keitha
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Post by keitha on Apr 7, 2023 11:29:35 GMT
this time last week a friend ( who runs a man with a man type removal service ) were helping with an office move.
He'd been contacted via the web, and later various phone calls.
everything was hunky dory we moved some desks and IT kit first so the staff could start work, most just unloaded into a corner, then went back for the rest.
we loaded most stuff into the van, then the remaining PC's and screens plus network switches etc into my car.
Arrived at the new building and it's 2:30 pm lights off and everything locked up.
Ring the number for the guy that's asked us to do the job and no response.
so we jump into my car and drive back as I'm driving my friend is trying to get hold of this guy via facebook etc and nothing.
arrive back and the old office is also locked. we tried ringing the business number on the door no reply, but considering part of the phone system in my car not surprised.
So we get back in the car and drive back to the van, my friend is pretty pee'd off as he has a job booked in for Saturday but his van is currently jam packed.
new site still locked and no response to emails, phone messages, or DM / open post on facebook.
drive back to his and we unload the van into his garage so he can do the Saturday job.
Monday comes round, I ring my friend and ask "what is going on", he's heard nothing so I ask him whats on his schedule and he's free, so I go pick him up and drive to the new site.
all locked up but looking through the window noticeably more untidy and less PC's stacked up.
speak to people in the other units and they've seen no-one.
So now what do we do. I have several hundreds of pounds worth of network switches in my car, together with a PC base unit several screens and a box of assorted keyboards ranging from basic, to a corsair gaming keyboard, and several bluetooth ones.
in the garage are 10-12 desks a meeting table, leather chairs etc.
We've written to the only address we have giving 14 days to tell us what to do or we will consider the items abandoned, this was sent recorded on Monday afternoon.
We've left voicemails, but now get a message that voicemail is unavailable (full ?)
Facebook page for the business is gone.
so the question is can we actually legally sell this stuff to recover what was promised ( ie the payment to undertake the work ) or do we need to store it for months.
If we make more than what was owed is the money ours or do we need to continue to chase.
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james100
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Post by james100 on Apr 7, 2023 11:38:34 GMT
this time last week a friend ( who runs a man with a man type removal service ) were helping with an office move. He'd been contacted via the web, and later various phone calls. everything was hunky dory we moved some desks and IT kit first so the staff could start work, most just unloaded into a corner, then went back for the rest. we loaded most stuff into the van, then the remaining PC's and screens plus network switches etc into my car. Arrived at the new building and it's 2:30 pm lights off and everything locked up. Ring the number for the guy that's asked us to do the job and no response. so we jump into my car and drive back as I'm driving my friend is trying to get hold of this guy via facebook etc and nothing. arrive back and the old office is also locked. we tried ringing the business number on the door no reply, but considering part of the phone system in my car not surprised. So we get back in the car and drive back to the van, my friend is pretty pee'd off as he has a job booked in for Saturday but his van is currently jam packed. new site still locked and no response to emails, phone messages, or DM / open post on facebook. drive back to his and we unload the van into his garage so he can do the Saturday job. Monday comes round, I ring my friend and ask "what is going on", he's heard nothing so I ask him whats on his schedule and he's free, so I go pick him up and drive to the new site. all locked up but looking through the window noticeably more untidy and less PC's stacked up. speak to people in the other units and they've seen no-one. So now what do we do. I have several hundreds of pounds worth of network switches in my car, together with a PC base unit several screens and a box of assorted keyboards ranging from basic, to a corsair gaming keyboard, and several bluetooth ones. in the garage are 10-12 desks a meeting table, leather chairs etc. We've written to the only address we have giving 14 days to tell us what to do or we will consider the items abandoned, this was sent recorded on Monday afternoon. We've left voicemails, but now get a message that voicemail is unavailable (full ?)
Facebook page for the business is gone. so the question is can we actually legally sell this stuff to recover what was promised ( ie the payment to undertake the work ) or do we need to store it for months. If we make more than what was owed is the money ours or do we need to continue to chase. Did your friend have evidence that the person authorizing the move of goods had legal ownership / responsibility to do so? Just wondering whether you've been shifting stolen goods or even (inadvertently) core team members of what sounds like the most boring heist ever!
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Greenwood2
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Post by Greenwood2 on Apr 7, 2023 11:50:55 GMT
Doing a bunk halfway through moving offices seems very odd. It sounds like some sort of scam but can't think where the gain is. Can you contact the owners of the two premises to see who is/was renting them. It's so strange I might mention it to the police just in case there is something fishy going on that you have been innocently implicated in. Is there any paperwork with the stuff you have that would identify anyone connected? Power up a pc and have a look what's on there?
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Apr 7, 2023 12:04:15 GMT
All paperwork we had ie the "purchase order" has company logo on and all looks legit.
my initial thought is that company in a mess, they got us to move it to put it safe from creditors.
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badersleg
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Post by badersleg on Apr 7, 2023 12:36:23 GMT
Other than that, do as others have said-
Contact the landlords. Inform the police through 101, if only to get your story logged. Don't flog the stuff, it's not yours.
Presumably you haven't been paid yet, so send them an invoice and inform them that they will incur storage fees if they don't pay you and let you finish the job.
There will be a legal process to follow for when this kind of thing happens, I don't know what it is. Maybe Citizens Advice could help.
Good Luck.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2023 13:14:21 GMT
Tomorrow I learnt, long ago, "knowing your customer" is not just good for banking, it is good practice.
I have had colleagues who were told, "yes this is an order from our company" etc only to discover it wasn't. I've even received a few double invoices from the nicest of people. I would recommend write a little procedure that "my accountant makes me do this".
Today
If they belong to someone they will come looking for them. I would tell the police to ensure you are not done for shifting stolen goods. Do not give any items over to anyone unless they can prove who they are and that they have title to the goods. If they make a scene just tell them "my accountant made me do it".
hope that helps
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Post by bernythedolt on Apr 7, 2023 13:30:05 GMT
All paperwork we had ie the "purchase order" has company logo on and all looks legit. my initial thought is that company in a mess, they got us to move it to put it safe from creditors. Must admit that was my immediate thought.... they are expecting the bailiffs any day and want the goods safely pugged away.
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radar
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Post by radar on Apr 7, 2023 13:41:38 GMT
If this is hiding from bailiffs and they have items catalogued then you are in a spot of trouble. Get this reported to Police, why else would anyone empty their premises and not have somewhere they could be put, storage container for example.
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keitha
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2024, hopefully the year I get out of P2P
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Post by keitha on Apr 7, 2023 14:25:17 GMT
They did have somewhere to put it. we were moving it to another office and part had been delivered and setup
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Greenwood2
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Post by Greenwood2 on Apr 7, 2023 16:40:23 GMT
They did have somewhere to put it. we were moving it to another office and part had been delivered and setup So why abort halfway through? If they were hiding it, had somewhere to hide it and had people hiding it for them.
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Apr 12, 2023 15:11:51 GMT
It gets more confusing
managed to track the owner of the 2 units down. The unit being moved from the lease expired end of March and they were given a few days grace to move out.
Unit we moved stuff too they had a key to look round but never formalised the lease, Landlord says he can see people have been in and has now changed the locks as they have no right to be using it. If anyone contacts him he will pass us details. He has put up "abandonment of goods and chattels notices" on both sites
Police say they know nothing.
Notices have been sent to the owner of the business giving him 14 days to make arrangements to pay for the work done, storage of items to date and to collect the stuff or it will be considered abandoned and disposed of ( this recommended by CAB ) We checked both sites yesterday and no post was visible at either site so my belief is it is being diverted.
No Court judgements visible against the company or the owner
fired up a PC, it has normal MS office etc and links to the company database which of course don't work.
Outlook setup very badly keeping emails on server and PC, and completely unprotected ( passwords stored ). on a quick look I found an additional email address for the owner, which of course we haven't used to try to contact him posing as a potential customer with a different email address
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2023 6:02:23 GMT
good steps, well done
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Apr 26, 2023 16:29:31 GMT
friend has had a phone call telling him that all items must be delivered to the home address of the business owner tomorrow "failure to do so will result in the police being told you have stolen the items"
I've said unless we get a guarantee of payment in cash for the original job and storage costs and fuel and time to drive nearly 100 miles each way it's not happening. To be honest my friend has a job booked in for tomorrow and why should he disappoint a paying customer for this plonker.
not sure the police would see it as theft
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iRobot
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Post by iRobot on Apr 26, 2023 17:03:16 GMT
Police say they know nothing. Notices have been sent to the owner of the business giving him 14 days to make arrangements to pay for the work done, storage of items to date and to collect the stuff or it will be considered abandoned and disposed of ( this recommended by CAB ) friend has had a phone call telling him that all items must be delivered to the home address of the business owner tomorrow "failure to do so will result in the police being told you have stolen the items" " Fine, go ahead and inform the police; I'll just show them the notices sent to you on (or before) the 12th - as advised by CAB - and inform them payment hasn't been made as requested." Even better would be to include the details of the time / date / police station (officer?) contacted when your friend made that enquiry back on (or before) the 12th.
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keitha
Member of DD Central
2024, hopefully the year I get out of P2P
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Post by keitha on Jun 29, 2023 11:12:25 GMT
so a quick update
we had a response at the end of April saying he was having personal and business issues and asking us to store everything for a couple of weeks together with a cheque ! to cover the storage costs to date, the cheque was for £10.
At this point my friend got a solicitor involved.
there has been an exchange of letters and like a certain P2P borrower the solicitor thinks this guy is living in a parallel universe, at one point in the response he says he asked us to move the equipment then a few lines later says we removed it without permission. He says he agreed to pay us then says no payment due as no work done. Tomorrow is 14 days after the last date he's been given to arrange payment for work done and storage, and to remove his stuff. Solicitor has made it clear that we have a right to "dispose of abandoned chattels".
the landlord of the properties has had contact where the tenant claims he's been illegally locked out of both premises, one the lease had ended the other he never took a lease. the landlord has had the chattels removed and they are with an auction house.
We will be filing photos of every item with the solicitor in case of any dispute down the line, and although there are a couple of item I can use in the IT stuff I will not be keeping them or even buying them in the auction.
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