Very disappointed customer experience

I have had an extremely disappointing experience with [Moving Company Name]. Initially, I used their services for a move within the same region, and everything seemed satisfactory. However, my recent interactions with them have been nothing short of frustrating, unprofessional and dishonorable. I contacted them to get a quote for a potential move in 2023. Despite not having an exact address at that time, but a potential area, they insisted I pay a 50% deposit to secure an offer of the same rate as my previous move. Trusting their word, I paid the deposit. I did not move in the same region at that time and did provide that information. Given that this was a discussion around a quote no documents were signed to finalise a move. When I decided to move 18 months later to a different province, the quote they provided was exorbitant and excluded many essential services. Upon declining their quote, I requested a refund of my deposit, which they refused, claiming it was a contract upon payment, despite no formal documents being signed. Subsequent consultation with an attorney has assured that it is not legal to take a customer’s money without providing any service, particularly given the fact that no documents or contracts were signed. Needless to say, I went to competitor Eezi-Move for my cross province move- they offered a comprehensive service, extremely professional and reliable from point to point, clear communication at very cost-effective rates (30 % less, all-inclusive; compared to Moving Dotcom’s initial response without additional services) My deposit equated R6000 and I even tried to offer an alternative solution to a partial service which I needed ( a shuttle service for 240m to the gate) as part of my cross province move and even then, I was asked to pay an additional R800 and the value was not fair for what Moving Dotcom were prepared to give, so I declined it. I received the same service (shuttle) at 50% less from Eezi-Move. Again, I requested my deposit back, but they continually refused, insisting I was in the wrong. As a client I must accept losing R6000 to a company and receiving nothing in return. Who would want to accept this? You can understand my disappointment, frustration and just lack of being appreciated as a customer. I was made to feel like a nuisance and my matter is not resolved. I have given the team time and opportunity to rectify this, however, I see that it is going to be ignored, so I am left with no choice but to share my experience here. I strongly advise potential customers to be cautious and consider other options. My experience with Moving Dotcom was marked by unreasonable pricing, poor customer service, and an unwillingness to rectify the problem in a fair and equitable manner.