Done Rite Movers- Chicago, IL: This was a cross country move DONE ALL WRONG!!!

Done Rite Movers- Chicago, IL: This was a cross country move DONE ALL WRONG!!!

September 27, 2005

This complaint is from September 25, 2005, against Done Rite Van Lines & Storage (2612 W. Nelson, Chicago, IL 60618) as being the worst experience imaginable with a mover. Stay as far away from these movers as possible because unlike their name, everything with this move was DONE WRONG.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

My mother and I contracted with Coast-to-Coast Van Lines in Florida to move her (mother) from Chicago down to Atlanta. My mother is elderly now and I am moving her closer to family. We were assured by Coast-to-Coast that the pick up of the possessions would take place on Sunday afternoon by a small truck (since the neighborhood streets were narrow) and taken to a larger truck for hauling to Georgia. At no time did they mention they would be sub-contracting to Done Rite or anyone else for that matter.

Mother sent them a detailed list of her belongings and an estimate of $2068 was given (which I thought was high since she only had one bedroom of furnishings and a washer and dryer). However, we agreed to the estimate which was to include the small truck and free blankets to wrap furniture. My mother called a mover friend she knows and he came over and shrink wrapped her belongings for transport.

THE MOVE

On the morning of the move, mother called me to say that a rented Enterprise Truck had showed up to pick up her things from DONE RITE VAN LINES. Mother told them that she had not contracted with DONE RITE and wondered why they were picking up her things. She was told by the driver that Coast-to-Coast had hired them to move her things. She agreed believing that DONE RITE was to move her things from her house to the larger Coast-to-Coast truck for transport. At no time did DONE RITE explain that they would ultimately be moving her things to Georgia and in the rented Enterprise truck.

During the move, the movers, against protest from my mother, removed the shrink wrap from the items, placed blankets around the items and then re-shrink wrapped them. They used 15 rolls of tape and several rolls of shrink wrap. They did not get prior authorization to accrue any expenses nor did they say anything about extra expenses. They simply began unwrapping and rewrapping items.

THE EXPLOITATION

When they had finished loading the truck the driver presents my mother with a new bill for $1,500 above the original estimate. This additional $1,500 was to be paid in cash or money order on the spot. The explanation for the additional $1,500 charge was $400 for packing materials (the re-shrink wrapped items) and another $1,100 for what they said was 300 extra cubit feet of items. So now a move of a one bedroom apartment without appliances (except washer/dryer) and no large furniture pieces is costing us $3,600.

Now mind you, they have no scale, no way of measuring the additional cubit feet they allege, nor did the estimate and original item count differ by any great amount. They just "knew" it was more because as they put it, "we do this for a living... we just know." So the situation was that they held my mothers belongings hostage at this point, stating that she either had to come up with the money for the additional costs in cash on the spot (this is on a Sunday), or sign a contract with them to pay the money upon delivery of the possessions. (This is as shady a business as I have ever seen). I immediately jumped on a plane to Chicago (from Atlanta), the police were called and my mother became ill from the stress of the situation. She agreed to sign the addendum (remember we never contracted with DONE RITE) as she was not feeling up to arguing and fighting with the representatives of DONE RITE. Of course, the office was closed, the driver had no numbers, Coast to Coast was closed and there was no recourse.

DONE RITE (WRONG) STAFF

Perhaps more distressing than the exploitive tactics described above, was the treatment we received from the staff at DONE RITE. We called the next morning (Monday) and spoke with Emily. I made it a point to approach Emily with professionalism and courtesy. She immediately raised her voice to me and told me that the prices were what they were. I mentioned that we did not have a contract with her and she told me, yes you do, you signed it yesterday. I spoke of the complaint online against the company and she said that it didn't count because it was two years old. She then told me that she did not intend to speak to anyone but my mother about the issue and hung up on me. When my mother called her, she was rude, curt, sarcastic and at the conclusion of the conversation stated, "...well you want your things don't you?" My mother asked her was she threathening to hold her belongings hostage, and Emily replied, ".. well you do want your belongings right".

My mother asked Emily repeatedly for the names of her superiors, the owner or for someone in management, to which Emily replied, she did not know. Emily was the most unprofessional, mean-spirited, agressively vindictive person imaginable. At no time in any of the conversations with myself or my mother, did she express one bit of empathy or concern. It was "business as usual" for DONE RITE. My mother simply told Emily that she would be contacting the Attorney General's office to file a complaint. After many unsuccessful attempts to contact either the management of DONE RITE or Coast to Coast for resolution, we decided to pray about the matter and leave it in God's hands for handling. As well, we are filing complaints with the BBB, Attorney General's in Illinois and Florida (states are now cracking down with felony charges on movers who exploit and mishandle consumers) and the American Movers & Storage Association. It is our hope that no one else has to suffer this indignation in an already stressful situation to begin with.

It is our belief that businesses like DONE RITE VAN LINES will get back what they give and that this company will not be able to continue to operate with such deceptive, antagonistic, illegal and immoral tactics. It is our hope that other consumers will read this complaint and stay as far away from DONE RITE (and Coast to Coast if they continue to do business with them) as possible.

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Comment On This

I can't beleive that we moved with the same company. Ofcourse my move was local. These guys were great. On time, nothing broke, they took care of everything, wrapped all the sofas and beds, and moved efficiently (not one of those situations where they move slower because they get paid hourly).

I also called around to several other companies and they were the lowest cost too - and the price quoted is ALWAYS higher than what they actually charge you, so it was the lowest by far from the competitors.

Definitely recommend these guys.