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Military dad says moving company is holding his family's belongings hostage

Adam Boland says he was quoted one price and then charged thousands more. Now the company won't release his family's items.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – A military family from Missouri said their whole lives are being held hostage by a moving company. Frustrated after the company refused to deliver their belongings, the family turned to 5 On Your Side for help.

After 13 years of following her Marine husband, Adam, from one military base to the next, Tamara Boland is happy to be back home in Missouri.

“Grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles. Everyone's here,” she said.

Friday afternoon, the Bolands got the keys to their new home. There's just one problem.

“It's empty. It's completely empty,” said Tamara.

The Boland's kids are looking forward to sitting at the kitchen table, drawing pictures to decorate their new home. But Friday, they had to do their artwork on the kitchen floor.

“It's upsetting,” said Tamara. “It's absolutely disgusting,” added Adam.

The Bolands hired Titan Moving and Storage Van Lines Corporation from Chantilly, Virginia to move them from California to St. Charles. Adam said he was originally quoted $6,900 for the job and paid more than $5,000 up front.

“Everything was supposed to be good,” said Adam. “They showed up to my house on the pickup date. Around 9 a.m. they finished everything. The truck was loaded, packed and ready to go. And then my initial quoted price had more than doubled.”

He says the movers demanded a total of $17,000. The Bolands feel they were tricked into signing the contract once all their belongings were on the truck.

“If I would've known beforehand it was going to cost near this amount, even a fraction of this, I would've told them to pound sand,” said Adam.

5 On Your Side called the company Friday. A spokesperson said the Boland’s goods would be stored until the family came up with the money for delivery. But they wouldn't tell us why the price changed so dramatically.

Now, the family has nothing but an empty home and the clothes they brought with them.

“It's super frustrating,” said Tamara. “We trusted a company to take our things and they didn't pull their weight.”

5 On Your Side checked with the Better Business Bureau and learned Titan Moving and Storage Van Lines Corporation has an A+ rating. And the Virginia Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection says there are no open complaints or investigations into the company.

5 On Your Side will keep working to help the Bolands get their things back. A Go Fund Me page has also been set up to help the family.

If you're ever in a similar situation and feel like you're being forced to sign a contract you're not comfortable with, experts say don't do it. Wait until the details are worked out to your liking.

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