ComplaintsforMobileMod

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My conversations with Mobile Mod led me to believe that I would be getting a decent shipping container for $3300. The agents use a sales pitch leading a customer to believe that they are getting a container that is wind and watertight leaving a customer feeling like they will be getting a container with structural integrity, no leaks maybe light surface rust in a few areas at the most. The key being that they are selling a container that supposedly is being retired from "shipping."The container I received was a jobsite container (with a smashed in roof) that had been repaired in several areas over the years after being used for different construction project applications. The floors were badly deteriorating, and the roof was smashed in, in several places causing pooling of water and also causing leaking. As of now,I needed to strip, sand and refinish the floors to prevent them from further deteriorating. I needed to pressure wash and paint the roof with rust arresting primer to stop the cancerous rust in several areas of the roof. After a good rain I now see the roof leaking with several potential areas for leaking due to the roof being smashed in by people setting things on top of the container like lumber loads with a forklift. The roof is seriously compromised and will need several hundreds of dollars in metal and labor to re-enforce it and restore integrity. I was considering just making repairs and not saying anything because I had such a hassle with getting the container delivered and I am very leery about having any repair people come out or consider having another container delivered because the first one took so long to get. And the communication was just unbearable. This container was that of one in "poor" condition and should be priced accordingly. I am seeking a minimum 50% re-imbursement to cover the cost of all the repairs needed with this container.

  

  Business response

  12/13/2022

  Hello ******,
  
  
  Were sorry to hear that your experience was not satisfactory. We show that you physically inspected and signed for this product. Additionally, we do not buy or sell job site containers, and its unclear how you would have come to this conclusion. It appears that you chose to purchase from MobileMod because we offered the lowest price point WWT container and the fastest delivery, and now trying to get us to subsidize cosmetic improvements.
  
  
  We believe in doing right by our customers, and if you have any evidence of unbearable communication or us promising something closer to cargo-worthy, 1-trip, new, etc., please send them our way, and well make it right in a way thats fair for all parties.
  
  
  

  Customer response

  12/18/2022

   
  Complaint: 18486939
  
  I am rejecting this response because: There were many things unseeable at time of delivery. In the few photos I am able to upload one can see the date of manufacturing, a place where tape covered the expensive and defective weather stripping, rusting through roof, smashed in roof that was leaking, and rotting underbelly to name a few.

  I see that your tricky wording about whether I can provide evidence of a "new" container quality was offered is a potential out for your company. 

   

  I was told from *********************** that your company was buying a new batch of containers that was waiting to clear customs. This led me to believe that I was receiving a "newly retired" shipping container. 

   

  This would put the age of the container at 10 - 12 years old. The container I received a container that is 17 - 18 years old which indicates to me that I did not receive a newly retired container but rather a container that was used on someone's jobsite or at a company for 5 plus years. The rotting bottom of the unit is indicative of the unit sitting on the ground for a long time. The smashed in top is indicative that something heavy was set on the unit in several areas like a forklift setting lumber on top of the unit.

   

  There are many spots that have had holes cut into the container and repaired indicating that someone used the unit with utilities hooded into it, and the unit came with a very unusual paint job like that of one used on a jobsite. 

  
  So, while I did not expect a "1st trip container," I did expect one that was wind and watertight, which it was not after the duct tape and bubble gum was removed, I did expect a container that would be much higher quality as I was led to believe I would be receiving a much younger container.

   

  I did ask to go and look at the containers and was told that this was not an option. 

   

  Finally, as to the communication. After starting with ***********************, I was passed along to ******, and then after being told to wait and wait for a period of 20 days and being passed on to a third driver, I was glad to just finally see a container. 

   

  This response from the drivers was one that they were undependable until the 3rd one "JL" which finally did bring a container. The situation I was put in was one in which I was very concerned that I would be losing my $3310.00 and would be left with nothing to show for it as I have had this happen once before with another company that seemed credible.

   

  In the end, after escalating my case I was able to get to Toffee which did get me a driver and a container. So, I was just glad to have something and not get taken for the $3310.00. The container is not one that was ready to use lengtem without fixing it. I will still need to permanently fix the roof. 

   

  After the run around I had with the drivers and the staff, I am not willing to roll the dice on having a repair man or woman come out as I don't have any idea what type of skills and ethics I would be dealing with. This is why I use the "unbearable" terminology to describe my situation. 

   

  I have many more photos upon request for the compromised portions of this unit.

   

  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  

  Business response

  01/09/2023

  **********************, 
  
  
  I reviewed your complaint with my claims department, who told me you did not file an ************** with us. I have updated my claims team with the back-and-forth conversation that we have had and would suggest that we file the ************** to come up with a resolution. There would be two solutions where a) we would need more photos showing the container number on the inside and outside along with damages to the roof, or b) we would pick up the empty container and refund you the amount minus the pickup charge.
  
  
  'Photo 3' submitted looks closer to a 1-trip container judging by the inside paint and lacquered floors. Were the wood posts and beams installed on your behalf? Did you refurbish the inside of the container?
  
  
  Once we have your response, we will develop an actionable plan.

  Customer response

  01/18/2023

   
  Complaint: 18486939
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  
  

  The reason I did not file a complaint with your company is that the service I received was extremely fragmented and unprofessional to the point that I felt that the BBB should be contacted as your agents use their name as a selling point of integrity which that integrity was just not there when receiving the freshly retired ocean shipping container I purchased for $3310.00.

  
  

  In order to get the shipping container number you are looking for please provide the pictures JL the driver took so that I know what you are looking for. 

  The container needed to be painted to make it acceptable for residential use and the time was urgent. 

  
  

  Yes, we refinished the floors to make the container usable. 

  
  

  But there was a considerable amount of work to be done to get the unit to that point. 

  
  

  Just offering to come and pick up the container at this point us unreasonable.

  
  

  By looking at the above photo one can see that the container did not arrive as (and is still not) a one trip container. On the contrary, this container was used on the open sea, and then was used as a jobsite container for many years which is evidenced by the cutting into and repair of the container followed by rust that only comes from years of sitting. 

  
  

  this type of rust is not from a recently retired shipping container rather one that has been sitting on a jobsite somewhere. 

  
  

  In previous correspondence I explained thoroughly that just getting the container here was a brutal process after being passed around repeatedly form agent to agent and driver to driver. Until the container actually arrived I unsure if I been taken by a scam or not. (This is how fragmented the company operations were.) 

  
  

  I installed the lumber supports to support the roof as the duct tape and bubble gum that held the roof patching together was leaking (and damaging the floor finish) after the new floor was finished and drying.

  
  

  The problem with this sale as I have noted is that what was advertised and what a delivered were two different things. The idea that your company would advertise that they were selling me a recently retired container and then show up with a container that was from **** and was cut up, patched up, and rusted to extremities, is pathetic. 

  
  

  This was a misrepresented sale as should be treated as such and followed up with compensation that is the least painful to the paying customer which has already been through a considerably painful process of attaining a "freshly retired shipping container".

  
  

  This container was not wind or watertight like advertised either as seen in photos. 

  
  

  Regards,

  
  

  ******************************* ************
  

  
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  01/24/2023

  Mr. *************************** invoice clearly stated the size and condition of the product that you were receiving. You were expecting a 1-trip container and purchased a used wind & water tight container. A wind & water tight container is a used container that will have wear and tear such as rust and dents. Our warranty covers the container for five years where if a wind or water leak is discovered we will provide a repair kit with appropriate repair instructions to repair the leak as long as the customer has not altered the container, which in this case you have. The container that you received and signed for was in wind and water tight conditions and we complied with the order that you placed. 
  
  
  We are willing to refund $150 for the inconvenience. 

  Customer response

  01/25/2023

   
  Complaint: 18486939
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Dear MobileMod Repersentative,

  
  Thank you for taking the time to respond.

  
  I am interested in acquiring any and all compensation (including the $150) for my grievances that are clearly stated in my complaint.

  
  However, you have not taken the time to address properly read and respond to them with the integrity, honesty and fervor in a way that would represent an A+ rated company.
  

  Rather, you have dodged the bullet like that or a modern day politician, with an outrageous claim that I am somehow asking for a brand new one trip container.
  

  Please kindly go back and actually read through my grievances and address each one individually. Upon doing so you will see, that there are some real issues here. For example, can you provide proof of the container recently being released by customs?
  

  I think your agent was using the sails pitch of selling me a freshly retired shipping container was an untruth.
  

  You have not addressed the reality that this container is from **** or that the roof was smashed in like that of containers that spend years on a construction site.
  

  As to your claim that I have somehow ruined the container by shoring up the caved in roof that was leaking. This is absurd.
  

  This is another action of avoiding the reality that your company had  a super hard time delivering something to fill the bill for the $3310.00 I provided.
  

  In sum, your company has not provided the product that was presented by *********************** which was a freshly retired shipping, not job sitecontainer that was in a batch of shipping containers being released by US Customs in a wind and water tight condition.
  

  This to me means, there is no leaking and the roof is not rusting through in the areas where it was patched in the past.
  

  Wind tight would mean that the door seal is good and not defective as ours is.
  

  They said it may have a small dent here and there that does not mean the shipping container will have a roof that is caved to the point that it needs major repair to restore structural integrity.
  

  Then a reasonable person would surmise that if a company was selling a container in a reasonable condition as presented in the sales pitch,then the floor would be reasonably intact, which the floor of this container was not.
  

  There was plywood there, but much of the flooring was deteriorating to the point of needing serious repair in order to save it which included reattaching the plywood around 60% of the floor and refinishing the entire floor to stop the plywood from coming apart.
  

  The responses presented thus far is a perfect sample of why I would go directly to the Better Business Bureau rather than go through the monotonous task of reasoning with the management of your company.
  

  I ask that you could please go back and re-read or read for the first time my grievances. I spent a considerable amount of time and energy to present them to this platform with evidence.
  

  I am looking forward to a more detailed, thorough and compassionate response, which is what I would expect from A+ rated company with the Better Business Bureau.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Purchase used shipping container 9/15/2022 for $4777.83 and was assured that container was in good alright water right condition with good wood floors. It was delivered on 9/25/2022 When received theres a large hole just inside the door and there is light coming in along the right side at the floor where water could get in. We told the delivery person we didnt want the container and he said that we would have to call mobile mod to have them pick it up. I contacted them immediately and accused of issues. After several emails and phone calls was finally assured that they would come and get the container and give us a full refund. But now they will not even communicate with me. I want this container removed and my debit card refunded for $4777.83 plus damage for culvert $200 .

  

  Business response

  10/05/2022

  Were sorry to hear that you had a negative experience. Weve coordinated with you to pick this up on Monday, free of charge, and will follow up with a full refund upon transfer of ownership back to MobileMod.
  
  
  Were happy to assist with coordinating any additional claims/refunds between you and the delivery partner but will need additional documentation that can be handled via email.

  Customer response

  10/08/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  As long as they promptly pay the refund on Monday 10/10/2022 after they pick up the container and resolve issue with carrier to get us paid for damage to our property ie culvert which costs us $318,

  As they said they would in their response .

   

   Sincerely,

  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased (2) 20' Standard Used Containers on 5/17/2022 for $5,58.24 ($2679.12). Containers were delivered on June 7th. The 1st container is fine. The Second container which wasn't open for a couple of weeks after we received it, has (2) holes in the floor and flooring coming up. On 8/10 I finally got a real person on the phone that took my information and said I would received a phone call about repairs. Since I hadn't heard from anyone I called back on 9/12 and was given the same run around that I would receive a call about repairs. I called again today 9/20 and spoke with ******* who send me an email to attach pictures and file for damage. Almost instantly I received a call from ****** wanting me to take a $100 for the damages, refused so he offed me $200 again I refused telling him that that wouldn't cover the cost to repair. Besides the holes the rest of the floor is starting to come loose. I told him I wanted a new container or the floors repaired in the damaged one. He said they didn't do that? The best he could do is $200 (This will not pay for repairing Floor). I was Guaranteed wind-and-water tight with no leaks, sealed doors, NO HOLES, and INTACT FLOORING. This is also stated on their web site. Now have mice and snakes living in container.

  

  Business response

  09/27/2022

  Hello, ****, and sorry to hear you had a negative experience. As is the case with all of our deliveries, we perform three separate inspections to ensure units are wind-and-water tight - once at our depot when the container arrives, again at the depot when the container leaves for delivery, and a third time at the delivery site with the customer. The container passed all three inspections as wind-and-water-tight.
  

  When the driver delivers the container and gets a signature accepting it, ownership passes from MobileMod and the driver to you (the customer). We received your signature on the Proof of Delivery (POD), agreeing that the product's condition was acceptable. That being said, as a favor to you, we're happy to mail easy-to-apply repair kits for whatever small holes you may have missed, free of charge. We do not guarantee that the floors will be cosmetically appealing as the containers are used, heavy industrial equipment.

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased a 20 foot used shipping container on April 21 for $2876.It was with a guarantee that it was Watertite for five years.It was raining the day it was delivered and the next morning there were several leaks inside the container through the ceiling and around the seals at the doors. I called to have the container replaced and I was simply told that I needed to send pictures. I did that and the only solution that was possible was for them to send me a patch kit of ************* and silicone for the broken seals around the doors.Ive been working to remove the rust, and seal up the roof but still have leaks.They offered to bring another container out but I will have to pay for the transportation costs which is significant. Hundreds of dollars.

  

  Business response

  06/16/2022

  Im sorry to hear that you had a negative experience - unfortunately, once our customer signs the proof of delivery (POD), as the 5th and final person involved in the inspection process, and the driver takes off, we cant come and pick the container up without the customer paying the logistics cost that were charged by our transportation partners. We stand by our 5-year warranty and we gladly offered to send out a patch kit that takes less than 5 minutes to apply. If youre interested in a patch kit still or if youd like to send additional info about the seals to the customer service ***** theyd be happy to help as well!

  Customer response

  06/16/2022

   
  Complaint: 17250695
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  No leaking was noted upon delivery. The next day was when the rain was causing the issue. Id have rejected it if I had known the problem when it was delivered.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  07/11/2022

  MobileMod formally responded to this claim that followed in the months after the customer initially inspected and signed for the shipping container being in acceptable condition. We stand by our 5 year warranty and we were able to work with this customer and send a complimentary patch to repair damage caused by wear-and-tear. MobileMod never offers a full, complimentary replacement but rather, offers to repair the box back to acceptable standards (wind and water tight (WWT)).

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩