A COUPLE were devastated to discover a careless removals company damaged many of their priceless belongings and then charged them $5,000 to complete the delivery.
Michael and Deirdre Kupka lived in their home on Long Island, New York, for 25 years before they decided to move.
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They were always New Yorkers, but wanted to be closer to their grandchildren in South Carolina.
After more than two decades in their home, they have accumulated a huge collection of belongings, including several family antiques.
Michael spent a lot of time trying to find the perfect movers to take special care of his things.
Specifically, the couple needed a company to store their furniture in a truck and not mix it with other people’s belongings.
He called four moving companies before receiving a cold call from local moving companies, Call My Mover.
“It all kind of fell into place with this wonderful salesperson we had with Call My Mover,” said Deirdre USA today in an interview.
“Everything I asked him, he said yes, and I believed him.”
The Kupkas were promised a “fixed reserve price” of $8,603.75 after a salesperson visited their home and looked at everything that would have to be moved.
Call My Movers also said that storage would be free from the time they move out of their current home until they move into their newer home.
Unfortunately, these were empty promises and the change process was fraught with problems.
When the foreman arrived on moving day, he said that never in his 22 years of work had he seen a customer pay the quoted amount.
One of the movers had Deirdre sign her name on a phone to “confirm the insurance plan” she chose and that there were movers on site, but there was no information for her to review.
“That’s when they started shoving things into the truck, and I’m sure half of it broke,” she said.
Additionally, two trucks and a van were loaded with their items, despite the promise that everything would be kept together and nothing would have to be moved.
When the movers left, they handed Michael five written pages listing furniture that was not listed in the original contract. He signed them but said there was no indication of the extra fees.
A few days later, the couple received an invoice for a new total of $13,763.59 – more than $5,000 more than the original agreed price.
They were also told they had to pay by certified check, despite having made a $100 deposit on a credit card.
The couple sent an additional payment of $895 but refused to pay the full amount.
They didn’t think the situation could get any worse, but the furniture was delivered damaged.
“I’m crying because my old furniture has dents it never had,” she said.
“Every piece of furniture they packed had something wrong with it,” including loose, scratched or broken screws,” Michael added.
They have since sent a letter from a lawyer to the company demanding the $5,159.84 they say they were forced to pay and full reimbursement for repairs to the furniture.
Do you need moving insurance?
Even the best moving companies can make mistakes that result in damage to your belongings. Insurance can help you replace or repair anything that’s messed up
According to state regulations, moving companies must offer basic insurance per pound.
It’s usually 60 cents per pound, and replacement costs for anything damaged will be calculated based on coverage limits.
People who are moving can always purchase additional insurance, known as “full value protection.”
“Full value protection allows the moving company two options if an item is lost, destroyed or damaged during the move,” reports Realtor.com.
“He may repair the item to the same condition as it was before it was damaged, or he may replace the item with something similar.”
Now, the couple realizes that all of this could have been avoided if they had checked Call My Mover’s online reviews.
The company has an F rating from the local body Best Business Bureau and several negative reviews.
They also reportedly discovered that Call My Mover in Plainview, New York, also does business under the name Tri-State Relocation, Inc.
ADVICE FROM AN EXPERT
Melanie McGovern, a spokeswoman for the BBB, said that doesn’t change the fact that the Kupkas were victims.
“It seems like they asked all the questions they needed to ask, but they (the company) knew how to answer them,” she said.
“A lot of people would be in the same situation.”
More than 6,200 carrier complaints have been recorded in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Consumer Complaint Database in 2023.
Because of these problems, some people prefer to enlist the help of friends and family when moving.
“When I was in my early 20s and needed to move, I rented a U-Haul and bribed my friends with pizza and beer to help me,” Clare Trapasso, executive editor of news at Realtor.com, told The US Sun.
“But that was when I had few items and even fewer items of value.
“As you get older, accumulate more belongings and move into larger homes, you may want to save money and hire professionals.”
She added that movers can be more affordable if hired during the week rather than on weekends and outside of the busy summer months.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
