Alero Moving & Storage

I contacted North American Van Lines (NAVL) for a move quote from Calgary to Qualicum Beach and was contacted by a salesman who worked for Alero, Canadian agent for NAVL He visited me in Calgary in May, provided information and a quote and I accepted the quote and booked the move for July 15, 2022.

There were a number of parties involved. The Alero salesman is in Calgary, Alero’s moving coordinator is in Winnipeg, NAVL apparently has a dispatch office in Edmonton and the company that eventually moved my belongings from Calgary to Qualicum Beach are based in Nanaimo.

On July 15, I was ready and waiting for the movers but they didn’t show up. I started making calls and discovered that the truck had been in an accident and nobody had been contacted so nobody advised me that the move was cancelled. Nobody could tell me what happened and I eventually learned that either the movers forgot to tell dispatch or they did tell dispatch but dispatch didn’t let me know. Remember there is also a “moving coordinator” involved here who never knew anything.

Alero scrambled and were able to pick up my belongings from all 3 locations over the next 2 days and put them in the warehouse. I kept advising people that they needed to keep the 3 pickups separate as they were being delivered to 2 separate locations and was assured they would. I wanted to talk directly to the driver to ensure he received the message and was told he would call me. He never did. Luckily, I called the warehouse the morning he was picking everything up and talked to him and he told me I just called in time as nobody had told him.

My belongings arrived in Qualicum Beach a week late. We had to rent a place to stay for that week.

My bedframe was missing the corner brackets so I had to buy a new bed frame. My desk, which is not that big, was taken apart for the move and was put back together in a shoddy manner and is missing screws and is ready to fall apart. My stationary bike is missing.

I filed a claim for compensation for accommodation and expenses within a couple weeks. I also filed a claim for missing and damaged items. It is more than 2 months since I moved in and over 45 days since I filed those claims and nobody has contacted me.

I contacted the driver when I realized my stationary bike was missing. He told me he had found it in his truck but didn’t let me know. I have asked him 3 or 4 times if he will have it delivered to me and I still don’t have it.

Throughout this experience, various people constantly told me they didn’t know what happened or that someone else was responsible. I have never experienced such poor communication or incompetence as what I experienced during this process.

I am guessing that the claims and missing items are not your responsibility but frankly I have no idea who is in charge here.

I would not recommend Alero Moving or North American Van Lines to anyone.

Move size: 4+ Bedroom Home Service cost: $15000

On July 24 2011 we hired Alero Moving & Storage to do a CROSS-BORDER move of our furniture from our home in Ontario, Canada to a destination in the States.

Our move date was planned for July 29 2011.

We were looking for a moving company and called Alero Moving & Storage.

Moe Mowat - relocation consultant at Alero Moving & Storage - came to our house and guaranteed that our furniture would be delivered between the dates of July 30 2011 - August 13 2011 with a load date of July 27 2011.

Because they guaranteed us this date of delivery, we signed their contract.

During said load date (July 27 2011), the following major damages occurred:
1) Newly painted deck was scratched deep into the wood when the BBQ was moved (photographs available) *
2) Brand-new headboard for KING size bed chipped at the top-centre (photos available) *
3) Treadmill (high-end SCHWINN) damaged - electrical cable severed - treadmill does not work anymore (photos available)
4) Tempered Glass top for side table lost - never arrived upon >1 month DELAYED delivery
5) NONE of our items (sofa/tables/chairs) were SHRINK wrapped or Cloth wrapped as promised and PAID FOR
6) Brand-new Bombay Company Mahogany desk completely SCRATCHED all over the surface
7) Brand-new WHITE sofa and cream chairs all DIRTY upon delivery as they were not WRAPPED.
8) We paid for partial pack, but the delivery boys did not arrive with enough BOXES/TAPE/SHRINK-WRAP to PACK with. They ended up using OUR supplies.

* Caroline, our moving coordinator at Alero Moving & Storage promised that their warehouse manager Fernando would fix the damages (we have emails to prove this). Needless to say, nothing was fixed.

Upon completion of the LOAD (July 27 2011) payment was taken of $1096.10. A side note and something to consider is that Alero Moving & Storage rented a Penske truck that was barely able to hold our furniture.

Our furniture didn't arrive within the delivery dates promised to us upon booking.
The promised delivery dates were July 30 2011 to August 13 2011.

By August 13 2011, our furniture had not been delivered as per our contract with Alero Moving & Storage. Repeated phone calls to Alero resulted in the following excuses:

"We don't have a driver"
"We don't have a truck"
"Still waiting for a driver"
"We will fix your damages"

After a while Caroline was not even available to talk to us regarding our delivery date.
However, she was our so-called moving coordinator.
I spoke to someone named Carmen who referred me to North American Van Lines.

I had to call:
North American Van Lines (NAVL) customer service 1800-348-2111
Allan at NAVL 1800-348-2163 x 2562
Ken at NAVL 260-429-1359
Vicky (supervisor) at NAVL 260-429-3518

All of whom said at one point or another that a driver or truck was NOT AVAILABLE.

At this stage, our new date for "anticipated" delivery was:
August 13 - August 27 2011.

At this stage I also found out that Alero Moving & Storage had not even registered us in the system until August 3 2011. (?!)

On August 17 2011 I once again called Carmen. The update was
"No driver and no truck"
I complained, to which Carmen hung up the phone on me.

For 36 days we had no furniture and had to buy all new house supplies and clothes.

On August 23 2011, I called Vicky at NAVL, her response:
"No assignment yet"

She suggested that we file a delay claim after August 13 and that they could help us with linens, air beds, chairs, pans but only once we file a delay claim. At this point we had already bought linens, an air bed and clothes.

Our furniture arrived on September 3 2011, that's not within the first OR SECOND 2-week-windows, and we were charged the amount of $3507.97

A grand total of $4604.07 for a delivery that was more than a month late, for goods that were damaged or missing altogether (which exceeded the payment of $4604.07). We have not been compensated for this ridiculous move, damages and inconvenience. DON'T GO WITH ALERO.

Service cost: $4604

Drivers yelled at my wife. Disrespected her. Then when I approached them they ignored me and laughed and walked to there truck. Coward pieces of ****. Kind of funny how they will speak to a women with disrespect but the minute a man confronts them they run like little girls. Then I call the manager and she says “well that’s odd they are my two best guys and that has never happened before.” Well, Let’s just say I highly doubt that. They also reeked of booze. I will never ever use this trashy company again. And I recommend that no one ever does. The truck was Alero and two amigos. Vehicle 521. November 25th 2020.

Move size: Partial Move Service cost: $200

During a phone conversation with Jason Thomson I asked for a quote to have one large item moved from Winnipeg to Brandon. Later that day I sent an email containing all pertinent details as requested. No follow up of any kind in over a week, yet I was told I would be hearing back from Alero that same day or the next. The deal I was trying to make for the item in Winnipeg has now fell through since I cannot find a mover. I don't know why my business isn't worth the effort? It's very frustrating to lose out on the deal. As a consequence, Alero isn't worth future considerations. I suggest that anyone and everyone look elsewhere too.

Move size: Partial Move Service cost: $100