An Outstanding Example of How NOT to run a moving company
I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to MTS Moving for providing such a memorable moving experience. Unfortunately, it was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
To begin, they managed to arrive an hour and a half after the end of their scheduled arrival window. This was after they had already changed my moving date, resulting in me having to miss an entire day of work. Apparently, a scheduled window of 1–5 p.m. is more of a loose suggestion than an actual commitment. In fact, they were still packing my belongings after 9 p.m. I suppose punctuality and consideration for a customer's time are optional extras that aren't included in their service.
The real entertainment, however, began when I discovered the condition of my belongings after the move.
Among the items damaged or lost were:
Two damaged dressers, including my child's dresser, which had a leg broken off and could no longer stand properly without falling over.
Wine glasses broken inside a box clearly labelled FRAGILE, which had apparently been placed underneath a pile of other boxes.
A ripped snowboard bag.
A brand-new RV mattress that was damaged.
A bicycle with its chain wedged between the gears and frame, along with a bent gear selector.
A missing ladder, which I was informed had actually been found approximately three weeks ago. Despite that reassurance, I have yet to see the ladder or receive any meaningful update about its return.
After submitting a damage claim totalling well over $1,000, MTS Moving's generous resolution was an offer of $85.
Eighty-five dollars. Truly remarkable.
Their explanation was that their policy only covers items that are deemed "not functional." I'm particularly fascinated by this interpretation, considering my child's dresser had an entire leg broken off and could no longer stand upright. If a dresser that cannot stand without falling over is still considered functional, I would genuinely love to know what their definition of non-functional actually is.
I was also informed that their coverage is limited to $1.50 per pound. This is an especially wonderful arrangement when you consider how little most household belongings weigh compared to their actual replacement value. Unfortunately, this is something I only fully appreciated after signing up and booking the move. It's certainly an important detail that would have been nice to understand before handing over my belongings.
What makes this experience even more disappointing is that I've moved myself six times using U-Haul trucks, without professional movers, and have never managed to damage my belongings in anything remotely comparable to this degree. Yet somehow, a company advertising professional moving services, charging customers to carefully wrap and transport their possessions, managed to accomplish exactly that.
One might reasonably assume that paying professionals to handle your belongings would result in better care than doing it yourself. Apparently, that assumption was a little too optimistic.
Throughout the entire process, I've found MTS Moving's approach to be one of deflecting responsibility, hiding behind policy limitations, and offering compensation that is completely disproportionate to the damage caused. The communication has been equally disappointing, particularly when it comes to the missing ladder that they supposedly located weeks ago.
I understand that accidents can happen during a move. What separates a reputable moving company from a poor one is how it takes responsibility when things go wrong. Unfortunately, MTS Moving has provided a rather impressive demonstration of the latter.
If you're considering using this company, I would strongly recommend reading the fine print, understanding exactly how little protection their coverage provides, and considering whether the money you save is worth the potential cost of damaged, missing, or destroyed belongings.
As for me, I would never recommend MTS Moving to anyone.
If I could award zero stars, I would. Unfortunately, even that seems more generous than my experience warrants.
