Piano moving advice

[goingtosa]

I sold my piano to a piano dealer on EBay. he paid cash on collection but in the process of moving the piano down the stairs he damaged 3 steps on the communal stairwell while shifting the piano downstairs.. He refused to pay for the damages and would only pay the money agreed upon earlier on the piano. I let him drive off as I realise I would be stuck with a piano downstairs that I cannot move back up myself without paying for a piano mover to do it for me, plus I will still be left with the damaged stairs. We live in a block of converted flats (used to be a huge mansion) all owned by the same landlord. Will I lose my deposit when I move out next month? I don't know if there is any way I can pursue him for damages.

[goingtosa]

The steps are wooden and basically the three damaged stairs have part of their wooden edges chipped off. Doesn't affect the use of the staircase. People can still go up and down the stairs but it's unsightly.

[goingtosa]

Three damaged stairs = three damaged steps I mean.

[Youdontneedacriminallawyer]

I would phone the dealer company and complain.

[goingtosa]

I don't know what that would accomplish. I have no leverage with him now that he has my piano. I feel so stupid for allowing the men to transport the piano. Should have stood my ground and insisted I won't let them take the piano away. :(

[sunsout]

Is a proper company with insurance cover?

[goingtosa]

Hi, sorry I hadn't checked MN for a while so didn't notice the reply. The movers actually belong to a second hand piano dealer who trades online mostly, via EBay and his website. He moves and sells grand pianos. Says he offers 12 month guarantees on all pianos sold. On hindsight I admit I should not have assumed all this means he was insured. I called him up eventually to ask him to pay damages to my landlord but he insisted on the phone that actually, he is/was not insured. I still find it hard to believe that someone who moves or trade in grand pianos has no insurance, but I realise the only way to make him pay up would be through small claims court. As I was moving 200 miles away then, I decided to not bother. I asked my landlord if he would like me to pay him compo for the damage and he said its okay I don't have to and don't worry. He had the stairs fixed in no time too. But I am waiting to get my deposit back and I will see if he decides to take some of it. I won't argue if he does.

[goingtosa]

I am still thinking of buying a piano again in future, but I am afraid the same thing will happen again. Is there a way of making sure a piano mover is a proper company and is insured? The movers who moved my piano had a trading address listed on their business website (although when I Google it, it shows up as a residential property - a large semi detached in a row of semi detached houses. Not a shop at all. I have no idea where they store their pianos.

[AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore]

Give his details to the landlord. Tell the landlord that he damaged the stairs, when he was moving the piano. Let your landlord's insurance company do the follow up. They will be much more ... thorough and formal .. when they contact the piano dealer.

[goingtosa]

I did offer my landlord the details of the piano dealer and told him he'd have to go through small claims court to get it. He said "nah, it's too much trouble don't bother". But then again it's not a landlord per se that I had. It was a company with a portfolio of properties they rent out and the person I speak to is someone who works for the company though I don't know if he owns it or is a partner or an employee or...

[goingtosa]

But

[goingtosa]

Oops sorry pressed send too fast. Meant to say "But how does a consumer ensure a piano mover they use is one with insurance and a proper company? Can a piano mover lie about the insurance and then later deny having it? I see a lot of ads on classifieds and on Google for piano moving. I'm sure some of them are cowboys."