Allied Van Lines- Coleman American Moving Services

What an awful experience we had with our recent move. We used Allied for a long-distance move in 2012 and had a great experience, so we decided to use them again for our recent long-distance move. Never again. No one knows what they're doing. Our goods have been placed in five trucks, and we STILL need to have all of our belongings. Trucks sent to our house that CLEARLY couldn't hold even half of our belongings. Second truck arrived and was completely filled with crates and trash, and no room for our stuff. The third SMALLER truck was sent that couldn't fit the rest of our stuff. What a joke. Then, when our "overflow" was placed in their warehouse, it wasn't consolidated or inventoried once it got to the warehouse. Because of the lack of inventory, many items didn't make it to our house, so they spent time trying to find our stuff in the warehouse. Sent truck FIVE and we're still missing some of our stuff. This company is a joke and cares nothing about its customers or what kind of move experience they have.

Starting with the packing, things went wrong. Coleman only sent two packers for a 10,000 pound shipment, and they quit after two hours after one of them hit herself in the head with a salt shaker. They both complained they had been short paid by the "boss." Not one box was marked, and I ran around after they left and wrote my name and the room the box had come from on each box. Four hours later two packers came from another job, and eventually the packing was finished at 11:30 at night. The movers managed to lose the hardware to a baby grand piano and a day bed, and misplaced the stand for a flat screen tv. I will have to hire a piano specialist out of pocket, because I was told otherwise, I would have to wait until an anticipated claim was acted on. In the interim the antique piano lays in pieces in the front hall. Don't hire this company!

They are very good. The representative was really fabulous. He walked us through the whole process, and was very professional and meticulous.

They underestimated our move meaning that not everything fit on the truck. We had to wait over 2 weeks to get the rest of our belongings. They said that the things that did not arrive were inconsequential items. A refrigerator (inconsequential?!?!), grill (would have been used on day 1) exercise equipment and bikes (again, would have been used) an antique, high value couch, a large antique pot that was not inventoried anywhere and a couple of truly inconsequential items. The movers said we would get the items in a couple of days, then a few more days, then a week, then 2 weeks and then finally at 7pm 15 days later they arrived. We asked for compensation for our inconvenience and they said no. They said that they underestimated our move and therefore would not give us anything. How that is our fault escapes me. If they can't satisfy a high end move, who can they satisfy? Never use these people!!

I used an Allied agent named Derek Irelan from Victory Van. Of the three companies that came to my house to provide quotes, he was the only representative that was on time, respectful, professional, thorough, and able to print out a "job will cost you no more than" quote and hand it to me on the spot. Just meeting him, I was clear he was the one I wanted to work with. They sent a team of four come in and pack all of my stuff which went great and then the team came to load it all in the truck and they were great and the truck driver gave me his cell and worked with me to get it all across country a few days faster than quoted (very impressive). All in all it was a very good experience. If I lived in DC and had to move, I would call Derek- Direct: 703-787-3605 | Cell: 703-926-2812 www.victoryvan.com

They did half the move now and will do the other half in two weeks. I was very impressed with the rep. He seemed more organized than all the other reps. I just felt I would be in better hands with that rep then any of the others I interviewed. The crew seemed good at their job. I would say I researched several companies and I am happy with the one I choose. I will use them again in the future. UPDATE: When I arrived at my new home, Allied Van Lines never showed up. They were supposed to arrive 2 days after I did. I started calling asking where they were and they kept saying they didn't have a driver yet. They showed up with my belongings the first week of August after I arrived on July 18th. After inspecting my furniture, I started to notice the damage. I have filing cabinets that are completely bashed in and no longer line up. I had a nice cherry finish on my piano that now looks like it had cigarette burns in it but I found out it was rain drops from where they never wrapped my furniture. I continue to find damage to my furniture. I have an air filter system that no longer works. They were extremely careless. I had to live somewhere other than my apartment for half a month while I waited on my belongings to arrive.