I've always heard horror stories about shadey moving companies, that's why I checked with the BBB in Florida. EAST COAST MOVING SYSTEMS gave me the best price quote-$2500, based on a fully completed inventory list-for my move to California (only a few hundred dollard difference from the others).
Unfortunately, the BBB had no record of complaints against East Coast Moving Systems, so I decided to hire them. BIG mistake!
At first I delt with a woman names Roni (roni@eastcoastmovingsytems.com). She was very pleasant and helpful until moving day came along.
I had been in the city we were moving to looking for housing for a week and planned to fly back home in order to meet the movers, who were scheduled to pick up our belongings on a Saturday. Friday morning I received a call from a man named Tom (who barely spoke English) telling me they were coming that day.
I tried several times to tell him "NO" and explain why, but he just pretended that he couldn't understand what I was saying. Long story short, I ended up having to rush and find a freind to meet them at 8:00PM Friday night--not Saturday. Cost so far: $500 deposit & $350 airline ticket.
East Coast Moving Systems arrived at my home with a rental truck from Enterprise Rent-A-Truck. Mind you, this company is based out of Florida, I lived in Louisiana, and the rental truck had Texas plates. After loading the truck, they told my friend they were going back to Florida with our belongings. Not a good sign. The last time I checked a map of the US, Louisiana was the half way point between Florida and California!
Though strange, I let it pass, until I received a phone call from their "Dispatcher" DAVID the next day. He was calling to let me know that my cost was now $4500 ($2000 more than quoted) because they do not usually deliver to California. Strange, no one told me that! Cost so far: $500 dep, $350 flight, $2500 quote, $2000 additional cost.
I tried to contact RONI several times by phone and e-mail. Her response was that she could do nothing and I would have to deal with David.
David then proceeded to tell me that our belongings would arrive in 3-5 days, as long as we wired them $2000 ASAP. Needless to say I put up a fight, but finally compromised and wired them $999 in the name of SADI ROKACH. Upon receipt, I again got a call from David that they would not delivery our stuff until we wired another $1000.
All this time, trying to reach them was impossible. They operate off of various cell phones, do not have voice mail and rarely answer the phone. All of the numbers were area code 305 and 954. At one point I was even given a phone number to contact the driver who was "in route" that was disconnected.
Fed up I got on the internet and with the help of google, realized I was not their first victim. I downloaded every posting I could find and e-mailed it to their company and SRokach@aol.com, an e-mail that David uses. Strangely, they stopped calling me and demanding wire transfers.
Finally, 14 days later I received a call that their driver was in California. By now I was getting smarter and demanded the drivers phone number and let them know I would not pay any more money until I had proof that he was in California (we had been told many days prior that he was here!!)
I spoke with the driver, DORoN, and explained that I did not believe them to be a legitimate company. He claimed to be an independant contractor. Regardless I quizzed him on where he was and obtained land line phone number that I could call and look up on Yellow Pages reverse directory to confirm his location.
The furniture was finally delivered today. Though David and Doron both told me originally that the rental truck was driven back to Florida in order to load our belongings on a semi, Doron showed up today driving the SAME Enterprise Rent A Truck with Texas license plates!!!
Just about EVERY piece of furniture is now broke or badly scrapped, even after being charged an additional $300 for blankets and bubble wrap to "protect" my belongings! Tables are missing legs, chairs are missing legs, dresser drawers are broken and the list goes on...
All of this for only $350 + 2500 + 2000 + the cost of new furniture + the cost of therapy for me!
STAY AWAY FROM EAST COAST MOVING SYSTEMS!!!
Gina
Hayward, California