I have a difficult situation!!! I leased a storage trailer for my personal belongings from a company in NJ...we agreed on $ 55 a month and agreed to have him park the trailer in PA where I reside.
The trailer owner stated that he could park it in a lot about 10 miles away...stating that he knew the owners of the lot and it would be OK to park it there. On Dec 29 2003 the trailer was delivered to the lot that we had agreed on. About 3 weeks after that I recieved a call from the owner telling me that I owed him $455...which far exceeds the amount that we had agreed on. On Jan 26 2004 I received a call from the police in that jurisdiction stating that they had found a trailer with my belongings in that was parked illegal, the tags and registration did not match and they had reason to believe that there were drugs being transported in the trailer to the point that they said that they would use dogs to search it and that some of my things would be damaged..I was so upset because I have never been involved in drugs!! They advised me not to pay him try to get my things out of the trailer get the information from the owner and not to tell him what was transpiring until they checked everything out. I did everything that they requested and was not contacted from them until Feb 19 2004. They then informed me that they contacted the owner and that at first he had lied to them about having permission to park the trailer there but now everything was OK ...that it would cost me an additional $10 a month and that I should start paying him, and that he would work with me on payment..the following day I put a check in the mail for $100 and ask him to work with me on the rest (that was a friday) the following monday I had an appointment with the police to pay $10 to replace the lock that they had cut off and to pick up the new keys. I arrived at the police station paid for the lock and continued to the lot that the trailer was spotted, which ironically was parked behind the police station and the trailer was gone. The owner of the trailer said that I defaulted on the payment, the police say that they are out of it and that is now civil. And when I asked about the drug situation they did not even search for drugs and said to for get about the drugs. When I asked for a police report they said that the were searching for hazardous material, and other incorrect statements...when I asked for a corrected report, they would not give me one. I have gone to everyone possible to straighten this out with no success, haved tried several times to pay him in full....which by the way had escallated to over $1300 by March...I tried a lawyer to try to get this resolved but after $500...he decided that I need to sue the owner and that would be a $5000 retainer fee...I offered to make payments but he would not accept that...I am a struggling waitress and could not afford it. Every personal thing that I own is in that trailer from my childrens things from the day they were born and my deceased fathers things. The lawyer contact the police and the police said that I am a story teller which is not true... I am innocent ...why would I lie about it. What kind of recouse do I have??? Nothing that I have done caused this situation....I can't afford an attorney....the owner will not communicate with me....he continues to lie about the wherabouts of the trailer...he said that he hauled it back to NJ...when he is questioned on it he says it is in PA. I can't believe that people get away with this type of thing.....I desperatly need someones help!!!!
The trailer owner stated that he could park it in a lot about 10 miles away...stating that he knew the owners of the lot and it would be OK to park it there. On Dec 29 2003 the trailer was delivered to the lot that we had agreed on. About 3 weeks after that I recieved a call from the owner telling me that I owed him $455...which far exceeds the amount that we had agreed on. On Jan 26 2004 I received a call from the police in that jurisdiction stating that they had found a trailer with my belongings in that was parked illegal, the tags and registration did not match and they had reason to believe that there were drugs being transported in the trailer to the point that they said that they would use dogs to search it and that some of my things would be damaged..I was so upset because I have never been involved in drugs!! They advised me not to pay him try to get my things out of the trailer get the information from the owner and not to tell him what was transpiring until they checked everything out. I did everything that they requested and was not contacted from them until Feb 19 2004. They then informed me that they contacted the owner and that at first he had lied to them about having permission to park the trailer there but now everything was OK ...that it would cost me an additional $10 a month and that I should start paying him, and that he would work with me on payment..the following day I put a check in the mail for $100 and ask him to work with me on the rest (that was a friday) the following monday I had an appointment with the police to pay $10 to replace the lock that they had cut off and to pick up the new keys. I arrived at the police station paid for the lock and continued to the lot that the trailer was spotted, which ironically was parked behind the police station and the trailer was gone. The owner of the trailer said that I defaulted on the payment, the police say that they are out of it and that is now civil. And when I asked about the drug situation they did not even search for drugs and said to for get about the drugs. When I asked for a police report they said that the were searching for hazardous material, and other incorrect statements...when I asked for a corrected report, they would not give me one. I have gone to everyone possible to straighten this out with no success, haved tried several times to pay him in full....which by the way had escallated to over $1300 by March...I tried a lawyer to try to get this resolved but after $500...he decided that I need to sue the owner and that would be a $5000 retainer fee...I offered to make payments but he would not accept that...I am a struggling waitress and could not afford it. Every personal thing that I own is in that trailer from my childrens things from the day they were born and my deceased fathers things. The lawyer contact the police and the police said that I am a story teller which is not true... I am innocent ...why would I lie about it. What kind of recouse do I have??? Nothing that I have done caused this situation....I can't afford an attorney....the owner will not communicate with me....he continues to lie about the wherabouts of the trailer...he said that he hauled it back to NJ...when he is questioned on it he says it is in PA. I can't believe that people get away with this type of thing.....I desperatly need someones help!!!!
