ComplaintsforPowerhouse Moving of Springfield, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  06/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We (myself and my girlfriend) paid Powerhouse Moving $150 to move a single treadmill to a storage unit in Springfield, MO from our apartment in Springfield, MO. The movers, scooted the treadmill on the asphalt in the storage unit parking lot and severed the power/data cable that connects the treadmill screens/computer to the engine and belt, making the treadmill unusable (the movers broke the treadmill). The owner, *****, said he would have a technician take a look and attempt to repair the treadmill, which we agreed to. We contacted ***** to ask about being refunded the cost of the moving expense, but he refused to refund the cost of the movers and threatened to not repair or replace the treadmill if he refunded us. We explained that we were due a refund because the one item (the treadmill) that we paid to have moved safely was damaged due to his employees negligence, thus the service was not completed as promised, and we now have to drive from our new home in Riverside, MO to Springfield just to wait for his technician to repair what his employees broke. This is a trip we would otherwise not be making and costs us time and money. We have photos and videos of the initial movers after damaging the treadmill and attempting and failing to fix it, and the technician admitting company fault and attempting to fix the damage, but he didn't. We told ***** that we were fine with repair or replacement, but we still felt due a refund since our treadmill was not moved safely and now is costing us more time and money. ***** has refused to reply to any of our messages. We've asked for an arbitration meeting and gave him several days to reply and he has not. We called the service technician, and he would not answer our questions and has not replied. It appears that he is attempting to refuse to fix or replace our treadmill as well as refunding us, and we do not see a way forward without taking him to court as he's cost us well over $1,000 in damages and ample lost time.

  

  Business response

  06/21/2022

  We moved the treadmill down a set of stairs and across town where they wanted it. It got damaged and we set a time that they agreed on to have a technician look at it. He was on time and will complete the job when the piece comes in. Unfortunately in moving damages will happen. They are very rare for my guys as they are all professional movers. I was out of town when they sent me the email and I missed their “deadline”. As I told them I will refund the money for the move if they want to take care of the cord themselves but don’t think I need to refund the money for the move and fix the treadmill. 

  Customer response

  06/25/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:The repair of the treadmill had already been previously agreed to in reponse to his employees damaging the treadmill. In the state of Missouri, it is a moving companies legal requirement to repair or replace damaged property, according to MoDot. The treadmill repair/replacement is a separate issue to the refund of our moving costs, since it is a legal requirement for him to cover the repair. As is currently, the treadmill has not been repaired and any attempt to contact the Powerhouse moving company prior to reaching out to the Better Business Bureau has resulted in no contact. We texted ***** and after he refused to refund us, we texted ***** and the technician several times again and received no response in regards to fixing our treadmill. We request the refund of our moving cost to cover the additional travel expenses from Kansas City, MO to Springfield, MO to allow his technician to fix the treadmill. This is a 6 hour round trip that we would not be having to make if it were not for his company's mistake. Also, a moving company is supposed to keep a person's belongings in the same condition, as they were in, prior to the move. This didn't happen, prior to his employees moving our treadmill, it was working and undamaged. After they attempted to move the treadmill, it had extensive damages and is nonfunctional, including cosmetic damages that cannot be repaired. Finally, we did not send an email, we sent text messages to *****'s phone.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  ****** ******

  

  Business response

  06/29/2022

    I stopped arguing through text messages yes. She requested me fix her treadmill and reimburse her the move cost. I sent a technician out to the treadmill, he said it could be fixed and the part was ordered. We are waiting on the part right now. My last correspondence with her was that I could refund her the move costs or fix the treadmill, I would let her choose, she said she was only going to accept reimbursement and fix the treadmill. As a business owner I carry insurance to fix mistakes but cannot stay in business if I refund move costs for every damage. That is what my insurance is for. At this point there is nothing more I could say to her to make her happy and just advised her I would fix the treadmill to which I still am planning on doing. I can provide name and number of texhnician as well as all previous correspondence with the customer. She claims she has to make a special trip from Kansas city to fix it however, we are willing and able to fix it when she comes to pick up the treadmill to move it.we have been very flexible with meeting her to view the damage and provide the technician. 
  

  For 25 years I have known that there are people that physically can’t move certain things and have kept my fees affordable at a 1 hour minimum so I would be able to help those that may be disabled or just don’t have the means to move one piece of furniture. Most all other companies have a 2-3 hour minimum. 
  

  to wrap this up the offer to fix treadmill, for which the part is on order and the technician is standing by, or refund the move is still an option,  however our policy and business practices remain, one or the other, we cannot stay in business and do both. 

  Customer response

  07/05/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:I am a man, and go by he/him pronouns. At no point in time has ***** ever had any contact with my girlfriend or any other woman about this matter, so I'm not sure who the "she/her" he is referring to is. First I would like to point out that, as you very clearly stated, that these issues are what insurance is for. I would at this time like to get the insurance information and we can go through them. If you choose to do that, then we will deal with the insurance company. Otherwise, I feel justified in requesting half of the cost, $75, to cover our additional gas and the cosmetic damages to the treadmill, that cannot be repaired. The length of time you have been in business or your minimum/maximum time frames are irrelevant in this matter. A moving company is responsible for moving items in the state that they received them. Nobody pays to have their items damaged beyond use. Its not as if he damaged 1 out of 50 or even 20 items, 100% of the items we paid to have moved were damaged beyond use. If an elderly person paid to have an electric power chair moved and upon arrival it had scratches and dents and no longer functions, the moving company would be liable to replace/repair their item and refund them for the trouble they caused. If someone pays a maid service to clean their living room and they pour bleach all over the carpet, they don't get to say "I only charged you for an hour and I technically cleaned" as an excuse. They are liable for damages and do not get paid. People do not pay to have their propery damaged. Ever since the disagreement we received no further communication about the status of part, leading us to believe that the business was attempting to ghost us, hence reaching out to the Better Business Bureau.  Additionally, since the treadmill is still damaged and not working, there is no 100% guarantee that the treadmill will be in repairable, nor do we know how long it will take for that part to come in. Additionally since I do not know how long that part will take to come in, there is the additional cost of storing the treadmill longer than we had intended. It makes no sense for me to pay several hundred dollars to move a non-functional treamill across the state. Our treadmill needs to be repaired and in working order before we pay another moving company to move it to Kansas City.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

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