Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  United Van Lines was the company who provided the **** of Lading (#*************); they contracted with Mohawk Moving, who moved the items. Items were loaded on 8/12/2021. Because United Van Lines refused to hold the load until 8/17/2021, they were delivered to a storage unit. When unloaded into the storage unit, several items were damaged. Photos from the morning of the load 8/12/2021 documented the initial condition of the items and photos at the storage unit documented the damage. A claim was filed 8/25/2021 for the damage of 9 items pulse an inconvenience claim. The total was $5,065.61. They acknowledged the claim and assigned it to Claim team 4. They indicated on 11/30 that "we will review all the claimed items, paperwork and the notes on your claim in order to settle. You will receive a settlement letter in your email once review is completed. We will update as we have more information. Once we have settled your claim, we will email you the settlement letter and mail you any check that would be due to you." We have contacted them several times since without settlement. 1/28/22 we receive a letter indicating that they would pay as claimed 5 items and denied the remaining indicating they completed their investigation and that we had moved the items from the original location. The items have not been moved and remain at the storage facility. They indicated a check would be mailed for the initial 5 items. This was never received. We request they honor the agreement with full replacement value protection for all damaged items.

  

  Business response

  03/04/2022

  March 4, 2022
   Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Missouri & Southern Illinois
   *** ** ******** ***** **** *** ****** ** *****  *** ***** ****** ****** *** ****** *** ***** ******* *********  *** ********* *** ********
  To whom it may concern:
   I have been asked to respond on behalf of United Van Lines, LLC (“United”) regarding the ***** ******** (“Mr. ******”) concern. United’s Tariff UMT1 Item 35(b) requires a shipper to allow United an opportunity to inspect any items reported to have been damaged during the course of the interstate move. Item 35(b) states as follows: “Carrier must be promptly notified of concealed damage or shortage and given reasonable opportunity to inspect all articles claimed damaged, including any cartons or packing materials used for such articles during shipment. Customer must refrain from moving and attempting to repair, or disposing of an allegedly damaged item, or its packing, if any, before carrier’s inspection of those articles. Moving or disposal of an allegedly damaged article prior to carrier’s inspection will be construed as denial of carrier’s reasonable opportunity to inspect the allegedly damaged item and its packing.” (Emphasis added). See United’s Tariff Item 35, attached as Exhibit A. An interstate shipper is required to allow United an opportunity to inspect and verify that claimed items were, in fact, damagedin transit. If an item is moved prior to United’s inspection, United cannot determine whether any damage was the result of United’s handling of the item or the subsequent handling of the item. A review of the shipping documents reflects that Mr. ******** shipment was delivered to a mini-storage location in St. Cloud, Minnesota. His claim form indicates that the items were located at a residence in St. Cloud, Minnesota when he filed his claim. United contracted with Ackerman’s Furniture Service to perform an inspection of the claimed items. When the claimed items were made available, they were located at the residence, not at the mini-storage location that they were delivered to. Therefore, Mr. ****** moved the items prior to allowing United to inspect the items. Mr. ******** denial of United’s reasonable opportunity to inspect claimed items prevented United from assessing its liability or determining whether any of the claimed damage was pre-existing. United is unable to determine the extent of any new transit related damages that may have occurred during interstate Better Business Bureau Complaint ID No. 16802109 – Brent ****** Page 2transport with United. As the items have been moved from United’s delivery location prior to any claim being filed or any inspection performed, it is not possible to determine whether any alleged damage was caused in whole or in part by the subsequent move, which United would not be liable for. Finally, Mr. ****** also denied United the opportunity to inspect the packaging used for the items. As Mr. ****** denied United the opportunity to inspect the claimed items, United has no liability for them. However, United made a settlement offering to pay several items as a customer service gesture. This settlement offer totaled $1,719.95. This settlement offer remains active. Availability of Arbitration Mr. ****** should be aware that United participates in an arbitration program which is available to United’s customers at no cost. In the event that he is not satisfied with United’s compromise settlement offer, he may request binding arbitration by writing to: American Trucking Association (“ATA”) Attention: Dispute Settlement Program *** ** ***** ***** ***** *** ********** ******** ***** Mr. ******** letter may also be sent by facsimile to fax number ************ or completed online at www.trucking.org. His letter of notification to the ATA must be received within sixty (60) days from the date of this letter. Along with Mr. ******** name, address and telephone number, the following information should be included in his letter of notification to the ATA: *The name of the carrier and the identification number of the shipment; *Any assigned loss and damage claim number; *The name the shipment moved under; *The dates and location of pickup and delivery; and *The monetary value of the loss and damage claim involved. Documents supporting Mr. ******** position on the claim should not be sent initially, but instead, should be kept for later use when the actual arbitration forms are submitted to the National Arbitration Forum. We regret our services have not met Mr. ******’s expectations.
  Thank you for the opportunity to address Mr. ******** complaint.

  Customer response

  03/04/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The response provided by United Van Lines does not reflect the course of events.

  ********** furniture never inspected the damaged items in person; only photos were requested and sent.  The email communication is attached.  The items have always been available at *************** unit for inspection.  An in person inspection has not been scheduled.  There has never been a denial of a request to inspect the items that we are aware of through the communications we have received.  The items were delivered to the storage unit and continue to be stored at the unit.  This has been articulated in follow up emails (attached).   I am not sure why there is confusion on the location of the items.  The address of residence was requested on the forms for communication; not as documentation of item location.  We can demonstrate the ongoing monthly rent we are paying for the storage. The items are still there.  

  We are disappointed in the response from United Van Lines as it does not reflect our understanding from the communications we have had with them.  

  We appreciate the communication of the availability for Arbitration.  While this was in the original documents, this has not been offered in our other communications.
  We also appreciate a more recent communication from United Van Lines that they are reassessing our claim and requested we wait 45 days for their review.
  
  Sincerely,

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

  Customer response

  04/26/2022

  We received follow up from United Van Lines with a settlement that was felt to be reasonable based on the amount of damaged goods.

  
  

  
  

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