know a real bad a*s with some cool tats not some schmuck who cries when his panties fall off when he has to lift a box of books. Bottom line, don't hire these guys if you want to have a good move, they are all out to get your money once you put ink to paper and they shape the rules as they go along. It's a shame the federal government lets them get away with this stuff.

Also, after reading and rereading the law. It appears they have charged me above the limit and now they owe me money. Something they will no doubt deny because in their mind everyone owes them money.

I feel sorry for people who actually want to make a decent living in this industry because sadly it makes legitimate movers look bad.

Enrique

West Orange, New Jersey

U.S.A.

Click here to read other Rip Off Report list of other Moving Companies

Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on National Moving Network and other various transport companies ripping off the consumer