Thinking about United Van Lines?????
 

Well, find someone else quick!!! Like many others United lost many items from our move from MA to The Villages. We used them because they came recommended from the relocation team as one of the four movers they recommended.

The move seem to be going well and everything went into a storage closeby in Oxford until our home was built at the end of June. There was no way that we could tell we had boxes missing until we actually moved into our home. I checked my paperwork and had 2 page 6's and page 8's, I also don't know how the driver checked off all the boxes as some of the tags he placed on the boxes in our home in MA had fallen off in our garage due to the rain. I mentioned this to him when we met him at the storage area that I found some of the numbered stickers on my garage floor back home and he said Oh, don't worry about that. Well, guess what? He checked off that he delivered every single box, and even though I purchased the insurance it doesn't matter because I found out in the mail tonight that they are rejecting my claim.

Go online and look up United Van Line complaints before you hire them. I wish that I would have. It is discouraging because I don't know of any long distance mover that has a good reputation.

From what I read, they are self insured and tend to deny all claims. Gee, why bother buying the insurance?

They say the power is in the pen. I have only begun.

Good luck on getting compensated. Been there done that, but hopefully your mighty pen will get some attention. I do understand your frustration.

Many years ago I used United Van Lines and had the experience from h*ll also. They broke my marble dining room table and had the audacity to tell me thats the way it was when they picked it up. My Bed wall unit never showed up and they told me it was not on their check list, although it was on the carbon copy they gave to me.

We used a company called UPack.They dropped a trailer in our driveway up in Massachusetts we packed ourselves. They picked it up two days after they dropped it off.We called them 5 days later & they dropped it off in our driveway in the villages where we unloaded. It.They picked the emptied trailer up when we were done.We highly recommend this company as everything. went smoothly. Very professional!

I'm thinking that, when the time comes, we'll rent a u-haul truck and have my sons drive it down. Has anyone done that? At least, that way, we'll know what's happening.

Sounds like a good plan. We plan to do the pod thing, which alot of people on this forum have done with no complaints. Thats a good thing for me, perfect excuse for all new furniture.

We wanted to stay away from the horror stories your hear from people who have used "United Van Lines" or other long distacne moving companies. So we used PODS and it worked well for us. The good thing about pods is that you load the pod(s) in your drive way lock the door , they pick it up and deliver it at a pre selected time ...no additional charges within 30 days. When it arrives at your TV location you open the lock up and VIOLA...yo strat the unloading process. There are loading and unloading companies you can hire at reasonable rates. They are not necessarily the cheapest way to go but it surely beats losing your personal goods, or being held captive to last minute charges before a moving company will unload your goods.

We used a POD for most of our stuff. No damage at all and as stated, open the door and all is there. Pulled a small U Haul trailer with other stuff and again no problems. POD was about the same as if I had rented a truck and drove from RI with road expenses. Very Happy with POD.

United Van lines is on the verge of speaking with our lawyer. Beware, they are terrible and their drivers and packers are the worst ever. After 20 years in the Military with many overseas moves, this move across country was the worst that I have ever had. Never again United Van Lines.

Why did they reject your claim? We have some damaged furniture and I am dragging my feet in filing a claim because I am pretty sure they won't do anything.

They told me to file a claim for the missing items because I had purchased the insurance and then rejected the claim because they said they had delivered everything to the storage facility. Guess they are trying to point fingers to either the storage facility or to Village Movers but we were the only ones with the lock and key to the storage and my husband watched Village Movers load everything onto the truck and afterwards made sure the truck was empty.

United moved several homes in the same truck so we weren't the only family with their belongings being moved. In fact when the driver unloaded our belongings they gave us someone else's table and later on had to come back to get it. So errors do happen and mixups do happen only they don't want to admit to it and they don't want to pay out.

I am curious as to how much they collect for insurance premiums and what percentage they pay out in claims. I would bet their pay out is a very low percent. In fact I bet they must first reject each claim.

I want to speak with the Villages regarding why they recommend United and if there are so many complaints against them why do they still continue to recommend them. Had they not referred us to United I would not had even considered them. I feel they should no longer refer business to United.

My wife and I are planning to move to TV within a year and how we wiil move our things has been on my mind. After reading these comments United Van Lines is out. Does anyone know the names of the other moving companies the relocation team recomends?

Question when you pack a pod what keeps everything in place? we will be sending down a 4 piece sectional, bedroom set, loveseat, and one select comfort bed is there tie downs to keep in place or do you just stuff it full ?

Not sure about that, hopefully those that had used Pods in the past can answer that. I am sure they fill up so easily and are jammed packed.

Most PODS will have tie downs....but if you have a good packer...I mean eperienced, they will know how to use teh matress and box spring or couch cushions for example, as a means to prevent damage. Tie down also help to prevent a load from shifting, but the real answer to to pack it tight, use furniture pads (over the hardwoods) that you can rent from U-haul up north and return here and then tie it in. Also using moving boxes (get them at Sams, Home depot or U-Haul) as opposed to grocery/commercial boxes are much better for they are uniform in size, made for specific types of household goods (ie china, glassware, TV, clothing), and fit better whether you are using a POD or U-haul truck.

As I've said in my post before DON"T use Father and Son out of MA or Neighbors Moving. I've been waiting since July 20th for a phone call from our carrier. We filed the proper paper work for our claim with every i dotted and t crossed as well as pictures. I know they will deny it and we will never hear anything.
When we get back to MA I want to look into taking them to small claims court (it's not a small claim) but I don't want the expense of an attorney. I just want them to know I am not going down easily.