Complaint Review: Universal Van Lines - Hollywood Florida

Universal Van Lines, Inc. has both lied verbally and altered documents of contract after I provided a signature. On Dec.21 I spoke to a sales person named Erika about having the contents equavilent to a studio apartment moved from LA to CA. When we discussed moving dates I provided a time frame of when I would be able to return to CA. She asked my to pick a date and she would check to see if there was opening for a move on that date. When she returned to the phone she said yes, my belongings could be delivered on Jan.5th. I told her I would see about a plane ticket to meet the movers and call he back. When I called I told here there was a flight available putting me in CA for a bit after 3PM. She said she could not determine the hour the movers would be there and asked if I could be there earlier than 3PM. I called back with a flight arriving for 11:30AM and she said this was good. She also said the movers would wait for me on that day if they arrived a bit before myself. She scheduled a pick up day as Dec.27th, requested a deposit. This was processed as the agreement.

On the 27th, I was told to be prepared to see the movers as early as noon. The mover called to say he was running late and didn't expect to be available until 8PM. I said OK and asked him to call when he was ready. I drove for an hour to the reach the pick up site and called him as 8PM passed. He said he was still not ready and expected to be a bit later. I explained that I did take an hour drive and asked when was he planning to call and let me know this. He said 11PM. I was not happy and reminded him of the schedule of noon to 3PM. He said he would be at the site early in the morning. I asked when and he said 7AM.

The next morning when the phone didn't ring at 7AM, I called and left a message. The mover soon called to say he was on the way and arrived just after 7:30AM. His partner began working immediately while he asked me to sign documents. On the initial page he asked that I fill out the delivery and pick up address and nothing more and to sign and initial as he directed. I did write Jan.5th in the space for agreed delivery date and noted in the comments box that my plane arrival would make me available to let the movers in the destination location by noon of that day. He argued that he could not guarantee the date and said it could take up to ten days for delivery. I explained what was discussed with Erika and stated that I purchases a plane ticket in to coordinate with the plans she arranged. He argued and finally determined that was between Erika and I and that he could not promise that. He asked that I initial where I wrote "Jan.5th" so his employer would know that I did write this. When I asked for a copy of the paperwork, he said he would give it to me once he loaded the truck because there was another page to complete regarding the amount of goods and price.

Once nearly half of the items were loaded onto the truck, he said some of my items may arrive on Jan 5th and some of my items would take 30 days. This upset me greatly and didn't sound right. I was ready to call off the move and look elsewhere and called the office of Universal Van Lines, Inc. The phone attendant said she tried to get the manager to the phone and would have him call me back as soon as possible. The manager did call back within minutes and stated that that all of my items would arrive in the same shipment because I was moving a small amount of belongings. He said if it was the contents of a house requiring multiple trucks there might be a a gap, though I should not worry. He said my belongings would arrive on time or very close to it because he is in the business to make money and he knows he won't get the rest of the payment until delivery. He said I had nothing to worry about and I could expect my belongings would arrive as expected. He said the statement regarding 30 days was something standard set by a governing agency and I should not be concerned about this affecting my delivery date. He said "I assure you...your shipment will arrive on time."

When the belongings were loaded, the movers did a box count and adjusted the quote to the price to be charged. He provided a copy of the item list and the original paperwork. What I did not notice until he was gone is that the document I signed was altered after I provided the signature. It now stated that my scheduled pick up date was on Dec.28 and he was on time, that this was a 30 day delivery agreement, and he scratched out "Jan5th" where he asked me to initial to make it appear as I was aware of this scratch-out. I was aware of none of this.

I arrived as agreed in CA on Jan5th and waited for the movers to arrive. After 2:30PM, I called Universal Van Lines, Inc. to see if the drivers could be reached at this point so I could know when to expect them. The phone attemdant said the dispatcher was a Texas office and he could give me the number to contact this person though he could help me no more than this, "It's out of my hands," was said. I called the number and it was wrong. I was then refered to another dispatcher in Texas who said my belongings were sitting and waiting to be loaded onto a truck. He also said he didn't know when my belongings would arrive, "whenever they load the truck," was stated. He tehn followed with , "Saturday." I said, "Saturday!!" He said, "Yes, Saturday." I said, "I was told you would be here today." My mother who was helping me with the move also called and he told her I could expect the delivery some time next week.

I grew very ill living without a proper bed and my thoughts were between going to the hospital or a hotel for a few days. I did check into a hotel so I could attempt to recover. It's Jan12th. I'm back in my empty apartment and my belongings have still not arrived. I called Universal Van Lines Inc. today to see what is the state of my delivery. Once again I was transferred to a rude dispatcher and told, "this is all I can do." When I asked the dispatched about my delivery he said it would arrive within 21 days. I explained what happened with the original date and the pick-up mover altered documents after I signed them. He said that it didn't matter and that he had a contract stating he had 21 business days. He said no one would have agreed on a delivery date with me. No one would have promised anything and it didn't matter what the driver wrote because he had the contract stating 21 business days.

He refused to look into it any further and cared not that I was mislead. I said I wanted my belongings and I would find another mover. He said he would return my goods to the pick-up origin and would not release then until he recieved full payment because he had a contract stating I owed him this much. He refused to help one way or another and I am still in a cold apartment a week later waiting for my things. I truly feel like I have been robbed and I truly feel this business does not need to exist. If I hope anything for Universal Van lines Inc. it is that they lose their ability to be a business because they are deceptive, rude, and use false documents to their advantage. They don't give a d**n about the truth or the client.

Please, I urge you, do not use Universal Van Lines Inc. When you ask about their standing with the BBB, you will be told they are a high volume company with a few complaints though they are resloved so they are considered to be in good standing. Don't put yourself tghrough the pain. I've moved a few times in my life and have never experienced a service so deceptive, rude, and unreliable. Don't believe a word they say and find someone else.

Jennifer

San Francisco, California
U.S.A.

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