I want to share feedback regarding our recent experience with Caring Traditions, Indy North and the "Outreach Director", JM. We selected their service to help us with an on line auction to declutter my 91 year old mother in law's home as she transitioned into an Assisted Living facility.
With regards to feedback, it is certainly mixed. The initial interactions with JM were positive. He described the services they provide and the fee structure. He met me at the home to see all the items that would be included in the auction. On short notice, we identified a date that his team came to the home, took pictures, catalogued all items, then set up the on line auction. The team leader was very well organized and efficient. The team was able to complete this entire process in a single day, then the auction went live. The auction went well and only a few items were not bid on. Caring Traditions also had a well organized pickup on Saturday, Sept 21, 2024.
After the auction, there were several "miscommunications" that were quite frustrating for us. During my first phone conversation with JM, I asked what happens to the "leftover" items such as trash, documents to be shredded, and leftover furniture and household items. He told me that Caring Traditions would take care of all of these. What he did not say up front was that we would be charged for each of these services!! So over several weeks my wife and I disposed of lots of boxes of trash. We had 12 boxes of documents to be shredded. He said he would charge us $90 / hour for time to transport these to a shredding service plus charge us the shredding fees! We took these to a shredding facility. And there was a charge to take items to a donation facility. After several messages back and forth, we agreed to pay $200 to pick up a large china cabinet and donate it to a charity. I picked up another large item and donated it.
The most upsetting issue for us was the accounting proceeds from the auction. In our initial phone conversation I asked JM about the fee structure for the on line auction. He said we'd pay $5,000 plus $300 marketing fees. Then we'd receive the first $5,000 proceeds from the auction (paying us back) then split 60% (to us) / 40% for any proceeds above $5,000. I have detailed notes from our phone conversation to support this. When the sale was over, he changed the accounting methodology and shortchanged us $967! These were funds that were intended to support a 91 year old woman in Assisted Living!
I really think this is an integrity issue, not a simple misunderstanding! I do not intend to take legal action or BBB complaint, but want others to know this happened. We certainly will not use his services again! read more