Custody Awarded to Me
by xinit • 1/25/2008 • Halifax • 1 Comment
Fourteen months filled with lies, inaction, denials, threats, and all sorts of other fun, and finally the time is here.
We have been awarded custody of all those material possessions that we have learned to live without during this past year. Espresso machine, ice cream maker, couch, photos, artwork (by us, by friends living and dead), art supplies, music, electronics supplies (theremin project), movies, clothes, desk, and so much more.
I’ve talked about the Bekins Assholes before. Based on their quote-that-wasn’t-a-quote I made a series of choices that brought me to Halifax. Had they been up front or come out to do an on-site estimate as I requested, I wouldn’t be in Halifax at all.
The local end of the hell began with six months of payments that we believed Hoyt’s (the local United Van Lines rep) being taken off of VISA were followed by an escalated payment plan that could have seen us dining on generic cat food.
Whatever the case, they’re loading the truck right now with out stuff.
It’s coming tomorrow morning.
Based on the offer I made, Randy (the owner?) from Hoyt’s wants me to sign some disclaimer that this is the end of things, and that I’ll disclaim any right to pursue action for damages, loss, etc. Yes, I’m sure I’ll sign that using my real name and without altering the meaning of the text… Not that it matters, as signing anything of this sort under duress strikes me as something that won’t hold up anywhere in the event of real damage or loss.
I already told Lorraine at Hoyt’s that I was aware of the weight of the load being different by 150-200 pounds, and should anything be missing, I’m not signing that away, and that’s what I’m going to add to whatever they want me to sign off on. Failing that, I’ll sign it as “Bob Dobbs.”
Regardless of box count, there could be items missing from within boxes, claimed by sticky fingered movers anyway along the 6000km route things took to get here, so there’s no way I’m giving away that right.
When I moved from Oakville, Ontario to Van. BC, I ran into a similar bait and switch with the weight game and yes it was Bekins, but in the end I found out they were not Bekins in Canada, who I had been lead to believe they were. They drove a Bekins truck, wore Bekins shirts, had Bekins paperwork but were only allowed to ship from Canada to the US. http://www.bekins.com/moving/Collins-Mehling-Transfer. Not only were they late delivering, boxes were missing from my shipment, the driver falsified documents as you could see because his check marks were backwards to mine on the document. They did not honour the $350 insurance policy and they refused to leave without me signing off that all was delivered on 10 pages of paperwork. The driver was rude and hired local alcoholics to carry my valuables. They would not deliver without me paying them first. The move cost $1,274 more dollars and they were unavailable to deal with even looking for my missing boxes which I am convinced were flogged on E-Bay. I lost treasured and irreplaceable photographs not to mention material items. They were rude, condescending and did not have any interest in helping. They marked newly upholstered furniture as damaged and marked. They lied to BBB who now in my view is a waste of time as they believe who pays them. When I called the US head office, they said they had numerous complaints, but no one is doing anything as it’s across the border. I had to go through my house insurance, who examined the documents, reinstated my policy and paid me, but I am still out the bait and switch money. They don’t call them highway robbers for nothing. When I complained to the RCMP, the officer told me he had a similar experience and there was nothing the police can do as they can’t catch them in their game.
Apparently, the original Bekins business split up and I was dealing with the one who is only allowed to operate moves to the US so that was illegal too.
You wind up giving up in frustration as who has the time for this. I am happy you finally got your belongings back. I hope nothing is missing.
Sincerely,
Yvonne Bray