Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  This company took my art work after the large wildfire. They literally stripped the oil paintings and gicle prints and destroyed them. The print and oil was stripped away. The frames are damaged. The backing was applied poorly. The artist who did the work has made a statement that it was indeed destroyed. I have before and after photos. The company refuses to have a discussion with me and instead told me the case was not theirs as this is a franchise and they were not the owners then. This is a US franchise and my claim is being not being heard and is shut down. This is an extreme loss of money and personal sentimental belongings. I paid a lot for this to be cleaned and instead they were destroyed. The items were fine prior to being sent to them for a light cleaning. I have photo documentation. I have an artist testimony. The destruction is irreparable. They take no responsibility and now I have to seek legal representation.

  Business response

  12/05/2023

  To the discerning reading, please see our comments below.

  The following information summarizes the services provided:

  * In January 2022, we picked up the art from the customer's home

  * In May 2022, we completed the work and delivered the art to the customer's non-climate controlled garage (as requested by the customer). The art was packaged.

  * In October 2023 (17 months after delivery), the customer opened the packages containing the art and notified us of the alleged damage.

  We have completed our analysis and determined that much of the damage was preexisting (we have pick up and delivery pictures). We believe the majority of the issues cited resulted from the art sitting in a non-climate controlled garage for 17 months.

  We asked the customer if we could come out and see the alleged damage and the customer told us she would be referring the issue to her legal counsel.

   

  Customer response

  01/13/2024

  The previous owner agreed to store the artwork for us, which he did for a year. We have never had it delivered to our house and left in a non-climate controlled garage or other. When it was delivered in May 2023, the art remained boxed and placed in a bedroom at my house by this business.
  The person who owns the business was not the owner at the time we hired the work done. Originally, when I realized the work was destroyed, the new owner would not take my call and told his secretary to inform me this was not his business and not his problem. The owner has never called me or taken my call. 
  I persisted in calling and speaking with the secretary and sent her photo documentation, which I have provided here. At that point, she told me the owner has instructed me to no longer call and to speak to his attorney. 
  The owner then sent me a very unkind email informing me he was not going to discuss this or work with me on a negotiation to settle the dispute financially. 
  

  I have included photocopies of the artist email and her opinion and the email from the previous owner. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩