Winnipeg Moving & Storage

Unfortunately, we learned too late that Winnipeg Moving has the Better Business Bureau’s lowest rating (1). We had hired them for a long distance move from Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada to Madison, Mississippi, USA based on a low initial estimate, charges which were increased by more than 40% from the original non-binding estimate. That estimate stated Winnipeg as starting point and Madison as endpoint, street address to be determined. We agreed and provided our credit card details for the first deposit – packing our household and moving to the storage in Winnipeg. When we asked to move our furniture down to Mississippi 6 months later, we were provided with a NEW estimate that was about 11% higher than the original estimate (despite the weight being about 12% less than the weight used for the initial estimate) due to “seasonal changes of the tariff” never before mentioned. In addition, we were suddenly told that the initial part of the move between our house and the storage in Winnipeg was a “local move” and not part of the cross-border move and estimate. Email correspondence as well as the main pick-up location and the main delivery address written on the estimate state the contrary. Of note, we also have never received any independent estimate for such a local move. The new estimate and the charges for the local move together resulted in a more than 40% increase in moving costs.

It’s good to know that, by law once your mover loads your shipment, your mover's failure to execute a new estimate signifies it has reaffirmed the original non-binding estimate. (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move/how-to/subpartD) Your mover may not collect more than 110 percent of the amount of this estimate at destination for the services and quantities shown on the estimate.

As a side note, the working conditions we observed were atrocious. They sent two men, one probably in his 50s, to carry a 3-bedroom 3-storage household plus basement with heavy antique furniture on the 3rd floor to the truck. At one point, it became unsafe when they carried the heavy furniture from the third floor down the narrow stairways- after already a long day of working. By 9pm they were so exhausted that one of them got quite upset and could barely be calmed by his colleague. The older guy had his next assignment early next morning.

Overall, Winnipeg Moving has the lowest rating for a reason, and not only on the Better Business Bureau website.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $11540