North American Van Lines

I Just wanted someone to hear my story and shut these types of companies down. For the company that is reading this; note to yourself...This is only the beginning! I'm just getting started. I will not stop until i get every dime back that you stole from me! You would not come on people's court because you know you would be exposed more. But thats okay you wouldnt work with me or communicate with me, so i guess you are use to doing things the hard way!

Here is my story:

Hi my name is Brittany. My Husband was transfer to Florida. We Hired Northern American Van Lines to move my husband and I, his co worker and his boss from Texas to Florida I called them to give me a price quote and compare with other movers. They were not the cheapest yet one reason I went with them is because they assured me it was a binding estimate. The binding estimate that was sent in my email was $1564.00 that included my total inventory, distance and fuel. So I secured this rate putting ten percent down $154.50 as they requested.

Finally 4/24/10 arrived date of pickup the movers come with one adult and two kids the guy that was in charge of the pick up told us by just looking at all our stuff we have over 1600 pounds more than what we was quoted. Not only we informed them of the second pickup which was included in our ten percent deposit, but the pickup guy was not even aware of the second pick up which was called in by the second party, he also charged for packing materials which is not included in the estimate which we expected but not all the tape was used on a roll and the guy claimed they used twenty-five rolls of tape on a two bedroom town home but only one of the rooms were occupied. The supplies was an extra $475.00 plus fuel $152.88 making a grand total of $2582.23. At this time Northern American is asking us to put fifty percent down at the time of pickup. We put down the first half of the balance the pickup guy informed us that the other half will not be due until time of delivery.

He knew we were so upset about this he told us he had nothing to do with this and that we need to call the claims department it will take sixty to ninety days to get any type of response. Eleven days later Northern American gave me less than a twenty-four hour notice, Northern American gave me one time and they showed up two hours later with no warning if I would not have been there when they showed up they would have charge me more. I live in a town home community that is gated Northern American showed up in a fifty-three foot truck that did not have just my things but another home on there as well. The driver of the truck only came in so far and decided that he could not come no farther, he was only a corner away from my home, the driver stated he will have to charge me seventy-five dollars for a long carry delivery because he stated since the truck could not be parked in front of my door I have pictures that it can be and the community is big enough for him to get through.

The manager of the community told me these size trucks are allowed and have delivered in this community on many occasions. I have two flight of stairs and two sets of two stairs that stacks on type of each other, in the contract the first flight of stairs is free after that it sixty-five dollars per flight. The delivery guy charge me two flights of stairs and gave me one flight free. I only have two flights and additional four stairs so all together he charged me additional two hundred dollars he stated I would have to give him all the money before he open the truck doors to move my things. He said this is not up for negotiation and that he is about to leave. I had to call the cops twice because he was out of control we finally gave them all the money they requested, after they took the money they took a thirty minute smoke break before they moved anything.

I kept having to called the police because my property was being damage inside my home as they moved. This moved took more than seven hours not only that the delivery guy wanted me to signed a paper stating they were done and we did a walk through which we never did and that everything was deliver with no damage. I would not signed it due to all the property was not deliver or not in sight, so he got mad curse me and snatched the paper out of my hand and quit on the job all my things were outside still wrapped in their moving blankets. A lot of my things were sitting in the garage and still wrapped in boxes things are not assemble that they broke down to move. It was a complete nightmare, I'm not really sure if all my things are completely here, but definitely the other parties that was being moved too are not all here.

I have all the pictures and documents needed for this case. We tried to talk to Northern America several times they have been completely rude to us and will not work with us the only thing they said that they will do is send someone else in a week to come out and move and unpack the rest of our items into our place. We had to get my husband co-workers to help us move the rest of our things in, my husband boss and another employee that was being moved on the same truck items were broken and boxes were open. Combine together there is an average of eight thousand dollars of damage and missing items for the rest of the parties involved. These people are scammers and if I had enough time to do my homework this would not have happen. Just want to share my story so no one would not get taken advantage of.