OCEANSIDE, Calif., July 1 (Laguna Beach Daily) — A Southern California couple says a cross-country move from Oceanside to North Carolina turned into a price dispute when movers doubled the bill midprocess and kept the family’s belongings, according to John Nelson.
Nelson said he and his spouse hired a moving broker for a move that was originally quoted at more than $16,000. He said he paid a $7,000 deposit before movers arrived at the home at the end of May.
Nelson said the crew later claimed there were many more items than had been assessed, pushing the total to $32,000. He said the couple had told the movers they would not be in North Carolina until June 10, but the company still tried to deliver the shipment on June 3.
When no one was there to accept the load, Nelson said the company added another fee for redelivery. “They have $30,000 and our belongings… they are essentially holding it for ransom,” he said.
Nelson said he suspected the June 3 delivery attempt may have been staged after viewing video of the truck’s arrival. He said the couple filed police reports in Oceanside and in their destination city in North Carolina, and also sent complaints to agencies including the Better Business Bureau. The moving company was not identified in the account, and no response from it was included.