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Report: #207318

Complaint Review: Belfor Moving - Rohnert Park California

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  • Reported By: Kennewick Washington
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  • Belfor Moving 600 Martin Ave. Rohnert Park, California U.S.A.

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On 7/21/06, my wife pulled into the TA Travel Center in Santa Nella, CA, around 5:30 pm and filled our 2004 Expedition with gas. After pumping, she pulled forward into a parking space. A Belfor Moving (from the California Bay Area) truck was to her right and was parked at a slight diagonal pointed towards our truck, overlapping its parking space and the one in front of it. While my wife went into the building, her mother stayed in the truck (in the passenger seat) with our two young daughters. The moving truck started to move, but didn't pull forward far enough before it turned, and the rear of the truck caught our passenger side mirror and moved it back against its stop. The mirror shattered and fell out of the now cracked plastic mirror assembly. The truck stopped for 5-10 seconds a few yards after the accident, and mom thought they were going to stop and get out, but they then started moving again and left the truck stop. My wife remained at the scene for hours in 112 degree heat waiting for the California State Patrol. When they arrived, there was nothing they could do because the accident happened on private property. This incident is classified as Hit and Run-Property damage. After my wife called me sobbing, I immediately contacted the moving company and spoke with the owner, Craig Belfor. He was very apologetic over the accident, and promised to provide reimbursement for the damage. He said he wished to avoid taking the hit on his insurance, and requested I send him an estimate for the repairs. He sounded very honest and sincere, so I agreed. I called him after getting the estimate from the Ford dealership ($323.48) and asked if I could email the estimate. He said yes, and also requested that I send him pictures of the damage, the Expedition, and a measurement of the height of the mirror from the ground. He said this was so that he could show his driver the evidence of the accident. The driver and his passenger had categorically denied the accident happened. Now I can understand them not knowing that the accident happened, and it's very possible that is the case. But they did not even allow the possibility that it COULD have happened, which of course is wrong since my mother-in-law was about 16 inches away from the accident when it happened. So I gladly provided all the information requested by Craig. I call later in the day to ensure that they received the email, and they had.

A week goes by, and no response. I send a follow up email, hoping I haven't been forgotten about, because I discovered it's not the safest thing to drive a big SUV without a passenger side mirror. Another two weeks go by, with no response. So I call again to speak with Craig. His daughter Natalie tells me that she had it on the calendar for him to contact me. So Craig gets on the phone, and proceeds to tell me that he could find no evidence on his truck of any accident, and that his men swear that there was no accident. The lack of evidence doesn't surprise me (assuming he was telling the truth), as a plastic mirror assembly is no match for a multi-ton piece of metal. He re-emphasizes these points over and over, eventually getting to the point of he has decided to believe his infallible driver who has never had an accident over the word of a middle-class family from Washington and their mother. With a broken and somber spirit, I then sadly ask if I may now have the name of his insurance company. At this point he has become confrontational, and with malice in his voice he says Sure, I'll have to look that up and get back to you. OK, so what owner of a small business doesn't know the name of his insurance company??? It is at this point I realize that I'm dealing with someone who is lacking integrity. So I say Now, if I don't get a call back. He cuts me off with anger in his voice, and says that threats will do no good. Like I'm some kind of rogue con artist who is holding him hostage!!! It is hard to believe that someone would sacrifice their integrity and the reputation of their company over 300 bucks. I tell him that I'm not threatening him, and he angrily reinforces the fact that he'll call me back with the name of his insurance.

So of course here we are now one month following that conversation, with no insurance. Surprise! Throughout this whole process, I was never accusatory or angry. I tried to conduct myself with kindness and grace, and expected the same in response. I even followed up that last conversation with an email stating my disappointment in his decision, but that I loved him (the biblical commands of love your neighbor as well as your enemy), and wished him and his family the best. I figured this was the last opportunity for him to do the right thing. I've struggled a lot with what approach to take.turn the other cheek, or take out ads in his local paper calling out his dishonesty. I settled on just presenting the facts, and allowing people to make their own decision on whether or not to use a company that acts in this manner. Would people who had their belongings damaged while using Belfor Moving be taken care of? I have no idea. But this is how they treated my family.

((( ROR REDACTED LAST NAME FOR SECURITY PURPOSES )))

David
Kennewick, Washington
U.S.A.

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This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 08/22/2006 10:34 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/belfor-moving/rohnert-park-california-94928/belfor-moving-national-van-lines-hit-and-run-by-moving-truck-movers-ripoff-bay-area-cali-207318. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
0Author
7Consumer
1Employee/Owner

#8 Author of original report

Damage paid for

AUTHOR: David - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Saturday, October 14, 2006

This update was posted on 9/21/06, but isn't showing up for some reason. I promised to make the update, so here is a second attempt.

Mr. Belfor has paid for our damages in full. I was contacted by his very kind and professional lawyer, who seemed genuinely sympathetic to our case. He sent our repair money, as well as the expected paperwork to release Belfor Moving from any futher claims. I gladly signed and returned that paperwork, since all I ever wanted was to get my vehicle fixed.

Now that justice has been served, my family and Belfor moving can go on in peace. Thanks to all.

David

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#7 Author of original report

Damage has been paid for!

AUTHOR: David - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, September 21, 2006

Mr. Belfor has paid for our damages in full. I was contacted by his very kind and professional lawyer, who seemed genuinely sympathetic to our case. He sent our repair money, as well as the expected paperwork to release Belfor Moving from any futher claims. I gladly signed and returned that paperwork, since all I ever wanted was to get my vehicle fixed. Now that justice has been served, my family and Belfor moving can go on in peace. Thanks to all.

David

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#6 Author of original report

Heyyyy, that's not white paint on my mirror...

AUTHOR: David - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, August 31, 2006

Wow, court sounds like a great idea. I could spend a MINIMUM of $500 in travel costs for at least a two day trip from Washington to California small claims court in order to be reimbursed for $300 dollars damage. That would be real smart.

So the rebuttle has a couple of interesting points. There is the brand new information that the driver actually saw the clearance between my mirror and his truck--a perfectly intact mirror that if they were telling the truth, must have been damaged sometime between when their truck left and the 15 minutes that elapsed until the state patrol was contacted. My mother-in-law MUST have forseen this soon to come damage, and memorized their plate number so we could attack the innocent moving company vice whoever was the real criminal.

Oh, you detected the sarcasm there? Ok then, how about this..the truck driver watched the clearance continuously until his truck had completely cleared my vehicle. So now we have an actual false statement, because if he had watched the whole way, he would have seen that HE BROKE THE MIRROR!!!! Also interesting is a couple of key statements by Craig: He says I haven't told the truth (interesting since he wasn't at the scene of the accident); he says he doesn't "believe" they hit my truck; and chooses to stick with what he "feels" is the truth. Probably shouldn't call someone a liar when your making decisions based on how you "feel". Lastly, paint mentioned on the mirror as evidence isn't white, it appears to be metallic in nature upon closer inspection. It just looks white from a foot away. If I thought packing up the mirror and shipping it to them for evidence would do some good, I would.

So yes, I choose the internet as opposed to a legal system that is as flawless as his driver. Thanks to Sharon in Virgina, I have spoken with their insurance carrier, as well as the safety department at National Van Lines. And yes, bad publicity is what you get when you choose to believe the wrong person. Yes, the person with the MOTIVE, instead of me, where the only possible motive, money, would quickly be dismissed by an observation of my finances and lifestyle. Heck, I even offered to give him my SSN so he could research me to see if I was believable.

In conclusion, I ask what part of my story or actions sounds dishonest?

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#5 Author of original report

Heyyyy, that's not white paint on my mirror...

AUTHOR: David - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, August 31, 2006

Wow, court sounds like a great idea. I could spend a MINIMUM of $500 in travel costs for at least a two day trip from Washington to California small claims court in order to be reimbursed for $300 dollars damage. That would be real smart.

So the rebuttle has a couple of interesting points. There is the brand new information that the driver actually saw the clearance between my mirror and his truck--a perfectly intact mirror that if they were telling the truth, must have been damaged sometime between when their truck left and the 15 minutes that elapsed until the state patrol was contacted. My mother-in-law MUST have forseen this soon to come damage, and memorized their plate number so we could attack the innocent moving company vice whoever was the real criminal.

Oh, you detected the sarcasm there? Ok then, how about this..the truck driver watched the clearance continuously until his truck had completely cleared my vehicle. So now we have an actual false statement, because if he had watched the whole way, he would have seen that HE BROKE THE MIRROR!!!! Also interesting is a couple of key statements by Craig: He says I haven't told the truth (interesting since he wasn't at the scene of the accident); he says he doesn't "believe" they hit my truck; and chooses to stick with what he "feels" is the truth. Probably shouldn't call someone a liar when your making decisions based on how you "feel". Lastly, paint mentioned on the mirror as evidence isn't white, it appears to be metallic in nature upon closer inspection. It just looks white from a foot away. If I thought packing up the mirror and shipping it to them for evidence would do some good, I would.

So yes, I choose the internet as opposed to a legal system that is as flawless as his driver. Thanks to Sharon in Virgina, I have spoken with their insurance carrier, as well as the safety department at National Van Lines. And yes, bad publicity is what you get when you choose to believe the wrong person. Yes, the person with the MOTIVE, instead of me, where the only possible motive, money, would quickly be dismissed by an observation of my finances and lifestyle. Heck, I even offered to give him my SSN so he could research me to see if I was believable.

In conclusion, I ask what part of my story or actions sounds dishonest?

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#4 Author of original report

Heyyyy, that's not white paint on my mirror...

AUTHOR: David - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, August 31, 2006

Wow, court sounds like a great idea. I could spend a MINIMUM of $500 in travel costs for at least a two day trip from Washington to California small claims court in order to be reimbursed for $300 dollars damage. That would be real smart.

So the rebuttle has a couple of interesting points. There is the brand new information that the driver actually saw the clearance between my mirror and his truck--a perfectly intact mirror that if they were telling the truth, must have been damaged sometime between when their truck left and the 15 minutes that elapsed until the state patrol was contacted. My mother-in-law MUST have forseen this soon to come damage, and memorized their plate number so we could attack the innocent moving company vice whoever was the real criminal.

Oh, you detected the sarcasm there? Ok then, how about this..the truck driver watched the clearance continuously until his truck had completely cleared my vehicle. So now we have an actual false statement, because if he had watched the whole way, he would have seen that HE BROKE THE MIRROR!!!! Also interesting is a couple of key statements by Craig: He says I haven't told the truth (interesting since he wasn't at the scene of the accident); he says he doesn't "believe" they hit my truck; and chooses to stick with what he "feels" is the truth. Probably shouldn't call someone a liar when your making decisions based on how you "feel". Lastly, paint mentioned on the mirror as evidence isn't white, it appears to be metallic in nature upon closer inspection. It just looks white from a foot away. If I thought packing up the mirror and shipping it to them for evidence would do some good, I would.

So yes, I choose the internet as opposed to a legal system that is as flawless as his driver. Thanks to Sharon in Virgina, I have spoken with their insurance carrier, as well as the safety department at National Van Lines. And yes, bad publicity is what you get when you choose to believe the wrong person. Yes, the person with the MOTIVE, instead of me, where the only possible motive, money, would quickly be dismissed by an observation of my finances and lifestyle. Heck, I even offered to give him my SSN so he could research me to see if I was believable.

In conclusion, I ask what part of my story or actions sounds dishonest?

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#3 Author of original report

Heyyyy, that's not white paint on my mirror...

AUTHOR: David - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, August 31, 2006

Wow, court sounds like a great idea. I could spend a MINIMUM of $500 in travel costs for at least a two day trip from Washington to California small claims court in order to be reimbursed for $300 dollars damage. That would be real smart.

So the rebuttle has a couple of interesting points. There is the brand new information that the driver actually saw the clearance between my mirror and his truck--a perfectly intact mirror that if they were telling the truth, must have been damaged sometime between when their truck left and the 15 minutes that elapsed until the state patrol was contacted. My mother-in-law MUST have forseen this soon to come damage, and memorized their plate number so we could attack the innocent moving company vice whoever was the real criminal.

Oh, you detected the sarcasm there? Ok then, how about this..the truck driver watched the clearance continuously until his truck had completely cleared my vehicle. So now we have an actual false statement, because if he had watched the whole way, he would have seen that HE BROKE THE MIRROR!!!! Also interesting is a couple of key statements by Craig: He says I haven't told the truth (interesting since he wasn't at the scene of the accident); he says he doesn't "believe" they hit my truck; and chooses to stick with what he "feels" is the truth. Probably shouldn't call someone a liar when your making decisions based on how you "feel". Lastly, paint mentioned on the mirror as evidence isn't white, it appears to be metallic in nature upon closer inspection. It just looks white from a foot away. If I thought packing up the mirror and shipping it to them for evidence would do some good, I would.

So yes, I choose the internet as opposed to a legal system that is as flawless as his driver. Thanks to Sharon in Virgina, I have spoken with their insurance carrier, as well as the safety department at National Van Lines. And yes, bad publicity is what you get when you choose to believe the wrong person. Yes, the person with the MOTIVE, instead of me, where the only possible motive, money, would quickly be dismissed by an observation of my finances and lifestyle. Heck, I even offered to give him my SSN so he could research me to see if I was believable.

In conclusion, I ask what part of my story or actions sounds dishonest?

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#2 REBUTTAL Owner of company

We simply didn't do it.

AUTHOR: Craig - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, August 29, 2006

This person has not told the truth about the incident.

When this person called me and told me that we hit his truck, I told him I would investigate the facts, and if I was convinced after talking to the men, and looking at the truck, that we were responsible, we would pay for his mirror. I asked him to get an estimate of the damage and send me the estimate, some pictures, and an explanation of events so I could determine what happened.

I asked the driver what happened, and he said "nothing happened". He explained that he would never risk a hit and run conviction on his spottless driving record over a mirror that I would pay for. I examined the truck and could find no evidence of an accident.

The driver told me he pulled out of the parking space while looking at the mirror, and saw clearance between the vehicles all the way out of the parking spot. He then waited for some cars to pass, and then went out of the truck stop. His co-driver was right next to him, saw the fish eye mirror with daylight, and saw nothing.

The measurement of the height of his mirror on his SUV do not match up to any white area on the truck, and his pictures show white paint on the edge of his mirror. Based on this information, I denied his claim. I honestly don't think we hit his SUV.

He kept mentioning religon and family values to me, but I also have these same values, and I choose to stick to what I feel is the truth, even if it means a barrage of bad publicity. He chooses to use the internet rather than submiting to cross examination with the facts on the table.

If he had a case he'd take me to court.

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#1 Consumer Suggestion

Contact National Van Lines HQ

AUTHOR: Sharon - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, August 22, 2006

David,

First you need to contact National Van Lines HQ. If the move being performed at the time was going from CA to another state, then NVL would be liable.

Here is the holder for Belfor's Personal Liability/Property Damage policy.

TRANSGUARD INSR CO OF AMERICA INC
700 OAKMONT LANE
WESTMONT, IL 60559
Policy # TCP110446

If you should need to send correspondance to Belfor, send it to:

BELFOR MOVING AND WINE COUNTRY MOVING AND STORAGE
CRAIG BARRETT BELFOR
24 GALLI DR #E
NOVATO, CA 94949

Good luck with your claim.

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