Liars and Thieves
Mo
Submitted this review about
Continental Van Lines
Review made Live: 9/29/2012 2:05:00 AM
I called Continental Van Lines and other moving companies a few months before my move. Frank and Alex were very kind and helpful. After getting my measurements,they convinced me to use them by offering the lowest deal and full packing for around $950 estimated dollars. Possibly an additional $400 if packing, pictures, etc. My husband packed all of these things in advanced so there should have been no additional cost other than the $950.00. Travel time was included and no tolls were available. On the day of my move, the foreman of the team handed me a contract with a cash only payment of which I told him I had no agreement with Frank. At 8:00 am I tried to get a hold of Frank who was not going to be available until 10:00 am. At this point, the problem was to either wait another two hours for Frank to show up and pay them for the time waiting or let them start and deal with Frank later. I let them proceed. The packing should not have taken more than three hours in a two bedroom with four guys working, but it took them from 8-4. They did not even have enough room in the van to move everything. My husband and I rented a van along with my own van and moved the rest, back and forth for the next two days. Somewhere along the line, I tried Frank again who had just gone to lunch. One of the movers smelled to high heaven. The foreman, Yuri, told me that the new cost was more like $1800, including the time and travel from the office to me and to my destination. Still looking for cash. I told him to just go to the destination and we would work it out then. I drove off at 4 pm and arrived at my destination at 5:05, they were behind me and my husband behind them. My husband arrived at 5:10. We did not see Yuri and his crew until 7:15 pm. On route to my location, Greg called me, yelling and screaming that he will tell the movers to take my belongings to Bayonne, NJ if I didn't pay him cash. I told him that was never my agreement with Frank and that I wanted to speak with him. He told me that he(Greg) was the boss, and that he fired Frank. Now I couldn't speak with Frank anymore. I was now dealing with a very nasty man. He said to me that he had a recording of my conversation with Frank proving the cash payment agreement. I told him to play it. He kept cursing at me and forgot to play it. I asked him what kind of a business man was he? He became very offended. I said to him,"Why are asking for cash? Are you doing business illegally? Are you paying taxes? He was defensive and told me that he paid $200,000.00 in taxes last year. How dare I ask him that. His reason for not wanting a check, was because he was a small business man and did not have a checking account! When Yuri and his men finally arrived, I asked them where they had been. They said that they stopped for three minutes for coffee. Actually it was more like 2 hours and 10 minutes of a break that they expected me to pay for and would not unload the truck. After the headache of the day, I gave them the $1839 in cash and wished them away. They were still looking for their tip. I had been hung up on and cursed at throughout my moving experience. A very different scene from the first encounter with the wonderful and professional Frank, who I'm sure if I were to call today, is still very much employed. I ended up spending an additional $227. 00 in van rentals, $100.00 in gas and two days of extra packing of my own to finally move out of my old home. Not worth the "deal" they were giving me. Still in shock over the whole experience. Avoid them at all costs.
