Stole $14,543 and moved our stuff 6 miles into a storage facility

[Glasgow]

Broker :
Dougherty Brothers Moving LLC
401 N Rosemary Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone: 888-462-9526    Fax: 888-473-2963
DOT #: 3397306  MC #: 1092930

Mover : Royal Star Movers
2173 S Wabash St unit #B
Denver Co 80231
720 903 5155
720 778 9090



I contacted who I now know to be the broker who advertised their services as a moving company and got a binding estimate of $11,500 to transport our goods from Reno NV to Merritt Island FL . I filled out an inventory but knew the weight to be 14,968 lbs so agreed to estimate by weight at 15,000lbs.

They agreed to this but I did notice an equivalent volume of 2153 cubic ft on their estimate.

The move was set for 8/27/20 and i paid a $4000 deposit.

They called on 8/26 and stated that truck was rerouted. Then they said that plan B truck on 8/29 broke down. They finally arrive in a rented truck on 8/30. and told me they would have to put my items in a storage facility until their semi was fixed. We were supposed to be out of this house on 8/29, but could not move or let the new owners in.

Helpers who they go off craigslist warned me of the fact that they were not right and even their driver told me they would jack the price up. They loaded one of my bikes and then said the total cost would be $19000 due to the volume increasing. I told them to take the bike off the truck. I have witnessed to this. 2 of the helpers who were going to help me move another way. I left the movers outside and said i dont want their services. Then later i thought i would lose my deposit with dougherty brothers so went outside and the truck had not gone. I made a deal with them for $14, 211 ( they put this for 3500 cubic ft which is what they said was the volume) and wrote on the estimate "not to exceed $14,211 at destination", which they signed. They were due to come back and start moving 8/31. The next day,8/31 they came back and loaded the bikes and some boxes and I went with them to the storage facility to unload my bikes one of which had suffered some damage . They had 2 storage garages in a public facility in Sparks NV and I have the address.

They went back and picked up another load and just left the rest on the driveway of the house, fortunately the buyers who took over the house that day let us store that in the garage. We stayed at a hotel.

The next day they call and tell me it would be another $5500 based on the total volume of 4400 cubic ft. I said no but later agreed to a new estimate of $16000 for an additional 400 cubic feet. They also told me I had to pay 75% of the total when the contract got signed.They met us at the house and took the stuff which they said would go into a third storage facility. When they told me the remaining items would be more than 400 cubic ft , we signed another estimate for $18,111 and they told me i had to give them $10,543 by check. Which was 75% of $14,111 (18111-4000 deposit).

The next day we started our car drive to Florida. I called their company Royal Star to find out when they would send the semi to pick the stuff up from Sparks storage, they said a few days.

The next day (today) whilst driving, Joe Miller from Dougherty brothers called me and told me they needed a Shuttle bus at destination in FL which would cost another $3500.

We are not going to pay this as it's way inflated and we dont know where the costs will stop. Please help us. We are a family of four travelling to FL, 2 adults,2 teenagers,3dogs,3cats and 2 birds and this is so stressful we cannot drive far each day. Dont know when we will get our stuff but need a lawyer now to stop this and get our possessions back, all our passports, birth certificates, 4 motorcycles worth 25k and all our worldly goods. We bought a house in FL but know we will not be able to put anything in it when we get there.

Sincerely

Neil Harding-Jones

[email protected]

425-953-3780