NEW ORLEANS — Moving is stressful and expensive to begin with. For some, it quickly becomes even more so. Every year, thousands of people file complaints against moving companies, claiming they added unfair surcharges during the process or misused customer information.
As a military veteran, Shelbie Nae is accustomed to moving. “I've done it in the Navy six, seven times,” she said. When she decided to make the jump from Dallas to New Orleans earlier this year, she decided on a well-known nationwide company and was given a contract with a quote for 570 cubic feet. The estimated charge is listed as less than $2,000.
When the movers showed up at her house she said they told her she would have to pay for 1100 cubic feet. “I've never had 1100 cubic feet of anything,” she said, “They're like, well, we'll just leave the rest of the stuff out unless you pay us.”
Nae paid the full amount, feeling that her hands were tied. Her new job in New Orleans would start within days and she was planning for a multi-day trip. “I’m handicapped, I need a good two days,” she said.
Then she said they told her she needed to pay even more upon delivery. “Prior to leaving, they're like, ‘Okay, so whenever you get your stuff, you're gonna owe us another almost two grand,’” she said.
Nae’s experience is not unusual.
“There is a lot of money that has been lost on a situation like this,” said Cynthia Albert, VP of Operations for the Better Business Bureau of Southeast Louisiana. She told WWL Louisiana the BBB got almost 6,000 complaints last year from people who believed a moving company had taken advantage of them.
“It could be a no-show at all,” said Albert, “They tell you one price and then later, it could be a lot more. The big one that we've seen is that they get to the destination then they say there is an extra fee to unload this.”
That is what Nae said happened when she got to New Orleans. She said she spoke with the company and was told there would not be a surcharge for her narrow street or the stairs leading to her apartment. They agreed on an amount and she obtained money orders for it.
Once the mover arrived, nearly two weeks after the estimated delivery date, she said he refused to unload her items until she paid surcharges for the road and the stairs. She then called the New Orleans Police Department.
“The police officer shows up, he’s basically like, ‘I got nothing, this happens every day,’” said Nae. “He said it even happened to him.”
Albert’s advice to avoid paying unexpected surcharges is to do as much research as possible before a move. She said it is important to make sure a company has its insurance policy in writing and a physical address.
Once the contract is in place, she said to document everything along the way and then leave as much time as possible for the move itself. “If these different things come about before you move, you just know not to go with them,” she said.
If a customer still ends up paying what they feel are unfair prices, she said to report the company to local law enforcement, the BBB, the Federal Trade Commission, or the local District Attorney’s office.
Nae said the police officer was able to force the mover to unload her items and accept the money orders for the amount she had agreed to over the phone. She was not able to get any of the money that she had paid previously, at that point close to $7,000. “I feel taken advantage of,” she said.
WWL Louisiana was not able to get in contact with a spokesperson from the first company, despite repeated attempts. A representative from the second company outlined its surcharge policy and said its employees never deviate from it.
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