ComplaintsforOuch My Back Moving Ltd

• Initial Complaint

  07/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I obtained a quote for moving services regarding the pick up of the contents of my one bedroom apartment in Sidney and then moving the contents to Vancouver. The pick up was to be November 30th 2022 in Sidney with delivery to Vancouver on December 1st 2022. I accepted the contract. The contract was for $2,163.50 plus tax for 11 hours plus ferry and fuel charges plus taxes. Before they left Sidney they requested that I pay an installment for the loading part of the contract (which was 4 hours). I provided my credit card which I now realize they kept. I was told that the 4 hour charge was a minimum charge even though they were there less than 4 hours. his loading prepayment was for $616.00 ($149 x 4 hours plus tax) I do not object to a minimum loading or unloading charge. They delivered my items in Vancouver. They were there for 3 1/2 hours. Again, I do not object to a 4 hours charge as that had been explained as a minimum. After the move was completed I received notice they were billing a additional $2,115.23. (an additional 11 hours plus ferry plus tax). So it was $1,639 plus ferry plus tax instead of $1,043 (The remaining 7 hours) plus ferry plus tax. This means that they charged for 4 hours PLUS the 11 hours quote. This was not authorized, or discussed with me and in fact they processed this payment on my credit card that I had provided at the loading prepayment without my authorization. They must have retained the credit card information from the first payment and then used it for the second inflated payment, without showing me the bill or having authorization for use of my credit card.

  

  Business response

  07/12/2022

  We do not offer fixed price contracts and this is made clear throughout booking. 

  Ouch My Back Moving provided **** with an Estimate of expected time and costs which she accepted. Her estimate was for $2,271.68 and the final amount invoiced came to $2,731.25 with the difference being $459.57, whilst this is not ideal for anyone it is the reason we provide estimates vs. fixed cost contracts.

  We provide our estimates based on the customers description of the move compared with average move times - **** had a lot of delicate items so extra time was taken loading the truck due to pad wrapping and protecting the furniture properly. We feel as though all aspects of our procedures were outline to the customer throughout the booking process. 

  We are regretful that this could not be resolved without immediate involvement of the BBB and the customers Bank.

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

   

  Customer response

  08/12/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  1. whatever way you look at it the  time billed did exceed both the original quote AND the actual time so to say that the extra billing was justified  by extra time does not address the fact that they di NOT spend the time they suggested. ( Let alone  make their apparent practice of failing to  advise the customer of  their practice of overbilling.)They arrived for pick up at Sidney at 9:15... they left at 1:15 on November 30  That is  4 hours . When they came to  drop off the property in  Vancouver they arrived at my property 1:25 they left  my Vancouver suite at 3:00 --- that's and hour and 35 minutes  Whether they say there were unanticipated delicate items ( which i question given that I told them about my contents) they did NOT take significant time to deal with  them. They simply wrapped things in blankets on the pickup and dropped them off in blankets ( which my cousin and I removed and folded at drop off which further reduced their time) The loading was done by 2 young men ( not the same  people who did the unloading) The drop off was done by the owner ****** and another man So... the pickup and drop time  totalled  5 3/4 hours.  Even bumping it up to a minimum of 4 hours per  load/unload  that's 8 hours -- well within the "quote"

  2. They have not addressed the unauthorized use of my credit card. They left the drop off without any discussion that they would overcharge and then 2 days later sent a invoice that they had already run through their credit card system with a unauthorized charge, The mover at drop off was actually the owner **** ***** - he was responsible to address his proposed overcharge then and there not sneak away and  use my credit card information in a unauthorzied fashion.

  3. I should add as well  that at the pick up  two young men arrived( not the owners as at the drop off) They did not arrive with proper moving supplies as  promised in the contract. They had not brought enough tape   to bind the blankets so I had to go out to a local store to buy it for them. Even then they were gone  within 4 hours but one would think that they would  always  be mindfull of bringing extra 

  
  

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