Independence Van Lines

Just finished my move to Chicago and used Independence Van Lines to take of it.This was a bit a complicated. I'm a carpenter by trade and have my workstations in my home. Although they calculate moves by weight and size, they gave me a reasonable price. They took my 2 bedrooms, kitchen table and 2 work tables for just $2480 plus I tipped the movers. Since I know my equipment, I helped the movers place my machines on the truck, and everything made it home in good condition.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2900

My experience attempting to use Independence Van Lines was horrible! I ended up canceling on the day they were supposed to pick up my things. I feel so stupid for having trusted them in the first place and I was very naive. It was my first out-of-state move and their lack of service, reliability, and credibility caused me an enormous amount of inconvenience in preparing to move (time & money). They gave me a pick up time between 9 - 11am. They insisted that they could not provide the name of the carrier and that they were not obligated to do so, leaving me as their customer in the dark and at their mercy. I wouldn’t be able to know until this unknown carrier arrived to my location for pickup. The unknown carrier was an hour late. We had to call several times to try and get at least an ETA and further information from Independence Van Lines. Turns out the carrier was delayed finishing up another job and had trouble with their truck. NO ONE thought it important to contact us and keep us abreast. We were waiting in the cold at a storage location away from home. The customer service agents did not provide customer service at all. I felt very uncomfortable and no longer safe to trust them or their process for doing things. $838.20 is non-refundable deposit. The customer service agent and manager didn’t start to show an ounce of concern until I said I wanted to cancel. Even then, I felt they were more concerned about the money than me. I will encourage anyone and everyone I know not to use them, do extensive research so you won’t get taken advantage of, and go with a reputable mover company not a broker.

Move size: Studio Service cost: $1950

They were professional from the start. Provided a great service in a timely, efficient manner. All my items were well cared for during the move and nothing was damaged. The staff was helpful and considerate throughout the process. Upon pickup of my items they were ready to break everything down as necessary with proper tools. They took their time to take everything apart the right way and didn't try to rush things by just throwing furniture into the truck without breaking it down properly. They utilized padding and blankets to ensure my hardwood furniture remained unscratched and safe.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3400

Recently used Real Movers Moving & Storage to move from Miami up to New Jersey to be closer to my family and it was a wonderful experience. They were punctual and professional, and really delivered on their promises. They showed up on time and ready to work, and took very good care of my things. Took the stress out of what would have been a huge ordeal. More importantly, they were affordable. If you’re looking for a mover you should give them a call. I couldn’t have been happier with the service they provided, and I would definitely use them again.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3900

Profoundly suggested. I have been using their services for a long time. A month ago I reached out to Reliable and got a home moving quote. It was not high rate. Graham and Diana helped me a considerable measure. They are extremely dynamic and resourceful. Each time they satisfied my everything demand. On move day, they began pressing boxes and furniture from half past nine. They likewise connected wrapper and boxes. Numbered the greater part of the cases. Conveying and stacking was a hard assignment yet they did it an inventive way. They dropped all items in auspicious form. Helped us to settle the furniture in opportune places at our new home. In spite of the fact that my report is tardy, yet I generally recommend Independence Van Lines to all my clients and relatives.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3600

Our experience was atrocious, they confirmed a time, then changed the day at the last minute. When they showed up the truck fit about 1/3 of our house and they tried to charge us 3 times the quote. When we examined the quote, there was nothing excluded. They accused my wife of lying, even though the inventory sheet matched what was in the house. They took no responsibility and made no effort to correct the situation. They collected a large fee and provided no value. We ended up moving 2/3 of the house ourselves.

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5800

Sales rep left items off and worded confusing so you don't find out until it's time for your move and then they tried to double my quote. Sales uses pressure to rush you into signing contract. Was assured multiples times that move would happen on scheduled dates, but this didn't happen. When I asked for my deposit back was told no the refund is not refundable and it doesn't matter what I was told by sales or customer service. In my opinion this company has no integrity and intentionally looks for ways to scam customers. I recommend finding a different moving company.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3200

Independence Van Lines just unloaded my goods here in Dallas, TX with everything intact and where I wanted it. I said I'd wait to write a review till it was over and I am happy I did wait. I thought there would be some bumps in the road and I can honestly say that this was as smooth a move as I could have imagined. John scheduled my move for me a few months ago, the crew on pickup was very nice (names not coming to mind) and the crew on delivery, Don and Stephen were very pleasant and helpful. Anyone in need of a quality moving company I would recommend Independence Van Lines.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4300

My distress is based on the lack of customer service and the false premises the entire move was built on.

The promise of "binding quote" does not hold stick (I was blamed for this)!

They work with a 3rd party (PackRite Movers) that had their working license revoked per 1/1-2021. However they hired PackRite Movers to do my delivery mid-January 2021!

I called them about the PackRite Movers several times and no one was able to help me to avoid to be verbally abused by their movers or to get any help with the delivery date.

The most of my furniture is still in storage .Despite the astronomic amount of money I was charged with, the movers left behind them the majority of my furniture.

This was one painful, expensive and traumatic move!

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $10690

We chose Independence Van Lines after hearing scary moving stories about other very large national moving chains. Our move from Detroit to Miami went smoothly and wonderfully well. Independence Van Lines movers packed up our delicate Grandfather Clock, artwork and other belongings with such great care and delivered them to our Miami apartment and storage unit without a hitch. Nothing was damaged or lost. Their office staff were kind and helpful in providing our move estimate and patiently worked with us as our move expanded. I would highly recommend this moving company!

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5500

Look at all the negative reviews on multiple sites. It is a scam. I wish I would have heeded others’ warnings. The salesman will say whatever they have to in order to get the deposit. Our move was then subbed out to another mover who tried to quadruple the price the day of the move. Mover blames independence and independence blames the mover leaving you no choice but to pay or lose deposit. They claim there is no contract but an estimate. The mover plays semantics games over what a box is and the load list vs the cubic feet etc. Bottom line is they underbid then try to jack up the price. If you go with someone else they steal your deposit.

Move size: 4+ Bedroom Home Service cost: $5000

If I could give more than 5 stars I would Independence Van Lines over delivered on everything they said that they would do. They said they would be at my home at 9:30, they were there at 9:15. They said that they would have 8 men, they brought 9. They said the move would take 9 hours and they got it done start to finish in 7.5 hours. movers were completely professional and so were their crew. They took care of my furniture like it was their own. They have been in the moving industry for over 15 years and have started their own company to provide the type of customer service that the “big name movers” don’t provide anymore. I admire that initiative and I am extraordinarily happy about the service, the cost, and the care they took of my belongings.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4600

I would absolutely NOT recommend working with Independence Van Lines for your moving needs. I have moved a number of times, but this was by far my worst experience. Independence VL is a broker and unfortunately won’t take responsibility for abusive and unprofessional practices of the moving companies they work with.

I scheduled my move from Los Angeles to Chicago through Independence VL and was asked for an initial deposit based on an estimated volume. Having previous experience with moves and wanting to avoid stress and additional fees the day of my move, a week before my move I provided an updated inventory list. We recalculated volume and I provided an additional deposit per their request. The day of my move, a company called Map Express Logistics showed up and told me the volume calculations were wrong and I had an additional 536 c.f.!!! (DOUBLE the volume on my original estimate) and they needed $4,000 more to proceed with the move.

I decided to cancel my move and lost the $2,387 deposit I had already paid to Independence VL.

For reference, I ended up hiring a different moving company which at pick up calculated an additional 80 c.f. and charged $300 extra from the quote they had given me. Nowhere near the additional 536 c.f. and $4,000 this company wanted to overcharge.

Stay away from Independence Van Lines and their partners. Moving companies have always been known for shady practices and their partner relationships are a grey area. Go with a moving company that owns their own equipment and charges a fixed deposit at the time of booking.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2387

I was quoted $1700 for my 49 items listed. Delivery in 5-7 days. The driver loaded my “50” items and told me I was 600 cu ft over my contract and had to pay additional $1300. My items were picked up March 20, 2021, I called today March 25 and no one can tell me where my delivery is! My first call I was told it was still sitting somewhere and had not been transported yet! Third call I was told they could not get in touch with mover they contracted out to. I will be contacting again tomorrow and provide an update to review.

Move size: Partial Move Service cost: $3400

Despite representing themselves multiple times on the phone as a “full-service, white-glove moving company” I learned through the fine print of our binding estimate that this company is a broker.

I contracted a move 3/9/2021, revised 3/30/2021, and paid a cash-only deposit of $1242.00 for a binding estimate of $3233.33 for 485 cubic feet of items and packing services.

On Moving Day, 4/4/2021, the actual moving company they contracted with arrived with day laborers, "eyeballed" our inventory, and upped the estimate dramatically by 95% for extra packing and 400 additional cubic feet that our move did not actually use, demanding an additional cash-only payment of $2,600 up front and $1,733.77 upon delivery.

The foreman did not measure the actual dimensions of the items moved or actual space occupied on the truck at any point—either before packing or during or after loading. We measured and documented each of the 76 moved items upon delivery 4/15/21 and the occupied space on the rented Penske truck was only 453 cu ft., not the 885 we were charged for.

I have learned since filing complaints with the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Motor Carrier Carrier Safety Administration, the American Truckers Association, and the California Bureau of Household Goods and Services that the company contracted by Independence Van Lines for this move is not even licensed in the state of California to do moves for household goods. State records show their application for a permit was denied 2/13/2020.

Because this move was contracted to an unlicensed moving company, under California's Business and Professions Code, Section 19237, subdivision (b), I am entitled to recover all money paid for this move due to the movers’ lack of licensure.

I reached out multiple times to my several contacts at Independence about a refund for my $1,242.00 deposit since they contracted my move to an unlicensed carrier and I have been ignored.

Do not under any circumstances use this broker.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5957

Independence van lines is nothing a broker who says they are a carrier. They bad mouth all other carriers. Once they get their booking fee they continue to promise delivery date but they don't fulfill their promise. I had text confirmation that furniture would be delivered to Florida by may 13 because my wife was flying to Florida to meet the truck. The mover was scheduled to pick up furniture april 30 and did not show. They finally came may 1 and we told them again our delivery schedule of may 13. Furniture is sitting on a truck in phoenix with no driver assigned.

Independence raised their booking fee from 1400 to $2900 plus deposit for actual move and said all this would be applied to moving cost. When movers came they charged us another 3600 and told us we would owe an extra $2500 at the destination. A move that originally estimated by CHRIS KANE( " THE MOVER" OH I AM THE BEST) to be $4500 is going to cost $10,000. Independence is a SCAM.

THEY CONTRACT EVERYTHING OUT AND DO NOT HELP YOU GET CONTRACTED MOVER TO DO ANYTHING. The mover was S & M Relocation. Not to be confused with S & M Moving.

My wife is spending 2000 to fly to meet furniture and it won't be there.

DO NOT USE INDEPENDENCE

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $10000

I called this company on March 10, 2021 to schedule my move from Phoenix, AZ to Bangor, ME. I was given the total cost amount of $2008.00 which included a deposit of $896.00, the deposit was paid on that day. I gave them the dates that my furniture and boxes needed to be picked up, between May 25-May 27. I was flying out of AZ on May 28. My apt. lease ended on May 31, 2021. I was asked to call them 2 weeks ahead of scheduled time to give them my delivery address. On May 12, I was told that my stuff would be picked up on May 27. I called them again on May 23 and was told that there was a change, my stuff would be picked up either

on May 30 or up to June 2. I explained again that I was leaving Phoenix on the 28. I was told that they could do nothing about that. I said I could give my neighbor my apt. keys as long as they picked up my stuff before the 31. I was told they would. I called them again on May 25, I was told they couldn't pick up my belongings until June 2. Again I mentioned that my lease expired at the end of May, my apartment needed to be emptied before June 1. I told the person to cancel my moving schedule. I needed to find someone else. I also said to refund my deposit of $896.00, I was told they couldn't do that, it was a deposit and not refundable. They are thieves! I am not the one that kept changing the pick up dates. They did. They wanted to keep my deposit! Do not use this company. What I have written is 100% honest.

Move size: Studio Service cost: $2008

All companies get bad reviews, but when you see a reoccurring theme in the bad ones...watch out!

I dealt with Tye who came across as professional/credible. I brought up the reviews and Tye stated that they were under old ownership.

Tye gave me an $1800 estimate. When we spoke the next day it was $2900. Spoke to mngr (Connor) and settled at $1900. Unfortunately, driver came and said $6000.00 or no pick up, blaming Tye for getting it wrong.

So I get on a 3-way-call with whoever George is @ ext 954-320-6921 and the driver (Ivan, Igor or something). George is giving an aggressive attitude, blame-shifting and asking "so are you refusing the pick up?".

Being an expert negotiator, I notice the specific wording he wants me to cop to on the recorded line, so I ask directly if he's attempting to justify keeping my $789.00 deposit. He says yes, I say "we'll see about that", he says "yeah, we will see about that".

I called my account immediately and got the money back. BEWARE, for the purpose justifying keeping your money, they do an ACH charge instead of a regular debit charge in order to look as if it's a regular bill and services Have Been Rendered!!!

What a bunch of Jacks?

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $6000