Complaint Review: Unity Moving And Storage/Compass Moving And Storage Et Al Four Season's Self Storage

I am a contractor employed in Iraq.

My address when my items were packed by Unity Moving and Storage:
Houston, Tx

My complaint is against Unity Moving and Storage Owner Christopher Matt Colbert of Houston, Texas.

In July 2007, I accepted employment in Iraq with a government contract company. On July 19, 2007 I contracted a packing and moving company by the name of Unity Moving and Storage. Unity Moving and Storage packed and moved my household goods to be stored in their storage facility located at 12218 Jones Road Ste D-153, Houston, TX 77070. I have made monthly payments to Unity Moving and storage address since then. My last payment made was dated 10 Oct 2008.

In August 2007 I requested that Matt Colbert email me my unit number so that I could use it in my Power of Attorney in the event that something were to happen to me while in Iraq. In the email he gave me the name and address of the storage facility and my unit number where my goods were stored:

Four Seasons Storage,11500 FM 1960 West Unit#1036 Houston, TX 77070 281-807-5656.

I contacted Matt and questioned him why my things were being stored at a location other than Unity Moving and Storage address that was provided me at the beginning and end of our business dealings prior to my leaving for Iraq. Matt Colbert informed me that Four Seasons was another one of his sites and that he placed my goods in that facility since he did not have a unit large enough for my goods - a 10 x 40.

I then contacted Four Season's Storage and inquired about my unit #1036 and Matt Colbert. A Four Season's Rep informed me that Matt Colbert leased an office from their company and that he also sub-contracted work to their facility through Unity Moving and Storage to that Four Season's Storage facility. The rep told me that my storage unit number was assigned to Matt Colbert. I informed the rep that I had a contract with Matt Colbert and Unity Moving and Storage and informed him that my house hold goods were in unit #1036 which is the unit number that Matt Colbert provided me. I gave him my Name and contact info telephone number in the event that there would ever be a problem with my unit. I also informed him that I was deployed in Iraq.

I received an invoice by email from Matt Colbert in Dec 2007 with a list of payments I had previously made and the amount of monthly payments for storage. Through out the course of my time in Iraq I have had several telephone communications with Matt checking on my stored goods inquiring on the status, i,e; if everything was OK after a storm etc. Matt always gave the same response. Everything is fine.

In May 2008 I notified Matt by phone that I would be getting married in September 2008 and that I needed to know the procedure for getting my goods re-located either by my husband or a moving company in the event that I could not be present to orchestrate the move. He gave me the necessary information.

I arrived in the United States on 3 Sep 08. I contacted Matt by phone and spoke with him asking if there was any damage done to my unit during any of the recent hurricanes. Matt informed me that everything was OK. No damage was done. This conversation took place in the presence of my husband. I informed Matt that when I return to Iraq after my wedding, I would be having a moving company to go to the unit and take an estimate to relocate my goods to Alabama where my husband and I had just purchased a new home. Matt said no problem let me know when you're ready.

September 17, 2008 I got married and had bought a new home in another state in July 2008. I returned to Iraq from R&R Sep 26, 2008. On Sep 30th, I contacted a moving company to go to the location where my stored goods were located to do an estimate so that I can have my goods moved to my new location. I notified Matt Colbert of this by telephone so that he can give access to the rep. Matt told me no problem, send them out and he will open the unit for him. I also emailed the rep and copied Matt Colbert with all the necessary contact info.

After about 2 weeks, the moving company Rep of Darryl Flood Movers informed me that he had not been able to make contact with Unity Moving and Storage/Matt Colbert although I had already made contact with the owner Matt Colbert who informed me to send the Rep to complete the estimate. After several failed attempts to contact Matt Colbert about this, on 10 Oct 08 I contacted Four Season's Storage where my goods were stored and spoke to a representative.

After consulting with the Four Seasons rep, I was informed that the items in unit #1036 were auctioned on 20 Feb 2008. He also informed me that Matt Colbert of Unity Moving and Storage no longer had an office leased at this facility and no longer had any units in his name at this Four Seasons Facility.

The rep further stated that Matt Colbert had as many as 16 units in his name from April 2006 thru Feb 2008. He informed me that my unit appeared to be the only unit auctioned. The rep informed me that 10 notices were sent to Matt Colbert prior to my unit being auctioned. These Notices were sent to the Jones Rd address. I was never notified that my items were to be auctioned by either Matt Colbert or Four Season's Storage.

Although my contents of the storage were auctioned in February 2008 I was never notified. I continued making payments AND my money was received and cashed by Matt Colbert even 8 months after my goods had been auctioned he continued to accept payments from me and cash these payments.

I asked the Four Season's rep why I was not contacted about my unit going to auction and he stated that he could not find any information with my name in the file to be notified of anything. I have been informed by a Four Season's employee that my unit was auctioned by Auctioneer Ken Garcia of Ken Garcia Auctioneers 281-452-7606.

I have made several attempts to contact Ken Garcia both by telephone and email. He has not responded. In both email and voicemail I requested that he contact me regarding my household items and the possibility that anything that had not been sold could be either sold to me or at least halt the sale of my items until this matter could be investigated. He has not responded.

I have also emailed and left voice mail messages to the Four Season's Storage Regional Manager in Houston TX. He has not responded to any requests to contact me.

Upon discovering that my items were auctioned I made several attempts to contact Matt Colbert by telephone and left messages and he has not responded to my calls. My mother called him pretending to be a potential customer and he returned her call. He stated that there must be some sort of mistake and that he was going to call me. He has not called me. He sent me a text from cell phone to land line and stated that the Four Season's had released my property to the wrong person and all future correspondence should be directed to his attorney. He stated that he would forward his attorney's contact information at a later date and time. He has not provided me with this information.

I began contacting law enforcement officials HPD and Harris County Sheriff's Department. No one would take a statement from me since I am in Iraq and they can't take statements over the phone.

I finally made contact with Harris County DA's office where I spoke with an investigator and received instructions on writing a statement so that they can begin an investigation.

Everything that I have ever worked for and own was in that storage unit except for the clothes I wear in Iraq and purchases that I have made within the year of my being in Iraq. I was informed by the Four Seasons Rep that my unit was auctioned for $756. My household goods were valued at approximately between $75,000 to $100,000.

This has caused extreme stress on me already working in a war zone to have to deal with everything that I own being stolen by the moving company that I had employed, contracted and entrusted my life belongings to. You can not imagine the feeling of buying a new home, and getting married back to back. Then attempting to move my household goods to my new home and discovering that I have nothing to move. I can't find the words to describe what this has done to me.

I am not wealthy. This job is only temporary as we all know. I am married to a U.S. Soldier. My husband has served three tours in Iraq protecting the freedom of ALL Americans kicking in doors and arresting insurgents after they have bombed a military base or killed someone's son or daughter fighting for the same freedom, AND THIS IS WHAT WE GET FROM IT BECAUSE WE ARE IN IRAQ?! A thief and 2 police departments that would not assist me because I am in Iraq.

I believe I was targeted because of my being in Iraq. Knowing that I was out of the country it was known by both companies that I would not physically be available to check on the storage and that my things would be sold long before I would have the opportunity to discover it.

I am grateful to the Harris County DA's office for even taking my statement because the police departments would not assist me in any way. I am equally grateful to the attorney who has taken the time to speak to me by phone and provide me with information even though my circumstance is a bit irregular.

After investigating, the address that Matt Colbert uses as his business address allowing clients to believe this is a storage facility, I discovered that it is actually a Mail Box Service. It is not a storage facility.

After more investigating, I discovered that Matt Colbert is on a 10 year probated sentence out of Brazos County Texas. If you have any complaints on him of theft, fraud or deceptive practices contact the Brazos County DA's office.

He has committed identity theft on one of his ex-wives out of Tennessee. He was recently picked up, booked and posted bail on a charge filed by the ex-wife. I spoke with the Ex-wife's father. He greatly assisted me on the activities Matt Colbert has been involved in recently and directed me to the Brazos County DA's office. After a few more phone calls everything has checked out.

This is the address that was used on my moving contract/statement. This is also the address where I sent my payments:
Unity Moving and Storage Business address:
12218 Jones Road Ste D-153
Houston, TX 77070
Matt Colbert 281-442-6683

This is the address of the company where he sub-contracted moving and storage services and the storage facility who actually auctioned my stored goods.

FourSeasons Storage:
fm1960@fourseasonsselfstorage.com
11500 FM 1960 West
Unit#1036
Houston, TX 77070
281-807-5656 ofc
832-647-9075 c
Contact Person:
Matt Colbert 281-442-6683

The address below was uncovered on the internet by doing a Google search after discovering that my things were auctioned. This is an additional business address used by Matt Colbert.

Unity Moving & Storage
11630 Hartley Rd.
Houston, TX 77093-1420
281-442-6683 This number shows up at this address

DO NOT USE THE SERVICES OF UNITY MOVING AND STORAGE/MATT COLBERT. YOU WILL COME UP EMPTY HANDED.
YOU SHOULD ALSO QUESTION USING THE OTHER MENTIONED STORAGE FOR BEING NEGLIGENT IN THEIR BUSINESS DEALINGS AND FOR NOT BEING AWARE OF SUB-CONTRACT DEALINGS WITHIN THEIR COMPANY. THEY KNEW MATT COLBERT SUB-CONTRACTED WORK THRU THEIR FACILITY YET, MADE NO ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE ACTUAL OWNER - ME OF THE GOODS STORED BY THEM. SOMEONE HAS 16 UNITS WITH YOU AND LEASES AN OFFICE FROM YOU AND YET YOU THINK THAT HE IS THE OWNER OF THESE ITEMS BEING STORED? C'MON. I WOULD UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD NOT PROVIDED THEM WITH MY NUMBER OR IF MATT COLBERT ONLY HAD ONE UNIT IN HIS NAME. IT WOULD NOT HAVE LOOKED IRREGULAR. BUT 16 UNITS IN HIS NAME AND HE LEASES AN OFFICE FROM YOU AND YOU FIND NOTHING IRREGULAR ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF ONE OF HIS UNITS BEING AUCTIONED???????? C'MON. WOULD YOU WANT YOUR THINGS TO BE STORED AT THIS FACILITY?

USE THESE COMPANIES' SERVICES AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!! YOU COULD BE LEFT WITH NOTHING AS WELL, JUST LIKE ME!!!!

Respectfully,

GMAC
Houston, Texas
U.S.A.