Oasis quoted me on my best estimate of 5,000lbs to move my (mainly pre-packed) belongings from a storage unit near L.A., California to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I thought there would be (at most) 4 large boxes that their staff would need to pack upon collection. I electronically signed the Binding contract and paid the deposit based on 45 cents per pound weight transported.
At the storage unit, and after the truck was mostly loaded, the driver announced that he need to re write the contract (making it non-binding) for 6,000 lbs. The additional 1,000 lbs would be billed at 85 cents per pound. As a point of law the amended contract should have been presented and signed before the first item went onto the truck. Note: I was already in Pennsylvania and my friend was overseeing the loading in California.
After the truck had left I received emails from 2 different departments at Oasis (Deliveries and Accounting) saying that the final bill was for 6,400 lbs having weighed the goods at their warehouse and so the amount required to be paid in cash before my goods was unloaded was based on the new weight. I refused that, pointing out that the maximum I was required to pay was the non-binding estimate plus 10% as this is the law for interstate moves.
I also insisted on a 'back-weigh' whereby the delivery vehicle would be weighed before and after unloading to establish the actual weight of the goods transported. I attended the original weighing, (and I have the ticket) and upon arrival at the delivery address paid the revised estimate amount of 6,000 lbs plus 10% in cash. I was assured that after the second weighing if the good weighed less than 6,000 lbs I would be refunded in cash at the weigh station. I was further assured that the re-weigh was a waste of time as the scales at the warehouse were accurate.
The two guys unloaded my stuff, all of which I had properly packed and immediately it became obvious that there was a LOT of damage. I was attempting to photograph the damage as the goods were unloaded but the driver insisted there was no time and started piling my stuff up in the street. Furthermore of the '4 large packing boxes' Oasis were supposed to have packed (and for which I had already been charged) only one appeared on the manifest, and none were delivered.
Many items were severely damaged (including the boxes I had packed which had been crushed, deformed and in many instances opened). Several items which were supposed to have been wrapped in packing blankets were not - and so were scratched and broken, and the items that were supposed to have been boxed by Oasis were just loose and so damaged. There were also several items missing, including a washing machine!
After everything was of the truck we went back to the weigh station and at the second weighing it transpired that Oasis had actually delivered 5,260 lbs. The driver flat out refused to refund the $960 dollars that I had been overcharged just on the non-binding estimate, and had no answer where my missing stuff was.
The way I see it, and as I understand the law, there should be a refund for the money I overpaid based on the estimate, a refund of the money I paid for the boxes that I paid to have packed and weren't, plus the one that may have been but was lost (why should I pay for packing on a box that was never delivered)? and given that Oasis - as they insist - collected 6,400 lbs there should be a refund for the 'missing' 1,140 lbs (at the federally mandated rate of 65 cents per pound).
In short, Oasis owe me nearly $2,000 (plus interest) and refuse to respond to e-mails or calls.
I am about to contact the BBB, DOT, and state law enforcement in California (the place of collection) and Pennsylvania (the place I both signed the contracts and took delivery). I am looking into other agencies I can contact, and believe me when I say if anyone is able to be involved in this I will be contacting them too.
I do NOT recommend this company and I am currently taking any and all action I can to get my money refunded and have them prosecuted by any agency that has the power to act.