OCEANSIDE, Calif., July 1 (Laguna Beach Daily) — A Southern California couple says a moving company more than doubled the cost of their cross-country move and is still holding their belongings after a disputed delivery attempt, according to the husband’s account.
John Nelson told the New York Post that he and his spouse hired a moving broker for a move from Oceanside in San Diego County to North Carolina. He said the original contract was for more than $16,000 and that he paid a $7,000 deposit up front.
Nelson said movers arrived at the home at the end of May and then claimed there were many more items than initially assessed, raising the total price to $32,000.
He said the couple told the movers they would not be in North Carolina until June 10, but the company still attempted delivery on June 3. After no one was there to receive the shipment, Nelson said the company charged an additional fee for redelivery.
“They have $30,000 and our belongings… they are essentially holding it for ransom,” Nelson told the newspaper.
Nelson said police reports were filed in Oceanside and in the North Carolina city where the couple expected delivery, and that complaints were also submitted to agencies including the Better Business Bureau.
He also said video of the truck arriving made him suspect the June 3 attempt may have been staged. “I suspect they just drove up with an empty truck to create a façade,” he said.
The report did not identify the moving company or include a response from it.
