I received a call approx. At 6:45pm on 2/11 informing me that 8518 hwy 6 South location had a leakage of water and that has affected multiple units. The person who called me was from their customer care department and did not have any information than just "the site has water leakage affecting multiple units."
I immediately tried calling their store number but their staff never bothered attending the call and waited to leave for the night. Is this what you call management? Even a janitor can manage things the way manager Jesus Macias handled. I dont know what is he doing that makes him a manager there and not the janitor. Bloody nonsense.
A real manager would have called customers himself and explain them everything and provide more details like "which unit numbers are affected, what was the severity of the damage" and would leave the store open all night to help customers out rather than tell them that store opens at 8am tomorrow. Customers leave their valuables and spend $80/month for a trust, responsibility, a liability that you owe to them as a manager. Jesus Macias and Uhaul are an utter disappointment, very non-professional, and a great example of mismanagement.
I was in Dallas on a temporary job assignment when I first received this call and because of the lack of information. I did not leave for Houston because they never told me whether my unit is affected or not and are they taking care of it, and what is going on. So I kept on calling their customer care 24/7 number and left multiple messages for the senior management, store management, hoping that they will update me. But they never called me back EVER. Leaving Dallas wasnt easy because I have a toddler daughter and 4 hours drive one way is not an easy task and I had to come back for my job on Monday same day.
I called me fath-in-law who was in Houston to visit the location on 2/12, Sunday. When he reached there and first opened the storage door, he found multiple items that were wet. Especially, Cisco Routers and switches dripping water and multiple items/cartons that were all wet. I asked my father-in-law over the phone to take pictures and transfer the items to cleaner carton boxes on Sunday. We couldn't get a hold of any of the Uhaul's Insurance "Repwest" adjuster that day because it was completely chaotic on Sunday and there were hardly two adjusters and they were overwhelmed with countless victims, all worried, upset, and some crying. So, I told my father-in-law to transfer items after taking pictures. He did not check the damages in detail on Sunday because he needed manpower to move the stuff and Uhaul was also short of staff on Sunday. So, they told my father in law to visit again on Monday.
Then, on 2/13, my father-in-law again visited the facility to assess the damages in detail. Uhaul's insurance company repWest had reps that day and RepWest also analyzed the damages. He must have also manufactured a list of items that were damaged but he surely has missed all the damages that we cleaned yesterday. But he still found mattress, box spring, sofa love seat, and dresser which were all water-damaged.
Then, he told my father to dispose off the mattress, the box spring, sofa-love seat, and the dresser which were severely wet. My father-in-law called me immediately over insurance's rep senseless instruction of dumping everything into trash. I immediately called the manager and he told me he cannot do anything and we are supposed to follow what insurance rep is saying otherwise they will trash our everything themselves. I talked to insurance Rep and asked him who accepts or assumes the responsibility if I throw everything? He never gave me a straight answer and all the answers that he provided me made no sense to me. Where in the world can you cause fire and burn the entire apartment complex and when you see me sitting on a burnt-damaged chair, you instruct me to get rid of it also. Isnt it ridiculous? You have to understand, you caused that fire. Uhaul caused me that damage and now their insurance people are scared of future damages because of the molding and trying to convince people to throw their belogings into dumpsters? I understand that it was very unfortunate but as an adjuster, you tell me please, how many times have people filed claims on fortununate events? Claims are always filed for unfortunate events. People dont intentionally cause accidents, they just happen. But what do we do? In a socially responsible and mature world, somebody is always liable to it no matter what. I ran into an accident in my life. The other car was in my blind spot. Blind spot is an internationally accepted and acknowledged flaw in mirrors but was i forgiven? No. I was held responsible and I had to pay person's damages. That was very unfortunate and I never liked hitting that guy but it just happened. Same is the case here. It was Uhaul's responsibility to maintain all the piplelines, service them after some seasons and should make sure that nothing ever happens. But they did not. Even if they did ensure everything, it is just an accident on their part and they are responsible for it. Thats how accidents happen and now they are completely liable to it. Anway, right now, my point is on the fact that who in the world is Uhaul and their insurance company to tell my father-in-law which item to keep and which to throw? I bought all those items from my hard-earned money and those items were just 3 months old. Store manager was telling me that those wet items can cause mold. Somebody just destroyed all my luggage and all I am left with are those damaged items and when I am sleeping on odored-molded-wet mattress, you want me to even throw it away? Where do i sleep then? On the wet floor? Uhaul and Repwest Insurance must tutor your adjusters to be a bit more logical, realistic, and sensible in arguing over materialistic damages of the customers. I know, they are taught, never to accept the liability or mistake but at least should get their heads out of the their arses.
Anyway, I am collecting all the pictures/movies and the list of items and will email them in a day or two. I also know that some furniture items will start showing their signs of damage (swelling/peeling) in the next couple of days. I hope that Repwest will handle this sensitive matter in a very professional and logical manner. I am also documenting all the receipts/damages/communications with Uhaul store. I wish and hope that Uhaul and westrep insurance settles this matter as soon as possible and save not only each other's time but most importantly, save the the valuable time of Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts.
People: I need your support. Please step up, help me, hold my hand. United we stand. If you were a victim also of this water leakage at Uhaul, please leave your contact. I have lost my all furniture, electronics, and clothes, almost everything I ever earned. Help me build my home again.
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