ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A moving nightmare for a woman who moved from St. Augustine to New Jersey in February. The reason why is due to a payment dispute. So, she turned to the Ask Anthony team for help.
"I've already paid almost $6,000. I've been without my items, without my belongings, since February 10," Laurie Nolan explained.
Laurie Nolan moved from her two-bedroom condo in Florida to take care of her sick parents. In January, she hired a moving company out of Orlando to bring her belongings up north. She was given a quote of $3,500. She paid a deposit of $800.
But the day before the move, she received a call.
"They called and they said they needed another $570 payment. So, I did that. Then in the afternoon, they called me and they said we think you're going to go over a little bit. So, we would like an additional $1,780 payment," Nolan said.
Nolan sent Anthony Austin copies of all the money orders she used to make payments. She said she was told to make the additional payments in cash or money order.
"I'm about to take off the receipts and he says no, you're not allowed to have them. What do you mean I'm not allowed to have them? He said no. He says if you take off those receipts, they're null and void. You have to go get more money orders. I said that's my receipt. They're mine."
Nolan said after her belongings were on the truck, the company asked for another $2,725. She paid it. Nolan's belongings didn't arrive to New Jersey until almost a month later.
She said the movers asked for an additional amount, which was almost $2,000 to unload the truck. She didn't pay it. So, they drove off with her stuff.
"They have everything. I got on a plane with my purse. I didn't even have a suitcase. So, everything is there on that truck."
The name of the company is "Today Move Movers." On the company's website, they describe themselves as family-owned and dependable Florida movers.
According to the Better Business Bureau, this moving company has an "F" rating with a 1.57 rating out of five stars. The moving company is not accredited by the BBB.
Anthony Austin called the company and a representative answered. He asked to speak with an owner or manager and was told they were all in a meeting, but someone would call him back.
As of this story being published, he has not received a response or phone call.
Red flags you need to watch out for when hiring movers:
- Never pay a large deposit. A reputable moving company won't demand cash or a large deposit before moving.
- Pay with a credit card to help protect you from fraudulent activity.
- Be careful of moving companies with multiple names. This is a big red flag. To avoid bad reviews and complaints, some moving companies will operate under different names.
- Never sign a blank moving contract and get everything in writing. Read your contract and make sure all belongings are listed.
Right now, there's currently a bill on Governor Ron DeSantis' desk, awaiting his signature, designed to tighten regulations against moving companies in Florida.