Complaint Review: SF Removals International

In March 2008, I purchased two old Steinway pianos. The first was from Boston and the second from Washington, DC. I paid $10,750 and $11,500 respectively. This was followed by the purchase of another from New York city for $11,800.

I paid by electronic transfer a total of $6,607 to a shipping company called SF Removals International, located on Mission St, Daly City, CA 94014 for the door to door shipping of these pianos to the UK. The first two were collected in mid-March for crating and shipping to the UK. There was a considerable delay in arrival of the first two pianos but I was not too concerned as I received reassuring e-mails telling me that the pianos were on their way and would be arriving in the UK within a few days. In mid-June, SF Removals stopped answering my e-mails and have since failed to return any of my telephone calls. Having become increasingly concerned, I managed to contact the movers who originally collected the first two pianos. Neither piano was ever shipped and both were still in storage, the first in Rochester, NY, with Lincoln Moving and Storage, and the second with Johnson's Piano Moving in Burtonsville. Neither company had been paid for the piano removal or subsequent storage.

During the subsequent six months, I spent a great deal of time and yet more money in trying to salvage the situation. As SF Removals could not be contacted despite multiple attempts (e-mails were unanswered and whenever I telephoned there was only an answerphone on which I have left multiple messages) I felt I had no option but to try and sort the problem out myself. After considerable negotiation and paying off the bills and penalty fees on behalf of SF Removals for prolonged storage of the first two pianos, I finally managed to get them transported to New York where they were successfully shipped by a second company to the UK, and from where they have just been collected for restoration.

I am extremely angry about what has happened. Not only am I out of pocket by $6,607 paid directly to SF Removals but I've also incurred significant additional costs in paying off the storage costs accrued by SF Removals at a time when they assured me that the pianos were actually within days of arriving in the UK. Also, I paid $2490 in June 08 in addition to the $4117 paid in March 08, for shipping of the third piano. By this stage, it is clear that SF Removals (unknown to myself), had no intention of doing other than simply taking the money as e mail communication ceased almost as soon as the second payment had cleared. Needless to say, the third piano was never even collected.

I'd feel that I have been very badly defrauded by SF Removals. I cannot even find out if I can claim on the insurance that I organised because SF Removals will not pass on the details to me.

I have since learned that SF Removals are not registered in the United States for the conduct of international shipping.

I have done my very best to try and resolve this by reasonable communication and have offered to waive all of the accumulated extra bills and penalties if I receive back my original $6,607. Considering the sheer amount of extra time and expense that I have had to spend sorting out the mess left behind by SF Removals, I think that this is quite a generous offer. Nevertheless, there hasn't been no response to either my e-mail offers or answerphone messages.

I have no knowledge of American law but in the UK this would be regarded as either fraudulent or as breach of contract.


Peter
Lancaster
United Kingdom