Helping Hand Moving Services Helping Hand Moving Unprofessional, unethical liars. The owner lied to us throughout the transaction! CUSTOMERS BEWARE!! Ocala, Florida

Helping Hand Movers is a very unprofessional business! Jim Newsome, the owner of Helping Hand Movers, convinced us to go directly through his company instead of through Moving Helper / UHaul.

Unfortunately, I agreed to this arrangement. We arranged a move from Georgia to Florida, to start at 8:00am. We contracted for a total of $1200. First issue was that the owner/mover asked to delay the start time to 9:00am. We agreed; however, he arrived 45 minutes late (9:45am). The owner surveyed all of the items to be moved, he stated that it would take more time and more space to get the entire move completed. He stated that he would obtain a pull-along trailer so that all of the items could be moved. With the addition of the trailer and the additional time to move, the price would be increased by $600, for a total of $1800.

We agreed to this increase, as we wanted to make sure ALL items were brought to Florida. We take full responsibility for the under estimation of the amount of household goods that were in Georgia. This is why we agreed to this additional charge, with the knowledge that ALL of the household items would be moved to Florida.

They are the professional movers and once they were on site were well aware of all the items that needed to be moved. The owner continued to state that he could fit the entire move. Only after the truck was almost fully packed did Jim tell us that he needed to get a pull-trailer to fit the rest of the items. The movers delivered the items on Sunday (a day later than originally promised) and unloaded it.

We paid the final balance, under the impression that we had the entire load in the new house. Once we started unpacking and putting things in the appropriate rooms, we noticed that many items were missing. Among these items: 2 end tables, a dresser FULL of my nephew's clothes, a kitchen table, 2 lamps, several boxes of clothes and family photos, a chain saw, part of a computer table.

We called Helping Hand moving services to mention that we had missing items. Lori stated that EVERYTHING was moved and nothing was left. We called the landlord in Georgia and he confirmed that the movers left all of the above mentioned items in the carport. The cleaning lady that had been at the house also is a witness to the items left. The landlord also informed us that the movers told the new tenants that we had left the items and that it could all be taken to the dump!

So, now we have to make arrangements to have another mover go up to Georgia, pick up the items and haul them back to Florida. Why would we pay for a move that was only 95% complete and have to make additional arrangements for the items that were left? The landlord is now charging us "storage" to take the items to his garage where the property is safe and dry until we can get back there to pick it up. We have several witnesses that can verify that NOTHING was stated about leaving any items.

We have tried to obtain a resolution directly through Helping Hand moving services. We left several messages with Lori and finally spoke to Jim, the owner, last night; however, he was unwilling to do anything to settle this dispute and has not returned any calls since then.

I personally asked Jim why he left these items and he said that they just couldn't fit it all. I asked why he never called to convey this and he had no answer. I also questioned him on his authority to determine what items were "disposable" and could be left. Again, he did not respond to this question.

We have all witness names and phone numbers to verify that this is a true dispute. There is nothing fraudulent, except for the business practices of Helping Hand moving services. The first $600 that we paid to Helping Hand was through PayPal.

We have tried to work out a resolution through them and Helping Hands response was (and this is directly copied from their written response):

From Seller - helping hand moving services 8/13/2009 09:59 PDT We gave this customer a huge discount on service.The customer was not forthcoming with the amount of things that needed to be moved.We provided an alternative resourse for moving the rest of their things,and provided extra service AT NO COST. From Seller - helping hand moving services 8/13/2009 10:12 PDT Please be advised this is a fraudelent claim.Customer was advised certain things would not fit in moving truck.Customer would not work to an agreement of thing we could not take.Was physically imposible to fit whatever was left in the moving truck which we told customer what size the truck was (which is the biggest truck Budget rental carries)We have all documentation showing what we promised and what we provided.

8/14/2009 07:01 PDT unfortunatly,this could have all been avoided if customer and or the person that we moved were up front with item's being moved.Customer/and person being moved are using a communication problem between both to recieve free service/and or refund for service.It is our position at Helping Hand Moving Services not to be go between both parties and for both parties to communicate what the real problem is.We are asking both parties to not point any type of liability towards Helping Hand Moving Services for item's left behind.Item's that would not fit in truck should have been disclosed by cutomer/and or person being moved.Customer/person being moved should have not left job site before job was completed.Truck was packed as tight as anyone possibly could get it.

So, I responded with this:

This "customer" is not trying to obtain anything for free. In fact, I am now having to pay someone else $500 plus fuel compensation to go up to Georgia to pick up the remaining items that were left, as I am unable to take off of work. I have taken full responsibility for underestimating the amount of items that were to be moved. That is the reason that I agreed to pay the additional $600 over the quoted charge of $1200, to cover the additional pull trailer and additional moving hours to move of all items.

Now, we have paid the entire amount of $1800 (the original quote of $1200 plus the additional $600); however, Helping Hand did not live up to their end of the amended verbal agreement, which was to complete the ENTIRE move.

Once Jim, the owner saw the items needed to be moved, I was quoted the $600 to complete the move. Why would I pay the additional money to have a "partial" move? Helping Hand can talk about a communication problem, but the only communication problem was on their side. I can provide copies of my cell phone bill to document the many, many times that we contacted them, trying to get a status of the move.

On one occasion, Norm asked Lori why she had not called back with a status and she commented that she had not heard from Jim and therefore did not know the status.

Our cell phone records will also show the amount of calls we received FROM helping hand....which was absolutely none, until Saturday night at 6:30pm to tell me that they would not be coming to unload at 7:30pm, as promised due to the late hour.

The bottom line is that this is not a professional way to deal with customers and run a business. The only thing that Helping Hand keeps reiterating is that they packed everything as tight as they could. That might be so, but the amended verbal contract was to complete the move.

Jim NEVER called us to tell us that he could not fulfill his end of the contract. If he had, we may have been able to make other arrangements. He deliberately misled us into thinking the job was complete.

We paid the final payment of $1200 by check and I cant help but notice that the check was taken directly to my bank first thing Monday morning and cashed immediately as a teller withdrawal.

I believe this was done because Jim knew that we would eventually find out that the job was unfinished and try to stop payment on the check.

I am not asking for anything for free. I am asking to be made whole by the entire move costing $1800, as it should have to complete the job ($1200 to Helping Hand, $500 to the new laborer to pick up the remaining items in Georgia plus $100, a low estimate of fuel reimbursement).

Of course, we got no resolution.  I have posted poor reviews on every site I can; however, the owner responds stating it is all my fault.