What are my rights - - Question about movers...(kind of long)

mom2my2cuties wrote: Ok - Well we had this moving company go into our storage units and get our stuff to move it to Nashville. We had things professionally packed & moved out of our apartment into the storage unit so there was absolutely no need for any packing materials and things. Like that.

Ok, so we have 3 storage units full of furniture and household belongings, and they give us a flat rate of $2000 to get our stuff to us in Nashville. Well they screwed up on a bunch of stuff and then called us back a few weeks ago and said it is going to cost $3800 to get it here, and we were like we have a flat rate of $2000, and they say they are no longer honoring thier price. It wasn't a quote or an estimate, it was a flat rate they were going to charge. So, we asked why the rate increase, and then they claim they have used like $502 in packing supplies. Which were not needed, we did not authorize nor did we approve them using it. And the other was they claimed it took them longer to load the truck. And according the owner of the storage units who called me several times that day because the guys were taking so many breaks and drinking on her property, that it took them about 5 hours to get everything loaded. Which is stupid because it was all in boxes and already shrink wrapped and everything.

So we told them, NO. We are going to do it ourselves, put our things back in our storage units. And they say "It will cost you $1100 to do so" I am like What the heck? But ok - so I go to pay it...And then find out they have given me a bogus address, phone numbers don't work, the BBB has bad information for them, and I can't get an answer by e-mail (which is how we had been communicating with them) on where to send the money, who acutally has my stuff etc...

What can i do about this...The phone numbers we have, are a disconnected cell phone and disconnected land line. The address is to a limosine company in Dallas. I am LIVID! (if you couldn't tell) because I could care less about the furniture, but my household stuff, my kids pictures, I need to know where that stuff is.

kit_kats_mom replied: Id call the cops asap

cameragirl21 replied: Hey,
First off, I want to say I'm sorry to hear that, that really sucks.
Unfortunately, if I understand you correctly, there's not much you can do if you can't track them down.
I've been screwed over by movers, so has everyone I know. You have to be sooooooo careful when you hire them and you need to check their credentials over and over again.
The best you can do now is go to the media and let them tell the world what happened, it's the only way to pressure the company into coming clean AND you may find that others have had the same experience with that company so that if you can track them down, you potentially have a class action law suit on your hands.
The biggest issue is that they seem to have disappeared and I doubt they necessarily want your stuff, they may just be holding it hostage till you pay up.
Call the limo company and see if they know anything about this. Also google the movers and see ifyou can find another address, like maybe a corporate address of if they have a website or something.
Good luck!

luvbug00 replied: I would have some friends look into finding them and then call the poliece and take them to court. tease people sound like frauds and a flat rate is a flat rate I would demand my stuff returned and dial *69 the next time they call and it should give you thier #.

mom2my2cuties replied:
Already did - was told - "It's a civil matter - nothing we can do"

And it's the city of Dallas - they have more important things to do than worry about my furniture.

J-rod replied: call police where you are now so they know about it


call police where stuff is.


contact an attorney ASAP

TheOaf66 replied:
I agree, call the cops

They are essentially holding your stuff for ransom and have actually stolen it

mckayleesmom replied: I suggest you get a lawyer asap and maybe even a private investigator....This has become a very big problem over the years actually.....There was a 20 20 investigation on it a while back.

holley79 replied: Honey I am so sorry you have been taken for a ride. I would contact the local police department and see what they can do. If it's anything like the state of Florida it will be considered a "Civil Issue". I hope you get your stuff back though.

J-rod replied: also take ALL correspondance you have from them. emails, lettes, voicemails, etc.


call cops and lawyer immediately.

mom2my2cuties replied: Well what really gets me, is that it's not the furniture. Only one piece of it did I care anything about and that was a dining table & chairs that my dad bought for me as a graduation (high school) present/wedding present and while that seems wierd, it was because he knew he was dying and wouldn't see me graduate high school let alone get married. He ended up passing away the afternoon before my graduation.

The rest of the stuff, is probably not even worth the $3800 they want to move it, I just want my pictures and stuff.

luvmykids replied:
Yup, there was a big scandal about many "moving" companies who were actually doing the same exact thing as what you're dealing with, and the people had no choice but to pay the difference. What worries me most is that you were going to pay them to return it and now can't find them.... sounds to me like stealing. If the cops won't do anything try the Attorney General, they may be able to point you in the right direction or may have even had complaints with this company already in their office.

Good luck

mckayleesmom replied: Also...tape the calls.....This might come in handy.

CantWait replied: Honetly, it sounds as if there's nothing you can do. You've already called the cops, and if they say it's a civil matter, that's what you're going to have to do, which can take months. Best bet, pay them what they want, then go to small claims court to obtain your financial loss, which is also going to be hard since they have changed their number. In Canada if you don't have all the correct information, (name, address, phone etc) then you can't even file a claim.

Keep all documentation that you have from them no matter what, that way if you do decide to go the civil route you have proof.

Sorry this has happened and I hope you find your belongings:(

Good luck.

mom2my2cuties replied: Ok well I finally found a number for the corporate offices of the movers (WHO BY THE WAY ARE NORTHWEST VAN LINES) and called them and spoke to someone there who I asked for a correct address for, and they gave me the same address I currently have and when I explained it to the guy that it was the same address, I only want my stuff back. Then the guy flipped out, started yelling at me, and when I told him I couldn't understand him, and would like to speak to someone else, he started calling me a whole slew of racial slurs and started using a lot of degrogetory terms for women. I said "WHOA! I am not the one who screwed this up and frankly do not appreciate the way he spoke to me and how would he like it if I called him a punk (butt) - or some other crap like that" He said he is auctioning off my stuff and hung up.

I am about to call back and speak to someone else there. Because that was ridiculous.

J-rod replied: call the cops and give them that number RIGHT NOW!

cameragirl21 replied: mom2my2cuties(sorry i don't know your name),
you need to tape these conversations. He has NO right to auction off your stuff, it's stolen property. And no right to call you any names.
You need to calmly speak to someone and tell them you want your stuff back NOW and if you can't get it back NOW then they are all going to find themselves on tv, and we'll see who attends their next auction.
And really do it.
People get screwed over by movers all the time, this has to stop now.
and yeah, calling the cops is useless, it's a civil matter, i've tried that before.
and DO NOT send them any money till you have your stuff, just trust me on that one.

mom2my2cuties replied:
It was the cops who gave me that number. Once I told them about the conversation - they said - It's a civil matter, call the attorney general or hire a private attorney (like that money is growing on trees around here)

mom2my2cuties replied: And then he calls me back and yells more (frankly couldn't care less - at this point I think he needs to be under a jail somewhere) and name calling isn't nice (ummm who was it that wanted to call names - )

However, on the upside, at least for the minute, my phone is broken. I tossed the handset at the wall when I got the run around from the Attorney Generals office and it's not working right now

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Yuck. I hope you get the stuff back... you had insurance, right?

PrairieMom replied: did you sign some sort of a contract with these people?
I'd call the poliece again. I agree that your property was stollen. keep track of all your correspondance with these people and seek legal advice. don't wait. These people are screwing other people too.

gr33n3y3z replied: well the first thing you should have done was call and tell the storage ppl. not to let your stuff leave their property they can do that then she can call the cops from their
Good Luck

mom2my2cuties replied:
Nope -



And don't get me wrong - I have no real problem paying them - I have the money already in a money order waiting to pay them...But I really need an address to send them too.



OH! And I made a comment earlier that I wanted to apologize for & thank someone for bringing it to my attention.. Not only that it was horrible of me to even say no matter who I said it to (and how justified I felt in saying it) Today was the wrong day to say it, when I did say it, I hadn't even given a thought to the fact that today was 9/11.

mom2my2cuties replied: Oh and no there was never any contract. They were supposed to fax it to us, but never did.

CantWait replied:
I wouldnt' even send it, meet them there with your stuff and pay them. If you send it, I can gaurentee you're not going to see your belongings or your money. KUP.

PrairieMom replied:
(ive always wanted to use that one!)

mom2my2cuties replied: Well the problem is, I can't go down there...But I think we can get my father in law to do so. He is a big scary guy to most. Sort of reminds me of that guy from The Godfather - only not Italian

CantWait replied:
Good Idea!!!!!!

CantWait replied:
Not that this is a laughing situation, but you're to funny Tara.