Nationwide Relocation Services - Moving Cost MovingCosts Totally misleading and low-ball estimates....only to be raised when it's too late Fort Lauderdale, Florida

On January 14, 2010, I went online to get moving cost estimates to move from MI to TX.  Nationwide was 1 of 2 companies that contacted me.  Because my job involves a lot of travel, I was making these arrangements from a different location than my home.  Alvin called to give me an estimate.  First off, I was led to believe this was a moving company, not a broker as I later found out.  I told Alvin I was not at home and had never hired a moving company before so I would need help in making the moving list.  He went through his list of items and I said yes, or no to his item list. I told him I had a bedroom suit with one dresser, and a large mirrored headboard with one large tower dresser on each side. I gave him the best idea as to what I had...knowing I was not home viewing everything.  I also told him that I had a small storage unit filled with boxes which had to be moved.  I was sent a "not to exceed" price of $1897.96. When I received the paperwork, it showed that the price was 70% off the actual price of $4,688. Alvin told me that I had to sign the paperwork and return a $777 deposit. He did explain that the deposit could be returned if I cancelled my order within 5 business days of my move (this did not include weekends or holidays). I was also told he would be the contact person for the entire process. (I was never able to get ahold of him when I later called).

     Well, the move was to take place on Friday or Saturday and the Monday before the move, John, from the so-called quality assurance department called to go over my moving list.  I told him what I had told Alvin and he said we just had to re-check the list to avoid any additional charges.  Well, he went through a completely different list adding things such as a vacuum, card table and other things.  He added a washing machine and microwave oven, which I did not even own, and added a bicycle (which I had told Alvin about, but he conveniently left off) along with some other items. When we got to the bed he said I had a bed with a bookcase headboard.  I again explained that it was more than just a bookcase headboard so he added two more dressers. All of a sudden the weight has jumped up another 900 pounds and the price to move has jumped up to $2,696...plus John wanted me to give him another $551 toward the deposit.  As dumb as I was, I gave him my credit card number. 

     Later that night, it hit me like a brick that something was just not right here so I went online and looked for complaints against this company.  I found numerous times where this company gave a low-ball estimate to obtain a person's business and then when it is too late to cancel and get one's money back, the quality assurance man calls and raises the costs.  There were also times when the actual moving company tried to charge more upon delivery.  I saw numerous complaints about shoddy moving companies that Nationwide used and how many items were broken or the move was done later than agreed too.

     The next morning I called and (after numerous calls) reached John and told him I wanted to cancel my move.  Of course, I was told I could not get my deposit back because it was too late.  I did argue with John about how they low balled the estimate and then when it was too late, he raised the price.  He told me he was only protecting me from having to pay the full amount at delivery (which would have been 70% higher than what he now had added on, because it would not have been subject to the discount).  He told me that I had not told Alvin about everything that I had to move (odd that John had a totally different list of items that he asked me about), and how I had signed the paperwork saying that was the correct list.  Well, at this point in time, my eyes had been opened to the scams they perpetrate by low-balling, getting a huge deposit and then, when it was too late to officially cancel the job, they raise the price.  Thankfully, I had not signed the new paperwork so he had to refund my $551 additional deposit.  I was then told I had to talk to the "cancellation department."

     So now, I was dealing with another lady, who talked to me for over 45 minutes trying to convince me to use their services since they would not refund the $777 deposit because it was too late.  I told her that I decided this was a very expensive lessen, but that I could not trust them to get my items to me in good condition and that I did not care for their dishonest methods of first giving a low estimate, taking my deposit and then raising the rates when I did not have 5 days left in which to cancel my move.  I asked her how they got my name and she said they paid for it (funny that only one other moving company contacted me). I was lead to believe Nationwide was the actual moving company and until this day had not even been told what company would be moving me.  When I had asked what company it was, I was told it was some company I had never heard of.  I told her I never heard of this company and she said it was located right in there building.  I told her how convenient it was that the moving company was right there.  I told her how I could not trust that my things would get there in one piece and she told me that I could have bought moving insurance, but I declined it.  Well, that again, was a racket.  The paperwork stated that things are insured for only .70 per pound.  Well, I had many collectible figurines that weighed less than a pound, but were worth much more.  When I got the insurance estimate, it was for over $500, so yes, I did decline it.  I had been contacted a second time and told I could get a lower rate on the insurance also, but I did not call them back.  I told her also about reading about all the complaints on the internet against Nationwide.  She said anyone could write a complaint, but they were not all to be believed.  I said I realized that, but I had no trust in her company anymore.  She said, well, I can give you a connection to reviews about the company that were good.  I asked her how I could believe her reviews when she had just told me that I could not believe everything I read online. 

     Well, to end this...I did get my $551 back because I had not signed the last paperwork.  I lost my $777 deposit, but as I said, it was an expensive lesson on getting ripped off.  You can choose to use this company, but remember, the first low balled estimate you get will probably be raised in too short of a time to get your deposit back...or, if you are unlucky like some of those who wrote complaints, the moving company will just refuse to deliver your items until you pay them the addition costs, or storage fees for you items until things are resolved. 

     I have seen where Nationwide has replied to online complaints...just be leery of these replies because the people I dealt with told me many different stories (or as some would say, LIES).