Complaint Review: UHAUL of Flatbush - Moving Help - Brooklyn New York

***MAJOR COMPLAINT!!!***

Hire and partner with decent, fair, good honest people and companies. The driver & helper purposely ran down the gas, kept the keys, and put a hole in the truck. I now am being charged $580.00 and the move is still incomplete...

Against the moving company, that would be you, U-Haul.  That suggested I use, "MOVING HELP." Between yesterday, Saturday 5/4/2013 & today, 5/5/2013, by your representative Pam. Not only was I lied to about prices, both Supervisors - Anthony & Lee (of Mover’s Help) kept charging me outrageous and contradictory rates – after I already explained what I had paid for. 

I was told I would get 2 helpers and 1 driver, assured to me by Pam – 2 helpers - $114.00, 1 driver - $50.00, a 3 man crew.  Instead I got 1 darn good and hardworking helper they had, Kevin - thank you for your hard work young man. Fine employee that one. By the way, he also did ALL of the work, by himself! As Lee stayed in the truck and Kevin carried things & loaded the trunk, by himself, which Lee neatly slid in place. They never switched places or took turns. It took Kevin more than 2 hours to do a 1bdrm apartment by himself; by the way, I would like you to be aware that half of my sister’s things, the heaviest (I took pictures), were left behind her entire bedroom set, including her bed, flat screen TV., desk chair, dresser w/mirror, etc…Things that Kevin as strong as he was, he could not bring by himself, but he had no help in doing so.

My sister has to be out of that apartment before Monday, tomorrow. It is 2:56 a.m. Sunday. I mention this, because I have to worry, fret, and stress over this entire situation.

I had previously insisted to Anthony, that I paid for 2 helpers and 1 Driver as per Pam, at U-Haul for exactly $193.95. Anthony then stated, he did not know what U-Haul did, but he won't have the driver just sitting there doing nothing.  I agreed, if that’s how he does things, but I need to have two helpers and one driver. Trust me I stressed it. He insisted and insured me that the men could do the job. He confirmed with me the contents of my sister’s apartment. I told him all the heaviest first – washer, bedroom set, dining room table (4 chairs? He asked, I said yes), couches 3-seater & 2-seater, the bins, he said yeah-yeah, they can handle it. We reconfirmed the meet-up & pick-up time of the on Friday (5/3/2013) for 1:15 p.m. at the U-Haul at Flatbush, 5283 Kings Hwy, Brooklyn, NY 11234.

They (Moving Help – Lee & Kevin) did not arrive until 1:46 p.m.  I called Anthony and Lee responded, saying he was on his way, they were stuck in traffic. So what could I do?  He apologized, but the clock was ticking. I let him know that I took trains, buses, and a cab, traveling from South Side Jamaica Queens, and I’m here. My sister and I had no other choice but to wait. It went downhill from there.  They left 10 minutes before my sister and I did, via cab and we still got to the pick-up location way before them. Then they stayed waiting for the perfect park, as another furniture moving company unloaded their customers’ things – they made 2 trips…as Kevin and Lee sat ever so patiently, for that spot. Then they came upstairs and saw the entire apartment to see what they had to work with. They both smiled and said no problem it isn’t a lot of stuff.  No problem. Lee went back downstairs. My sister, being sickly (heart problems on medications, in the hospital frequently, has a CPAP breathing machine, and a slew of other things) stayed upstairs with Kevin, I was downstairs with Lee.

As Lee and I spoke, he shared, mentioning he was really late in picking up the truck because he was helping a friend that had sprained her ankle. She lives two blocks away from the U-Haul so he was dropping her home first. I could not believe it! He thought he could get back in time, he said, but got caught in traffic. He showed me his Mover Helps I.D. and in we went.

He also shared alleged former U-Haul customer complaints. One upset lady, mad because he drove too hard and her lamp broke, he laughing stated, she acted as if the lamp was expensive and that he offered to replace it at a .99 Store.  Another tried to press charges saying he caused her and her daughter stress and damage due to his driving, he laughed some more and kept telling me only the negative services he provided, that he apparently found humorous. 

I tried calling Anthony, but I kept getting his baby sister. Needless to say, she was not very pleasant. She seemed annoyed with me, and harshly kept telling me, that Anthony was not there.  Then she hotly told me that Anthony did not stay with her. But she delivered the message, as Anthony did return my call. However, it was becoming clear that something was not right. What type of business was Movers Help, in which your company gave me to? 

My eyes went to my watch, and I mentioned to Lee that this is a pretty late start. He said that Kevin could handle it. I asked him, how? Not by himself? He stated how strong Kevin was. 2 & ½ hours later, Kevin was not done.  During that time I was asking Lee about the price. I knew it was $40 for each additional hour. He told me that I already went over my allotted time and was 2 hours over already. He smiled and nodded. I cried out WHAT? I’ll owe you $80.00? So I asked when this will be done.  He looked at his watch and said, ohhh, by 7 p.m. At that moment it was only after 5 p.m.  I asked him again. He replied we’ll be done by 7p.m. He told Kevin, to hurry up.

So why did they then say, the move would take two trips? They left at 6:10p.m., by 7:17 p.m. they were nowhere close to the drop-off, my sister informed me that they kept driving around, saying they were lost. As she rode with them. What is going on here? By the way, the price of the mileage changed to $5.00 a mile! So, I was being charged for 28.2 miles, at a rate of $141.00. Lee also went on to say, that I also had to pay an extra $35.00 for his driving fee (Lee stated such); I told him I already paid that. He said, no, it’s separate, it was no longer an extra $40.00 for each additional hour, but I had to pay each man $80.00 each hour, and that I already owed him and Kevin $320.00…EACH! (Don’t forget he also tacked on the $141.00 for mileage prior).  Did I mention that I gave Kevin a tip before they drove off? Why? Right or wrong, he worked his tail off.  It was the last of my money. But see, my family is Jamaican. I am American born. Raised here in Brooklyn, a proud Democrat. I was raised, that you pay a man for not just what he does, how he does, also what his word is and he agrees to legally as well. But they kept switching-up.

By this time, I was at my wits end, yelling! I said a prayer and calmed down. I even apologized to Anthony for yelling, but he must see that something is very wrong. I’m calling all the numbers to the U-Haul at Flatbush, the Mover’s Help number, no response. U-Haul was closed.  I would call your hotline, but too much happened to explain over the phone. So Anthony stopped answering my calls, to confirm the amount to be paid, Lee states he called Anthony, he is getting no response and I refused again to give the codes when he asked, as I surely was not satisfied with the mood, job, or driver. This is the move that “quite wasn’t.” And Lee is charging me crazy fees, and threatened to hold the truck as collateral. He started driving off. I told him okay, I’m calling a lawyer. He stopped suddenly, reversed, and said he would take the $115.00. I told him that I am paying for the time of the extra two hours as Anthony told me including the $35.00 fee.  I asked for a receipt, he said he had none. He asked for my U-Haul booklet to write it on, I declined and went and got some paper.   Anthony never called me back, as he said he would with the correct prices, all I got was his voicemail. I even thought to call Anthony’s sister again, however, I saw no need to aggravate the child further, as she had also mentioned prior, that Anthony did not live with her but she would give him the message? Then why is this number given as a contact number, when I am obviously calling someone’s home?

Funny, Lee also removed the contract from my U-Haul packet. I know I glimpsed it, it was a light-blue or light-green form, I think, that I was to sign off on. It disappeared. No proof of them whatsoever. Checking their website this morning, even making an account, they have only the move order and nothing else. Lee had refused to unload the truck, once they reached the drop-off location unless I release the codes for payment. I refused. I called Anthony, we argued, spoke, and then I informed him fully and let him know, about the mentioned second trip and that my sister’s things were still in her apartment.  Anthony told Lee to release the truck and unload. As I waited at my sister’s former apartment for Lee and Kevin to return. Why? I believe in paying for what I was told. Anthony said Lee was incorrect. To ignore Lee and only listen to him. Lee of course mimicked his response.  And yes, by this time my sister needed and had to take her heart medication. She’s ill and I’m stuck waiting for Lee and Kevin.

I told Lee, I could not pay those prices he slapped me with, nowhere was that in the agreement I made when I hired them.  I stated what U-Haul and I arranged and Lee stated he did not care what U-Haul does, he wants his money. Kevin was silent. By this time my husband who works for storage company (he builds the metal storage rooms), was with me. He asked questions and then they wanted the paperwork back. I refused, not noticing when he had Kevin pick it up from under his seat he removed his paperwork already. I offered him $115.00. The $80.00 Anthony told me to pay, along with the $35.00 Lee told me to pay for his mileage to cover him. Even if he charged me twice, both ways it would only be $70. So where did the $141.00 come from? He quoted these figures.  Still mind you, no one is mentioning except for me, that my sister has to be out, I have no more money, no one told me this, I can’t get answers, and my sister’s things are half-way moved.  Even when I told Anthony about the second trip, he sounded shocked in my opinion, and asked, a second move…for what? He immediately went to speak with Lee, as he stated to me.

Also, Lee tried to deny that he stated the job would be done by 7p.m. He lied there. For he told Kevin the same thing. How do I know? Because Kevin, informed someone he was talking to that he would be all done by 7p.m. to take his daughter to the game. They left my sister’s new location at 11:26pm. Never once calling me again. I had to listen to Kevin move everything by himself, again, upstairs, over my sister’s speakerphone on her cellphone.  

This is not only unfair, this, this is just evil and high-way robbery. 

Anthony called me this morning at 7 a.m….it did not go well. As he expressed that he gets two different stories from me and Lee. I told him, that as the supervisor, I can empathize. However, as the customer, imagine how I feel? He also stated he was not going to answer his phone when I called so late in the morning from me. I asked him who was I to call when I was threatened by his driver. Which Lee cleared up, that Anthony could not tell him what to do? Anthony has his company and he has his. Anthony cannot speak for him and sometimes the movers can make mistakes.  I was and still horrified and confused. How many people had their hands in the pot?  My sister will lose her belongings and no one seems to care. Anthony just informs me that he is not responsible for Lee as Lee is a subcontractor.  His own boss. I asked him, since when? When he himself (Anthony) told me so. He stated that he did not care what Lee wants to do. He did ask me twice, why it took Lee & Kevin until 11:26p.m. Saturday night to finish? I told them he had to ask them, as I was more puzzled than he.

He mentioned that they did not get paid. I mentioned that my sister was not done moving, the job was horrible, and incomplete. He said that’s why he feels that payments should be released upon the first pick-up loading process. He doesn’t care what the company says. I had to end the conversation, as just this morning there was a sudden death in my family, while Anthony was explaining my options on refunding. He explained that I had two options, releasing the codes so that they get paid and get a refund, or do not release the codes and get a refund.

 I had to end the conversation, as just this morning there was a sudden family loss, I am tending to. I told him I would get back to him, but surely filing a complaint. I am also deeply contemplating legal action. What a disgrace. I sure intend to contact the BBB regarding you and Mover’s Help. Want a clincher? The driver, Lee, admitted to me that he had many unpaid tickets, got a boot on his own car for it, just paid $800.00 for tickets, always getting his license suspended, and just got it back. He said he also had points on his license. I smiled and asked him for what? He said for speeding. He loves to go fast. I reminded him, not safe or with customers though, and smiled. Lee, Lee laughed.

“Unhappily, Unfairly Dealt With, and Still Stuck,”