Budget Van Lines

Please do not use this company. Budget Van Lines (BVL). BVL subcontracted the move to PUMA. From the quoted price by BVL it went up $1200.00. I felt violated. I wish I had seen all the many reviews on this company prior. If you haven't already do your self a favor and get out while you can. Take a small lost and bail. they will get you. We were charged $550.00 additional from the est. quote by BVL. at pick-up, after they had our house hold items on the truck. This was for extra items and fuel. (Which they hadn't even left the driveway.) So, if you have a vase, shoe rack or picture these are extra items. Also an additional $550.00 would be due at delivery. BVL did nothing to assist with this subcontractor taking us for a ride.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $1200

Budget is a moving broker. They sent American Power Moving as our carrier. The carrier was horrible. Didn't pick up in time, never answered the phone and had our stuff for a month. We called Budget almost every day. They couldn't do anything to help us. They would call the carrier but he would just lie and tell them couple more days. I asked 4 different times to speak with a supervisor. I always got an excuse and was told someone would call me back. That never happened!! Terrible customer service. Once they get their money they can't help you anymore. They said all their carriers are 5 stars and all are licensed and insured. Well my carrier didn't even have their own trucks they came in rented U Haul! I could have done that!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2000

I have never worked with more unprofessional people in my life. I was cancelled on 3 days before my move on Friday evening at 6 PM. I had been calling for 3 days prior to Friday and no one would respond or call back. Later Friday evening I made my other arrangements, and called them to ask for my refund and I was told someone would get back to me; no one did. The following day I spoke to Thomas Aquinas who told me "what part of I can't tell you a time frame don't you understand". I said thank you and hung up. Unprofessional people in any company repulse me. I hope this company doesn't get a chance to treat anyone else this way. Please don’t use them.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3000

Budget Van Lines canceled the day before they were supposed to do the move. They offered no assistance with contingency plans or assistance. We were left with no time to make other arrangements and needing to be out of a place. I had at least 10 phone contacts and confirmations from them in the weeks before the move was scheduled. They took a $700 non refundable deposit and had the nerve to say it was an “estimate” not a contract so they were under no contractual deposits. They are a scam company. Don’t use them.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2400

On May 23rd I scheduled a move with
Charter Van lines, and they sent a company by the name of Budget Van lines. My pickup was at a storage facility. The drive looked inside my unit that was prepared and ready for pickup and immediately told me that I would have to pay more for my move. $2000 dollars more. I asked him why he replied without reviewing the moving inventory list that he could tell I had more items than listed. I refused to pay an additional 2000.00 more. The drivers truck was filthy, and was old and beat up. The driver indicted on loafing my items, but I refused for fear of my items would be held hostage do that they could get additional monies from me. I tied calling charter Van lines for assistance and could not reach anyone. Both these companies are only out to get your money..

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5000

Zero Stars why? Less than 24 hours prior to my confirmed, contracted, deposit paid move, I had heard nothing from this company. After emailing, I receive a call that they cannot secure a carrier and are canceling my move from Ohio to Texas. And oh by the way it's a holiday weekend..probably why they couldn't fulfill in in the first place. Less than 24 hours leaves you with absolutely no options to secure another moving company, My lease was terminated so basically my belongings had no where to go. Don't.. I repeat, DON'T trust this company to contract your small move.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2600

If look carefully through the reviews on Twitter, Facebook and the rest, these people aren't just complaining about clumsy movers or about a few damaged items. They are complaining about deceptive and manipulative sales practices resulting in doubled estimates and $700 rescheduling fees. Glassdoor is the most telling, where one person who worked there complained of unethical sales practices amongst co-workers and another described them as "sharks". This is not a matter of damaged furniture. This is systematic theft, holding property hostage to shake down people who just want their things back.

My experience: Someone named "David" gave me a low ball quote that I later found out was based on a move half the square footage I very clearly described to him over three conversations. As a result, the van line brought a van that was too small and told me halfway through the move that it would be double the cost and that they would have to charge me for two runs in the van. They managed to cram it in and were as annoyed as I was about the misinformation, since they would have brought an appropriately sized truck. A 2,100 estimate became $3,500 and mysteriously, no one at Budget Van Lines answered my calls. The next day, they put me with a different sales person "Jasmine" who told me that they had weighed the truck and it was a non-issue, since the price came in close to the estimate at $2,100.

I was told that I would be informed when the van was on the road and be given 2 days notice. I was was told that the van hadn't left, then got a call from the mover at 7 pm that night to let me know that they were coming at 10 am the next morning. They also insisted on a cashiers check and I was informed that my bill was nearly double what I was told the week before. The "non-issue" was clearly still very much an issue. I called Budget and was shuffled to someone named "Chantal". I told her my bank takes 24 hours to make a cashiers check and they refused to acknowledge that I had less than 24 hours notice, accept a card or do anything to help. The movers drove on to Dallas, a city two hours away, and put everything I own in a storage facility, adding $700 more to my bill. The total from the original $2,100 estimate is now over 4,100, my belongings have been put in storage twice without permission and I still haven't gotten anything I own. I was promised redelivery by today at a cost of $700 but all I've been able to find out is that the person who was supposed to deliver them is back in New Jersey. Since I posted this review, no one will return my phone calls or let me know where exactly my belongings are being stored or when they will arrive, despite the fact that I have a right to know under federal law. We will see what new fresh hell they put me through before this is over.

They will lie to your face and put a different thing on paper, then direct you to a new person who will point to the paper when you complain. They ignore anything in writing that provides you with any rights but are absolute sticklers for anything that benefits them. When they aren't lying to bilk more money out of you, they are charging you for their own inept mistakes. They won't allow you any communication with the van line itself, but will relay mistaken information. They will then have someone named "Star" pretend to investigate, documented in other reviews, who somehow always concludes that they are not at fault. A farce. Go directly through a moving service. They might be just as shady, but at least there won't be three layers of removal from the people actually in possession of your things, allowing for a much greater degree of deception and manipulation. I will update when all of this is over and continue to post everywhere I can. Please make your experiences known. You may save someone the same experience.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4100

There quotes are nothing short of lies. My qoute for a one state 320 mile move went from 2400.00 to 3600.00 after all said and done.They contracted my move to Greenox a small moving company out of Texas and not only damaged a few high end items but did not give me a empty weight before my load was loaded. When he got to the destination I knew and saw they had made another pickup. The weight was a big shame. My advise never use Budget van lines they are as crooked as they come. I would never recommend them or use ever again.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3600