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Worst moving experience of my entire life - they asked for bribes, broke our stuff, and charged an exorbitant amounts avoid at all costs.
11 years ago
Professional, dependable, and very efficient. Abdel was the super for my most recent move - the guys under his care were professional and extremely efficient. They arrived on time, packed up my entire apartment, then transported from Midtown Manhattan to Brooklyn in record time. The process was stress free, and everything has arrived without damage. The team went above and beyond to ensure that the entire move went smoothly without any surprises. Thanks Abdel and FlatRate Moving - I definitely do not regret using your service! read more
9 years ago
I'm moving from the East Coast to the West Coast and using FlatRate. The initial walk through with Larry gave me a detailed inventory list, special insurance costs and full price for my move. Ernesto and his team were very quick and professional. They walked through the entire process before getting started and got to work right away. All my furniture was blanketed and wrapped in plastic. Many smaller boxes and crates were double packed in large wardrobe boxes with extra cushioning. Hope to receive the same great experience and no extra costs at time of delivery! read more
7 years ago
I see a lot of negative and mixed reviews here, so I figured I should chime in with my experience. We had a tough time choosing a mover because it seems like EVERY moving company in New York has terrible reviews on this site. The guys came in on time (actually a little early, but my doorman wouldn't let them up until the building officially allowed movers at 9am) and they were thorough, professional, and enthusiastic. They packed up all my stuff -- some of it wasn't even boxed and they helped me box and tape it up -- and got it into the truck within two hours. The boxes were at the new place and we had started unpacking by 1pm. It was a really great, positive experience. The dudes earned their tip, and FlatRate were definitely worth the price. It'll be an easy decision if I move again within New York. read more
7 years ago
This is the second time I have used flat rate - the first was for a cross country move and the second for a local move in LA. We had Joe and his crew (Jose and Jesus) and they were incredible! I was so pleased with how courteous and professional they were and with how careful they were with my stuff. They were on time, friendly and treated my stuff like it was theirs. I highly recommend them and would ask for Joe and his team again!! read more
10 years ago
I have done two previous local moves with FlatRate and had a great experience, so when it came time for my biggest move yet, an international move to Canada, I didn't even consider other companies. FlatRate advertises itself as extremely professional, making sure that every detail of your move is carefully planned and executed. Unfortunately, in this case, my experience fell well short of the mark. Throughout this multi-month process, I was left feeling like no one was looking out for me, and that problems would not be resolved unless I consistently kept on top of my moving team. They lost my most valuable items in their warehouse and they were delivered weeks late. They assured me multiple times that I would be compensated for the negative experience, but have just given me the run around and stopped responding to emails. In general, they gave me the impression that I could not trust them to follow up, and nothing would get done without me calling again and again. I worked with Ilan as my move coordinator in NY, and Denise handling the international paperwork. Ilan was very hard to get a hold of, and could not be counted on to fully read an email with more than one question in it, so it typically took days to resolve questions that should have required a single email exchange. He and Denise gave me conflicting answers about how insurance worked for my valuable artwork that left me thoroughly confused. Our family relocated to Canada six weeks before our things were moved, but despite communicating our border crossing date to Ilon more than once, Denise was never made aware of it and she did not reach out to ensure the necessary paperwork was completed on time. This was our mistake as well, but we were counting on our team at FlatRate to help us navigate the complex process, and they were barely paying attention. Once the paperwork errors came to our attention, Denise was helpful explaining the remediation process, but it was a ton of extra work for us (I had to drive back over the border twice to file missing paperwork). When my shipment arrived in Canada, three of our most valuable items were missing: a large painting, our only sofa, and an enormous rug. The painting in particular had been the subject of extensive discussion for its safe handling. After a great deal of anxiety and effort on my part, it was eventually determined that they had simply neglected to load the items on the moving truck in New Jersey. Denise promised to deal with this promptly, and then didn't get back to us for over a week. When we followed up, she was waiting for another Canada shipment to consolidate the items with, with no idea of when such a shipment might occur. This was ostensibly to save me having to revisit the customs clearance office, but no one ever reached out to ask me whether I was willing to wait weeks for my belongings in order to save a 30 minute office visit. I think they were just interested in sparing FlatRate the extra expense of a special shipment. This frankly incompetent mistake caused us a great deal of inconvenience, anxiety and extra expense. I would have liked to receive compensation for double tipping the delivery crew, my cab fare for a second trip to the customs office, and perhaps a small sum as an apology for my time and effort. Instead, Denise has repeatedly insisted that they would follow up "later" about compensation. Our most recent email has now been ignored for over two weeks. I can only conclude that they never had any intention of making good on their mistakes. There were some bright spots. The packing and delivery crews were professional and punctual, and the shipping manifest was detailed and accurate. Our mishap would have been hard to resolve without their detailed record keeping. Overall though, I was extremely disappointed with my FlatRate experience. read more
10 years ago
I needed to write an update as I told customer service I would. As soon as my original review went "live", customer service contacted me. They said that the original offer of $75 for inconvenience + $120 for damaged items was a "mistake". They offered to send me $800 (the original ransom I was forced to pay) plus the $120. They also asked that given this change, "could you kindly change your review". I told them, not a problem, once I received the check. They said they would expedite the check. After 10 days and no check, I contacted customer service, who said that I should receive it soon. After 12 days and no check (and an additional two days to hear back from someone) they said they would reissue the check and send it by FedEx. I didn't receive the check until 7/13/2016. My move was 6/4/2016. The check was for $920. In a nutshell, after being persistent and vocal on all social media outlets, and promising to update my review, I received my forced 40% "tip" back plus money for damages. FYI, I have received four emails from other customers looking to sue FlatRate for similar experiences. If you are moving, look into this company at your own risk. I added a star because the check cleared. read more
8 years ago
Let's try this again since my review was removed by Yelp because I wrote the same review for 2 locations even though I used 2 locations. Worst moving experience ever. I set up two moves a month apart. We'll just talk a bout the long distance move in this review. This move was done just after my local move in Miami, also a disaster. I should have cancelled the long distance move but I didn't have enough time to arrange for another mover. First thing the mover said to me was that he wanted a tip! Then I found out they charge me the wrong amount. I had to call several times over the course of a week to get it fixed. When my stuff finally arrived - the guys again asked for a tip before doing anything. In the end my stuff was broken or missing. I submitted a claim but can't get anyone to even call me back to find out where we are at with it. Not one person from this organization has followed up with me on anything unless it had to do with getting money. Not one. Worst customer service ever. Most stressful move ever. I will never use them again- and I move a lot. This place is a scam read more
9 years ago
ONE LARGE BOX STOLEN !!!! :( this was the worse move ever, I never imagined that people that I contract could come into my house and still one large box and they do nothing about it. Worse customer service. Worst everything. STAY AWAY. I will be contacting BBB. read more
Terrific! Our third move with Flat Rate went the same as the others--perfect and without a hitch. The sales and support were fine, and the moving crew was excellent. Marco and his team are really skilled and careful movers. Fantastic! read more
Job # 745598 We just moved all our belongings from Brooklyn, NY to Sydney, Australia with FlatRate. Planning: We corresponded with Adam and Denise over the phone/via email in the preparation phase and both were fantastic and very responsive. I would recommend them both. Packing/Collection: Aziz and Elarbi arrived (even early) for our job on the day, and we were absolutely overwhelmed by their attentiveness to detail, their patience, their rigorous care for our belongings and willingness to explain the whole process for our boxes to arrive in Sydney. They were consummate professionals: arranged a great park out front of our house, which is why they cleverly arrived early; kindly taped all our customs docs to our boxes; patiently waited for me to cross-check my inventory with their lists; worked incredibly speedily and efficiently; and MOST importantly, they took enormous care of both our belongings and our house whilst moving things around. They paid attention to each and every box's contents and arranged them carefully accordingly. They even text me after to show them all packaged carefully in the skid- talk about going above and beyond!! By the time they left, we felt like they were our friends and trusted them implicitly with our move, which is a huge sigh of relief amidst a stressful international relocation process. We can't highly recommend them enough! TRULY A MOVING DREAM TEAM!! read more
7 years ago
I am absolutely pleased with my moving experience with flat rate. I was crazed and rushed but Flat Rate made it all better. They packed things for me and helped me take things apart. Mohammed and his team were great and efficient. I would definitely recommend this company. I felt like the pricing was definitely fair for what my needs were. I will definitely call them again and highly recommend Mohammed. He even had my back when a nosy neighbor came snooping around. He gave her no information and continued to get the job done. Thank you flat rate!! Thank you Mohammed! read more
13 years ago
Ugh. Not a fan of their customer service. I've chosen them because I've seen quite a lot of positive Yelp reviews on them, but I think it's really a hit or a miss. I've emailed, called, then emailed again and again because they keep making mistakes. In terms of pricing, I can't really find any other movers that can provide me such a low price. If you're planning to move with me, try to pick out a good customer service representative or you have to be prepared at being annoyed with their continuous mistakes. read more
I can't say enough good things about FlatRate. I scheduled them for a move from Rockland County (suburbs about 40 miles north of the city) into Manhattan. They had to make 2 stops in Rockland at 2 different houses, and then deliver our stuff to our 4th floor walkup in the city. I worked with Stephen, who put together my move plan, and was so great and so patient with my MANY questions and changes. The movers were scheduled to arrive between 9-10am, and they showed up at 9am on the dot. Marco was my foreman and he and his team were so nice, polite and efficient. They were in and out of my house in 30 minutes, in and out of the 2nd stop in 30 minutes, and made it into the city in no time at all. They went above and beyond in handling all of our belongings with care and making the whole move go smoothly from start to finish. I was happy with the price as well - after calling around getting different quotes, they were right on par with other local moving companies. Highly, highly recommend! Request Marco and his team! read more
I would think very carefully before using them. They lied to me repeatedly about when the movers would arrive. They were scheduled to move me out between 12:30-1:00. My new building has a 4:00 move in deadline. Movers didn't show up until 2:45! Because of this, they had to store my things overnight forcing me to stay in a hotel. Terrible experience. Beware of using Flat Rate Movers! read more
8 years ago
Best in the city! Always choose this service for the move and like that price is flat, team is very friendly and efficient.
7 years ago
Pablo is the best mover ever! He protected the floor, my furniture and electronics and was quick and very nice! Everyone should ask for Pablo. He moved me on Friday dec 27th and I am so happy! read more
10 years ago
I've had good experience with them, starting from the sales person - Evgenia Gomez - to the actual movers - Gabriel, Ryan and Marshall. I cannot comment on the rate they provided, I got quotes only from two other companies and flat rate offered a discount. I wasn't sold 100% on the idea that they charge for specific items you are moving, but I moved before with a "local" cheaper company, they promised one rate and I ended up paying 150$ more because it took them longer (they were doing this on purpose of course). The movers showed up on time and were very polite apologizing for taking time to move certain heavy items. They were good at packing the furniture and were careful with boxes so nothing was broken. Thank you, guys! read more
18 years ago
I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. Flat Rate is one of those things that sounds good in theory, but doesn't work in practice. I've moved twice in the past 2 years and called Flat Rate both times for a quote. My apartment complex recommended them and I was intrigued by the idea of a flat price and no surprises. Both times I called and asked for a quote. Went through everything in my apartment. Then, both times, I got an insanely high quote. This last time (a month ago), I called 3 companies after flat rate. All 3 quotes were less than HALF what Flat Rate quoted. I then got a call from the Flat Rate salesperson asking if I was ready to sign (they were booking up fast, afterall). I explained that I got quotes from 3 companies that were just so much lower that I couldn't pass up. Then the guy went into battle mode, explaining all the different ways the companies suck. He explained that if I pay by the hour, they'll just work slow and it will cost more than Flat Rate. When I explained that they would have to take 13 hours to move my 2 bedroom apt across town to cost more, he started to tell me that they would add unexpected charges. When I told him that I had contracts that said otherwise, he told me his manager would go through the contract and explain to my feeble mind how they are deceiving me. He wouldn't let it go. He told me I'd be sorry and I'd be calling him on the day of the move to bail me out. The best part: after we hung up, I got an email out of the blue from him with a quote that was $500 dollars less!! He couldn't explain how the quote was derived, but he could knock $500 off! That was nice of him, but it still was too much. These guys could be great actual movers. I don't know. I'll just warn you to shop around for quotes and, if you want to go with Flat Rate, at least tell them you won't go with them because of the price. They'll likely knock money off (25% in my case). read more
5 years ago
Had a great experience with Brian D planning the move and Ahmed being on-site and packing/moving all of my things from UES to FiDi. Very professional, careful, and punctual. read more
5 years ago
Absolutely the worst moving company. Dropped a $1,200 dresser down 4 flights of stairs plus multiple other pieces... many completely destroyed let alone the floors in our new space. Finally paid us the full claim which was equivalent to a new ikea storage unit. Horrible. read more
7 years ago
Worst movers ever. Do not hire these criminals. They will damage your belongings and then they will not return phone calls or take responsibility. They are liars. read more
12 years ago
I used Flat Rate for my move from LA to NYC. They actually came highly recommended to me. They seemed professional when doing the evaluation prior to my move but then were unresponsive to questions. Luckily, I purchased extra insurance and the move in LA seemed to go well. Once I arrived in NYC, the NY movers said that my movers in LA packaged everything horribly. My $1000 West Elm dressers were completed damaged one each corner and one dresser even had a massive hole in the side. The installers didn't even build my bedframe and headboard correctly. I am very upset with how everything was handled and am disappointed when they came so highly recommended. Make sure you get insurance and watch them pack everything if you ever use them. read more
18 years ago
Given the recent economic climate, I had even forgotten that I had my apartment on the market to sell. Well, someone from overseas saw it on the Internet and decided to purchase my apartment, and I have to move out immediately. Long story short, Flatrate came for an estimate immediately, gave me the lowest quote on the "you pack your books-n-stuff and we pack the fragile items" package. All in all, the guys were all courteous, speedy, on time, careful, and neat. No damages were done, and they even removed the empty boxes afterwards. I moved from a large 1BR to a large 2BR, and it cost me under $1k. That's amazing to me because I have previously paid double that amount with another major mover in the city--and I think I had fewer pieces of furniture. As you can tell, I had a great experience with them, and they have my highest recommendation. Still, moving isn't fun. I hate it. But if I ever have to move again, I'd use Flatrate in a heartbeat. read more
17 years ago
I moved to Florida with Flat Rate last December, and they were punctual and efficient. Ina was my coordinator and she always returned my calls, and was always responsive to my billing queries. They moved my 2-bedroom in less than a week -- actually they were so quick that I had to have them hold off for 2 days since my apartment was not quite ready. Efficient and professional on both the NY and FL side! Would certainly use them again. read more
5 years ago
Pat and his team were absolutely amazing. They were extremely prompt (arrived 9 am on the dot), prepared and efficient when it came to packing up my apartment. When the service elevator broke, they acted quickly, moved what they could in the other elevators and were prepared to take the items down the stairs. They were also extremely nice, hard-working and careful with the items. They provided excellent service and I can't recommend them enough. read more
11 years ago
I moved in the end of July just across the park. Movers took a chunk of wood out of my dresser. I bought extra insurance with Flatrate for $150. When I filed a claim, it took 2 months for them to 'process' and they claimed that the damages are 'normal wear and tear' (?!) The worst part is when I called and complained, they were rude, didn't listen and spoke to me as if I were a 5-year old. This to me is fraudulent business practice. I have pictures of the damage and I cannot believe they treat customers so poorly when there are so many moving companies out there to choose from. I would NEVER recommend anyone to Flatrate again. In fact, if anyone asks me about movers, I will tell them to RUN AWAY from Flatrate. Very, very very disappointing. read more
11 years ago
I think it depends on what crew you get. My crew was early, concientous, and fast. - In one of my boxes, they heard bottles rattling and opened the box up and repacked it with paper so nothing broke on the truck ride. - They did a perfect job disassembling and re-assembling furniture. - I had a lot of stuff and nothing was broken. - As the crew leader told me, I didn't need to do anything but sit back and watch the show. I realize they may be a little more costly than others but I wouldn't hesitate to use them again or recommend them. read more
9 years ago
OVER $9,000 DOLLARS OF DAMAGE. Flatrate does not want to pay for the damage they caused. Chipped my Italian kitchen island along the edge. They broke other objects too. Pics included. The kitchen was not being moved and the claims department has gone silent. Sadly, the salesperson and movers were told repeatedly to stay away from the kitchen. read more
5 years ago
Never write reviews but FlatRate compelled me to. Move out was okay, movers showed up over 3 hours late with Dispatch being evasive or not answering the phone while I was waiting. Sales team was responsive and helpful, working with me to get a good storage deal. Move in was an absolute mess and why you should consider very carefully if you want to use this company. I showed up to my new apartment and the first thing the movers told me was that they don't have the right mattress. The foreman knew his stuff and could tell immediately storage had lost my mattress. They had the audacity to show up with a beat up Queen when I had a full. The rest of the day was spent figuring out where my mattress was with dispatch trying to find similar mattresses. It became clear they never packed my mattress into the same storage unit and had also lost my bed slats. I understand mistakes happen and having worked in moving when I was younger, I knew the difficulties of the job. However, the customer service teams callousness and disregard for my experience was honestly incredible considering the inevitable lost product cases. After confirming they had lost the mattress, I requested reimbursement for the 9+ months of storage for the mattress and move in costs for it. All they could manage is a "request denied". I didn't even bother mentioning the damage to multiple other objects including my drawers, they were so unhelpful it would have been a waste of time. Long story short, if you're moving in the city I recommend other companies. It's not worth the headache and inevitable financial damage. read more
8 years ago
We used FlatRate Movers for a trade show. They charged us twice the same amount and refused to refund their mistake. I had to dispute the charge with my credit card company and they still fought it. I have received partial credit now but still trying to get the balance. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!! read more
8 years ago
Not a fan. We hired Flatrate for a move from NYC to Montreal, and half of our furniture arrived with only 3 legs. This was after being told our items would arrive in "about 2 weeks"...which actually took about twice that long! The movers we interacted with themselves were not bad but overall if the goal is to move your things without breaking them, I suggest finding someone else! read more
12 years ago
Used them for the second time, after having moved probably 6-7 times in the last 8 years in Manhattan They are the best: no surprises in pricing, amazing customer service from the moment you contact them, to the one the ask for how did it go Movers are careful, fast, precise respectful Also I discovered that if you create an account with them they will keep track of all your stuff, so you can use it next time avoiding listing your inventory all the time Gave them more than 30% tip and will use and recommend them for sure! read more
6 years ago
Do not use FlatRate. This is going to be long but please read so you don't make the same mistake and hire this awful moving company like we did. My husband and I have done several moves and not once did we have anything occur close to what we experienced with FlatRate. This moving company is unethical and damaged a huge amount of our furniture in our move from Connecticut to Florida this past January. We were considered VIP Premier customers. We were having them pack up our 5 bedroom home and move most of our belongings to Florida. When the furniture arrived in Florida the foreman who was in charge of unpacking the furniture prior to bringing the items into the house was unwrapping pieces in our courtyard. He was their employee and even he couldn't believe what a bad job they did. Before bringing in the damaged furniture and showing it to me, he was taking pictures and forwarding it to FlatRates claim department. When he did show me, he told me that I should take pictures and forward them as well to FlatRate. He and the other movers told me they could not believe how poorly everything we had, had been packed. They told me that if my furniture and other possessions had been packed properly all the damages that happened could have been avoided. Additionally, the unpacking job could not be completed due to the damage. Furniture could not be put in their proper places. The company refused to send people back to finish the job when the furniture was repaired. They never even finished the job for which they were paid. The foreman told me that FlatRate would be in touch with me the next morning. Flatrate did not get in touch with me -- I was the one that reached out to them. Damages that I could see in just the first hour of unpacking -- my great grandmother's dining room set -- two chairs had been damaged -- 1 leg had completely been broken off -- like a turkey drumstick with jagged pieces of wood where it had been broken off from the joint, my grandmother's chinese chest -- all 4 legs and bottom wood work had been completely broken off, a large glass and wood armoire/hutch had a leg jaggedly broken off so it could not stand and had to be placed on its side, and our ping pong table broken so the movers could not reassemble it. Not to mention they broke a metal wok and a panini maker just to name some more items. One of the pictures I sent had a hemplewhite antique chair that had belonged to my grandmother -- one was placed on top of the other upside down not wrapped in a blanket in a box with a box of tennis balls from Costco and other miscellaneous junk from our basement. This was all taking place within the first few hours of unloading the truck. I sent 26 sets of pictures (over 250 pictures) to FlatRate when I returned to Connecticut a week after the movers delivered my damaged furniture, art, china and cookware to Florida. This was just the damages that I had been able to see in the items and furniture that had been unpacked. There was still extensive damages which I later documented to FlatRate that had not been unpacked yet. Boxes were mislabeled with huge damages -- chipped glass vase (wedding gift) and candlestick holders. As it was, I was not allowed to speak to their COO but when my husband called they were amenable to setting up a conversation. My husband told David Giampietro the same things that I had written but wasn't able to get anywhere. David said and I am paraphrasing this, "Your furniture is some of the most beautiful we have seen but it was not in good condition." I felt like that was victimizing the victim -- our furniture was in beautiful pristine condition and had been in perfect condition prior to the move. This angered me so greatly and later I found out from another moving company that when there is any pre-existing damage to any piece of furniture, artwork, cookware, glassware or china-- the moving company/packers are supposed to call the owner over and document it -- this did not happen once in our move and the reason it did not happen was because all of our belongings were in perfect condition. I thought that was especially slimy. Other than that, he was actually quite charming and assured us that they would make things right. David agreed to fix the broken furniture and to give us fair market value to the things that were broken during that call along with other promises I now believe he had no intention of keeping. Our move took place at the end of January. We followed every procedure they requested in their "process". There was an incredible amount of stalling and delay that went on. Almost six months in to this horrible treatment, we asked when the next round of furniture would be fixed and when we would be given a check for the fair valuation of items that could not be fixed, we were told that at this time FlatRate was closing their file on us. After David scheduled calls to talk to us, he blew us off and closed the file without completing what was owed us. read more
15 years ago
My movers were awesome. They got everything here without anything missing. And, they were super friendly. They even help me set up my things in my new place! Also, Robert was very helpful on the phone. Great movers, I would highly recommend them! read more
7 years ago
Very fast & no damages. Moved my heavy furniture up several flights of stairs. Edwin was an amazing mover! read more
7 years ago
Hideous experience. The intake was full extreme over-promising and misrepresentation by Audrey. The contract changed numerous times, and agreed upon terms would disappear. Scheduling delivery was a nightmare with more poor communication that left me living without furniture for weeks. Crew did not unpack as agreed on in contract. During the move numerous items were broken. Process after has been marked by poor communication on behalf of Ilan at the NY office. Have been offered a paltry sum after months of un-answered emails and calls. Have considered suing due to their extreme negligence. DO NOT USE. read more
6 years ago
FlatRate moving destroyed the common space of my apartment building, and broke the back of a brand new $4500 couch I purchased a month before the move. They tried to get me to sign a waiver at the end of the move, which I obviously refused. They then persisted to ignore all of my calls and emails for three straight weeks. I was hung up on more than twenty times by various employees. Finally they agreed to have their insurance vendor assess the damage, but provided them with all of the wrong contact information, delaying the process another month. When the insurance vendor did assess the damage, they agreed to cover it. However, they still delayed (ignoring me and the vendor for another month). Finally, three months after the move, after they realized I would not just stop asking for them to fix my damages, they finally declined to help (despite their insurance agreeing to do it). This company is not only fraudulent in the way they conduct business, their employees are verbally abusive and rude - hanging up on me, laughing at me, calling me names etc. I effectively paid them $3000 to cause $5000 of damages. While damages can happen in a move, they are criminally irresponsible in how they handle their mistakes. read more
13 years ago
I first called FlatRate on 7/20/13 to schedule a small move from a studio on the Upper East side to a studio on the Upper West side. I was informed that there was a $1200 minimum moving charge for the days surrounding the beginning/end of the month (Isn't this when EVERYONE has to move?). That cost would have been outrageous for the small amount of furniture and belongings I own. I tried a couple of other places but wasn't getting answers so I decided to call Flatrate again and see if there were any other options. This time when I called, I got a different rep who said nothing about a $1200 minimum and was able to schedule me an appointment for Aug 1 from 1-3pm. He took inventory over the phone (bed, bookshelf, dresser, sofa bed, TV, wall pictures). Everything else would be boxed up, including all of my clothes, bathroom items, and kitchen supplies. The sales rep asked how many boxes I would have and I said I really wasn't sure. He suggested 12-15 and I said I couldn't be sure but that sounded like a good estimate. He assured me that it really isn't the number of boxes that drive the cost anyway. He quoted me a price of $585, which seemed like a steal compared to the $1200 minimum I was told just a half hour earlier. (I am not sure why the first woman I spoke to could not offer the same price.) Then move day came and everything was going fine until the 3 movers were just about done. One mover approached me and asked me if I like to work for free. "Excuse me?" I asked. Mover: "How many cubic feet of things do you think remain here in the apartment?" I looked around at my bed linens and a couple of small bags and said "I have no idea, I don't move for a living." Mover: "Neither do I. In Russia I am a lawyer. But I do this here on the side, and you have about 50% more cubic feet of items than you should. I know you don't like to work for free. Neither do we. We work on commission." me: "I'm not sure what you are asking me here. Obviously I am going to tip the three of you." Mover: "You could call up Flatrate and get an estimate of how much it would cost to move these "extra" items. It's not cheap. Your move is quoted at $585, but you have 50% more cubic feet. So we can either leave this stuff here or you can make me an offer to move them. While I go down to the truck, you can think about what your offer is." WHAT!? Are you freaking kidding me! Is this guy seriously finagling me and trying to get me to pay him up to 50% of the cost of my move? I had planned on giving them a 20% tip, but at this point, I was even re-considering that. There was no way I was going to give him another $300 cash for some bed linens and a couple of bags. So the movers went down the truck and sat around having a cigarette break while I was supposed to be upstairs mulling over my offer to them. I was LIVID. I decided I did not want to feed into this scheme. I told the guy I would handle the rest of it myself. I booked a zipcar on the spot and easily fit "50% more" into the back of an economy car. I took the items over to the new place, signed the paperwork with Flatrate, and went to return the car while they finished. When the movers were done, he called me to ask me if I was coming back to the west side to work out the tip. Is this guy out of his mind!? I asked "are you seriously asking me to give you a tip after I had to rent a car to move the rest of my belongings by myself!?" He replied that it was loud outside and he couldn't hear me. LOL. So I repeated myself. He then tried to justify his call by listing things he did for me that were not included. He said he "assembled" my bed, meaning he put the frame down, and laid the mattress and box spring on top of them. He also said he "arranged" furniture because he put my couch against the wall. We're talking about a small studio apartment here. There was no other place to put these things. And I did not ask him to do any of these things. I ended up giving them a tip, but suffice to say my experience with the movers was not a good one. The sales reps were great, but there is a disconnect between the sales team and the movers. FlatRate needs to take a serious look at whether their movers are working for them, or working a side business constructed around cigarette breaks and finagling customers. read more
8 years ago
Short version: My move was AWESOME. The only downside was that traffic made the truck very delayed in getting to me and they didn't do a great job of keeping me informed about this delay, but the movers made up for the lost time by being incredibly efficient, thorough, patient, and attentive, so I can't even knock a single star off! If/when I move again, I would use FlatRate in a heartbeat. Long version: I was moving from Brooklyn to Philadelphia and of course my move date wound up being one of the hottest days of the summer and Brooklyn was essentially one giant traffic jam that morning! I was initially very ticked off that the truck was really late getting to me and I was not kept informed, but this was due to traffic and not something that could have been helped and as soon as they got to me, they did not complain about the traffic headaches or the heat, and David and his team were complete professionals. I barely blinked before they had all of my stuff packed up! They really mean FlatRate - there was no counting of boxes or measuring to pull any typical gimmicks (ie "This box is 28lbs and you said 25 - that will be an additional $100!" Or any such nonsense that is so common - these guys were respectful and professional!). They did not break a single thing - they treated everything I owned as though it were made of glass. They kept me updated on their ETA once they were on the road and then got everything inside in record time. I cannot say enough about their attention to detail - every box went to the right room without my saying a word. I had my bed on risers in the old apartment, which I completely forgot about until I realized David had put them back on the frame as soon as they got the bed inside. He even asked if I wanted to put a bedskirt or anything down before he put the mattress down. They did not leave so much as a piece of tape behind when they left. One last point - as a single woman moving alone, I cannot help but worry about being disrespected (charged extra, talked down to, ogled, etc) but that did not happen with FlatRate at all! I was so impressed with their professionalism and courtesy. I keep swearing I am never moving again, but if I have to, I would use FlatRate again in a second! read more
7 years ago
It's sad that I have to leave a 2 star review because the guys that actually did the move were great as was the salesperson who quoted me. I can sing praises about the move team from NYC. Then Miami team was very late, didn't call, but hey, I got all my stuff. My complaint is with the claims department. My dress came broken and I filed a claim and I have yet to see it be filled. They stated the amount they would be paying me (full replacement of the dresser! I was so happy & happy with them) with the accompanying letter and I still haven't received anything. My stuff was delivered on February 1st, I filed March 4th as I was out of town for almost all of February, it is now April 5th and I continue to keep getting the run around as to where my check is. I hate to be a niusence but I follow up weekly and nothing. The exact response is "We haven't received checks from the accounting department as of yet." How is it possible that a check hasn't been received in over a month. From a moving standpoint they are great and if you don't receive anything broken great, but if you do, be prepared to wait. It's sad that I have to have my clothes either in boxes or on piles on the floor. As other reviews have stated if I don't hear from them within the next week, I will file a complaint with the BBB. UPDATE: the team reached out immediately after my poor review and have Fed-Ex'd my check. Adding one additional star for the prompt reach out. read more
More info about FlatRate Moving
New York, NY 10010
Kips Bay
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https://www.flatrate.com
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Does FlatRate Moving take credit cards?
Yes, FlatRate Moving takes credit cards.
Outdoor Amenities
Does FlatRate Moving have parking?
Yes, FlatRate Moving has parking options. Private Lot Parking, Street Parking
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Review Highlights - FlatRate Moving
“They were both extremely experienced as evidenced by their efficient and careful packing of our things.”
Mentioned in 30 reviews
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
2,044 reviews that are not currently recommended
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8 years ago
Update 2: The company made everything right yesterday and finished the move, so I am updating to 2 stars. I will update once I receive payment, should be about 2 weeks. Thank you for correcting this situation! Update: If you have a bad experience with this company, leave a bad Yelp review--it is the only way they will contact you. I received a call from customer service directly after posting, and they were very nice and helpful. They are giving me a partial refund and sending over another truck to finish the move this evening. I agreed to update my Yelp review, and I have removed names. Original review: FlatRate Moving is a SCAM--they did not complete my move, lied, and will not return my calls! This whole move has been a disaster, and the movers lied to my face. The company will not return my calls, nor will the lead mover. I spent $1360 to move one bedroom from Queens to the Bronx, and an additional $300 in tips, and for that amount of payment they won't even dignify me with a call for incomplete service. I'm sure if the move goes well, it's great--but if it doesn't, THEY WILL NOT RETURN YOUR CALLS. First I called on Friday during business hours to update my inventory, as I decided to leave some of the furniture behind, and I had mistakenly told them that it was 4 flights when it was really 2; so I wanted to update this information, but I could not get a hold of anyone. Saturday morning, May 26th, for some reason my card was not going through, so they asked me to go to the bank and get a cashier's check. My lead mover's manager told him he was not permitted to move until I returned. I apologized for the inconvenience and pointed out the things that needed to be moved, which was very clear and all was listed on the inventory. At this point I was happy with the service and not concerned. Then the lead mover called me while I was at the bank and said that he trusted me and would meet me at the new apartment. Had he waited as he was legally instructed by his manager none of this would have happened. My roommate called me when they were getting ready to leave and said that they hadn't packed everything. The lead mover told me that it was just the futon which they were unable to move, and I figured that I didn't care about it. No big deal. So I met them at the new apartment, they were very careful with my things and efficient, so I tipped them each $100. I noticed that some boxes were missing, but they said they had everything and were not able to return. It turns out they WERE able to return, because he said, "We made a big mistake and forgot your bed frame, so we need to go back for it." Great. I'm still happy at this point. I reminded them of a large box (that was with the other boxes) in the living room, a mirror, and 5 boxes in the closet. They said they would make sure they got them. They came back with the one large box and told me that they had already packed the boxes from the closet. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I returned to my apartment the next day to finish cleaning and found an entire van's worth of boxes that they had not moved, plus a very small nightstand that they had moved out of the bedroom but not to the truck, and a small bookshelf that I had clearly asked them to move and was clearly in the inventory. I called the lead mover and the company and left multiple messages (again during business hours), but nobody returned my calls. Finally I started texting the lead mover and threatening to make formal complaints, at which point he was motivated to call me back and told me he would return the following evening (yesterday, Monday) at 6:00 with his own van to complete the move. Great. I can understand a mistake and was grateful he was willing to correct it. He said he'd call on the way over. So I show up early and wait until 7:30, called and texted multiple times, but he was a no show--he didn't even call to cancel. At this point I have an entire van's worth of furniture and boxes that were not moved, the company will not return my calls, I don't have a car, and I am out $1660 for moving from a one-bedroom to a one-bedroom, both within NYC. Fortunately I have a friend with a van, and I am going to pay him $100 plus dinner to help me finish moving tomorrow evening after work. In summary the company did not complete the job, lied, was then a no-show, and will not return my calls. I can understand if they were to call me back and apologize and give me a partial reimbursement (or better, finish the job), but for the amount I paid and no phone call? Totally unprofessional. BIG SCAM, save your money and go elsewhere. At this point I do not expect anything from them because they are liars who do not follow through on their word. Stay away! I lost a lot of money! This was not an innocent mistake, because my roommates SHOWED them the remaining boxes and they refused to pack them. read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone and needed to have my furniture removed for the duration, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install and the movers; (even allotting a few days of "wiggle room" just in case) as I was having people over for both Passover and Easter. The first group of movers picked up my items to bring them to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrived and were almost finished when I was advised that there was "a problem." The mover asked me to accompany him to my lobby where I found my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted that this was his fault, and that this actually occurred days prior as they were loading my furniture from their warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? The mover indicated he was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware that their men damaged my furniture and yet, fir some inexplicable reason felt no obligation to advise me of same. I called their customer service dept immediately and incorrectly assumed they would be as concerned as I was. Their response "oh, sorry - can you please just take some pics, fill out the form and send it back to us." I filled out the form, included photos, a receipt which clearly shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight of the piece which I think is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I just can't for the life of me remember when was the last time I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece of furniture I purchased from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece of furniture that was bought as an investment and was over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which valued my property at $10,000. I then receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" which indicated that I needed to contact their vendor, All Furniture Services, so they can assess the damage. All Furniture arrives three days later, the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if All Furniture were miracle workers and could "fix it" the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people and tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays - so another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before. I then receive an email to advise that my claim is "now closed" and they would like to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy compensation" So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They also advise that I can have it repaired by All Furniture Services for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will repair or replace any damaged furniture, in actuality you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I am now sitting with the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly "dumped" it) although it belongs in my living room. My apt looks as if I just moved in instead of having just been redone. And while the damage was due to Flat Rate's negligence, they have now washed their hands of the matter and feel that an offer of a $250.00 check will cover my inconvenience ( It cost more than $250. to have the piece professional cleaned). Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through and again, all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. My next call was again to their customer service, to ask for a name/ email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - we cannot provide that information. As someone who works in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S., we have no issue providing contact info for anyone on our Executive Management Team. Why - because any company with integrity actually wants to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or a complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics, integrity and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate h read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone and needed to have my furniture removed for the duration, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install and the movers; (even allotting a few days of "wiggle room" just in case) as I was having people over for both Passover and Easter. The first group of movers picked up my items to bring them to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrived and were almost finished when I was advised that there was "a problem." The mover asked me to accompany him to my lobby where I found my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted that this was his fault, and that this actually occurred days prior as they were loading my furniture from their warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? The mover indicated he was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware that their men damaged my furniture and yet, fir some inexplicable reason felt no obligation to advise me of same. I called their customer service dept immediately and incorrectly assumed they would be as concerned as I was. Their response "oh, sorry - can you please just take some pics, fill out the form and send it back to us." I filled out the form, included photos, a receipt which clearly shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight of the piece which I think is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I just can't for the life of me remember when was the last time I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece of furniture I purchased from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece of furniture that was bought as an investment and was over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which valued my property at $10,000. I then receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" which indicated that I needed to contact their vendor, All Furniture Services, so they can assess the damage. All Furniture arrives three days later, the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if All Furniture were miracle workers and could "fix it" the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people and tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays - so another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before. I then receive an email to advise that my claim is "now closed" and they would like to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy compensation" So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They also advise that I can have it repaired by All Furniture Services for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will repair or replace any damaged furniture, in actuality you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I am now sitting with the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly "dumped" it) although it belongs in my living room. My apt looks as if I just moved in instead of having just been redone. And while the damage was due to Flat Rate's negligence, they have now washed their hands of the matter and feel that an offer of a $250.00 check will cover my inconvenience ( It cost more than $250. to have the piece professional cleaned). Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through and again, all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. My next call was again to their customer service, to ask for a name/ email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - we cannot provide that information. As someone who works in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S., we have no issue providing contact info for anyone on our Executive Management Team. Why - because any company with integrity actually wants to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or a complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics, integrity and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate h read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone and needed to have my furniture removed for the duration, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install and the movers; (even allotting a few days of "wiggle room" just in case) as I was having people over for both Passover and Easter. The first group of movers picked up my items to bring them to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrived and were almost finished when I was advised that there was "a problem." The mover asked me to accompany him to my lobby where I found my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted that this was his fault, and that this actually occurred days prior as they were loading my furniture from their warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? The mover indicated he was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware that their men damaged my furniture and yet, fir some inexplicable reason felt no obligation to advise me of same. I called their customer service dept immediately and incorrectly assumed they would be as concerned as I was. Their response "oh, sorry - can you please just take some pics, fill out the form and send it back to us." I filled out the form, included photos, a receipt which clearly shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight of the piece which I think is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I just can't for the life of me remember when was the last time I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece of furniture I purchased from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece of furniture that was bought as an investment and was over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which valued my property at $10,000. I then receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" which indicated that I needed to contact their vendor, All Furniture Services, so they can assess the damage. All Furniture arrives three days later, the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if All Furniture were miracle workers and could "fix it" the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people and tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays - so another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before. I then receive an email to advise that my claim is "now closed" and they would like to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy compensation" So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They also advise that I can have it repaired by All Furniture Services for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will repair or replace any damaged furniture, in actuality you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I am now sitting with the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly "dumped" it) although it belongs in my living room. My apt looks as if I just moved in instead of having just been redone. And while the damage was due to Flat Rate's negligence, they have now washed their hands of the matter and feel that an offer of a $250.00 check will cover my inconvenience ( It cost more than $250. to have the piece professional cleaned). Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through and again, all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. My next call was again to their customer service, to ask for a name/ email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - we cannot provide that information. As someone who works in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S., we have no issue providing contact info for anyone on our Executive Management Team. Why - because any company with integrity actually wants to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or a complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics, integrity and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate h read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone and needed to have my furniture removed for the duration, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install and the movers; (even allotting a few days of "wiggle room" just in case) as I was having people over for both Passover and Easter. The first group of movers picked up my items to bring them to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrived and were almost finished when I was advised that there was "a problem." The mover asked me to accompany him to my lobby where I found my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted that this was his fault, and that this actually occurred days prior as they were loading my furniture from their warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? The mover indicated he was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware that their men damaged my furniture and yet, fir some inexplicable reason felt no obligation to advise me of same. I called their customer service dept immediately and incorrectly assumed they would be as concerned as I was. Their response "oh, sorry - can you please just take some pics, fill out the form and send it back to us." I filled out the form, included photos, a receipt which clearly shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight of the piece which I think is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I just can't for the life of me remember when was the last time I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece of furniture I purchased from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece of furniture that was bought as an investment and was over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which valued my property at $10,000. I then receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" which indicated that I needed to contact their vendor, All Furniture Services, so they can assess the damage. All Furniture arrives three days later, the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if All Furniture were miracle workers and could "fix it" the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people and tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays - so another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before. I then receive an email to advise that my claim is "now closed" and they would like to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy compensation" So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They also advise that I can have it repaired by All Furniture Services for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will repair or replace any damaged furniture, in actuality you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I am now sitting with the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly "dumped" it) although it belongs in my living room. My apt looks as if I just moved in instead of having just been redone. And while the damage was due to Flat Rate's negligence, they have now washed their hands of the matter and feel that an offer of a $250.00 check will cover my inconvenience ( It cost more than $250. to have the piece professional cleaned). Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through and again, all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. My next call was again to their customer service, to ask for a name/ email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - we cannot provide that information. As someone who works in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S., we have no issue providing contact info for anyone on our Executive Management Team. Why - because any company with integrity actually wants to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or a complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics, integrity and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate h read more
16 years ago
EDIT (March 6): I spoke to Vicky, head of customer service at Flatrate Movers, this week. She saw my yelp review and called me to get more details. I was impressed by the proactive response and her interest in my experience. She assured me that what I described below is not the normal experience, and they have spoken with the movers to remediate the situation. I'm happy now to recommend Flatrate to others, b/c clearly customer satisfaction is their priority. (March 2) We wanted an up-front amount to budget for moving costs, so flatrate seemed ideal. Plus, we investigated 3 other companies and all the quotes seemed to be in the same ballpark. Flatrate got the edge for excellent sales service in assuring us *everything* was included such disassembly & reassembly, extra packing and padding for all the furniture and breakables, and taxes + tolls + expenses. Plus, I thought they might be motivated to work efficiently since there was no hourly rate. I was quoted $950 for *everything* and was told that 4 guys would show up, and it would take around 4-5 hours. We had a 1-br apt on the 2nd floor, and we moved to a 3rd floor walk-up apt. Basic inventory includes bed, 2 dressers, large 8ft ikea wardrobe, couch, 2 desks, 4 chairs, dining table, 2 elfa storage units, 4 bookshelves, 3 large clay planters and @ 30 boxes of stuff. Couple of things to note here: - we told the sales rep that we were moving to a 3rd floor walk-up - we initially forgot to include the 3 clay planters in our inventory list, and we emailed the sales rep 4 days prior to the move to be sure and include these So on the day of the move, we were ready with all the boxes packed and labeled. Our arrival window was 1-3pm and the moving truck arrived at 3pm with 3 movers, apologizing for the delay b/c of problems with the previous move. The foreman was clearly ready to get going since they work on commission and not an hourly rate, as he explained to us several times that day. However, one guy had to sit in the truck the whole time so we only had 2 guys to pack up our apt. The planters were the first thing the foreman complained about - "it's not my responsibility... if anything happens to them, it's not my responsibility b/c that's not on my inventory sheet. That is going to cost you extra." We discussed this for a few minutes, and decided that since we did email the sales rep about the planters, we would be ok for insurance purposes. They moved the planters but didn't add anything to the cost. The movers got everything into the truck in about 2 hours, except for the large ikea wardrobe. That was the next complaint from the foreman... "it's not my responsibility." According to the foreman, he felt like the wardrobe was too risky to move and it would likely break and it wasn't his responsibility, as he kept repeating. We did remind him that it was included in the quote - the disassembly and reassembly in fact - but he was adamant it wasn't his responsibility. Since he was so sure it would not survive the trip, we decided to leave the wardrobe to the next tenant. In hindsight, I guess he wanted to leave it b/c it would take too long to handle and he was in a hurry to finish for the day. So we left the wardrobe - the largest piece of furniture, and likely a chunk of the price quoted. When we arrived at the new apt building, the foreman balked at the walk-up. Apparently, he was not told that the stairs were double flights instead of a straight flight of stairs. We didn't know we had to explain the stairs to the sales rep when we got the quote, but we told him it was a 3rd floor walk-up and it was written on the foreman's papers as a 3rd floor walk-up. The foreman kept balking - "this will cost you extra, someone will have to pay us for this, it takes extra time." So he called flatrate headquarters and talked to them for a while, and then handed the phone to us. We explained that we said 3rd floor walk-up but we didn't know we had to give details about the flights. A few minutes after that call, another rep from flatrate called us again. After much discussion, we were told that sales would have to call us later in the week to discuss how this might impact our final price. We were very upset to hear this since we had left the largest piece of furniture back in the old apartment, with no complaint about getting a refund, and we had been accurate in describing everything in our move. Sales never asked for details like how many stairs are in each flight, etc. That said, the movers worked very hard to get everything upstairs in 2 hours. They finished the day around 8.30pm, so it was about 4 hrs of work and 1.5 hr of transit time. We tipped them 17% on the original cost even though the large wardrobe was left behind. The foreman then took a box of cookies on the counter without even asking me if he could have any - cheeky! read more
8 years ago
We used FlatRate Moving to move our things from a home in Colorado and our home in NYC to our new place in Philadelphia. To put it simply, everything about this move was completely unprofessional and mismanaged. We could not be more disappointed in the lack of service and the aggravation caused at every turn and it ended with our furniture (worth $7k) being delivered broken and a refund of $450 for move that cost just shy of $10k. We submitted a claim and an appeal to the verdict with all information documented with pictures and explanations in powerpoint. Bottom line, a move is stressful enough so you need to work with experienced professionals you can trust. I highly recommend avoiding FlatRate. Here is an outline of our experience: 1) COLORADO PICK UP: After flying from NYC to Colorado explicitly for the confirmed October 27 pickup, the van didn't show in the first few hours of the window. We called FlatRate and were told A) there was no pickup scheduled for that day despite the fact that we had confirmation emails not only from a FlatRate employee but also their automated system and B) the pickup would have to be scheduled later in the week on a day we were no longer in Colorado. After spending time talking with 2 different people at FlatRate, a supervisor told us that the automated system had sent us a pickup confirmation in error and that was a common mistake. He said, "We don't know why it does that, but it does. I'm sorry." This still didn't make any sense to us because despite any malfunction of an automated system, we had written confirmation from our sales rep we had been working with. Additionally, FlatRate had already charged our credit card the day before which only happens when the pickup is confirmed. After making it clear that we were unable to come back on any other day and supervise the items being packed, the supervisor made arrangements for a truck to execute pick up that day. Our whole day was spent re-organizing the move for the planned date and then waiting for the truck to show up. A fundamental error such as the pick up day and window being incorrect (after a human and automated confirmation) is absolutely unacceptable, especially when you live out of state and are taking the time to fly in specifically for the move. 2) PHILADELPHIA DELIVERY: On the receiving end in Philadelphia, the Colorado shipment also proved problematic. We emailed our sales rep and Dejon Reid (VP of Sales!) multiple times to coordinate the delivery date and received confirmation for Nov 19-20. I reached out to both gentlemen on Nov 8 and again on Nov 13 to advise them that the Philadelphia Police Department was only able to give us a parking permit for the delivery truck on Nov 19 so that is the date we needed to lock in. We never heard back from either. On Nov 14 we received an email from an employee saying that our shipment was enroute and there were no delays. On Nov 16 we received an email from the Long Distance Department confirming the shipment was still enroute and the current estimated delivery window was Nov 17-20. With no further information and no response from our sales rep or the VP of Sale about locking in Nov 19, we were forced to call FlatRate on Nov 18. The representative said, "I don't have Nov 19 confirmed and will inform you once we have a date available" implying we had no prior communication with FlatRate about the delivery date whatsoever. We were frustrated beyond belief: how was there no record of the Nov 19-20 window that the VP and the sales rep confirmed and now we were being told there was actually no date on the books at all? We explained the entire situation to the representative who had to escalate our situation only to come back and confirm Nov 19 an hour and half later. I understand that it is difficult for FlatRate to confirm exact dates and times but it should be noted that on Oct 31 the sales rep confirmed a delivery date of Nov 17th via email; so, if he could do it once, why could it not be confirmed again two days LATER than the original planned date and if it couldn't be confirmed why wasn't that communicated to us? Also, we were extremely disappointed that we were emailing with a VP at their company who never responded to our emails after Nov 8 and let our move fall through the cracks to again be dealt with by us, the end customers. 3) CLAIM PROCESS: The claim process was just as bad as the rest of this experience. Filing the claim and then waiting 2 months for FlatRate to tell us they would give us $450 for the $7k worth of items that were damaged was insulting. We then filed an appeal. We were continually told they were still looking into it every time we followed up. Months later still no answer. This is customer service at its worse. If you do decide to use FlatRate, please make sure to get the highest insurance possible. read more
12 years ago
Rating between 2 - 3 stars was debatable. Flat Rate was referred to me by one of my graduate school classmates that had success moving from NYC to MIA. Unfortunately, my experience was not as smooth. I believe generally they are 4/5-star, but my experience was the outlier which I feel no other person, especially someone not covered by corporate expense should endure. On a positive note, the email or phone responsive of the Flat Rate office team is great as is the speed in which items are packed/unpacked, loaded/unloaded by the on-site movers. Also, the paperwork is well laid out. However, the negative is a lack of organization to pack/unpack boxed contents; as well as my move was scheduled against my preferred timing, leading to both inconvenience and inefficiency of delivery plus some of my furniture arrived with damages and all furniture had dust. Also at the end of the first 3-month storage period, I was notified my monthly storage fee would double. I had to refute such gouging and eventually I agreed to a more a nominal increase, but an increase all the same which I found unscrupulous as nothing in original contract said rates could change. It was agreed to in writing and verbally that I would be alerted 48 hours before delivery. Instead not only was it only 24 hour notice, Flat Rate Long Distance decided to proceed with the move on a date when I had tight availability and that my building management could only assign 2 hours use of elevator even though we both requested the day after which was free availability. The movers were there a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Given the poor scheduling, I had to take a conference call so I was preoccupied for the first 2 1/2 hours of the move. For what remained, it was difficult to direct the movers due to the missed time and so many items being in my apartment that were brought up to adhere to the 2 hour elevator limit. Also, due to the poor packing of my boxes, and being that I have so many items, it was difficult to properly place items for two reasons, first, the boxes were not detailed in labeling. For instance, books in boxes were labeled to the correct room, but there was no labeling of which shelf, and left to right, based on how it was setup before packing it up. Therefore, without me overseeing, the books were unpacked and haphazardly placed on shelf, mostly back to front. This created aimless work for the movers and extra work for me in completely reorganizing. Second, all furniture had dirt which led me to question were my items not stored wrapped; the dust was caked on. I received no heads up beforehand that this may be the condition they arrive in to prep so unpacking was futile as all furniture had to be thoroughly wiped and sanitized. Given the dust, why would Flat Rate not recommend that I cancel unpacking given their expertise of what condition lengthy stored items might arrive in? Also, many boxes had a mix of items just thrown in without regard for the protection or delicacy of the items, i.e. shoes with lingerie, kitchen items with linens, light fixtures with hair products. I have a lot of things and this move wasn't easy on both ends, however, my contract wasn't just for transporting items, but also fees for packing and unpacking. Including $500 cash tip for the movers on both ends, I absolutely feel jilted. To add insult to injury, a handful of furniture items were delivered scratched with gashes in the wood that were not there prior and two pieces off hinge. Additionally, right after my pickup, I reached out to my booker that the movers left two picture hangings on wall that I specifically asked to be packed; to this date I've received no response, apology or compensation. My Dirt Devil vacuum and Black & Decker drill are missing; as well as the moving blanket I borrowed from a friend seems to have been accidentally taken during unpack. The only thing that got me through the delivery was how great the foreman was. I really wish the packing had been done better so that they could have unpacked better and helped me more because they had such great attitudes. Unfortunately, I had to release them as it was futile due to hapless packing and dirt on the furniture. Plus what they were unpacking actually was creating work. Moving is a strain enough as it is, even more so as a single woman, and without a company covering long distance and the long storage expenses. I am hoping that Flat Rate does the right thing with reparations for the claim and photo documentation I submit. Should you select Flat Rate, please be proactive to ensure you do endure the damages and occurrences I had. Photos are posted to show above. read more
11 years ago
Rating between 2 - 3 stars was debatable. Flat Rate was referred to me by one of my graduate school classmates that had success moving from NYC to MIA. Unfortunately, my experience was not as smooth. I believe generally they are 4/5-star, but my experience was the outlier which I feel no other person, especially someone not covered by corporate expense should endure. On a positive note, the email or phone responsive of the Flat Rate office team is great as is the speed in which items are packed/unpacked, loaded/unloaded by the on-site movers. Also, the paperwork is well laid out. However, the negative is a lack of organization to pack/unpack boxed contents; as well as my move was scheduled against my preferred timing, leading to both inconvenience and inefficiency of delivery plus some of my furniture arrived with damages and all furniture had dust. Also at the end of the first 3-month storage period, I was notified my monthly storage fee would double. I had to refute such gouging and eventually I agreed to a more a nominal increase, but an increase all the same which I found unscrupulous as nothing in original contract said rates could change. It was agreed to in writing and verbally that I would be alerted 48 hours before delivery. Instead not only was it only 24 hour notice, Flat Rate Long Distance decided to proceed with the move on a date when I had tight availability and that my building management could only assign 2 hours use of elevator even though we both requested the day after which was free availability. The movers were there a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Given the poor scheduling, I had to take a conference call so I was preoccupied for the first 2 1/2 hours of the move. For what remained, it was difficult to direct the movers due to the missed time and so many items being in my apartment that were brought up to adhere to the 2 hour elevator limit. Also, due to the poor packing of my boxes, and being that I have so many items, it was difficult to properly place items for two reasons, first, the boxes were not detailed in labeling. For instance, books in boxes were labeled to the correct room, but there was no labeling of which shelf, and left to right, based on how it was setup before packing it up. Therefore, without me overseeing, the books were unpacked and haphazardly placed on shelf, mostly back to front. This created aimless work for the movers and extra work for me in completely reorganizing. Second, all furniture had dirt which led me to question were my items not stored wrapped; the dust was caked on. I received no heads up beforehand that this may be the condition they arrive in to prep so unpacking was futile as all furniture had to be thoroughly wiped and sanitized. Given the dust, why would Flat Rate not recommend that I cancel unpacking given their expertise of what condition lengthy stored items might arrive in? Also, many boxes had a mix of items just thrown in without regard for the protection or delicacy of the items, i.e. shoes with lingerie, kitchen items with linens, light fixtures with hair products. I have a lot of things and this move wasn't easy on both ends, however, my contract wasn't just for transporting items, but also fees for packing and unpacking. Including $500 cash tip for the movers on both ends, I absolutely feel jilted. To add insult to injury, a handful of furniture items were delivered scratched with gashes in the wood that were not there prior and two pieces off hinge. Additionally, right after my pickup, I reached out to my booker that the movers left two picture hangings on wall that I specifically asked to be packed; to this date I've received no response, apology or compensation. My Dirt Devil vacuum and Black & Decker drill are missing; as well as the moving blanket I borrowed from a friend seems to have been accidentally taken during unpack. The only thing that got me through the delivery was how great the foreman was. I really wish the packing had been done better so that they could have unpacked better and helped me more because they had such great attitudes. Unfortunately, I had to release them as it was futile due to hapless packing and dirt on the furniture. Plus what they were unpacking actually was creating work. Moving is a strain enough as it is, even more so as a single woman, and without a company covering long distance and the long storage expenses. I am hoping that Flat Rate does the right thing with reparations for the claim and photo documentation I submit. Should you select Flat Rate, please be proactive to ensure you do endure the damages and occurrences I had. Photos are posted to show above. read more
12 years ago
Rating between 2 - 3 stars was debatable. Flat Rate was referred to me by one of my graduate school classmates that had success moving from NYC to MIA. Unfortunately, my experience was not as smooth. I believe generally they are 4/5-star, but my experience was the outlier which I feel no other person, especially someone not covered by corporate expense should endure. On a positive note, the email or phone responsive of the Flat Rate office team is great as is the speed in which items are packed/unpacked, loaded/unloaded by the on-site movers. Also, the paperwork is well laid out. However, the negative is a lack of organization to pack/unpack boxed contents; as well as my move was scheduled against my preferred timing, leading to both inconvenience and inefficiency of delivery plus some of my furniture arrived with damages and all furniture had dust. Also at the end of the first 3-month storage period, I was notified my monthly storage fee would double. I had to refute such gouging and eventually I agreed to a more a nominal increase, but an increase all the same which I found unscrupulous as nothing in original contract said rates could change. It was agreed to in writing and verbally that I would be alerted 48 hours before delivery. Instead not only was it only 24 hour notice, Flat Rate Long Distance decided to proceed with the move on a date when I had tight availability and that my building management could only assign 2 hours use of elevator even though we both requested the day after which was free availability. The movers were there a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Given the poor scheduling, I had to take a conference call so I was preoccupied for the first 2 1/2 hours of the move. For what remained, it was difficult to direct the movers due to the missed time and so many items being in my apartment that were brought up to adhere to the 2 hour elevator limit. Also, due to the poor packing of my boxes, and being that I have so many items, it was difficult to properly place items for two reasons, first, the boxes were not detailed in labeling. For instance, books in boxes were labeled to the correct room, but there was no labeling of which shelf, and left to right, based on how it was setup before packing it up. Therefore, without me overseeing, the books were unpacked and haphazardly placed on shelf, mostly back to front. This created aimless work for the movers and extra work for me in completely reorganizing. Second, all furniture had dirt which led me to question were my items not stored wrapped; the dust was caked on. I received no heads up beforehand that this may be the condition they arrive in to prep so unpacking was futile as all furniture had to be thoroughly wiped and sanitized. Given the dust, why would Flat Rate not recommend that I cancel unpacking given their expertise of what condition lengthy stored items might arrive in? Also, many boxes had a mix of items just thrown in without regard for the protection or delicacy of the items, i.e. shoes with lingerie, kitchen items with linens, light fixtures with hair products. I have a lot of things and this move wasn't easy on both ends, however, my contract wasn't just for transporting items, but also fees for packing and unpacking. Including $500 cash tip for the movers on both ends, I absolutely feel jilted. To add insult to injury, a handful of furniture items were delivered scratched with gashes in the wood that were not there prior and two pieces off hinge. Additionally, right after my pickup, I reached out to my booker that the movers left two picture hangings on wall that I specifically asked to be packed; to this date I've received no response, apology or compensation. My Dirt Devil vacuum and Black & Decker drill are missing; as well as the moving blanket I borrowed from a friend seems to have been accidentally taken during unpack. The only thing that got me through the delivery was how great the foreman was. I really wish the packing had been done better so that they could have unpacked better and helped me more because they had such great attitudes. Unfortunately, I had to release them as it was futile due to hapless packing and dirt on the furniture. Plus what they were unpacking actually was creating work. Moving is a strain enough as it is, even more so as a single woman, and without a company covering long distance and the long storage expenses. I am hoping that Flat Rate does the right thing with reparations for the claim and photo documentation I submit. Should you select Flat Rate, please be proactive to ensure you do endure the damages and occurrences I had. Photos are posted to show above. read more
11 years ago
Rating between 2 - 3 stars was debatable. Flat Rate was referred to me by one of my graduate school classmates that had success moving from NYC to MIA. Unfortunately, my experience was not as smooth. I believe generally they are 4/5-star, but my experience was the outlier which I feel no other person, especially someone not covered by corporate expense should endure. On a positive note, the email or phone responsive of the Flat Rate office team is great as is the speed in which items are packed/unpacked, loaded/unloaded by the on-site movers. Also, the paperwork is well laid out. However, the negative is a lack of organization to pack/unpack boxed contents; as well as my move was scheduled against my preferred timing, leading to both inconvenience and inefficiency of delivery plus some of my furniture arrived with damages and all furniture had dust. Also at the end of the first 3-month storage period, I was notified my monthly storage fee would double. I had to refute such gouging and eventually I agreed to a more a nominal increase, but an increase all the same which I found unscrupulous as nothing in original contract said rates could change. It was agreed to in writing and verbally that I would be alerted 48 hours before delivery. Instead not only was it only 24 hour notice, Flat Rate Long Distance decided to proceed with the move on a date when I had tight availability and that my building management could only assign 2 hours use of elevator even though we both requested the day after which was free availability. The movers were there a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Given the poor scheduling, I had to take a conference call so I was preoccupied for the first 2 1/2 hours of the move. For what remained, it was difficult to direct the movers due to the missed time and so many items being in my apartment that were brought up to adhere to the 2 hour elevator limit. Also, due to the poor packing of my boxes, and being that I have so many items, it was difficult to properly place items for two reasons, first, the boxes were not detailed in labeling. For instance, books in boxes were labeled to the correct room, but there was no labeling of which shelf, and left to right, based on how it was setup before packing it up. Therefore, without me overseeing, the books were unpacked and haphazardly placed on shelf, mostly back to front. This created aimless work for the movers and extra work for me in completely reorganizing. Second, all furniture had dirt which led me to question were my items not stored wrapped; the dust was caked on. I received no heads up beforehand that this may be the condition they arrive in to prep so unpacking was futile as all furniture had to be thoroughly wiped and sanitized. Given the dust, why would Flat Rate not recommend that I cancel unpacking given their expertise of what condition lengthy stored items might arrive in? Also, many boxes had a mix of items just thrown in without regard for the protection or delicacy of the items, i.e. shoes with lingerie, kitchen items with linens, light fixtures with hair products. I have a lot of things and this move wasn't easy on both ends, however, my contract wasn't just for transporting items, but also fees for packing and unpacking. Including $500 cash tip for the movers on both ends, I absolutely feel jilted. To add insult to injury, a handful of furniture items were delivered scratched with gashes in the wood that were not there prior and two pieces off hinge. Additionally, right after my pickup, I reached out to my booker that the movers left two picture hangings on wall that I specifically asked to be packed; to this date I've received no response, apology or compensation. My Dirt Devil vacuum and Black & Decker drill are missing; as well as the moving blanket I borrowed from a friend seems to have been accidentally taken during unpack. The only thing that got me through the delivery was how great the foreman was. I really wish the packing had been done better so that they could have unpacked better and helped me more because they had such great attitudes. Unfortunately, I had to release them as it was futile due to hapless packing and dirt on the furniture. Plus what they were unpacking actually was creating work. Moving is a strain enough as it is, even more so as a single woman, and without a company covering long distance and the long storage expenses. I am hoping that Flat Rate does the right thing with reparations for the claim and photo documentation I submit. Should you select Flat Rate, please be proactive to ensure you do endure the damages and occurrences I had. Photos are posted to show above. read more
11 years ago
Rating between 2 - 3 stars was debatable. Flat Rate was referred to me by one of my graduate school classmates that had success moving from NYC to MIA. Unfortunately, my experience was not as smooth. I believe generally they are 4/5-star, but my experience was the outlier which I feel no other person, especially someone not covered by corporate expense should endure. On a positive note, the email or phone responsive of the Flat Rate office team is great as is the speed in which items are packed/unpacked, loaded/unloaded by the on-site movers. Also, the paperwork is well laid out. However, the negative is a lack of organization to pack/unpack boxed contents; as well as my move was scheduled against my preferred timing, leading to both inconvenience and inefficiency of delivery plus some of my furniture arrived with damages and all furniture had dust. Also at the end of the first 3-month storage period, I was notified my monthly storage fee would double. I had to refute such gouging and eventually I agreed to a more a nominal increase, but an increase all the same which I found unscrupulous as nothing in original contract said rates could change. It was agreed to in writing and verbally that I would be alerted 48 hours before delivery. Instead not only was it only 24 hour notice, Flat Rate Long Distance decided to proceed with the move on a date when I had tight availability and that my building management could only assign 2 hours use of elevator even though we both requested the day after which was free availability. The movers were there a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Given the poor scheduling, I had to take a conference call so I was preoccupied for the first 2 1/2 hours of the move. For what remained, it was difficult to direct the movers due to the missed time and so many items being in my apartment that were brought up to adhere to the 2 hour elevator limit. Also, due to the poor packing of my boxes, and being that I have so many items, it was difficult to properly place items for two reasons, first, the boxes were not detailed in labeling. For instance, books in boxes were labeled to the correct room, but there was no labeling of which shelf, and left to right, based on how it was setup before packing it up. Therefore, without me overseeing, the books were unpacked and haphazardly placed on shelf, mostly back to front. This created aimless work for the movers and extra work for me in completely reorganizing. Second, all furniture had dirt which led me to question were my items not stored wrapped; the dust was caked on. I received no heads up beforehand that this may be the condition they arrive in to prep so unpacking was futile as all furniture had to be thoroughly wiped and sanitized. Given the dust, why would Flat Rate not recommend that I cancel unpacking given their expertise of what condition lengthy stored items might arrive in? Also, many boxes had a mix of items just thrown in without regard for the protection or delicacy of the items, i.e. shoes with lingerie, kitchen items with linens, light fixtures with hair products. I have a lot of things and this move wasn't easy on both ends, however, my contract wasn't just for transporting items, but also fees for packing and unpacking. Including $500 cash tip for the movers on both ends, I absolutely feel jilted. To add insult to injury, a handful of furniture items were delivered scratched with gashes in the wood that were not there prior and two pieces off hinge. Additionally, right after my pickup, I reached out to my booker that the movers left two picture hangings on wall that I specifically asked to be packed; to this date I've received no response, apology or compensation. My Dirt Devil vacuum and Black & Decker drill are missing; as well as the moving blanket I borrowed from a friend seems to have been accidentally taken during unpack. The only thing that got me through the delivery was how great the foreman was. I really wish the packing had been done better so that they could have unpacked better and helped me more because they had such great attitudes. Unfortunately, I had to release them as it was futile due to hapless packing and dirt on the furniture. Plus what they were unpacking actually was creating work. Moving is a strain enough as it is, even more so as a single woman, and without a company covering long distance and the long storage expenses. I am hoping that Flat Rate does the right thing with reparations for the claim and photo documentation I submit. Should you select Flat Rate, please be proactive to ensure you do endure the damages and occurrences I had. Photos are posted to show above. read more
11 years ago
Rating between 2 - 3 stars was debatable. Flat Rate was referred to me by one of my graduate school classmates that had success moving from NYC to MIA. Unfortunately, my experience was not as smooth. I believe generally they are 4/5-star, but my experience was the outlier which I feel no other person, especially someone not covered by corporate expense should endure. On a positive note, the email or phone responsive of the Flat Rate office team is great as is the speed in which items are packed/unpacked, loaded/unloaded by the on-site movers. Also, the paperwork is well laid out. However, the negative is a lack of organization to pack/unpack boxed contents; as well as my move was scheduled against my preferred timing, leading to both inconvenience and inefficiency of delivery plus some of my furniture arrived with damages and all furniture had dust. Also at the end of the first 3-month storage period, I was notified my monthly storage fee would double. I had to refute such gouging and eventually I agreed to a more a nominal increase, but an increase all the same which I found unscrupulous as nothing in original contract said rates could change. It was agreed to in writing and verbally that I would be alerted 48 hours before delivery. Instead not only was it only 24 hour notice, Flat Rate Long Distance decided to proceed with the move on a date when I had tight availability and that my building management could only assign 2 hours use of elevator even though we both requested the day after which was free availability. The movers were there a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Given the poor scheduling, I had to take a conference call so I was preoccupied for the first 2 1/2 hours of the move. For what remained, it was difficult to direct the movers due to the missed time and so many items being in my apartment that were brought up to adhere to the 2 hour elevator limit. Also, due to the poor packing of my boxes, and being that I have so many items, it was difficult to properly place items for two reasons, first, the boxes were not detailed in labeling. For instance, books in boxes were labeled to the correct room, but there was no labeling of which shelf, and left to right, based on how it was setup before packing it up. Therefore, without me overseeing, the books were unpacked and haphazardly placed on shelf, mostly back to front. This created aimless work for the movers and extra work for me in completely reorganizing. Second, all furniture had dirt which led me to question were my items not stored wrapped; the dust was caked on. I received no heads up beforehand that this may be the condition they arrive in to prep so unpacking was futile as all furniture had to be thoroughly wiped and sanitized. Given the dust, why would Flat Rate not recommend that I cancel unpacking given their expertise of what condition lengthy stored items might arrive in? Also, many boxes had a mix of items just thrown in without regard for the protection or delicacy of the items, i.e. shoes with lingerie, kitchen items with linens, light fixtures with hair products. I have a lot of things and this move wasn't easy on both ends, however, my contract wasn't just for transporting items, but also fees for packing and unpacking. Including $500 cash tip for the movers on both ends, I absolutely feel jilted. To add insult to injury, a handful of furniture items were delivered scratched with gashes in the wood that were not there prior and two pieces off hinge. Additionally, right after my pickup, I reached out to my booker that the movers left two picture hangings on wall that I specifically asked to be packed; to this date I've received no response, apology or compensation. My Dirt Devil vacuum and Black & Decker drill are missing; as well as the moving blanket I borrowed from a friend seems to have been accidentally taken during unpack. The only thing that got me through the delivery was how great the foreman was. I really wish the packing had been done better so that they could have unpacked better and helped me more because they had such great attitudes. Unfortunately, I had to release them as it was futile due to hapless packing and dirt on the furniture. Plus what they were unpacking actually was creating work. Moving is a strain enough as it is, even more so as a single woman, and without a company covering long distance and the long storage expenses. I am hoping that Flat Rate does the right thing with reparations for the claim and photo documentation I submit. Should you select Flat Rate, please be proactive to ensure you do endure the damages and occurrences I had. Photos are posted to show above. read more
11 years ago
Rating between 2 - 3 stars was debatable. Flat Rate was referred to me by one of my graduate school classmates that had success moving from NYC to MIA. Unfortunately, my experience was not as smooth. I believe generally they are 4/5-star, but my experience was the outlier which I feel no other person, especially someone not covered by corporate expense should endure. On a positive note, the email or phone responsive of the Flat Rate office team is great as is the speed in which items are packed/unpacked, loaded/unloaded by the on-site movers. Also, the paperwork is well laid out. However, the negative is a lack of organization to pack/unpack boxed contents; as well as my move was scheduled against my preferred timing, leading to both inconvenience and inefficiency of delivery plus some of my furniture arrived with damages and all furniture had dust. Also at the end of the first 3-month storage period, I was notified my monthly storage fee would double. I had to refute such gouging and eventually I agreed to a more a nominal increase, but an increase all the same which I found unscrupulous as nothing in original contract said rates could change. It was agreed to in writing and verbally that I would be alerted 48 hours before delivery. Instead not only was it only 24 hour notice, Flat Rate Long Distance decided to proceed with the move on a date when I had tight availability and that my building management could only assign 2 hours use of elevator even though we both requested the day after which was free availability. The movers were there a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Given the poor scheduling, I had to take a conference call so I was preoccupied for the first 2 1/2 hours of the move. For what remained, it was difficult to direct the movers due to the missed time and so many items being in my apartment that were brought up to adhere to the 2 hour elevator limit. Also, due to the poor packing of my boxes, and being that I have so many items, it was difficult to properly place items for two reasons, first, the boxes were not detailed in labeling. For instance, books in boxes were labeled to the correct room, but there was no labeling of which shelf, and left to right, based on how it was setup before packing it up. Therefore, without me overseeing, the books were unpacked and haphazardly placed on shelf, mostly back to front. This created aimless work for the movers and extra work for me in completely reorganizing. Second, all furniture had dirt which led me to question were my items not stored wrapped; the dust was caked on. I received no heads up beforehand that this may be the condition they arrive in to prep so unpacking was futile as all furniture had to be thoroughly wiped and sanitized. Given the dust, why would Flat Rate not recommend that I cancel unpacking given their expertise of what condition lengthy stored items might arrive in? Also, many boxes had a mix of items just thrown in without regard for the protection or delicacy of the items, i.e. shoes with lingerie, kitchen items with linens, light fixtures with hair products. I have a lot of things and this move wasn't easy on both ends, however, my contract wasn't just for transporting items, but also fees for packing and unpacking. Including $500 cash tip for the movers on both ends, I absolutely feel jilted. To add insult to injury, a handful of furniture items were delivered scratched with gashes in the wood that were not there prior and two pieces off hinge. Additionally, right after my pickup, I reached out to my booker that the movers left two picture hangings on wall that I specifically asked to be packed; to this date I've received no response, apology or compensation. My Dirt Devil vacuum and Black & Decker drill are missing; as well as the moving blanket I borrowed from a friend seems to have been accidentally taken during unpack. The only thing that got me through the delivery was how great the foreman was. I really wish the packing had been done better so that they could have unpacked better and helped me more because they had such great attitudes. Unfortunately, I had to release them as it was futile due to hapless packing and dirt on the furniture. Plus what they were unpacking actually was creating work. Moving is a strain enough as it is, even more so as a single woman, and without a company covering long distance and the long storage expenses. I am hoping that Flat Rate does the right thing with reparations for the claim and photo documentation I submit. Should you select Flat Rate, please be proactive to ensure you do endure the damages and occurrences I had. Photos are posted to show above. read more
12 years ago
Rating between 2 - 3 stars was debatable. Flat Rate was referred to me by one of my graduate school classmates that had success moving from NYC to MIA. Unfortunately, my experience was not as smooth. I believe generally they are 4/5-star, but my experience was the outlier which I feel no other person, especially someone not covered by corporate expense should endure. On a positive note, the email or phone responsive of the Flat Rate office team is great as is the speed in which items are packed/unpacked, loaded/unloaded by the on-site movers. Also, the paperwork is well laid out. However, the negative is a lack of organization to pack/unpack boxed contents; as well as my move was scheduled against my preferred timing, leading to both inconvenience and inefficiency of delivery plus some of my furniture arrived with damages and all furniture had dust. Also at the end of the first 3-month storage period, I was notified my monthly storage fee would double. I had to refute such gouging and eventually I agreed to a more a nominal increase, but an increase all the same which I found unscrupulous as nothing in original contract said rates could change. It was agreed to in writing and verbally that I would be alerted 48 hours before delivery. Instead not only was it only 24 hour notice, Flat Rate Long Distance decided to proceed with the move on a date when I had tight availability and that my building management could only assign 2 hours use of elevator even though we both requested the day after which was free availability. The movers were there a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Given the poor scheduling, I had to take a conference call so I was preoccupied for the first 2 1/2 hours of the move. For what remained, it was difficult to direct the movers due to the missed time and so many items being in my apartment that were brought up to adhere to the 2 hour elevator limit. Also, due to the poor packing of my boxes, and being that I have so many items, it was difficult to properly place items for two reasons, first, the boxes were not detailed in labeling. For instance, books in boxes were labeled to the correct room, but there was no labeling of which shelf, and left to right, based on how it was setup before packing it up. Therefore, without me overseeing, the books were unpacked and haphazardly placed on shelf, mostly back to front. This created aimless work for the movers and extra work for me in completely reorganizing. Second, all furniture had dirt which led me to question were my items not stored wrapped; the dust was caked on. I received no heads up beforehand that this may be the condition they arrive in to prep so unpacking was futile as all furniture had to be thoroughly wiped and sanitized. Given the dust, why would Flat Rate not recommend that I cancel unpacking given their expertise of what condition lengthy stored items might arrive in? Also, many boxes had a mix of items just thrown in without regard for the protection or delicacy of the items, i.e. shoes with lingerie, kitchen items with linens, light fixtures with hair products. I have a lot of things and this move wasn't easy on both ends, however, my contract wasn't just for transporting items, but also fees for packing and unpacking. Including $500 cash tip for the movers on both ends, I absolutely feel jilted. To add insult to injury, a handful of furniture items were delivered scratched with gashes in the wood that were not there prior and two pieces off hinge. Additionally, right after my pickup, I reached out to my booker that the movers left two picture hangings on wall that I specifically asked to be packed; to this date I've received no response, apology or compensation. My Dirt Devil vacuum and Black & Decker drill are missing; as well as the moving blanket I borrowed from a friend seems to have been accidentally taken during unpack. The only thing that got me through the delivery was how great the foreman was. I really wish the packing had been done better so that they could have unpacked better and helped me more because they had such great attitudes. Unfortunately, I had to release them as it was futile due to hapless packing and dirt on the furniture. Plus what they were unpacking actually was creating work. Moving is a strain enough as it is, even more so as a single woman, and without a company covering long distance and the long storage expenses. I am hoping that Flat Rate does the right thing with reparations for the claim and photo documentation I submit. Should you select Flat Rate, please be proactive to ensure you do endure the damages and occurrences I had. Photos are posted to show above. read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable- nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone so needed to have my furniture removed, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install, and the movers (even allotting a few days"wiggle room") as I was having people over for Passover and Easter. The first group of movers pick up my furniture to bring to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrive and were almost finished, when I was advised that there was "a problem." I accompany him to my lobby where I find my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted this was his fault and that it occurred days before when loading my furniture from the warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? He was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware they damaged my furniture and yet, for some inexplicable reason, felt no obligation to let me know beforehand? I called customer service immediately and assumed they would be as concerned as I was. I assumed incorrectly - their response was "oh, sorry -fill out the form and send it back to us". I filled out the form, included photos, and a receipt which shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight - which is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I can't for the life of me remember when I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an gross understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece that was bought as an investment, and over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which was to cove me for $10,000. I receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" (no actual name of a person to follow-up with). They tell me to contact "their vendor" All Furniture Services so they can come and assess the damage. AFS arrives three days later - the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if AFS were miracle workers and could "fix it", the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people to tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays as I now have a large piece of furniture sitting in my kitchen, and my kitchen furniture in my living room, so clearly I cannot have people over- another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before! I then receive an email to advise that my claim is now "closed". They have graciously decided to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy". So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They said I can have it repaired by AFS for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will "repair or replace any damaged furniture", in actuality, you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I still have the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly dumped it) and my apartment looks as though I just moved-in, instead of just being redone. Flat Rate is not disputing that the caused the damage - so the big question is why would any reputable company not take responsibility and offer to replace the piece? They are under the misconception that an offer of $250. will cover my inconvenience Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through - all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. I called Customer Service to ask for the name/email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - "we cannot provide that information" I work in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S. We gladly provide contact info for anyone in our company. Why? - because any company with integrity actually WANTS to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate has none. read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable- nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone so needed to have my furniture removed, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install, and the movers (even allotting a few days"wiggle room") as I was having people over for Passover and Easter. The first group of movers pick up my furniture to bring to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrive and were almost finished, when I was advised that there was "a problem." I accompany him to my lobby where I find my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted this was his fault and that it occurred days before when loading my furniture from the warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? He was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware they damaged my furniture and yet, for some inexplicable reason, felt no obligation to let me know beforehand? I called customer service immediately and assumed they would be as concerned as I was. I assumed incorrectly - their response was "oh, sorry -fill out the form and send it back to us". I filled out the form, included photos, and a receipt which shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight - which is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I can't for the life of me remember when I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an gross understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece that was bought as an investment, and over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which was to cove me for $10,000. I receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" (no actual name of a person to follow-up with). They tell me to contact "their vendor" All Furniture Services so they can come and assess the damage. AFS arrives three days later - the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if AFS were miracle workers and could "fix it", the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people to tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays as I now have a large piece of furniture sitting in my kitchen, and my kitchen furniture in my living room, so clearly I cannot have people over- another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before! I then receive an email to advise that my claim is now "closed". They have graciously decided to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy". So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They said I can have it repaired by AFS for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will "repair or replace any damaged furniture", in actuality, you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I still have the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly dumped it) and my apartment looks as though I just moved-in, instead of just being redone. Flat Rate is not disputing that the caused the damage - so the big question is why would any reputable company not take responsibility and offer to replace the piece? They are under the misconception that an offer of $250. will cover my inconvenience Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through - all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. I called Customer Service to ask for the name/email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - "we cannot provide that information" I work in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S. We gladly provide contact info for anyone in our company. Why? - because any company with integrity actually WANTS to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate has none. read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable- nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone so needed to have my furniture removed, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install, and the movers (even allotting a few days"wiggle room") as I was having people over for Passover and Easter. The first group of movers pick up my furniture to bring to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrive and were almost finished, when I was advised that there was "a problem." I accompany him to my lobby where I find my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted this was his fault and that it occurred days before when loading my furniture from the warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? He was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware they damaged my furniture and yet, for some inexplicable reason, felt no obligation to let me know beforehand? I called customer service immediately and assumed they would be as concerned as I was. I assumed incorrectly - their response was "oh, sorry -fill out the form and send it back to us". I filled out the form, included photos, and a receipt which shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight - which is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I can't for the life of me remember when I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an gross understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece that was bought as an investment, and over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which was to cove me for $10,000. I receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" (no actual name of a person to follow-up with). They tell me to contact "their vendor" All Furniture Services so they can come and assess the damage. AFS arrives three days later - the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if AFS were miracle workers and could "fix it", the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people to tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays as I now have a large piece of furniture sitting in my kitchen, and my kitchen furniture in my living room, so clearly I cannot have people over- another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before! I then receive an email to advise that my claim is now "closed". They have graciously decided to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy". So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They said I can have it repaired by AFS for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will "repair or replace any damaged furniture", in actuality, you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I still have the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly dumped it) and my apartment looks as though I just moved-in, instead of just being redone. Flat Rate is not disputing that the caused the damage - so the big question is why would any reputable company not take responsibility and offer to replace the piece? They are under the misconception that an offer of $250. will cover my inconvenience Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through - all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. I called Customer Service to ask for the name/email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - "we cannot provide that information" I work in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S. We gladly provide contact info for anyone in our company. Why? - because any company with integrity actually WANTS to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate has none. read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable- nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone so needed to have my furniture removed, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install, and the movers (even allotting a few days"wiggle room") as I was having people over for Passover and Easter. The first group of movers pick up my furniture to bring to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrive and were almost finished, when I was advised that there was "a problem." I accompany him to my lobby where I find my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted this was his fault and that it occurred days before when loading my furniture from the warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? He was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware they damaged my furniture and yet, for some inexplicable reason, felt no obligation to let me know beforehand? I called customer service immediately and assumed they would be as concerned as I was. I assumed incorrectly - their response was "oh, sorry -fill out the form and send it back to us". I filled out the form, included photos, and a receipt which shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight - which is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I can't for the life of me remember when I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an gross understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece that was bought as an investment, and over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which was to cove me for $10,000. I receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" (no actual name of a person to follow-up with). They tell me to contact "their vendor" All Furniture Services so they can come and assess the damage. AFS arrives three days later - the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if AFS were miracle workers and could "fix it", the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people to tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays as I now have a large piece of furniture sitting in my kitchen, and my kitchen furniture in my living room, so clearly I cannot have people over- another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before! I then receive an email to advise that my claim is now "closed". They have graciously decided to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy". So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They said I can have it repaired by AFS for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will "repair or replace any damaged furniture", in actuality, you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I still have the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly dumped it) and my apartment looks as though I just moved-in, instead of just being redone. Flat Rate is not disputing that the caused the damage - so the big question is why would any reputable company not take responsibility and offer to replace the piece? They are under the misconception that an offer of $250. will cover my inconvenience Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through - all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. I called Customer Service to ask for the name/email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - "we cannot provide that information" I work in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S. We gladly provide contact info for anyone in our company. Why? - because any company with integrity actually WANTS to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate has none. read more
11 years ago
This is my 57th review and I pride myself on being fair and even handed. While I have not always been delighted with the services I have received, I have never called a company deplorable- nor would I do so lightly. I was having my apt painted and floors redone so needed to have my furniture removed, hence my call to Flat Rate. I carefully planned the timing of the painters, flooring install, and the movers (even allotting a few days"wiggle room") as I was having people over for Passover and Easter. The first group of movers pick up my furniture to bring to Flat Rates' warehouse in NJ. A little over a week later, they were to be returned. The second group of movers arrive and were almost finished, when I was advised that there was "a problem." I accompany him to my lobby where I find my very expensive side buffet, upside down with the back leg and adjoining area smashed to pieces. He admitted this was his fault and that it occurred days before when loading my furniture from the warehouse into the truck. I asked why someone from Flat Rate didn't call me prior to delivery? He was instructed to deliver it broken, and to advise me to file a clam. This was the first red flag- Flat Rate was aware they damaged my furniture and yet, for some inexplicable reason, felt no obligation to let me know beforehand? I called customer service immediately and assumed they would be as concerned as I was. I assumed incorrectly - their response was "oh, sorry -fill out the form and send it back to us". I filled out the form, included photos, and a receipt which shows the cost of the piece.They also ask for the weight - which is absurd. Not sure about all of you, but I can't for the life of me remember when I weighed a piece of my furniture. Clearly another red flag. Saying I was devastated about the damage that Flat Rate caused would be an gross understatement. Just to clarify, if this were a piece from Crate & Barrel, sure I would be upset, but we are talking about a piece that was bought as an investment, and over $6,900. Since I was aware of the value, I opted for their insurance which was to cove me for $10,000. I receive an ambiguous email from their Customer Service Dept - I say ambiguous as it was signed "customer service" (no actual name of a person to follow-up with). They tell me to contact "their vendor" All Furniture Services so they can come and assess the damage. AFS arrives three days later - the guy tells me how great he is, and that he can "fix it" Fix it? Even if AFS were miracle workers and could "fix it", the piece would no longer have the same value. To add insult to injury, I needed to call 20 people to tell them to find alternative arrangements for the holidays as I now have a large piece of furniture sitting in my kitchen, and my kitchen furniture in my living room, so clearly I cannot have people over- another big thank you to Flat Rate from my friends & family whose holiday plans were cancelled the day before! I then receive an email to advise that my claim is now "closed". They have graciously decided to offer me $250.00 as a "courtesy". So Flat Rate just damaged a $6,900 piece of furniture, and their idea of settling my claim is to offer me $250.00? They said I can have it repaired by AFS for $450.00. As per Flat Rate, I have a $500.00 deductible so while they state that they will "repair or replace any damaged furniture", in actuality, you are the one who pays for the repair. I am far from obtuse so what am I missing here? I still have the broken piece of furniture in my kitchen (where their men promptly dumped it) and my apartment looks as though I just moved-in, instead of just being redone. Flat Rate is not disputing that the caused the damage - so the big question is why would any reputable company not take responsibility and offer to replace the piece? They are under the misconception that an offer of $250. will cover my inconvenience Inconvenience doesn't even begin to describe what I have been through - all due to Flat Rates' negligence. They have decided to wash their hands of the matter, I on the other hand have not. I called Customer Service to ask for the name/email address for someone on their management team. Nope sorry - "we cannot provide that information" I work in management for one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.S. We gladly provide contact info for anyone in our company. Why? - because any company with integrity actually WANTS to hear from their customers -whether for a compliment or complaint. That is what good companies do. That is what ethics and good business practices are all about. Clearly Flat Rate has none. read more







































