Independence Van Lines

Pickup was confirmed for Wednesday 27th - today. They called and reconfirmed our move for today on Friday evening.
Monday called to say they would be delayed by up to a week. Our son has to be out by the 30th!! Where is he supposed to put his stuff!
The customer service woman had the gall to tell me “Mam- we don’t live in a perfect world. Our contract doesn’t guarantee unless it says word “guarantee “. “Your contract says word confirmed “ This is not the same as guaranteed in their company’s dictionary.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $1500

I have moved, unfortunately, 6 times now since 2003. My company takes me all over the place. This last time I had to do the move myself because I wanted to work in the Corona office and I was told I could have the transfer but no money for the move. Mike contacted me right after I searched online - He and about 6 other people. I listened to Mike because I run on my gut and the brutal truth he told me upfront made me an instant fan. I was told my 1,340 mile move would be about the same price as a U-haul. My coworker who had made the move from the same office I came from 6 months prior used a 16 foot U-haul and with all of their fees, taxes, insurance and the hotel stays and the 198 gallons of gas and the dinners he bought on both ends for his helpers he spent $2,200 and change and lost 3 days of his life he still regrets ever losing. Mike told me he could do the whole thing from start to finish for $2,130 and I laughed and nicely said.."no thank you". However, he asked me politely to give him 5 minutes to explain. It turns out it was the best 5 minutes I ever spent. When the crew showed up they helped me finishing packing because I fell terribly behind. They created boxes with foam dividers for my flat screens, something I forgot to even think about even though Mike did mention it to me. They loaded up a futon that I forgot to include on my estimate and about 7 other boxes that I forgot about in my crawl space. All-in-all I was 383 lbs over my promised weight and even with the extra weight I paid $2,316.43 in total and $60 cash $20 to each of the 3 crew guys. If someone had told me that I was honestly truly going to get this move done for the same price as a u-haul and all I had to do was let workers into my house and pay the company I would have told them they were nuts and to take a hike; but I'm glad I gave Mike the 5 minutes he asked for because it really actually worked out just that way. Even when I decided to trust Mike and made my deposit I was still operating under the assumption he might get close, but not exact, to delivering on his promises and I was sure I was going to pay about a thousand more; however, I paid almost exactly what I was told I was going to have to pay and had I not added the extra it would have been spot-on to a tee. Thank you guys for your hard work and rock on! I will always be a fan and you will always have me as an extremely satisfied reference and future return customer..

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2316

Please stay away from this company. They are a fraud. We were supposed to receive our things within 5 days, and are now on day 22 and have no idea where our things are, who has them, when they will be delivered. They have done nothing to help us and actually appear to be complicit.

They are a broker, not a moving company. They can't offer "white glove service." You won't be able to speak with the guy who originally sold you again (there is no point of contact). They have no control over the company that will actually move you. They sub out business to anyone who will take it, including two college kids and a truck in our case. The guaranteed quote they offered you will not be honored by the moving company - in our case, they tripled it.

I can't recommend highly enough that you work with another company.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4000

The estimate was so low that it basically doubled at time of pick up and the carrier refused to pick up items listed in contract. Options for item safety were not offered. Had to sleep on floor for 20 days waiting for delivery. They constantly lied when they a tually answered calls. 50% of our furniture qas delivered looking like firewood, TVs broken and the contract is written in such a way that they will not reimburse. My two brand new motorcycles are completely trashed, run away from this company as fast as you can, they have no right being in business.
I should have listened to my gut and rented two 26ft u-haul trucks with trailers, would have been cheaper and I would have all my belongings.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $7500

If I can give a minus 10 I would!! Tyler, Jordan, Chris are all lying POS!! They quote you a price then charge you more for no extra furniture!! Oh and they hire 3rd party companies to move you so they DO NOT move you themselves! I had like 10 different companies call me! It’s been one month and they still have my things!! The driver texts me every week telling me he will bring my things in a few days and I still don’t have them! They block your number, block your email, ignore you completely, then tell you to calm down when your things go missing! The driver literally has my things hostige and the IVL does NOTHING!! They tell you to put a claim in that takes 120 days! I was told to call like 10 different numbers and I got nowhere! When they recognize your number they will block you! You have to use a different number every time! It’s been one month and I still don’t have my belongings I paid over $2500 for (quoted $1900 by the scam artist Chris)! IVL should change name to independent scam lines! I’m surprised none of these men have broken jaws yet from getting their asses kicked for being lying stealing pieces of [EDIT]!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2600

They outsource to other moving companies, some of which are very sketchy. They increased the price by $1400 and would hang up on my overtime I asked for an explanation. Eventually they threatened to just sell all my stuff because I was "being too difficult". I had no choice but to pay. When I got my items they were sopping wet and several things were broken and my clothes were moldy. I am not exaggerating when I say this was the worst experience with a professional company in my life.

Move size: Studio Service cost: $4000

Why did I not pay attention to the bad reviews? Maybe my experience will save at least one poor sucker from being sucked into this scam. Was paying for my daughter to move from Manhattan, KS, to Canyon City, CO. "Jordan" was hot to trot to get hold of me when I was paying the bill. However, once the driver arrived, they immediately claimed that the inventory was too great, and nearly DOUBLED the total price, even though the inventory sheets matched up almost exactly. By the time they load your stuff up, they can then hold you hostage for as much money as they want. My repeated calls back to various individuals at this company, Jordan, David, Joseph, Angie, etc., etc., etc. I had to literally scream at some poor front desk girl just to get some kind of lame excuse for why they charged an additional $1500.00--basically, they do it because they CAN do it. Just today, I spoke with someone named "Hellene" who was so sympathetic and promised to call back--nothing. None of them can return a phone call or an email once they have you by the short hairs. This company ended up using a different company named "American Home Relocation," which you can Google because it looks like they work out of a trailer in Carol Stream, Illinois. Just a whole crew of scam artists. Just yesterday, I called and spoke to "David" in the office--he actually told me he was too busy, and asked me to call back tomorrow! American Home Relocation is a whole other story--same smell, different nostril. I have called and texted "Dayse" multiple times, but she cannot figure out how to return a phone call or an email. So I called the office this morning, and left a message with "Monique" for "Laurie," without any call back. Then I called back and got hold of another individual named "Donte," who literally had an attitude the moment he got on the line, and told me that he had no idea when my daughter's items would be delivered and neither did anybody else in his office. Maybe the entire industry is infected with the same bug, but you should take your risks somewhere else--I can practically hear them wishing me off the phone every time I call to try to find out what is going on with my daughter's items. Please take this as an object lesson - use some other company--complete nightmare!

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3600

I paid a 600 dollar deposit and my binding contract was for march 27 to 28 they didnt call they just rescedule me to following monday time was for 10am to 2pm they never came driver i called and asked what happened they said the move they were at took longer so they said 6 to 7pm still no show i called and asked for refund of deposit the manager said no refund if i cancel im so hurt i had to rent a hotel to live cause im still waiting to get moved i beg you guys please dont use this company they will scam you i was just like you guys please when you call ask them to show proof that they are acredited and ask thier score i searched at bbb and they wasnt i wish i would have listen to the company that told me they are not a good company

Move size: Studio Service cost: $1600

TLDR:

THIS IS A BAIT N SWITCH MOVING SCAM!! Do not use this company. The good reviews are all fake, trust the bad reviews with pictures.

I never believed that these moving scams exist and that it could happen to us, but it did. Here is the link to the complaints with Better Business Bureau, there are so many people out there with horror stories with this company.

https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/fort-lauderdale/profile/moving-brokers/independence-van-lines-0633-90415056/complaints

They basically dumped all our stuff on the ground and left and are not agreeing to refund our deposit of $1120.

FULL REVIEW:

We were completely lied to when we hired this company. They said they are actual movers and not brokers, I never checked this on the DOT website as we were time crunched. We received a binding estimate of $2500 to move our minimal goods(1 bedroom apt.) from California to the East Coast. They outsourced the job to USA Logistics, never told us the name of the company who the job was outsourced to. USA Logistics is another moving scam, feel free to check their reviews and BBB ratings, you will be shocked.

https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/sun-valley/profile/moving-and-storage-companies/usa-logistics-1216-884745

Anyways, three unskilled movers showed up at 9.30 PM at our house, started loading boxes in a hurry. After they loaded 12 boxes I asked them about our estimate and he said that we are over our estimate significantly because we had more boxes. We did have more boxes but we had also gotten rid of our entertainment center, 200 lbs worth of dumbbells, workout bench, bar stools, lamps, coffee table and some other stuff. I had clearly discussed this with the QA department of Independence Van Lines and they said that we should be ok. Moreover, I had calculated the cubic footage of my stuff and based on my estimate, our cubic footage was at 340, we were estimated for 355, so we were definitely under.

After I expressed dissatisfaction over the increased estimate, I was asked to speak with their manager Ben, who was the rudest and most insulting person I have ever spoken with. I had a heated conversation with him and told him to proceed with the move, but that I will report this to the FMCSA. At this, Ben basically said that he refuses to work with anyone that threatens him and asked his guys to dump our stuff on the ground outside and leave. THESE GUYS DUMPED OUR STUFF ON THE GROUND AT 10.30 PM, MY WIFE AND I HAD TO CARRY ALL OF IT TO OUR 3RD FLOOR APARTMENT OURSELVES.

The next day, I asked Independence Van Lines for my refund of my deposit of $1120 as my move never happened and they said NO. They said that we refused to pay the carrier and that we were over our estimate, which is not true at all.

I have reported them to the FMCSA and have filed a complaint with BBB to get my deposit back. If they do not refund me, I will take them to small claims court and will file a case with the attorney generals office in the states of Florida and California.

Seriously guys, stay away from this company. They will lowball the quote and you will feel like you are getting a good deal, but do not become a victim of a moving scam. It causes immense amount of emotional and financial stress.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2500

We moved across the state from PA to NJ as a family and the search for home movers was a nightmare. Finally we decided on independence van lines and I couldn't be happier! My rep Max was in constant contact with us to make sure each part of the move went well. I learned so much about moving, from inventory to delivery that I feel like I could work there myself!! As first time movers, we were scared of being duped but independence held up their part of the bargain.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $1700

We dealt with a guy name Brett and everything went great and we were prepared to sign and have them move us, being strapped for time we needed to do this fast, so we asked if they would take a government travel card. Brett explained he needed to speak with another person to make sure and would call us back the next morning. We never heard back from him. We called all day and left multiple messages with his direct line and the company line. We were the. Forced to find another mover and spent 4 hours finding one as this is peak season for moves. I’ve never dealt with such un-professionalism. To not receive a call back or anything when everything had already been discussed and such. Would not do business with a company like this. We have a week before our stuff has to be picked up, so to drop the ball and leave us hanging just isn’t ok. Glad we found a company to work with us and treat us with respect and be professional. We will not recommend this company to anyone!!

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4200

My company relocated and we had an international move contracted by independence. You can image my fear when a local moving company from Florida would be doing this. I am so surprised by the whole process that I had to write a review. These men are professional, patient, and know what they’re doing. I’m unpacking now and there was a little damage to one of my laptops other than that we are good. They are already proposing to reimburse me for the damage and I will get it fixed. This is a company that you can trust, at least that’s how it was for me. Thank you again! Big shout out to Jack who responds to all of my emails and inquiries within an hour or two.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $15000

1. Lie #1 - On my very first phone call with the dispatcher, I was told that I was not dealing with a broker. Not true. Don't let them lie to you. THEY ARE BROKERS
2. Lie #2 - I was told I would receive a phone call 24-48 hours prior to pick up to update inventory and have a better idea of total cost. No one called me and when I attempted to contact them, no one answered and no one returned my calls. I was able to get a hold of someone ONLY by writing a poor review on their Facebook page. I was then informed that everyone was off on Friday, May 25th but no one informed me of this.
3. Lie #3 - I was told that I would be picked up on 27th-29th. However, they showed up one day early. I had to finish packing within minutes and had to paid extra for packing I was planning on doing myself.
4. Lie #4 - I was told that the second and third payment would be split in half. The amount collected on pick up was 75% which was much higher than original quote.

I wanted to assume that your company is new enough and is still not well organized but have good intentions. However, I called and left messages several times to several people regarding these issues and the ETA of my shipment, no one has returned my phone calls till this day.

Look them up on the BBB:
https://www.bbb.org/south-east-florida/business-reviews/moving-companies/atlas-relocation-in-fort-lauderdale-fl-90415056.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2400

If you are looking for a moving company that is professional in DECEPTION and excellent in LYING, feel free to use Independence Van Lines!

They will lie to you like they breath, and keep lying and lying with no limits.

I came across some good people who works for this company, but overall, choosing this company was a nightmare and one of the WORST choices I've ever made in my life.

Here are some of the lessons I learned for the last 6 weeks since I joined this company's victims list:

- when they call you to offer their service, they will claim that :
-- they are one of the top 5 moving companies
-- they are not brokers
-- they have their own trucks
-- they have happy clients and 5-star reviews

The goal of this call is to keep you on the phone until you sign a contract and pay a deposit (30% of the total charges).

LESSON #1 : never sign any contract or pay a deposit before you look up the company and verify their status.

Once you pay the deposit and get to know them more, you will find out that all of the above claims were pure lies !

- A lot of the staff I had to deal with - over the phone- have one thing in common: they lack respect. They don't respect their words,promises or their clients. They will easily put you on hold and never come back, or promise they will call you back and forget about you, or even disconnect the call "because they have another call on line"

- they kept switching dates of pick up, but finally sent me a Penske truck . The team that came with the truck (2 guys and a driver) was more professional, and probably the only nice thing about this whole experience

- at one point - before my stuff was picked up- I was trying to cancel the service, but the manager said: you can only refuse the service and lose your deposit !

- I was promised that my stuff will most likely be delivered within one week, but no later than a maximum of 21 business days (the distance was about 800 miles)

- I called the company almost every other day, to hear changing delivery dates and different stories about why the delivery was delayed.

LESSON #2: after making the first mistake of using a bad company, never stop calling them (excessively!) until you make sure your stuff has arrived. You never know what would happen if you leave them alone

- 21 business days passed and I'm still waiting. I talked to the manager and asked about the company's policy for compensation. His reply was : sure, discuss with the driver when you get your stuff. He claimed that the actual mover will give something like 25-50 dollars per day. But Independence Van Lines is "just a broker ! "

- I was promised that my stuff will be delivered by the end of the 4th week, and again no one showed up

- I was given another "maximum delivery date" over the last weekend, and of course that did not happen

LESSON #3: discuss all possible issues (delays , damage .. ) beforehand with the moving company and make sure any penalties/compensations are included in the contract before you commit to a company

- I finally got my stuff today , almost 6 weeks after it was picked up

- I talked to the driver about compensation for the delay. He asked that I call Independence Van Lines because " I'm just the driver". I talked to the manager at Independence Van Lines again, who did not remember my past conversation with him about compensation. After I refreshed his memory he said : sorry, there is no compensation.

LESSON #4: If they lie to you once, they will lie again and again.

Quick facts:
According to FMCSA :
- there are 19 complaints filed against Independence Van Lines just in 2018
- despite their initial claim that they have their own trucks, Independence Van Lines fleet has :
Number of Trucks : 0
Number of Tractors : 0
Number of Trailers : 0

I really wish that no one else come across this moving company and suffer like we did.

Independence Van Lines deserves no stars. One star is actually too much for what they do !

Move size: Partial Move Service cost: $1228

They do their job well and my move went great. I had an expensive
guitar that needed to be handled with care and independence did so
very nicely. There are reputable movers out there if you search hard
enough, don't give up. I'd give Independence a try because they don't
break the bank (very good quote) and honored the agreement from start
to finish.

Not many movers out there that will go above and beyond to arrive on
time, even after the driver called and said there were some issues on
the road. Thank you!!

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4650

*Update overall* SCAMMER JAMMERS!! Well.. the moving truck finally showed up about 9pm with about 3 FEET OF SPACE on the truck that we were told would be EMPTY. They also said that it would be up to 21 days until our things were delivered- we were told 1-2 days. Independence Van Lines is a broker- they sell your move and tell you what you want to hear and it’s all a LIE. They specifically told us they were not brokers and to be careful when looking at other moving companies because a lot of them are brokers and sell your move!! DO NOT USE THEM.

*Update 6/15* Finally heard from someone this morning after numerous phone calls and messages. They say they will be picking up our stuff between 4-6pm today. Still unsure why they can’t let you know more than the day of.. On top of it all, the woman we spoke to was hostile and rude and very defensive when we spoke to her. She was very aggressive and accusatory.

*6/14* Well we are supposed to be moving this weekend. Was told that they would be here tomorrow or Sunday and we would get the actual day the week before. We have called almost every day this week and nobody could tell us which day they were coming- which I find ridiculous. Here we are, supposed to (maybe) he picked up tomorrow and nobody will answer the phone at any of the numbers listed, nobody will call us back, nobody will respond to emails, Facebook messages or tweets. Feeling like this is a scam and they have taken our money and won’t be showing up.. unless someone reaches out to us in the next 5 minutes we will be looking for new movers!! Horrible customer service.

Also interesting that they only respond to positive reviews and don’t bother addressing negative ones that could improve their “business.”.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $1700