ComplaintsforProsser's Moving & Storage Co.

• Initial Complaint

  06/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I hired this company to move me on 6/23/23. I paid for a 3 man crew. One of the guys was a 17 year old boy with no moving skills. When I first noticed how he was moving stuff, he was trying to let my couch slide down the stairs by itself. He was hostile and belligerent. He did not want to listen to the 2 senior men in the group. My son had to jump in to assist with the move. When the move was over I found a long dirt streak on my couch and the beginning of a hole. There is a little dirt on the other side as well. My tv stand has a scratch in it. They did not bring any type of material to wrap the furniture with just said they had some blankets, which they only had in the truck. The older guys stated that this young man was not supposed to be part of the crew. His father was. ******* is trying to play dumb about the situation now. I called when the guys were there and was told that **** would call me. He never did. On Monday, **** called me and I have not heard anything since. I would like some of my money refunded.

  

  Business response

  07/07/2023

  Our President reached out to the customer and resolved the situation.  

  Customer stated that she will send the ******************** a note that the situation is resolved.

  Customer response

  07/07/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired Prosser's Moving Company to move a Henredon dining room table and china cabinet that I had just purchased. Although the set was used it was in pristine condition. They picked the furniture up on April 27, 2022 to bring to my house. It wasn't until after the movers left that my family and I noticed the scratches that were now all over the top of the the dining room table.. that were not their prior to them moving it. Also their blankets they used to cover and protect the table were thin, ripped and just and not in good condition. We contacted the company multiple times and the owner was extremely rude and unprofessional and even hung up on my husband. The person who set up the move also called to talk to the owner **** ******* about what had happened and she was also talked to extremely rudely and was even hung up on. We have found someone who will fix the scratches and we just want this company to pay for repairing the scratches on the table.

  

  Business response

  05/06/2022

  Prosser’s Moving was asked to move a table and china cabinet as cheaply as possible.  They were quoted a very reasonable price. When the crew arrived at destination they were asked to move 2 other dining room sets to make room for the new set which was not part of the initial agreement. Crew were happy to do what needed to be done.  After items were delivered and set up customer had no complaints and actually generously tipped the crew.

  
  The customer was right there when the table was set up and the table leaf put in. According to the customer the scratches were not discovered until several hours later. Not sure why scratches were not noticed right away. Our crew was not aware of any damage. Typically if the crew damages an item they would note on the work ticket after pointing out damage to customer.

  
  Customer called the next day to report damage.  Customer became angry/upset when Mr. ******* did not agree to pay for damage right away and customer began to make accusations about the crew.  Mr. ******* ended the conversation by stating he did not appreciate this and hung up. Previously we were told that the crew was very professional and courteous.  It is our policy to investigate any claim but seems customer wanted an answer before Mr. ******* could talk to the crew and come to a decision on how to move forward with the claim.

  
  We are in the process of trying to work out a mutual agreement so as to close this claim.

  Customer response

  05/24/2022

  I reject the business’ position.  When the table was set up and before the movers left my home, I took an overall view of the table top and scratches were not apparent.  A photo (first photo) of an overall view is attached to verify that scratches were not apparent.  Sometime after the movers left my home, I inspected the table thoroughly and found many scratches that were not apparent with an overall view.  Photos of the table top with scratches are shown in in the next three photos to verify some of the scratches that I saw.  There are many more scratches on the table top.  The next day my husband called ******* to complain about the damage.  A day or two later, the owner called my husband, said he was not responsible, and hung up.  Subsequently, there were several phone calls between the owner, my husband, and me.  During the last call, the owner said he would work something out, check on his liability insurance, try to find a reasonable refinisher, and get back to us.  That was the last time we heard from the owner.  So, we are still waiting to hear from the owner to have our damaged table repaired. 
  

  
  

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

• Initial Complaint

  10/21/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Contracted business for move and storage, paid for full insurance. Price was double the quote for 1/2 of move; price was confirmed after they took possession of my household items. Paid $4372 for 1/2 move and 1 month of storage. They wanted an additional $2000 to deliver my items to final destination. I chose another moving crew to retrieve my items. Found my items has been stored in an 18 wheel trailer in 90 plus degree heat (including a propane tank and electronics). Multiple items were damaged and *** (their manager) was notified and shown pictures prior to my removal of the good from their property. They denied my insurance claim stating I only had 10 days to file a claim on intrastate moves. Please note: their manager was shown the damage on date items were removed and disregarded my question about the 10 days. I have contacted the Missouri Attorney General about the law they cited only allowing 10 day claim submission. I only seek repair of damaged items. I have provided a few of the pictures (all were provided with the claim) as an example of the damage and quality of service.

  

  Business response

  10/28/2021

  The Prosser family has been doing business in Saint Louis for over 115 years (since 1904).  The fifth generation that is currently running the company is proud of the family legacy and realizes it was built on honesty, integrity, and caring about our customers.  We do not intentionally underestimate what it will take to complete a customer’s move.  Although we strive for 100% accurate estimates, sometimes we miss the mark.  That is why we stress on the contract at the bottom of all estimates that the final charges will be based on actual services and quantities.

   

  Ms. ******, in addition to changing the dates, went from a local move to a partial move with storage, and finally to everything going to storage.  The estimates given to Ms. ****** were made in good faith to the best of our ability.
  
  “Price was double the quote for 1/2 of move;… Paid $4372 for 1/2 move and 1 month of storage.”
  She was originally quoted $2136.00 for a local move.  This included $1068.00 for 6 hours to load an estimated 10,000 pounds and $1068.00 to deliver it the next day.  It did not include storage related charges or valuation coverage. 
  
  She was later quoted $920.00 for warehouse handling (one-time charge of $640.00) and monthly storage ($280.00) based on 8,000 pounds.  This estimate shows an additional monthly charge of $80.00 for $40,000 Full Value coverage based on 8,000 pounds.  At the time of the storage estimate she wanted some of her goods delivered to another residence.  That is why the weight is different on the two estimates.  In total, she was quoted $2068.00 including Full Value coverage to pick up and store her goods for 1 month based on the weights mentioned.
  
  The $4372.00 she paid breaks down as follows:
  $2142.00 for 10.5 hours to load and transport 17,840 pounds to our warehouse.
  $1427.20 warehouse handling for 17,840 pounds (one-time charge).
  $624.40 monthly storage charge for 17,840 pounds.
  $178.40 monthly charge for $89,200 Full Value coverage based on 17,840 pounds.
  
  There are two reasons that the invoiced charges were higher than the estimated charges; weight and time. 
  
  The actual weight was 17,840 pounds (almost double the estimated weight).  The additional weight is the result of some additional items being moved and the contents of a 2-car garage that was so full of boxes stacked to the ceiling that you couldn’t get into the garage or see everything that was in the garage.  It’s impossible to accurately estimate the weight of a garage full of previously packed boxes because you don’t know if they contain stuffed animals or books.  Valuation, handling, and storage charges are based on weight.
  
  The estimated time was 6 hours and the actual total time was 10.5 hours.  When a shipment is bound for storage it must be inventoried, which slows down the loading of the truck significantly.  (Inventory is not required on a local move unless there is more than one customer on the truck.)  We also loaded more items than estimated which took longer.
  
  “Found my items has been stored in an 18 wheel trailer in 90 plus degree heat.”
  We do not have climate-controlled storage.  Ms. ****** was not told her goods would be stored in a climate-controlled environment.
  
  “They denied my insurance claim stating I only had 10 days to file a claim on intrastate moves.”
  The rules and regulations governing the intrastate transportation of household goods (https://www.modot.org/sites/default/files/documents/mcs/mcshhgtariffcircular1-2013b.pdf) clearly state on page 14 of the PDF that claims for loss or damage must be filed, in writing, with the carrier within ten (10) days following the date of delivery. The ten (10) day requirement is item number 6 on the Claim Filing Procedures sheet that she was given with the claim form. It is also item number 5 on the back of the work ticket she received on June 30, 2021, when we picked up her goods.
  
  While she was here during the removal of her goods, she commented to ***, our operations manager, that “ten (10) days to file a claim is ridiculous” and so she was aware of the claim filing time limit.  It seems that she thought this time limit didn’t apply to her.
  
  She removed her goods on August 23, 2021, and her claim was mailed on September 28, 2021, some 35 days following delivery (we received it on October 4, 2021).  Since her claim was not filed within the necessary timeframe we denied liability.  
  
  “I chose another moving crew to retrieve my items.”
  She hired another “moving crew” (who arrived without sufficient equipment to protect her furniture from damage) to remove her goods from our facility.  Since no written exceptions were taken at that time, we have no way of knowing whether the damage occurred while we were in possession of her goods or while they were in possession of the “moving crew” she hired.  Any subsequent damage would be the sole responsibility of the “moving crew” who moved her to her current address.
  
  “I only seek repair of damaged items.”
  If the only thing she wants is the repair of the damaged items, why didn’t she file her claim within the time limit?   She filed a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General during the claim filing time limit. We received it on August 26, 2021 (three (3) days after she removed her goods).
  
  “I have provided a few of the pictures…”
  The photos do not prove when the damage occurred or who caused it, only that there was damage.
  
  In summary, 
  By signing the contract of her own free will, she agreed to pay for actual services and quantities.
  She was aware of the time limit to file a claim and chose to ignore it.
  
  Sincerely,
  **** ****
  Office Manager

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The reason I have taken so long to turn in this claim, at 83 years of age after contacting my doctor in St. Louis, he told me to remember that I am 83 years old and to act accordingly. "Work for a short time and sit down and rest." I found this to be outstanding advice. After about 15 minutes, I started to be uncomfortable, some shortness of breath and some slight chest pains, never having experienced any of this before. I must attribute this to two things my aggravation and the fact that I haven't put forth this much effort in years. After all I moved from a 2 million dollar condo where everything was done for me. I never so much as had to lift a finger. Then I hire a very well recommended moving company and paid a lot more than the average. Then as the British would say "The Ship Hit The Sand." My very expensive items were delivered crushed beyond description. It took me several hours to get over my shock, I then called your corp. office and was just as shocked at the answers I got from them. Two suitcases damaged, one very expensive leather coat scruffed up and dirty, one stand up standard doctor's scale bent, must be recalculated, 14 suits and jackets must be cleaned and pressed, sharp stereo speaker and antenna, must be repaired, picture frames must be repaired, exercise machine has plastic pieces broken off, my decorator coffee table was scuffed up, my carpet was not in the best of shape but your guys added a lot of dirt and oil spots to it, my butler, which your man handed to me in three pieces (it was whole when they put a blanket around it) must be repaired, it has sentimental value to me. My tool box had to be pried open, the lock and lid was bent. My cat statute was scuffed up and has to be touched up so far. I have done 12 loads of laundry and still have a bedspread that has to be dry cleaned. One Rachel Ray enamel frying pan was damaged, and since the screen door would not close as it was bent, I removed it and discarded it. I feel this was an act of pure incompetence of the mover and the corporate office that is covering up what happened. The damage was to such an extreme. I want you to take note. It was not just the fact that I was in a state of shock and the fact that I am 83 years old and under a doctor's care for my balance problem and a knee problem and the fact that once I get down, I can't get back up without help and can only work for about 15 minutes and have to sit down for an hour or two. I explained this to them and asked for help and was told "that's not going to happen." From then on, they would not return my calls, and when I contacted my salesman, he was having the same problem (not getting his calls returned). The question I have is why you gave them such a good rating? I will try my best to keep this in the proper order. I first saw the moving truck back into a parking space, then I saw them open the door and all of my things that were already damaged fell out of the truck on to the wet pavement. I think they took advantage of an 83 year old man. They came off the truck and all my stuff was crushed and they let them fall on to the wet ground, from that point on I was like a zombie. The workers started to bring in my things dropping stuff on the wet pavement off of the dolly. They would then grab the damaged boxes and hand carry them to the elevator. Out of my sight, one of my future neighbors told me he didn't believe what he saw. They half carried my things down the hall to my condo with all of the dirt of the parking lot on to them to my clean carpet. After a few trips like this, I finally woke up to the fact that I better protect the carpet so I put down a runner so I could avoid the runner being damaged and my storm door to the point that it wouldn't close. Later on as they were rushing out, I called them back and said what about the door. The driver told me that all I had to do was fix the piece of wood and it still didn't close. That's when I saw that the door was bent. So I put the door in the dumpster. I saw that my son brought some things down and was here for a day. While he was here I had him take down the door and get rid of it. So since I was still in a state of shock, I called the moving company and explained the situation to them and asked for help and was told "that's not going to happen" even after I told her that I was 83 years old. I explained that I couldn't do what was required to unpack. I didn't hear her reply, all I could think of was that they are not going to do anything. Let me explain my condition. After spending two and a half years making sure that ***** always had the best of care, I was sedentary to the point where even to move was painful. I can work at unpacking about 15 minutes and I tend to lose my balance. I guess that's from two and a half years of doing nothing but sitting on my bum. So after starting to lose my balance, I have to sit down for a couple of hours. That's the reason it took so long to unpack and wash all of my clothes, use a carpet cleaner, scrub the scrape on the leather coat. After all of this I feel at 83 years old they are taking advantage of my age. Each time I called I was made to feel that this was all my fault. Most of the pictures will have a comment. I thought that moving down here would be a good experience and it would help me deal with *****'s passing. So to be sure there would be no problem in moving, I hired one of the most expensive of all of the movers that the BBB recommended.

  

  Business response

  09/24/2021

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

  
  RE:BBB Complaint ID: ********
  Date Filed:9/20/2021
  
  
  Interstate moving is a complicated process.  There can be up to four different agents of the van line involved.
  
  Prosser’s Moving and Storage Company was the booking agent.  That means we did the estimate, the paperwork, and registered the shipment with the van line (so they could assign a driver and hauling agent to transport your property).
  
  The hauling agent loaded your property from your St. Louis, MO residence and delivered it to your Bradenton, FL residence.  I can give you the contact information for the hauling agent.  Please contact me directly if you want this information.
  
  Prosser’s Moving and Storage Company did NOT damage your property.  It was never in our possession.  We did not load it or haul it to your Bradenton, FL residence, we did not deliver your goods, and we had no control over those that did.
  
  Sincerely,
  **** ****
  Office Manager
  Prosser’s Moving and Storage Company
  

  
  

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