U-Haul Consumer Reviews - Page 5

MADISON, WISCONSIN -- We had an extremely poor experience with U-Haul Storage. We began renting storage space in June 2009. Paid monthly rent promptly, each month. Beginning in August we began receiving late notices via email and regular mail. Called to inquire, as U-Haul had cashed our checks. They said they didn't have record of payment. I sent in copies of cancelled checks. They then said matter was taken care of. We began receiving phone calls requesting payment, more letters, emails, and my sister began receiving letters.

We paid Sept rent in-person, received receipt, were told we were OK and did not owe any more money. Then began receiving late notices and pre-lien notices for Sept rent as well. More phone calls, letters, emails to us and to my sister. Embarrassing, annoying. I called U-Haul several times, was put on hold for 20-plus minutes, no one ever came back on the line. Would receive calls from employee, I disputed charges, saying we had paid rent, he suggested we talk to manager, was put on hold for again 20-plus minutes, no one answered line. Called other times, was told someone would call me back, no one did.

We finally went in yesterday to remove our belongings and take them elsewhere, and discovered we were LOCKED OUT (the dreaded "red lock). Spoke to manager who said he couldn't do anything on his end, it was some computer glitch (this has now happened 2xs, we have receipts and copies of all canceled checks!). I came prepared with copies of everything (which I had previously sent to them). Manager let us in, we took stuff out.

This is a very disappointing and frustrating experience. We have used U-Haul in the past for moving (truck rentals) and have never had a problem. I would not recommend U-Haul Storage to any of my friends or family, as U-Haul seems to be very disorganized when receiving payments. U-Haul did not credit payments to our account but cashed the checks anyway. Completely unacceptable.

SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS -- I have not used U-Haul since this incident and never will again. I reserved a truck for my moving day and when I got there to pick it up everything seemed to go OK. The guy behind the counter asked me for an "estimated return time" and I said that I would hope to be done my 5:00 pm of the same day. I left with the truck that I ordered and proceeded to start my move. Things got behind schedule and I hadn't finished by 5:00.

Around 6:00 I got a call from the man I spoke to at the pick-up location. He said that I was an hour late with the truck and that it had been rented to someone else. I attempted to explain that he had asked me for an "estimated" time I would return the truck and I saw no time obligations in my contract. At this point he began to get hostile. He said that I did not have it back by the time that I had stated, and that I would now "be charged an additional $400 per hour for every hour" I keep the truck! I was in shock! (This was not in my contract either.)

I asked to speak with his supervisor and he handed the phone to a female worker. I attempted to explain to her that the man I was speaking with was yelling at me and that I was not happy with their service. She cut me off and informed me that I must have been mistaken and that she had trained him herself. At this point I felt more like I was being handled by some hostile collection agency than by a rental car company. I then said that I was not going to pay the $400 "late fee" as this was not specified in my contract to which she replied that she might be willing to "waive that fee" if I were to return the truck promptly.

When I said that I would return it as soon as I could. She seemed very frustrated with me and I could hear her talking to someone while trying to muffle the phone in order to cover up the several profanities she used when referring to me. I returned the truck around 7:00 pm. When I got there they were very abrupt with me and there was no mention of the supposed $800 I owed them in "late fees." Then they tried to charge me for extra gas when I returned the truck with a full tank. This whole experience was absolutely childish!

PHOENIX, ARIZONA -- U-haul is one of the worst companies around in this day in age. You are a company full of fall promises and dutiful lies. People that aren't familiar with any of your locale store policy's answer your 1.800 number. Its like there are two different company's. If you talk to corporate and the locale stores they don't communicate to were there even on the same page. If you ask any of the employees that are truthful they will tell you to never turn to the corporate office to always deal with the locale stores; to not even bother going online or calling the 1.800. number, because they don't know what there doing.

The corporate office doesn't even know nor do they seem to care that their employees don't agree with 75% of what the corporate office is doing or saying. I think it is a time when the CEO's and "big wigs" should go down to the trenches and see what there doing to the customer service representative that have to put up with customers that the 1.800. shovel off on to them.

I have been in line with people that apparently could not take the lies and deceit and watched as these poor CSR have to put up with apologizing for the corporate office. I have many a time called the 1.800. reservation line to ask a few questions and make reservations and told one thing only to be told by the store that they do it different.

I do use you haul but I only call the locale stores to make sure that I'm actually talking to someone that can look out a window and see a truck sitting in the lot. It makes me question if any of the children or old grouches that answer the reservation line have any idea what a you haul truck looks like or if they've ever had to rent one. Just because I am a loyal customer does not mean that I will not go elsewhere to avoid using your despicable company.

INDIO, CALIFORNIA -- Over the past three weeks, we purchased over $500.00 worth of moving and packing supplies at the Indio California store. We "Took Plenty" as you had advertised on your boxes and throughout the store because you have 100% Buy Back...Today, when I went to return several unused boxes, I was told because I had no receipt for many of the boxes, they would not be able to take them back. I had at the time, three receipts totaling over $370.00 from that store, however I did not have the receipt for 3 medium boxes, and 13 small boxes. I paid with a credit card, and had purchased them in the last two weeks, but was denied a refund.

I find it abhorring at the time of a move, you cannot recognize your own merchandise - and uphold your "guarantee" with both plastered all over the boxes, and your stores. The only mention of a receipt being needed, is on the fine print of your "Packing Planner Checklist". You, well-known as a moving company, this is the most stressful time, and the fact I even had a receipt let alone three was a fluke. I find NOTHING on my receipts that says in order to get a refund I need to keep it. I find nothing on your boxes that says that as well.

The man at the counter would not look up our credit card receipts for me, and told me when I arrived at my new home, I could find the receipt and return the boxes. I am moving from La Quinta California to Cedar Rapids Iowa. Am I supposed to ship the boxes there to get a refund??? We will never use any product from U-Haul again, and believe me, I will tell everyone I know how good your word is.

WASHINGTON -- On the evening of January 2nd I called U-Haul "Customer Service" (I use the term loosely) to report a U-Haul vehicle traveling on the freeway in rush hour with NO operational tail lights, brake lights or clearance lights in the rear - and the combination of heavy rain and darkness made this vehicle all but invisible. The headlights were on, as were the forward and cab lights - so that lighting circuit was energized; however from the back the truck was all but invisible.

Armed with a license plate number and description, I was ready to tell the operator in "customer service" (if one could call it that) about the problem so it could be noted and remedied when the truck returned to the rental center. This is not rocket science people. Here is the license number, here is the cross-reference to the truck, here is the truck location.

This person - clearly from a call center in India based on the thick accent - stated that THERE WAS NOTHING SHE COULD DO ABOUT THE ISSUE. Nor did she even care. Do you mean to tell me that the call center workers cannot take a set of simple information pertaining to a major safety issue so it could be addressed when the truck is returned??? Is public safety not a concern for U-Haul?

Since U-Haul apparently does not care about their equipment running in 'stealth mode', it's apparently a waste of time in trying to ask the company to address and fix the issue. No, in the future I will just call the State Patrol. I am sure the Commercial Vehicle Division would be more than happy to take the information and (one can hope??) enforce the issue with a hefty fine. U-Haul - business as usual, eh? Purely pathetic!

DANBURY, CONNECTICUT -- I'd like to tell you about my experience(s) and research of the Danbury, CT 06810 U-Haul Moving and Storage Company at the corner of West and Division Streets. It has been proven that the employees of U-Haul of that site are hoodlums. I mean the low, down, thieving, soup kitchen type which do not qualify for either surety bonds nor legitimate insurance policies that will stab you in the back after burglarizing your home in a social climbing attempt. What its staff now does qualify for is the federal work-release program with the DoC as well as the Local Reform School drop-out crowd. It couldn't be trusted with a 5' x 10' I rented briefly there in 2004.

Here's the scam: When I went to pick up my property, I was pushed off it all! Yes! I was given the organized shuffle of battery in the first deg. second and third. With all the bamboozling intimidation from the gang in power since Danbury's last Crime of the Century between 1970 and 77, I also found the junkie-thieves running that U-Haul, just had to feed me with how even if I called police, they'd disappear but return when the actual heat is off them. The guy behind the counter (a black dude) had developed ideas that I should just keep paying and paying the overpriced rate for the bin and actually be held as a hostage.

I found at least 3 bought police uniforms stuffed with more unwarranted threats and furtherance of the entrapment plea deals bearing no names when I realized U-Haul's Hard-Drive of Credit Card numbers couldn't at all be a safety net for the consumer. There is an insurance company named Republic Western, off hand, located out in the Arizona area but, neither does the clerk process the payment or forms (all subject to selected victims) while buying out your lawyer(s) as the attorney general of two states fails to reply. Should the moral of this epistle be, When in Rome do as the Romans do? Or Lex Taliones?

I want people to read this comment REAL carefully. I have read other comments about U-Haul's service, equipment, and helpful hints. I have never heard anybody complain about their prices. I would like for someone to look at the following two (2) trips, and tell me if they see anything out of shape, or something that does not look right or make sense.

Trip No. 1: On 03-13-2006 I rented a 14' truck in Eleva, WI (South of Eau Claire) for a move to Holbrook, AZ. According to U-Haul this is a 7-day; 1991 mile trip, at a total cost of $1654.24 ($1456.00 + $198.24 for insurance & taxes). I don't know about you but I don't take anywhere near 7 days to make a 2,000 mile trip. Their figures work out to and average of 280 miles a day. If you are moving from one city to another, from one state to another, are you only going to travel 4 hrs a day?? My actual mileage (By their speedometer) was 1699. My time was 3 days.

Figuring $19.95 @ day and $0.73 @ mile this should have cost $1240.27 + 59.85 = $1300.12. Even adding 10% for profit that is only $1430.00. When I asked for a $200.00 refund I was all but laughed at and told "We don't give refunds on mileage!! BUT, IF YOU GO OVER THE MILEAGE ALLOWED, WE WILL CHARGE YOU $0.40 PER MILE!!"

My next post is even better!!! My trip was estimated at 300 miles less and 1 day shorter, actually was 277 miles shorter and took 4 days but cost me $400.00 more!! I will post that one tomorrow for those that are interested. I repeat, do not rent from U-Haul if you are going cross country. They might be ok around town but they will surely screw you on a long run.

RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA -- I have rented a U-Haul truck twice now and each time have had a different, distinctly unpleasant experience. Before the rental, I read the posts on other U-Haul hate sites, so I had an idea of what to watch for. First of all, there really is no "reservation". Even with a confirmation number, the vehicle was not available at the location given by the clerk. Only by calling the location directly at least a day before the start date, can you confirm that the truck will actually be there. Not only that, but the company has the right to change locations at the last minute, AND use some made-up pick-up time that was never discussed in the initial conversation.

ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK THE PRESENCE OF YOUR TRUCK AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE THE RENTAL time. I casually asked the clerk in the local shop what the insurance rates are based on. She gave some vague answer like "It depends on where you are going." I asked "Well, then it is based on distance right?" No, she said, "It is something else." "What else," said I naively. "Mountains, streams, wind, dust?" Again, no clear answer. This type of answer is infuriating and smells like a total rip-off. Are there no laws regarding these types of insurance charges?

When I went to drop the truck off, I was given a location and told that it closes at 5:00 pm. I rushed to get there before closing and saw that it actually closed at 4:00 pm. It was closed. I called U-Haul to ask what to do. Answer: "Just put the key in the drop-box." Why wasn't I told this to begin with? Who knows. I witnessed staff mistreating and speaking rudely to customers in every location. Believe me, this industry needs a viable competitor to take this company down! I hope this post will be valuable to any future users.

ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA -- We recently moved from a mere distance of 45 miles in Minnesota from one town to the next. The 17' truck we needed was reserved over a month in advance. We had people coming over at 8 am to help with the move and we had to be out of the apartment by the end of the day. The day before the move we got a message saying the truck may not be available until the evening at best... and possibly not until the day after that. That was unacceptable. I promptly called back the U-Haul location and asked for an explanation.

In short I was told that is how things are done there and when asked for a manager I was told I was speaking to the manager and that they would call back tomorrow or the next day with an update of when a truck might be available. That was worthless. Upon a second call and speaking to a different person we were told we could get a smaller truck at a location 60 miles away. In a pinch to get things moving we had to accept.

Day of the move we got there at open and spent 45 minutes in line while they processed the three people ahead of us and rented a truck to someone who just walked in with no reservation. By the time we got to our starting location to load the truck was smoking and leaking fluid. When I called the 800 number on the dash I was put on hold for 15 minutes then told there were 16 people ahead of me. We decided to chance it anyway. No time to wait on the phone all day. Then we discovered that the dolly we ordered was not on the truck! The truck was in horrible shape and rattled and smoked and dripped... barely made it.

Since we ended up with a smaller truck than we need it, it took 2 trips which of course cost more gas at $3 a gallon. By the time it was over we had to return the truck to yet another location out of the way. A week later we received a phone message asking when we were going to return the truck and if they did not hear back by the end of the day they were going to sue us. They lost the truck and blamed us... anyway after speaking with a rude customer service person we got that resolved. Over all this was the worst moving experience I have ever had. U-Haul is not worth the time, money, or aggravation. Never again will I deal with this company.

In July 2005, U-HAUL quoted $2,975 for a 26' truck and $363 for a 6x12' trailer for a move from New Mexico to Alaska. The quote was for a moving trip in October 2005. Today (9/8/2005) U-HAUL now quotes $9,999 for the 26' truck and $5,999 for the 6x12 trailer for the same move on the same dates. This is almost a 5-fold increase (479%) within less than 45 days. If one were to book the one way trip from Alaska to New Mexico today, U-HAUL only quotes $2,087 for the truck and $726 for the trailer.

To make matters worse, the same $16,000 quote will be issued for a trip from North Carolina, Salt Lake City, or Denver to Alaska despite the fact that the distances all differ considerably. 48 state's Attorney's General are investigating oil companies for gasoline price gouging in the order of 10-25%. U-Haul should be investigated as well for their 479% increases. If their sales people or their website had indicated that equipment would not be available due to Katrina or they no longer wanted trucks to go to Alaska, then I could understand that.

These prices caught the New Mexico sales people off-guard as well and all they could do was state that their prices fluctuate during the year. But to increase prices across the board by this obscene amount is criminal. Shame on U-Haul for doing that. I have opted to buy a larger trailer than the one U-Haul was going to rent me for less money NEW and make the same trip. I encourage trailer sales dealerships to set up their own rent to own and buy back programs to compete with U-Haul. There is considerable room for price negotiation between what U-Haul wants for a trailer for a few days and what you can sell one for.