Redman Van and Storage

Ed D. was the salesman who came to my apartment 3 months prior to move date. I wanted to hire what I thought was an A rated mover as I am a senior citizen with several disabilities. I had a personal friend sit in on the meeting with Ed to insure everything was on the level and to hopefully insure I would not have severe stress at the delivery portion of my move. I asked many detail specific questions of Ed; it turns out I was willfully outright lied to by Ed and he omitted several things he should have told me.
My main concern and questions were: “ will the movers put the boxes in the designated rooms” and “will the movers place my few pieces of furniture in the rooms and in the location I designated”. Ed assured me verbally and in the presence of my friend that they would. I also asked if they would put the bed together and reassemble the glass top desk they would be taking apart. He again said yes. I reiterated to him that due to my knee, back, and hand disability along with my severe osteoporosis these were of vital importance and based on his assurances I agreed to spend the additional $ 3,500.00 to hire an A rated company as opposed to a B rated company.

I spent 3 months meticulously packing, labeling each box in permanent marker indicating the exact location it was to be placed.
I also purchased color coded labels and each box had a label which clearly indicated the room the box belonged in. I put huge up arrows on every fragile box indicating which end was up. Only a mn or movers who just did not care -since they already had my $6000.00 bank check could have missed the labeling.

Juan, the driver (who was very nice and professional) called me himself only 13 hours prior to delivery and it was agreed that we would be ready at 7:00 am for him, despite the towns noise ordinance restriction of 8:00 am. We were ready shortly before 7:00.

Ed D. told me I would be checking off boxes as they came into my new home and assured me a third time that it would be professional and stress free. He extolled the virtues of the helpers the driver would be utilizing to assist in a smooth unload. NONE OF THAT EVER HAPPENED!

The one and only helper arrived before 6:30 am and my roommate watched him sit in his car until almost 7:30 am when the large truck pulled into our street.
From this point on things got horrible. The helper was a rude POS who immediately told me he was in a hurry because he booked another job. He said he had wanted to start my unload at 6:00 am, even though there is a noise ordinance prohibiting such activities at 6:00 am and even though driver Juan did not arrive until closer to 7:30.

The helper had a vile attitude and he carried in boxes and just dumped them, blocking in the entire kitchen and both closets with boxes stacked 5 to 6 feet high. Not only could I NOT reach the boxes, as I am only 5 feet tall, but I could not see the labels at all and heavy fragile boxes were placed over lighter ones crushing and breaking several items. My dish boxes of China were dropped upside down by helper and boxes bursted open, despite being thoroughly packed and taped. My office chair was broken and 2 wheels were missing. It was 10 days later when I tried to sit in my chair and fell off that I realized they propped the broken chair against a heavy desk and failed to have the common decency to tell me. Bedroom boxes were in the kitchen, basement boxes were in the bedrooms, kitchen boxes were in the utility area of basement and bathroom boxes were in the kitchen under the broken China, which was supposed to be stored in the basement.

The helper refused to place boxes where they belonged and said he did not have time. Juan was clearly stressed as this helper was in a rush for Juan to pay him and it was apparent Juan was at the helpers mercy. Helper refused to put my 6 pieces of heavy furniture where I specified and left them dumped around my bed creating a tripping hazard as well as making it physically impossible for me to even begin the unpack process.
Four of my furniture items and a microwave were dragged upside down as is evidenced by the rough jagged edge scrapes on the top of the pieces and the wood finish was pulled off in the corners, as well as the metal finish pulled off of the microwave top. Three chunks of wood were completely dented on several nite stands and plant stands taking off the wood finish.

I again called Oakley relocation and pleaded for them to send someone from Omaha to do what the liar Ed D. had promised so I could reach the boxes, and get the bedroom furniture moved where it was supposed to have been placed -so I could walk without tripping. I was tacitly ignored again by my so called moving coordinator J. and she immediately directed to the claim person in Poway since they were paid well over 6,000.00 in advance.

I wrote J., in claims a very polite e mail and she ignored it after e mailing me the claim forms. Another staff member refused to mail me out claim forms and insisted it had to be done online and paperless; despite my telling her that with my cataracts I could not see my small tablet screen!
I did pay extra for full replacement insurance and I am finding broken disappointments in every box I open. To refuse sending me the claim forms via mail, since the damages are so extensive, and my vision compromised seems unpleasantly ageist. There was nothing done carefully by this moving company; and their actions and lack of concern speak volumes as to their fallacious mission statement.

I also have to wonder if Oakley relo has some special arrangement with the California franchise tax board.
Why did Ed tell me all the helpers were employees in our initial meeting in front of my veteran friend of 20 years as witness? You typically don’t have a California resident, Mr. Juan, paying cash to a helper that is employed by one of your affiliate companies do you?

The ageism, lies, and lack of concern; coupled with my e-mails and calls being ignored by Oakley are nothing short of disgusting and unethical.
We ended up having to hire 2 men at my additional cost of $300.00 to just unblock the whole mess so I could begin to unpack.
I will NEVER recommend Oakley relocation, North American, Allied, or any of your affiliates; especially to any other senior citizens.
I intend to actively share this nightmare (with my supporting before move/after dump delivery photographs) and emails on every possible site available which allows people to leave reviews and comments; including revdex and DOT.

Another disturbing problem was I never did receive an explanation as to why I was loaded in Fallbrook on 30 June, yet I was told my shipment did not leave California until 09 July?
When Juan opened the allied van (a North American Van loaded me in Fallbrook,Ca.) my shipment was shoved into the rear of the truck. How many times was my shipment moved on and off trucks considering the level of damage? I understand other families go on the trucks, but that does not explain why my things were still in California 9 days after initial loading.

To say I am irate, is a gross understatement!