Moving/Storage Company Violated Agreement

[ALogan]

What is the name of your state?

CALIFORNIA

A moving/storage company handled a move from out of state into California. They operated under a GSA Tariff that prohibited storage on a trailer (unless they acquired permission to do so, and they did not). Each month, they billed and were paid for many storage vaults in a warehouse. Verbally, they reported the goods were in a properly ventilated warehouse. Ten months later, it was discovered that they had stored items on a trailer for the entire time. The trailer was not sufficiently ventilated and had leaked. Damages to goods are in the tens of thousands due to water, mold and poor handling and wrapping of goods (also against the specifications in the GSA Tariff). The storage company insists that they will not credit back money paid for warehouse storage--even though they did not provide warehouse storage--because a trailer constitutes "storage."

QUESTION 1: Are they allowed to collect storage fees for trailer storage?

QUESTION 2: Is there any other issue here (e.g., fraud) because they claimed and billed for warehouse storage they did not provide?

Thanks.

 

[DRTDEVL]

Being a GSA contract, these are not issues you can present. Only GSA can do so.

But, you *are* in luck! Recent JFTR changes allow full replacement cost payments for all your stuff, rather than depreciated value.

 

[moburkes]

Why haven't you simply filed the claim with your insurance company?

 

[ALogan]

Thanks very much for your replies!

I have full replacement value insurance. They have said they won't process an outstanding claim, nor will they deliver remaining goods, until I pay outstanding storage fees. I believe I don't owe storage fees because the 10 months storage money they collected--money paid for warehouse storage that was not provided--should be credited toward subsequent warehouse storage time. The amount of money that they collected for 10 months unauthorized trailer storage is substantial. That credit would more than cover the fees they now seek.

Thanks for any advice you may offer regarding this post or my earlier two questions.