ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla — Action 9 started investigating after a local woman reached out claiming a moving company jacked up the price, then threatened to hold her stuff hostage.
Karen Jenness told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal, “They said, ‘Fine, we’ll take the truck to our warehouse until you can pay us.’”
The company uses the name Best Relocators, but Jenness said her experience with the company was anything but the best. She claims the movers inflated the price by thousands of dollars after about half of her belongings were already on the moving truck.
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At first her experience was great, the person she spoke with at Best Relocators gave her an estimate of $625.
“They said, ‘We’re doing a manager special, and this is what we’re going to be offering to you,’” Jenness said.
It was just a cross-town move from Oviedo to Altamonte Springs. Mapping programs show the drive was around 16-miles.
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After spending an hour on the phone detailing every item to move, she claims even though her estimate notes “this is not the final price” she was assured the price wouldn’t spike drastically. She packed her own boxes and made sure everything was on the ground floor of the home she was moving from.
“And specified that I needed to have a firm quote that I wouldn’t have additional money to spend,” she said.
Best Relocators boasts on its website; it was the #1 ranked verified mover by Trustpilot in 2024, but Trustpilot told Action 9 by email that it’s a false claim. Best Relocators is a fictitious name for a company called Omar’s Delivery Service, LLC. Its most recent address in state records is a drop box business in Kissimmee.
Karen Jenness said after the movers loaded about half of her belongings on the truck; they informed her the real price was $3980. It was $900 for a small amount of packing materials alone. She said, they eventually lowered it by a few hundred dollars but claims they would only take cash for the extra amount.
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Jenness told Action 9, “I said, ‘I can’t pay it. There’s no way. What are you kidding? I can’t pay it?’” After the threats to hold her belongings hostage, she said she decided to pay. She had to borrow the extra $3000 cash from her mother.
Better Business Bureau CEO Holly Salmons said four different company names including Best Relocators operating under Omar’s Delivery Service LLC are all F-rated with the BBB, mostly for unanswered complaints. The other company names are Reliable Relocators, Florida Smart Moves, and Golden Touch Relocators.
“The common theme that runs through these consumer complaints is that the cost changes once their belongings are loaded,” Salmons explained.
Action 9 couldn’t find any records of the company being licensed to do in moves within Florida or to do interstate moves.
Salmons said researching a company for complaints and for licensing is important.
“Get an understanding of who is licensed, who is properly licensed, and be sure to ask what licensing, what certifications are necessary for your type of move because not all moves are created equal,” she said.
When Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal called Best Relocators by phone and identified himself, the phone disconnected. When he called back it disconnected again and it appeared his calls were blocked.
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Karen Jenness wants to warn others about her experience so they don’t get stuck like she did.
“It was a nightmare,” Jenness said.
Jeff Deal asked, “What do you think about a company doing business like that?”
Jenness answered, “I think that they completely took advantage knowing that I was a single woman by herself.”
When getting estimates for movers, check out the online reviews and complaints from different platforms. Pay attention to the types of problems consumers are experiencing. It’s a good idea to have the movers make a home visit for the costs, so that way there’s no question about how much stuff you’re moving. Get a binding estimate if possible since it guarantees the price.
For additional tips and information on hiring movers, check out this page from the Better Business Bureau: BBB’s moving HQ
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