OCEANSIDE, Calif., July 1 (Laguna Beach Daily) — A Southern California couple says a moving broker doubled the price of their cross-country move in progress and is still holding their belongings, leaving their shipment stuck after a disputed delivery attempt.
John Nelson said the couple hired a broker for a move from Oceanside in San Diego County to North Carolina under a contract for more than $16,000, with a $7,000 deposit paid up front. He said movers arrived at the home at the end of May and then claimed there were far more items than first assessed, raising the price to $32,000.
“They have $30,000 and our belongings … they are essentially holding it for ransom,” Nelson said.
Nelson said the company then tried to deliver the shipment on June 3, even though the couple told the movers they would not be at the North Carolina destination until June 10. After no one was there to accept the delivery, he said the company charged an extra redelivery fee.
He said he suspects the June 3 attempt may have been staged after he watched video of the truck arriving. That suspicion came from Nelson and was not independently verified in the material reviewed.
Nelson said the couple filed police reports in Oceanside and in their destination city, and also submitted complaints to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB says consumers should watch for movers that add sudden fees or refuse to release belongings until they are paid.
