Garretts Moving and Storage

I have actually tried to update this post and contacted the support department of pissedconsumer.com, but they have yet to tell me how to edit what already exists.

This update, like my initial summary, is all my opinion based on information that I have at the time of posting, (of course).

Here is how this complaint stands:

I hired this Dallas based moving company to move my belongings (11/7/9) from one home to another within the same town (approximately 2 miles). I followed the instructions outlined on the contract for moving valuables and packed/moved my jewelry myself. My jewelry box and its entire contents (at least 90 pieces valuing approximately $46,000) still managed to disappear from the new house on that day. I reported the theft to the moving company and police department immediately upon discovery. I have not recovered any of the items to date.

I contacted the company multiple times and they did not respond to my specific questions, they only told me they were cooperating with the police. I sent the company an itemized list of the items taken, copies of receipts, and gave a detailed explanation about access to the room and the inability for other parties to have removed the items from the home. In my letter I attempted to explain why I thought that the movers were responsible:

1) The whole jewelry box and its contents are missing. This was not a small item and would have had to be concealed within a carton/box in order to avoid me or a witness seeing it.

2) There was only one door used to unload my belongings and the moving company's wardrobe boxes were the only (large enough) containers being moved from INSIDE the new house back to the truck. All other boxes were broken down and stored in my garage.

3) The moving company's employees were the only people removing the wardrobe boxes from the new house and loading them back onto the moving truck (they were going to reuse them).

4) They had access to the closet and its contents. Although the box was in a closet, it was not behind a locked door (the door does not have a lock) and I could not monitor all rooms. The movers were in the room multiple times, unaccompanied, to deliver the furniture and other boxes.

It is still my belief that my items were taken from the home as outlined above. I have no other explanation that accounts for these variables and does not involve them. For some reason, the explanation that it was someone else just is not specific enough when my list seems to rule out the other people present.

I offered to show the house to the owner in order to explain this and the other details of my claim. I thought if I could show them everything, they would see that I was trying to be reasonable. They finally sent me a letter...denying the claim and responsibility. This was not the end I had hoped for. Then, I received a certified letter from their lawyer stating they may take appropriate legal action if I do not remove false disparaging comments from all websites. Everything I have said is completely based on my experience and understanding, I am confused by a company resorting to these means without exhausting (or even attempting) direct means first. It feels unnecessary and almost intimidating when I have tried to reach out to them and attempt to resolve the matter. Never once have they asked me how to make amends or attempted to discuss my complaint. I am one woman. How do I win or even have a chance if they refuse direct, two-way communication?

I picked this company because they were a small business and liked their personal approach. This outcome is quite disappointing. It is my opinion that they DID NOT handle this situation fairly--or with any level of sensitivity. It feels like I was ignored, dismissed/disrespected and now bullied. This is a tough situation for all involved and good customer service really could have helped to resolve it. Taking a minute to address me and my specific concerns/questions would have been an appropriate interim measure. A loss of this magnitude seems to warrant some type of personal response (not a form letter). If someone would have taken the time to call me and apologize (even without acknowledging responsibility), it would have made me feel better. I lost all of the family pieces and sentimental items that I had acquired in the last 34 years and it really would have mattered to me if they said,"gosh, that sucks." I would have been thoroughly impressed if the owner took the time to come here and see my evidence, even if he did not agree with my thoughts and offered an alternate theory. I would love to hear other thoughts on how this could have been accomplished so I could avoid it ever happening again.

I am a reasonable person. The reality is that money will not replace these items, I know that. I wish it were that simple.

The police have not closed/solved the criminal case (as far as I know). They said they would contact me if any additional details emerged.

On a positive note, I turned this theft claim into my insurance company and they paid me a settlement at the policy maximum (much, much less than the total loss)....

--------------

Today the owner of the company emailed me to tell me to get a lawyer---and spells lawyer wrong (one of eight words in the email). That speaks volumes.