ComplaintsforTwo Men and A Truck

• Initial Complaint

  14/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On November 24th, I hired two Men and a Truck to pack my home. They had done a walk through before and were aware of the contents of the house. I'm sure they hired kids off the street. They only showed up with small and medium boxes and they ran out of boxes early in the day before finishing the job. They did not know how to pack, things were thrown into boxes and then they were sealed...no paper or stacking things in boxes. Almost all the boxes were half full. Because of this, we had twice as many boxes than we should have. Not only did they charge me for the extra boxes but they filled the truck and stuff was left behind. They threw clothes at the bottom of wardrobe boxes, without the bar, they did not know what it was for. They left Audio equipment in the console. They only wrapped TVs in blankets and then laid them flat and piled stuff on top. Two out of three TV's smashed. They threw pictures in boxes with no paper or padding, many are cracked. They did compensate for the broken TVs and other items, they did not take responsibility for poor packing job and because of that I had to make a second trip with a second truck to finish the job. We moved from Kentville NS to Silver Spring MD. This cost me an extra $3000.00. If they had real packers, it would have been finished in one day and everything would have fit in the truck next day and I would not be out $3000.00.

  

  Business response

  20/12/2022

  Consumer had sent several emails outlining their concerns, attempting to blackmail the company and initially refusing to pay. Below is the response email that was sent to the consumer. Following the below email, the respondent did pay the reduced amount. 

   

  Hi ("Consumer"), 
  
  Thank you for your follow up email below. 
  
  Respectfully, we are not in agreement to the offer you have outlined below. 
  
  I always think its best to lay out the sequence of events so that we both have all the information before us. I have outlined the sequence of events below, followed by our position. I will admit this is a long email, and for that I do apologize. 
  
  On August 24th, 2022, we provided 2 Estimates to you (1 for packing services and 1 for Loading services). 
  
  As you would have read in the estimate email sent to you on August 24th, 2022, our software system was showing your items were going to be 137% of a 26-foot truck. In addition, I’ve copied and pasted other relevant paragraphs from the estimate email that was sent to you. You’ll note these paragraphs are highlighted, bolded and/or underlined to draw extra attention to them. They are copied and pasted as is in the original email. 
  
  The estimate provided is not a fixed quote, after the 3-hour minimum you will only pay for the actual time that is used to complete your move. 
  
  
  The estimated time for your move is Dock to Dock which means your move starts when the truck leaves our office (210 Joseph Zatzman Dr., Dartmouth) and ends when it returns. 
  
  
  All our movers are insured by us and bonded. Our insurance covers up to $250,000.00 with a $250.00 deductible. In the unlikely event of a damage, you must notify us within 96 hours of completion of your move. We must receive complete payment for your move prior to assessing any damage claims. Once a claim is opened, you must pay the $250 deductible in order to have your claim processed through our insurance. You must declare any item of exceptional value prior to the move date to ensure it falls within our insurable items allowance.
  
  
  On Aug 29th, 2022, you contacted our office to book these services. Attached is the signed Pre-Move Letters. 
  
  On November 24th, 2022,  we sent 3 crew members to attend to your home and provide packing services. We were contacted by you at which point you gave us your wife’s number to speak with Lisa. On this day she informed us the packers were not able to complete the packing job and that she was advised we would complete the packing the following day. She further iterated her disappointment in the job the packing crew did. As a result of the experience received, we reduced the hourly rate from $199/hour to $159/hour. Additionally, we applied a 5% discount to the $159/hour rate. The Sales Order was signed off on by your wife Lisa (attached). 
  
  The following day, on November 25th, 2022, 3 crew members attended to your home and completed the packing services and loaded as many items as they could fit into your U-Haul and trailer.  Unfortunately, not all of the items would fit into your U-Haul and trailer. The Sales Order was signed off on by you (attached). You will note where you initialled that all requested items were loaded as requested and all items were packed according to your specifications. You will note again, a further 5% discount was applied to the hourly rate. 
  
  
  On Monday November 28th, 2022, our Office Manager **** ***** spoke with you regarding your concerns with the move. She subsequently sent you the total invoice (attached). You will note on this invoice the discounts applied to both days. This resulted in a reduction of $590.66 ($513.61 x HST). Furthermore, when calculating the boxes and packing supplies, we did not charge you for Wardrobe boxes. If you review the two digital Sales Orders, there is no charge for Wardrobe boxes. Additionally, when you add the total for actual boxes used as stated on the 2 digital sales orders (less wardrobe boxes) it adds up to $1,135.14 + HST = $1,205.41. However, **** reduced this amount to $746.24 + HST = $858.18. This is a further reduction of $347.23 for a total reduction of $937.89 ($590.66 + $347.23).
  
  On November 30th, 2022, you sent a detailed email outlining your frustration with the service and outlining damage to the big Green Egg and one of your TV’s. 
  
  On December 5th, 2022, you sent a second detailed email outlining your continued disappointment in the services and adding a 2nd damaged TV. 
  
  I will do my best to outline our response below. 
  
  Firstly, we apologies for the experience you received. We always strive to exceed our customers’ expectations and have our services completed with everyone feeling good about the experience. 
  
  With respect to your allegations that we are in breach of contract, we do not agree with you that we are in breach of contract. We are of the position that you retained us to provide packing services which were provided, and to provide loading services, which were provided. You mention that all of your items should have fit into the U-Haul and trailer, however, as was pointed out to you in the estimate email, the items listed in our system were showing 137% of a truck. This was relayed to you. At no point did we indicate the items you had would fit into the U-haul and trailer. Our crews packed and loaded what they could into the U-Haul and trailer as requested. If there is a breach contract, we maintain that you are in breach as the contract requires payment for services rendered. As is stipulated in the Estimate email and the Pre-Move Confirmation Letter signed by you, payment is due at the completion of services. Services were completed on November 25th, 2022, and to date, we have not received payment. We maintain that as of November 25th, 2022, you are in breach of contract and continue to be. 
  
  We are disappointed to read your comments attempting to blackmail us. Below is an excerpt from your most recent email: 
  
  “I will not sue Two Men and a Truck.  I will not spray the name of Two men and a Truck on Social Media, with extreme prejudice.  I will not call my dear friend **** ****** with CTV Halifax and tell him my story, I worked for CTV for 16 years and they love this kind of stuff.  All you have to do is replace the Egg, two TVs and waive your fee.” 
  
  While we always want to work with customers to ensure a positive experience, we do not agree to be blackmailed and are extremely disappointed that you’ve elected to do so. 
  
  With respect to damages, you would have read in our estimate email (and I posted the relevant paragraph at the beginning of this email for your recollection) that there is a $250 deductible to be paid on any damage claim. This is also outlined in the Pre-Move Confirmation Letter signed by you. Furthermore, I have attached our Coverage & Exclusion Document. This was emailed to you along with the Pre-Move Confirmation Letter that was signed. Please draw your attention to the requirements for charges to be paid in full, the $250 deductible to be paid and for all claims to be submitted within 5 days. Additionally, when reviewing the Pre-Move Confirmation Letter signed by you, you will note this is discussed under the Insurance section. Finally, the section titled “Liability” states the following:
  
  “When loading and unloading a truck or storage unit, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is only responsible for items in our immediate care, custody and control. We will ask you to sign a Release of Liability in acknowledgement.”
  
  This of course is done because we cannot guarantee the safety of the items once they leave our immediate care, custody, and control. Thus, when loading a truck that someone else will be driving, we require a Release of Liability. Attached you will find the Release of Liability signed by you on November 25th, 2022. 
  
  To put this all together, the damaged items you listed are outside of our liability as you signed off on the items with our Release of Liability, as well as the Pre-Move Letter. Furthermore, the second damaged TV is past the 5-day period to make a damage claim. 
  
  However, despite this, and despite having already provided a discount of $937.89, we are willing make an additional offer to conclude this matter amicably and expediently. We do this as we are a small business, and we always want to try and be as fair and reasonable as possible. Below is an offer made to you in good faith, on a without prejudice basis. 
  
  We will honour the previous reduction of $937.89 already applied to your bill. We will waive the $250 deductible for damage claims. We will further reduce your bill by $540.99 for the 65” TV, $299 for the 32” TV and $561.62 for the replacement base for the egg. This amounts to a total further reduction of $1,401.61. This leaves a new total owing of $3,098 ($4,490.61 - $1,401.61).
  
  
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  This offer is open for acceptance until Friday December 9th at 9:00am. If by that time you have not accepted the offer, we will deem it rejected. In the event the offer is rejected, we will be proceeding to take legal action against you for the full amount of services rendered, plus interest, legal fees and any other additional costs associated with having to take such actions. Should you elect to follow through with your blackmail, we will take further legal action against you for any libelous and slanderous defamatory statements. 
  
  We wish the experience would have been more positive. Unfortunately, that is not the case. 
  
   Regards,

  Customer response

  20/12/2022

   I am rejecting this response because: 

  This is the same email they sent before.  As I pointed out, we culled three large pieces before the move.  I also rented a 26 foot truck as well as a 12X6 foot trailer.  We also moved 1 full bedroom set, one Arm Chair as well as a smaller chair.  One Kitchen table with four chairs and one large TV ahead of time.  The reason they could not fit everything in the truck was because of the inept packing job.  They only filled the boxes halfway with no padding at all.  They used twice as many boxes than they estimated and even charged me extra for it.  These boxes filled the truck.  They did not even finish packing the house.  

   

  Sincerely,

   

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

  
  

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