21 Jun 2016 · MoveAdvisor
1.0 out of 51.0
Please read all the way to the end. The last email from this company was Alex, owner, bragging and cussing me out for getting away with damaging my property. STAY AWAY.
The Cleveland Moving Co., or Cleveland Moving LLC, was getting high ratings from customers on thumbtack.com, yet is rated F on the BBB website. I have learned my lesson and here is my story:
I chose Cleveland Moving Co because of its star rating and slightly lower prices. It has turned out to be a traumatizing experience for me.
I called and spoke to Alex about how they handle large furniture. I explained how my furniture was only 2 years old and in perfect condition, and I was hesitant in hiring people I didn't know to move it. I also said that I was in a small apartment and that I could not damage the walls during move out or it would obviously be docked from my security deposit. Alex reassured me that he would use quilts to cover the furniture, and that the small apartment is no problem at all. I asked if I needed to empty my drawers and he said I did not.
I felt personally disrespected during the truck loading process. Alex took smoke breaks, did not use any protection when moving my large furniture (as promised previously on the phone), took a large chunk, and several little ones, out of the apartment wall white hitting it with my furniture. I had to fix all the wall damage before leaving. He also would stand uncomfortably close to me, touching me, when talking to me, but that’s a whole other issue. They took their time with loading the truck, and even PULLED AWAY from the building while my new end table was STILL IN THE ELEVATOR. I ran after the truck yelling, and they returned to get it.
We left at the same time, stopped for a short errand, and still beat them to the new residence. I thought that was odd. They seemed in a hurry when unloading the truck, which was a suspicious change from before. It was such a whirlwind that I didn’t notice all the damage that was done to every piece of furniture! When they finished, they said I had to inspect the truck to make sure everything was out. In doing so, they realized my giant mirror (the only thing they wrapped up) was still in there. Then I pointed out that there were several dings and gashes in my new wood furniture. At this point, Alex told me he was “just a driver,” which was a blatant lie, and was only authorized to give a $25 discount for damages. I knew that he did not deserve my money, and I certainly didn’t trust how he would “fix” the damage, so I agreed. He then offered a $50 discount if me and the 3 others that were present would give him a good rating on here! I should not have done this deal! But to try to quickly resolve the issue I did, and he wrote his own reviews under our emails. Yes-
He wrote his own reviews and posted them on thumbtack.com! His rating is not honest.
After that, he only gave me a $25 discount for the reviews, not $50, and hurried off. Then I inspected his work and found all the damage (I WISH I could post pictures for you!):
He scratched/dinged every single piece of wood furniture he moved. All my drawers that were removed have very chewed up corners from bumping. But the part that hurt me the most was my tall dresser. I now know why he took a little longer to get there and why he hurried to leave.
My tall heavy dresser (that he left the drawers in) was NOT secured at all in the truck. It had fallen over in the truck and he failed to be up-front about it. A dime-sized chuck is out of the marble top (only could have happened with some force), and every one of the 8 handles are scratched up beyond fixing. My drawers opened and hit another object, most likely the side of the truck. Alex quickly pushed the drawers back in to hide this event, because they were all off track after he left. The track from the bottom drawer, which would have been supporting all the weight from this fall, WAS BROKEN OFF! This was an $800 new dresser!!
My friend and I have tried to rectify the situation with Alex, who lied to my face in saying he was just a driver. He again lied and told us he is not the owner and refused to give out the owner’s information, because he “does not deal with these types of situations.” After several emails, he and his administrative assistant AKA MOM, said they ordered the handles for me and they were on the way. Furthermore- when I called to inquire about the handles and then asked him why he lied to me about being just a driver, he said “accidents happen” AND HUNG UP ON ME! Accidents happen all the time, but LYING is a conscious decision that he has made as the manager of a company. I never received the replacement handles. They lied.
Here is their site: http://www.thumbtack.com/request/v2hiscuu/bids/9qmdpjsl/profile
I finally contacted thumbtack, told them about the false review he put under my name, and they let me rewrite my review. You might notice it on there, and I was completely honest and still behaved in the review. However, today after he apparently returned from vacation, saw my review and emailed me with this response:
"Nice feedback lol
I am 23 yo and I make 250 thousand dollars per year. You can go f** yourselves."
I took them to court, won, and the judge agreed that there was over $1600 in damages.
After ignored emails, besides ONE asking if I’d accept $300 *ha*, I have still never received a payment.
I trust businesses to be professional and I deserve respect as a paying customer. I am a hard-working individual and I had to work VERY hard to buy that furniture. I kept it in pristine shape because I wanted it to be the first and last bed-set I ever own. Now every time I look at it, where I once felt proud and extremely happy, I now feel such sadness. I cannot believe I was treated so badly, and now I want to make it right. I don't want this guy to lie to and cheat any more innocent, hard-working Ohioans.
Thank you!
PS- Still waiting on that payment, Alex/Oleg. It would be in your best interest to still do what is right (and legally filed in Municipal Court). I am not going to just let it go.
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