ComplaintsforU-Relax Moving Co

• Initial Complaint

  12/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired the company for moving services. First of all, during the moving process they were reckless with the furniture, didn't take the legs off or disassembled some parts as they initially said, didn't wrap in foil any furniture for safe transportation, they only had some blankets in the truck they used for some items and they only took the legs off a dining room table that was too heavy. When unloading the truck at the new moving location, they were in such a rush to leave, threw boxes everywhere the house even though they were labeled with the exact floor/room where they belonged. They reassembled the dining room table legs, and it was too wobbly, I had to turn them from the door as they were ready to walk out and ask them to tighten the legs back on. One of the guys comment was " I will squeeze a 5 star out of here, watch", disrespectful attitude all throughout the process. Couple of days later when I finally made my way into the office where the desk was supposed to go, through the pile of boxes ..I have noticed that the left leg was broken and not standing straight. When I looked underneath, I saw that the leg snapped out from the wood and the metal screws came off, destroying the wood underneath the desk, also the desk drawers didn't open and close as they were before. Side note: the desk was purchased brand new from a furniture store and the store came to put it together at the old place, still under warranty at the moving out day. I contacted the moving company, ***..the owner I am assuming asked me a lot of questions to where was the desk purchased from, was it from Amazon etc etc. Couple of days after, and after he kept delaying in giving me an answer whether he could stop by to look at the desk, I contacted the store I purchased it from, they came and assessed the desk, stating that since it has been moved and the legs weren't taken off..they can't fix it. Finally today *** from u relax moving company came, and said "I am not paying **** for the desk". It is ply wood and the warranty doesn't cover it.

  Business response

  01/09/2023

  11-15-22 customer hired us for a last minute move. This was an hourly moving job, the customer did not want to pay for the time to move all boxes to their rooms. At the beginning of the job, like all jobs, our team is trained to spot faulty furniture items that may become a risk before we move them. Prior to moving, we are very open and transparent about particle board furniture and any furniture that is put together out of a box (not real wood furniture). Here is a quick excerpt from a confirmation email sent to every customer, including this customer: "Special notes on particle board, pressed board, osb board, MDF (medium density fibreboard), engineered wood and any furniture that is put together out of a box; we will move it at the customer's risk. This type of furniture is not covered and we will not be held liable for any issues with moving this type of furniture. We will move it at your own risk. To better understand this type of furniture and the risks involved with moving it, please review the following: ************************************************************************************************************************ "
  Our goal is to always be very proactive with every customer regarding this type of furniture. Once it is assembled out of a box, it is a huge liability to be moved and oftentimes will separate due to structural integrity. The customer was advised before the move, (1) in a confirmation email (2) in our company's moving terms of service, prior to the day of the move. The customer also signed a moving agreement (doc#1) clearly stating we will not be responsible for damages to particle board items. During the move, our team is trained to point out any flaws in furniture that will be a risk if we pick it up and carry it up or down the steps for collapse. We do this with each and every customer. It's most common with particle board, pressed board and OSB type of furniture. 2 of our team members brought to the customers attention the leg on the one side already being wobbly. This is standard procedure. We were asked to move it anyways. The desk had metal U legs on each side, with 2 metal cross bars in the back, screwed into the particle board top. The leg being faulty, it was a risk to move, we were requested to move anyway. The desk was delivered in the same condition as it was picked up. The one side was faulty and a s**** was loose from one of the cross beams in the back. It was placed in its room as requested by the customer, stood up and ready to be used. Unfortunately with this type of furniture, you cannot just take the screws out and the metal U legs off because of the risk of the screws not adjoining back to the particle board. It's a one time put together use item, not meant to be moved. The desk was left upright in her home. Had the beams completely separated before we left, the desk would have collapsed due to the weight of the particle board top. As always, we do a final walk through before payment to make sure everything is as needed. She tipped the team and we left. Over a week went by when the customer reached back out by email about the desk. We always request photo's of any potential damages and she sent a picture of the desk as it was left upright, now with one of the cross beam members in the rear collapsed on the ground. We would not have left her property without a damage report, nor the customer having not noticed said damages. This was a week later now saying we damaged the desk. In good faith, we attempted to arrange a time to stop out with our team members and truck to take the desk and attempt to fix the crossbeam from the rear (picture#1) that was loose. The customer had very limited availability options for us to coordinate. We were offered select days with only a 10am-12noon window or after 4pm on select days. In good faith we attempted to coordinate, despite all of our ongoing workload. We blocked out an entire day to stop out, due to the limited windows and times provided by the customer. ********, we were provided an open window of 10am-12noon for the customer, show up in our truck, with the intended plan to remove the desk and attempt to repair the loose beam. Upon arrival on this day, the desk was flipped upside down and now both U legs were completely removed and ripped out from the particle board. The screws had been pulled out and the particle board was unrepairable. This was not the condition the desk was left on the day of the move, as if the screws were ripped out from the particle board as shown (picture#3), the weight of the desk top would have easily collapsed and would not have been left standing the day of the move. It is highly believed, the customer attempted to push, pull or slide the desk in the room which was carpeted and this caused the top to collapse and the screws to tear from the particle board. There is no way, if it was damaged by us to this condition, that the desk would have been left standing on moving day. While we were there, we photographed the desk in its new condition and had nothing but good intentions, showing up in our truck to attempt to fix the desk for the customer. She became very combative during our visit, calling us liars and continued to raise her voice and yell at us. We will not accept being disrespected when we are clearly there to help someone, so we left. It is our experience and nature to be as proactive as possible, especially with this type of furniture. Which is why every customer gets as much information beforehand. We sent the following: 1) A confirmation email, with a specific section regarding this type of furniture and that we will move it at the customer's own risk. 2) A PDF (please request if needed) with our companies moving terms of service a week prior to the move which details this type of furniture and that we will move it at the customer's own risk. On the day of the move, the customer also signed an in person agreement (doc#1) stating the same verbiage on this type of furniture. Our team proactively communicates faulty furniture with the customer prior to ********************** it. We made every attempt in good faith to assist this customer, despite all the information provided in advance. We also did not charge for a 5th mover, the customer got a 5th mover for free, saving a lot of time and money (estimating at least $250). Emails and PDF's available per this case as requested by BBB. We would rather these documents not be publicly viewed (competitors). Please reach out to us in request for any additional documentation.

   

  Customer response

  01/17/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The information provided by the business is not 100% accurate. They indeed sent emails with the risks of moving this type of furniture and the damages that may occur, however I emailed them back prior to signing the contract and asked if the legs will be taken off, and the answer was..yes. Also, no one had ever told me anything about the leg of the desk being wobbly, the desk was purchased less than one year ago at the time of the move out and the furniture store specifically came and put it together.  I sat at the desk for a handful of times in almost one year, so it was almost new. 

  The desk was still under warranty at the time of the move out, if it was broken I would have had it fixed by the furniture store I purchased it from. 

  As far as paying extra for the boxes to be put in specific rooms, I wasn't aware that there was an extra service for that,  each box was labeled with the floor and the room it goes to, with the additional extra time needed, that I paid for. 

  No final walk through was done after everything was brought in. The reason I noticed the desk one week later was because it was in the second bedroom, which it took me a while to get to, after unpacking and moving the boxed that were left randomly all over the house. 

  They were in such a rush to leave, I checked the kitchen table that they put the legs back on ( those were the only legs they took off due to the table being too big and heavy) and I asked them twice to tighten them up cause it wasn't sturdy as prior to move out. 

  Now, the reason the desk was flipped upside down was because I had the furniture store I purchased it from coming to take a look as I was going to have it fixed after I reached out to the business and they kept delaying to come to see the desk  as i didn'twant to wait for couple of more weeks until the business finally settled on a date, which was December28th. . The furniture store said they can't fix it because the desk was moved and damaged by the business and the legs werent removed. Also, the drawers were scratched up and they Dont close and open properly. Also, when the business finally came to assess the desk, and make accusations tht the desk was broken and they warned me about it, I did ask them politely in the beginning to tell the truth and Dont say stuff that doesnt reflect the truth. He started to be combative, raising his voice and i told him that he is not going to disrespect me in my house, i asked him wht is he going to do about the desk, his exact answer was " i am not going to do ****". I asked them to leave as things were escalating and i was in the house by myself.
  Regardin tipping the crew, I did that not having an idea about thr broken desk and boxes left randomly all over the house, as i was dealing with trying to talk to the maintenance crew from the apartment complex on how to get the couch to fit in the house, through the balcony. 
  

  Regards,

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

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