Russells Auction House

Review: I have been consigning items to Russell's Auction House. The last check I received was in Jan.2016. This check in the amount of $ 82.60.

I deposited the check and it was returned Account Closed. My bank also charged me 35.00 because the check was returned. I called Russells' Auction and was told that the account was closed in Jan. 2016 and why hadn't I deposited the check earlier? I request a new check written on a different account and that I wanted to be reimbursed for the bank return fee. Why should I be penalized for another person writing me a check on a closed account? I hadn't had a check from them since Oct. 2015 and had called them a couple of times and asked for a check from them and gave them my new address.

I received a replacement check on a new account but it was only for the amount of 82.60 there was no mention about the bank charge of 35.00.

I called them when the new check came and was told that they weren't going to pay the 35.00 check return fee to me ,that I owed them money on a couple of items that they hadn't been able to get a bid on- and they were charging me storage fees for holding my items that were not sold,so they just" wiped out" those charges and sent me the check for the items they had auctioned off. I have never heard anything about a storage fee. They never called me and said - come pick up your stuff or we will charge a storage fee. It is not posted in their office- where I would take my items to be auctioned off that anything not sold would have storage fees attached to them-as bad as I need the money if I had known that there was a storage fee I would have been up there the next day. I want the 35.00 they owe me for 35.00 for writing me a check on a closed account from Russell's Auction House.

Also with the check they did not include a list of what they had sold. Normally they do enclose a list. By not enclosing a list I have no idea what items they are paying me for.Desired Settlement: 1. I want the 35.00 dollars that my bank charged me because they wrote me a check on a Closed Account.

2.I want a list of the items that they sold for me.

3.Also I want a sign to be posted in their office, where they take items in to be auction off, stating that they charge a storage fee if you leave items there and how much the storage fee would be.

They claimed they had told me but they had not. In my phone call I didn't even ask what they had in storage - I told them to take it to [redacted] and they could take it off thier taxes next year.

Business

Response:

Hi my name is Sandy Myers and I own and operate Russell's Auction. I do internet auctions and sell for others and myself. One of my customers, [redacted] filed a complaint with Revdex.com about my business.This is what happened: In early Dec. of 2015 I mailed her a check for $82.50 and a list of items sold. She held that check until mid March of 2016. She then went to deposit it and I had closed that account and opened a new account due to the fact that my tax ID was with my previous business, [redacted], and my tax lady informed me that I needed to correct this. So, I had a new tax ID number for Russell's Auction and opened a new account. I checked my old account numerous times, for 3 months before closing it to make sure there were no outstanding checks. She proceeded to call me about this and I sent her a new check in the amount of $82.50. I ask her why she held the check so long and she said it snowed and she was moving and overlooked it. She then tells me she needs the new check quickly due to her lack of funds. When I sent her the new check I did not enclose the list of sold items because I had sent it prior. After she received the check she called my assistant and myself and used foul language, because she thought I should also pay the $37.50 return check fee. I then told her that after one month of holding a check that I am not responsible for her fees. I then reminded her of the storage fees for her unsold, not picked up items. She told us to donate her items and I explained that I could not donate items that had a reserve on them. She had put reserves on the items so they would not be sold for less than $2.00. I can not donate items with reserves because of the value it has to the customer, due to auction rules. I hope this can help settle the matter that was submitted to you. If you have any questions you can contact me at ###-###-####.Thank You,Sandy MyersRussell's Auction[redacted] # 33588SMM/tmb

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I called at least twice ( I think it was 3 times) to get a check for the items that sold in the fall/winter of 2015. I stopped taking them items to auction. Sometimes they would pay the very next day- sometimes cash and the others times by check. My records show the last check I received was in September 2015. They stated that I used foul language- my voice got high I am sure- and I was mad and still mad- that they are not paying for a bank fee my bank charge because they gave me a check on a closed account - - but I DIDN'T AND DON'T use foul language. When they wrote the check they should have balanced the account before closing it.They did NOT include a list of what they had sold for me - if they had I would not have ask for it again.I was never told that they charged storage fees and now I am being told- they could not donate the items to [redacted] because I had had a reserve price on them. I told them to donate them, that should have been enough plus they also have it in writing- it is in this complaint. One of my request was to post these "rules and charges" somewhere in the office so they could be seen by sellers and bidders alike. They should had balanced the checking account before they close it. I am very disappointed in them. If they checked the account before they closed it the account would have not balanced. They never told me that they charged a storage fee and now they are telling me that they can't donate the items in question because they can't donate anything that had a reserve on it.