Mayflower Transit, LLC Drake Claim Service, Inc. - transit damage claims Missing and broken household items moving company refuses to locate or reimburse Fenton, Missouri

Mayflower Moving / VIP Transport, Inc., representative Anthony Booker, provided a written estimate of the cost to move our household goods from Fairfax, VA to Los Angeles, CA and store the goods until we arrived and purchased a new home. 

The original estimate was given for the move only as my husband and I had already purchased 50 professional moving blankets and more than 100 moving boxes with packing paper.  I didn't like the idea of strangers packing my items.  When my husband's report to work date was moved up, we decided to have Mr. Booker return and provided estimate for full service (i.e., pack, move and insure all of our household goods and transport of my Lexus SUV and My husband's Ford 150).  I questioned Mr. Booker about the security of having Mayflower / VIP Transport pack our household goods.  He assured me that all employees had a 10 year background check and any broken or missing items would be replaced since we had opted for the full value protection option insurance.

Two months later, our goods were delivered to our new home in California.  Once everything had been unpacked and put away, it was obvious that many kitchen items as well as my collection of Tiffany & Co and Waterford items were missing.  Additionally several collectible items (Waterford vase and Lladro porcelain and sterling silver candlesticks purchased on a trip to Athens, Greece were damaged.

I contacted Mayflower/VIP Transit to inform them of the problem.  I was asked to complete a claims form which I did immediately and I also took photographs of the damaged items and submitted the claim.  I was told the keep all of the boxes and packing materials until the problem was resolved. So the two-car garage we have is unusable since it is not housing our vehicles but boxes and packing paper! Meanwhile our cars sit on the street.

Mayflower / VIP Transit sends out Ty Drake of Drake Claims Service, Inc.  I still have not figured out his affiliation with Mayflower / VIP Transit but he shows up with another gentleman.  I bring out all the broken items for him to photograph while his work partner carried the digital camera case and he takes photographs. I had already photographed everything and provided it but I guess they needed to follow some sort of policy which I understand.

Two days later I was still waiting to hear back so I could move the boxes and paper out of my garage.  The household items were delivered on 30  September and it was now 26 October and still could not use the garage. I contacted Jeff Harrison at 800 325-9970 extension 3992 and he informs me that there is no evidence that ANY of the missing items were every packed or moved by Mayflower / VIP Transport so there is no way to locate any missing goods!  My entire collection of Tiffany and Co. dishes and Waterford paperweight collection that I had collected for nearly 30 years and I had promised to my granddaughter was GONE! Additionally, Mr. Harrison said since at the time we signed bill of lading when we agreed to have Mayflower / VIP Transport pack and move us, we did not inform the packers that "inventory of items valued in excess of $100 per pound per article." WHAT ?!?  I had already addressed the issue with Anthony Booker before deciding to have Mayflower / VIP Transport pack and move me.  I was told just to bring the the things of value with me.  Firstly, I had to bring everything with me, I certainly would not need a moving c0ompany.  I would be the moving company.  Secondly, we DID carry with us all of our money, gold, silver, guns and jewelry. I would have never guessed someone would steal my dishes, proprietary recipes and chef's tools.

I have decided to report the matter to the Fairfax Co Virginia police in hopes of finding my missing  (I think STOLEN) items.  I have already begun looking for them on eBay and Cragislist and also started calling all the pawn shops in southern Maryland, Washington, DC and Northern, Virginia however hopes of finding my stuff is fading as I realize the thieves had a two month head start.

Mayflower / VIP Transport insist they had checked the warehouse, trucks and other customers deliveries but was unable to locate my missing boxes.  I'm not buying it. I will never again allow a moving company to pack my home.  It is better to give away anything you have of value than to have it stolen from you.

I would not recommend Mayflower / VIP Transport to anyone. The move cost us almost $9,000.00 and when it came time for Mayflower / VIP Transport to take care of us like they promised, they didn't follow through.