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U-Haul Consumer Reviews - Page 3

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Do Not Rely On A U-Haul Reservation
By -

CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA -- In preparation for taking my son down to college, first year off campus, my wife and I went to our local U-Haul dealer on 9 August 2008. We reserved a 10' truck for pickup on 15 August 2008 for a one way trip to Blacksburg VA. We were told that we would be called the evening before to tell us the local dealer we could where we would pick up the truck.

As promised, we were called on 14 August and told that we could pick up our reserved truck at the Chantilly, VA location after 4:00 PM on 15 August, but that the truck would be a 14' because no 10' trucks were available. We agreed to accept a 14' even though that would mean higher fuel costs.

On 15 August we were called by U-Haul less than 2 hours before our pickup time and told we would have to go to Winchester, VA to pick up the truck. Winchester is approximately 50 miles away - almost a quarter of the way to Blacksburg.

The allowed mileage on the truck would have been enough to cover our originally planned trip, but not to cover the addition of the mileage to pick up the truck. Also we would have had to pay for additional fuel for the truck, plus a 100 miles of fuel for the car to go pick up truck.

The local U-Haul refused to pick up the truck in Winchester, and the Winchester store refused to bring it to Chantilly. The local dealer told us we would have to call U-Haul reservations to resolve this issue. We called the number provided 3 separate times, waiting with a phone ringing up to 25 minutes. We finally decided to find another source for the truck. Because of the short (no) notice, the only thing we could find was going to be approximately $800.00, over 2.5 times the price we had planned. We were forced to change our plans and reschedule our trip until mid-week. We now have another reservation with another rental company.

We had made our plans around the original schedule. Because we had to change our schedule, we also missed our granddaughter's birthday party, had to reschedule the install of cable and internet in Blacksburg, had to reschedule the unload help we had arranged in Blacksburg, both my wife and I had to reschedule dentist appointments, we had to reschedule time off from work, we had to reschedule our dog/house sitter.

After, we had rearranged our plans, more than 3 hours after this mess started we were called by U-Haul saying they had a truck in Arlington. Much closer, but we had already made a new reservation, and had rescheduled everything except the dentists' appointment. Obviously, having a reservation means nothing at U-Haul and I think all potential customers need to know that.

I have also entered this same info in the U-Haul customer service site. I did get an email back asking me to contact them at a given number, despite trying three times I have not been able to get through to the person who sent the email..

Also the email contained the following veiled threat: "You are hereby on notice that this e-mail message is confidential and proprietary. This e-mail message is specifically intended for use by the recipient for which it is addressed. As the designated recipient or unintended recipient, you are hereby PROHIBITED from any DISCUSSION, DISSEMINATION, DISPLAY, DISCLOSURE, REPRODUCTION OR COPYING of this e-mail message. Any third party disclosure is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail message in error, please delete."

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5-7 Miles to the Gallon*
By -

N. MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA -- Be aware trucks only get 5-7 miles to the gallon as quoted to me by the executive office when I questioned how I could have used $35 for 63 miles. I rented a 14' (only one available to move an upright piano and 2 small end table) at the N. Miami Beach depot. Did 63 miles (question that to). Gas gauge never worked properly and was checked out at 1/4 of a tank until we started to move then dropped to empty. Drove a couple of blocks to a gas station and threw in $10 just to see how much it would register, never moved off the 1/4 on idle. Gauge remained at 1/4 or was always a hair over on each fill up and while driving went to empty and at idle a hair under.

Threw in another $10 after driving aprrox. 30 miles for the return trip approx. 33 miles according to the odometer, again the needle registered a hair over the 1/4. Upon returning the truck I explained to the check in person there was something wrong with the gas gauge only to fall on deaf ears. The gauge resisted a hair and I mean a hair under the 1/4 making it $20 a total of 63 miles (which I also questioned) as their estimate for mileage was 50 miles from point A to point B and we drove a very direct route that I drive the exact route frequently and never was 60+ miles.

The check-in person make it at 3/16 of a tank and they said I would have to pay $30+ their cost of gas if I didn't add the 1/16 to make it 1/4 of a tank. So now I drive it next door to the gas station and throw in another $5, needle never moves, throw in another $10. Now it registers at a hair over 1/4 and they sign me out at 5/16 of a tank. Making it a total of $35 to do the 63 miles.

Customer service are robots and are not interested in anything you say. I paid the bill and called the main office to complain the next day. Customer service person wasn't interested in anything I had to say, cut me off and said they had my complain already on file and someone would call me in 48 hours to resolve the discrepancy.

Ha! 5 days later no one ever called! I call again giving the complaint # it was given and CS just wanted my information all over again, then said, "Well if no one ever called you an you need to speak to corporate." Gives me another # to call. I call and of course not the right department gives me another # to call and again not the right dept but transfers me to who knows were.

Finally I get someone who says they handle the complaints and she tells me there was nothing wrong with the gas gauge that 5.48 miles to the gallon is right, their trucks only get 5-7 miles to the gallon. Renters Beware! Their rates may be cheap by the day but it will cost you a lot more in mileage and gas.

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Incompetent customer service
By -

SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS -- On move-in day, the U-Haul facility's AC was not working so I had to move my stuff into a very hot and humid warehouse that had no air-circulation whatsoever. I had the storage unit for approximately three months and the price increased twice.

I placed two phone calls to find out the total price and date due for each of the additional months - call 1: I was given a price that was higher than the one shown on the current price chart and the explanation for the discrepancy was suspicious; call 2: I was given completely false information which resulted in me under-paying my bill and incurring a late fee. I was notified by mail that I had under-paid my August bill and still owed $5.48. When I went to pay this amount, **, the manager, said I instead owed $43.75. I paid this with the caveat that I would dispute it later as I needed to get into my storage unit immediately.

** later discovered her mistake and tried to cover it up by telling me I had paid up through September (even though this did not add up because she was still short the $5.48). She arbitrarily refused to refund the money owed to me until I vacated the storage unit. I ended the contract immediately and due to her shenanigans, ** mistakenly refunded me $43.75 instead of the $38.27 I was owed.

As you can see, my problem was not so much with the facilities, or equipment at U-Haul, it was with a particular employee. How can I do business with a moving/storage company if I have to worry about having my possessions impounded or sold at auction due to bad accounting or dishonest/unethical employees?

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U-Haul--Be Forewarned--Don't Use Them!!!
By -

Let me first start off by saying that U-Haul has definitely made my cross-country move more stressful than it already was. I cannot change what happened, but hopefully someone reading this will be warned to USE ANOTHER SELF-MOVING COMPANY!!! So, here's what I went through.

I rented a U-Haul and Auto-transport to move from CA to PA. While making the reservation (2 weeks in advance) I had asked the clerk if someone would be there that could help me load my vehicle onto the Auto-transport or if someone could check it once it was loaded. He brushed me off and said that it was easy and to read the pamphlet. He then managed to convince me to buy the additional coverage, just in case something would happen. That should have been my first clue that this was going to be a nightmare! So, I leave there less $2600.

Fast forward 2 weeks... I pick up the truck and auto transport. I decided to rent a dolly and when I open the back of the truck, there is furniture still in the back from the previous renters. Obviously this truck was NEVER checked before the clerk let it leave. We clean it out and drive it back and park it at my home. I load up almost half of my things and then I try to start up the truck to move it AND the stupid thing wouldn't start. So, I jumped it and it seemed to be fine... for the time being.

Finally, the truck is loaded and my neighbor helps me load my SUV onto the transport. He gets the front straps secured but the strap on the left side is shorter than the right. Although a little uneasy about this, I start my LONG drive. All is OK until I get to Barstow (middle of the desert) and the left strap of the transport comes loose. My vehicle is OK but I am not going to drive cross-country with a partially secured X-terra.

I call the #800 that U-Haul provides and get put on hold for 45 minutes. I then call the place where I rented it from and tell them what happened. They tell me to take it to the nearest U-Haul place and see if they have another auto transport to "swap out". So, I drive around Barstow and find the U-Haul place. I can see the 5 other auto transports that he has, but he tells me that he can't switch them. He also tells me that the tires on my X-terra are too big and the place should have never rented me the transport.

I try to explain that the tires on the X-terra are not oversized, they are the standard size and that my friend rented the same thing to tow his Suburban. He said that all the transports are the same and I would have to BUY more things to secure my vehicle. I had no other option than to pay the extra $42 for chains and a lock. By this time I did manage to get through to the customer service operator and told her what happened. She basically said it was BS. So, I again start making my way through the desert, praying nothing else goes wrong.

I get to Las Vegas, 12 hours after I left LA (for all of you who don't know, that drive can usually be made in 4.5 hours) and the U-Haul's "Service Engine Soon" light comes on. At this point I give up for the day and just hope things will get better. The next morning, truck starts fine and again I am on my way. Everything seems fine until it gets dark and the headlights barely work. Then it starts raining, and the windshield wipers are old and don't work either. Finally I get to PA and finally get to return this truck. Thank God I got here in one piece.

I go to the U-Haul website and place a complaint about what had happened. Almost 48 hours later I receive a call from the clerk at the place I rented the truck from. I would have thought he would want to make the situation better and he made it worse. He started the conversation rudely saying that if I didn't like the fact that I had to help clean out the back of the truck, then I shouldn't have helped. And he also said that it is in my "contract" that if the restraints on the transport don't fit, then it's my responsibility to provide the proper restraints.

I informed him that it wasn't that both of the restraints didn't fit, it was only one. His response was that all the restraints are not the same size... well that sounds like a scam to get more money. I was so mad at this guy's behavior that I again called the customer service number and the operator took my name and number and said that she would have the district rep. call me within 48 hours. Needless to say, I am still waiting.

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U-Haul can suck my left one!!!
By -

Okay, so we had to make a move from Flagstaff, Arizona to Knoxville, Tennessee and I knew I should have listened to my gut instinct and gone with the Budget truck, but instead I chose U-Haul. Big mistake. Huge. First, we were told they would call us within 24 hours of our pick-up time. That didn't happen, so we had to call them. Then, we get to the rental place where we pick up a 17' truck and a tow dolly. We wait around 15 minutes before someone actually comes out to hook up the dolly and then they have me guide my husband into the hook-up.

Then another employee comes over and yells at me for not waiting for help, where I motion to the guy supposedly "helping" us, then both employees proceed to laugh. Then, they strap down our car onto the dolly and after our concerns and questions of "how did you do that" and "what do we do if they come loose," the employees reply, "those straps will hold the whole trip." I'm sure you can guess that they did not. We drove about ten hours with our 4Runner bouncing all over the place on that dolly (and on the expressway) because we actually believed the employees know more than we did. Big mistake. Huge.

So, I decide to call the 800-uhaul number and ask what we're to do. Here is where the real trouble starts. I get an operator who immediately places me on hold while I wait for 10 minutes while she does who knows what. When she gets back on the line, she asks me the problem and before I can even get out two sentences, she cuts me off and tells me she'll transfer me to someone who can help me.

This is where I wait 20 minutes before someone by the name of ** gets on the line and ends up insulting me. I try to begin to tell her the problem and she yells, "MAM, LISTEN TO ME AND TELL ME WHERE YOU WANT TO BE CONNECTED!" I'm a little shocked because she's yelling and because I (foolishly) assumed when the last woman said she'd put me onto someone who could help, someone who could help would answer. Wrong.

I again try to explain to this woman my situation when she tells me I'm STUPID (yep, that's right, she called me stupid) for not listening to her, she only wants to hear where I want to be connected to. After I fight with her to get her name (once again, ** - stay away from this horrid woman), I then try to ask her where she works (as in which department) and she replies, "U-Haul, Duh!" And then she hung up on me! Big mistake. Huge.

So, I call back... again. And get placed on hold... again. When I finally get someone who says they can help me, they ask me if the tow dolly straps are broken or damaged. I tell him, I don't know, they're just not strapped to my car and I need to know how to reattach them or where to take it to get this done. Once again he says (and this time more forcefully and bored sounding), "Mam, are the tow straps broken are damaged? We can't help you unless they are broken or damaged. Otherwise, they are your responsibility." By this time I am fully agitated and I respond, "Sure. Both. Tell me what I need to tell so that you will help me. Better yet, get me your supervisor."

When the supervisor gets on the phone, I try to reiterate my frustration and my situation when the supervisor tells me, "Mam, I don't need to know this, I only need to know about the straps." I try to tell him that this is the full situation and it is no longer just about the straps. He cuts me off repeatedly and starts yelling, "I DON'T NEED TO KNOW THIS. I DON'T CARE." By this time I am disgusted and in tears and my husband takes the phone.

Apparently, he tells my husband (while on the phone in an entirely different city, mind you) that our tires are oversized (which they are not) and the problem with the straps is our own fault and if we want U-Haul's help, it is going to cost us. My husband finally is able to explain to the guy that our tires are not oversized and even if they were, we should have been told this originally and explained to how the straps work! (To borrow from that horrid employee, ** ... DUH!)

We eventually get the straps back on (and on... and on... and on again after they fall off at least a half dozen more times on the way to Knoxville) and are told that we can file a complaint at the office where we return the truck and get "compensation" there. Yeah, right. Big mistake. Huge.

When we get to Knoxville, we decide to return the tow dolly immediately but keep the truck for the extra few days we have it played for. Once we get into the store and tell them the situation and that we'd like to file a complaint, one employee tells us we can't because it's not U-Haul's fault because our tires are oversized. Once again, my husband and I try to tell them the tires are NOT oversized and ask them to please measure them. Suddenly, the manager comes out and tells us that won't be necessary, that our tires are not oversized, but we still can't file a complaint with them because it's not technically that stores fault. Instead, he gives me a number.

Well, after we're all moved in and settled, and before I make the call, we return the truck where we're told that we have had the truck for an extra four days past what our contract said and past what we paid for. Luckily, we had our contract, which stated U-Haul was in the wrong (too bad I didn't have tapes of that horrid employee ** calling me stupid!).

Finally, I muster the strength to call the number and file my complaint. And of course, I'm put on hold. When I get an operator, she tells me I'm complaining to the wrong people. Before she hangs up on me, she gives me the Knoxville area district manager's 800 line. When I finally reach an operator on that line, I'm told I have the wrong number again and I'm given the Flagstaff area district manager's 800 line. When I reach an operator on that number, she tries to give me the Knoxville number again. I try to explain that too her and of course, I'm rudely told, "I gave you the number, mam," before I'm hung up on again. Big mistake. Huge.

I try the customer service number yet again and they try to give the same numbers, but I'm finally getting wise to their game. I decide to try a different tactic. I tell the woman I want to speak to her manager. She rudely tells me to hold. When she gets back on the line she tells me she needs to know what this is in regards to. I tell her it's a complaint. Of course, she tries to pawn the useless numbers off on me again. Forcefully I tell her, "No, I don't need those numbers, I need to speak with your manager." She puts me on hold again.

When she gets back on the line, she tells me the manager needs to know what the complaint is about. I tell her, "EVERYTHING! Now, could you please put your manager on the line?" Of course I'm put on hold again and this time before she hangs up on me, she tells me the manager refuses to speak to me!!! Big mistake. Huge.

I am furious (but not surprised) and I call back the customer service line again (what a joke!). This time I tell the operator she better put me on with someone who can take my complaint, the whole thing! Not just someone who will shuffle me around and give me more numbers! And, I'm practically hysterical and crying! While on hold, I collect myself before some woman answers and is finally able to hear my complaint! (Only an hour and a half later! I suppose that's much better than the two hours I spent on the phone the first time!)

Well, I'm rattling off my story, finally feeling vindication, when she stops me right around the time I'm telling her I was being shuffled around earlier that morning and says, "What exactly do you want out of this?" Of course I'm stunned. I respond, "Excuse me? What do I want? Well, I guess it would be too much to ask to speak to someone who is sympathetic and most certainly apologetic." I can barely spit the words out when she changes her tone and says, "Well, I'd first like to start off by apologizing to you for what happened..." Are you kidding me?!?! If you 'first wanted to start off by apologizing' you would have!!

You would have sounded shocked that this happened to me, not bored. And certainly not like this happens everyday (which sadly, it seems as though it does). Then, she tried to offer me $200 worth of U-Haul coupons. When I laughed, she said, "Is that not to your expectations?" "Well, no they are not... ESPECIALLY SINCE I'M NEVER... AND I MEAN NEVER... USING YOUR COMPANY AGAIN!!!"

She then tells me she'll send this complaint to some department and they will call me back at the number I've provided her. "Okay," I say, and just as I'm about to hang up, I yell, "Wait! I never gave you a number. You didn't even ask me what my name was!!!" Jesus Christ!! I tell you. U-Haul is a shady company. I'll give you a word of advice... USE BUDGET OR PENSKE!!!

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I gave them a second chance! Now I regret it!
By -

OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA -- When my husband and I moved from Phoenix to California we decided to drive the truck ourselves and use U-Haul's emove service to help with the load unload of our stuff. When we got our truck in Phoenix the truck had over 300K miles on it, and the A/C didn't work. We complained as it was May and crossing the desert in anything without a/c would have been a death sentence. But we decided to drive at night and deal with it.

Our movers doing the load called to cancel and reschedule for early a.m. the next day. I told them to arrive as early as possible as we wanted to get across the desert before the heat hit. As it would turn out they got there at 8 a.m. and finished at noon, wonderful time to head across the desert! But we decided to just deal with it, got a ton of bottled water and Gatorade and headed out. That was when we discovered the radio was broken and that the engine made the cab even hotter.

We had to stop every 30 minutes literally because our butts were getting hot and we felt like we were going to faint. A drive that would normally take 6 hours took 10 hours! The next day the movers showed up bright and early at our new home and unloaded us in two hours, they were wonderful.

After that experience since the movers were so great and we were only doing an in-town move we decided to try U-Haul again. No one ever called to confirm the reservation and I had to call the night before the move. They called the morning of the move and told us that our truck was available but that we had to get there before 4:30 because at 4:30 they stopped helping customers (what a wonderful attitude). We got there at 2:00 got the truck and they could hardly start it. They told us it was because it had been sitting all day and that it wasn't "warmed" up.

I asked for another truck but they told me that there was none other in the area (we reserved a 26' truck). Also the truck was full of trash left over from the people who had used it last and one of the panels on the inside was hanging down into the interior of the truck and the guy at the U-Haul used pliers to rip it off. This showed me the wonderful care they took of their vehicles. So we get the truck and later that day the movers show up to do our load. The movers were inexperienced and slow, too slow, it took them 5 hours to load the truck and they didn't even get 1/2 of our stuff in it, and we came out in the same size truck a few months ago!

When we went to start it, it was dead, no starting, nothing. We called U-Haul and they sent out AAA mechanic. He tried to jump it, but it wasn't the battery, it was the starter. So, he called U-Haul and they said we would have to wait until the next day to get another truck. We had already spent $50 per hour on the load with the movers and now we couldn't move the truck! Thankfully my husband had the bright idea to push start the truck. Pushing a 26' loaded diesel was not my idea of fun, but it worked. So we get it started and over to the new house.

Our movers proceeded to scratch every wall and piece of furniture that we own. I think they were pissed because of the crappy truck we got and the fact that they were now 3 hours late for their next move. We called U-Haul again and told them that we got it moved but it had to be push started. They told us to push start it again and bring it to a service center that was close to our new house. We did this and the manager at that location knocked 50% off of our bill.

Three days later I am still getting calls from the original location wanting to know where their truck is. I have spoken with 2 individuals now at the original rental location to inform them of the trucks issues. They keep calling me and I don't know why they can't communicate with each other. And to top it all off we left our garage remote in the truck. I called the U-Haul where we took the truck to see if they could find it. They said they had it and they would hold it for us. I went by yesterday to pick it up and the girls behind the counter were shouting at each other. I thought they were going to brawl right there in front of me and the other customers in line! It was unbelievable!

I read some of the other responses on here by people who work for U-Haul. My advice to you is to get a clue. If customers wanted to have to read a manual on how to deal with your company you should preface that before we get stuck dealing with your crappy people and crappy trucks. I work in customer service and would never think of raising my voice at someone let alone one of my co-workers. If your company cared at all about their customers you would be available 24 hours per day (people move after 5 p.m.!) and you should put more money into your vehicles and maintenance.

And if you really cared at all you would survey your customers like any major organization and find out what areas you need to change in order to serve your customers better. Individual locations should be required to have all of their vehicles maintenanced and you as the parent corporation should inspect these on a regular basis. You should also be surveying the customers that deal with the employees of these satellite stores to see what our perception is.

Someday the work will get out there that the big wigs don't care and the $$ will start to go away and to rental companies like Penske and Hertz that are organized and forward thinking. All I see is a big corporation hogging money from their customers and employees (most are hardly trained and have never been to a customer retention seminar in their lives) because it is glaring obvious that they have not invested in anything besides their corporate office and their website. DO NOT USE U-HAUL!!

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U-Box Break-In, Items Stolen From U-Haul Property.
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

JOPLIN, MISSOURI -- Worst business experience ever! Wouldn't let me have my U-boxes for over a week because they were "too busy". When I finally was able to able to pick up my box, it had been opened, and many things were missing. Legal action pending.

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Fraudulent & Deceptive Business Practices -- U-Haul Loses Class Action
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

I experienced two thefts. Told I would be ok after the first but before I could retrieve my remaining property I was robbed again! Lost nearly everything including all my clothes, stereo equipment, art books, and music, as well my photos and art work. I HATE these guys and would NOT recommend U-Haul to my worst enemy! DO NOT TRUST U-Haul!!!

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Very Helpful and Kind to Us
StarStarStarStarStarBy -
Rating: 5/51

ALBANY, NEW YORK -- Ernie in the Albany Store was very helpful and kind to us. We had a wait of no longer than 45 minutes to have a hitch put on.

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Lazy Personnel
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS -- Went 3 times to get bottles filled. 1st time they said [hose] was cracked. 2nd time no one qualified to pump propane was there. 3rd time I called ahead and was told no problems they could fill my bottles. When I arrived (45 min later) they said they were out of propane and couldn't help me. If they are too lazy to fill bottles they should take down the signs and not advertise that they do.

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1.7 out of 5, based on 28 ratings and
87 reviews & complaints.
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U-Haul
2727 North Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
800-789-3638 (ph)
602-263-6984 (fax)
www.uhaul.com
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