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Texas DMV Investigating Arlington-Based Moving Company

The pain of losing her mother is unbearable for Theresa Riley.

"That was my best friend and she was amazing," she said.

Unable to cope with her loss, she decided to hire movers and leave Florida for good.

Riley said she came across Presidential Moving Services online and was given a quote of $3,500. She said the price included break down, packing, loading and delivery. Riley said she provided a full list of items that she needed moved and paid $895 over the phone to secure the date.

"He said all you have to do is point and tell them where you want it," Riley explained.

But she said the movers arrived a day earlier than the scheduled pickup date. Riley said they came in a rush and began shoving her stuff in boxes.

She said it wasn't until everything was loaded on the truck that she was given a contract to sign, and her balance went from $3,500 to more than $4,200.

"I was like, what in the world!"

According to movers, Riley had more items in her home than they had on their list. So her price was going up.

"I was like, how is not on the list? How was a dryer on the list and not the washer," she asked.

Riley said she gave the company an accurate list and someone clearly dropped the ball.

But her items were already on the truck and she felt she had no other options. So, she reluctantly paid the deposit of $1,300, with the balance to be paid when the truck arrives at her new home.

That same day, Riley said she called customer service and was told "shouldn't have hired us if you couldn't afford us."

But she's not the only consumer with sticker shock.

We heard from another consumer who had similar experiences with this business: Movers coming in a rush, claiming items weren't on the list, not presenting the contract until after everything was loaded and significantly overcharging for the move.

One couple tells us they ended up paying to get their stuff because they felt they had no choice. But they did file a complaint with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

The Texas DMV told us they are investigating this business. They've received 136 complaints on this company, which also goes by Presidential Moving and Storage, Presidential Moving, LLC and Presidential Moving Services, LLC.

So, we wanted to know more about the rules that Texas moving companies must follow.

First, movers are required to provide a written proposal, which includes an estimate, accepted forms of payment and when payment is due.

The consumer must provide the company with an accurate list of items, and both parties must sign the proposal prior to loading.

As for the contract, the mover is required to provide consumers with a moving services contract prior to loading, which Riley said didn't happen in her case.

"To them it might be junk. To me that's my life," she said.

Riley moved into a home Haltom City but her items have been sitting in storage.

The company continues to go up on the price due to storage fees and it'll now cost her more than $5,500 to get her things back, money she said she just doesn't have.

"Just give back my things," she said. "I made a box with my mother's personal things in it and that's on that truck.  If I could get anything else back, I just want that little box."

A representative with Presidential Moving Services told us customers like Riley are not being up front about how many items they have to move, and that's why their prices go up.

He said Riley signed the contract prior to loading and is now trying to avoid paying the balance.

As for all of their negative reviews with the BBB, he said ex-employees were slandering the company's name.

He then said if they weren't up to code with the state, they would have been shut down a long time ago.

President Moving and Storage LLC has also become the focus of a BBB investigation. Since August of 2017, the BBB says it has received 61 complaints against President Moving and Storage LLC, 42 of which have never received a response from the business.

The company is not budging with Riley and said she still owed $5,500.

Riley plans to file a complaint with the Texas DMV to dispute the charge and hopefully get her things back.

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