About a year ago we had a basement sump backup for which we called ServiceMaster Advantage of…read moreLafayette. The minor disaster required the carpet of the built-in basement be replaced. Separate crews were assigned to take out the damaged materials. ServiceMaster sent Eddie Diaz to scope the work and explain what would be done. The crew he sent about a week later, to pull out the damaged carpet, asked for entry and spent a good amount of time on the work. But it seems to be much more than assigned work that occupied their time. When they were done they departed quickly and without checking in to show me what they had done. Within a few weeks of their work, I noticed assorted items of thousands of dollars of value--ammunition, vinyl record albums from the 1960s-70s, military uniform items and insignia, CDs, electronics, and other personal property--missing from my office and the nearby closet, neither of which had any damage. I had happened to inventory many items a few weeks before their work and knew well what I had from inventory and electronic receipts, that the items were definitely gone, and that no other people had any access to the areas whence the items disappeared. I compiled a list of what I realized was missing and filed a statement with the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's office a few weeks later, after checking carefully what was missing. The detective investigated the slickie boys whose names they got from ServiceMaster, but the identified boys claimed they were never at my house, and I had no solid proof they were. In the intervening months a few other items are also missing, having not been noticed among the many items in the office area until recently needed. With highly restricted access to the area, those had to disappear the same time as the other property--no other explanation makes sense.
Some lessons: Even if very busy on other activities, observe the laborers closely, frequently, randomly, and fully trust none requiring entry to your premises--especially not any low-skill, part-timers who might be unable to gain more reliable employment. So they cannot lie that they never worked at your location, photograph their government issued facial ID and their vehicle--including the license plate--before allowing them entry. Unless it is untrustworthy, any competent business will be certain to have the supervisor come by that day, when the work is done, to ensure it has been performed suitably and honestly. Other contractors do so. For the money paid, the customer has every right to expect the supervisor sending the laborers to be professional and "close the loop." We have installed a security system in the meantime. The multiple cameras would have captured the boys carrying out their stolen property. I will not call upon this business again.
