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  • gingerbrat [she/her]@hexbear.net
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    5 days ago

    I am not quite sure where to post this, so I’d prefer to share it with you lovelies. The healing journey is on a good way and while I’ve had setbacks, it’s still going well. However

    I got a mail two days back that my storage compartment (for quite literally everything that I own, since I don’t have my own apartment atm) “possibly took some water damage”. As it turned when I went to check, the only thing that didn’t get damaged was my box of memorabilia and books, some of them aren’t even available for purchase anymore. While that was a huge load of my shoulders, my entire bed, including the mattresses, is a huge fucking sponge. A couple of other things got damaged too, which leaves me with having saved a box of books and mementos, two boxes of dishes and kitchen stuff, a chair and a cheap footrest. I don’t own much beyond that, and it’s never really bothered me, but I would’ve preferred to keep the bed. It was really nice.

    I filed a damage claim offered by the company who rents out these compartments and if all goes well, I should get compensation for the entirety of the broken stuff. But, you know, paying nearly a 100 bucks a month for 2 years to store something securely, I’m pissed that it wasn’t secure. Not gonna get that money back, and it wasn’t even enough to get all my stuff back.

    Worst part is that I just feel numb about it. I nearly lost my most precious books and mementoes, and my only reaction was to write the damage claim.

    • gingerbrat [she/her]@hexbear.net
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      5 days ago

      Update: The damage claim was not being processed! I just received the most audacious mail. The owner told me in so many words that my storage unit has already been put up for rent again, my access codes have been switched out, and I’m supposed to let the owner know when I intend to clear out the damaged stuff, since I’m no longer renting the place, and it should’ve been cleared out already since I cancelled the contract.

      I told him that I was instructed by his company to leave the damaged items there until the damage claim has been processed and only to remove them once this was done, that I find it ridiculous that he’d change my access codes before ever confirming the cancellation of my contract (I received neither an email nor anything else that would confirm the cancellation), and that I will only remove my stuff once the damage claim has been processed and under the condition that until then, my access codes be restored.

      I’m ready to spit acid. rage-cry

    • onandrah1 [she/her]@hexbear.net
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      15 days ago

      Ohhh love, I’m so sorry you’re going through this . I’m really glad your special books and memories were saved, but it’s so unfair you lost so much.

      Sending you all my love and hoping the claim goes smoothly. Please take care of yourself 💜

    • DisabledAceSocialist [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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      15 days ago

      Glad to hear you’re healing. Sorry to hear about all your property getting damaged. It’s outrageous that they won’t also refund you for the years of storage. Maybe a no-win no-fee lawyer or blast them on social media until they reimburse you fully? If you share the name of the company maybe we can start an email campaign to get them to refund you properly.

      • gingerbrat [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        15 days ago

        I’ll see what I can figure out, but I thank you for the suggestions. I don’t have any social media anymore, so I guess the lawyer would have to be it. But maybe I can get around the lawyer and figure out another way. I’ll see once they reply.

        Thank you love cuddle

        • DisabledAceSocialist [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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          14 days ago

          You could leave them a detailed negative review on trustpilot. I had an unsatisfactory experience with an optician once, left them a neg on trustpilot and the optician saw it and refunded me. Or we could all bombard them with emails. Hope you get it sorted one way or another. meow-hug

            • DisabledAceSocialist [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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              14 days ago

              Make sure it’s polite and factual but very detailed about all the things they did wrong (letting your stuff get damaged, refusing to refund for the years of storage and anything else you can think of.) No angry ranting. Include the total amount they owe you including the years of storage. Include dates for authenticity. Sound sensible and rational, no raging, just pure facts, they’re more likely to take you seriously.

      • gingerbrat [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        15 days ago

        I don’t know either. What I am going to do is ask for the money for the stuff that got damaged and for an immediate cancellation of the contract. This isn’t gonna be great, but that’s the stuff that I can get back, even according to their user agreement. If they refuse, I might just go ahead and figure out what I could get them on.

    • un_mask_me [any]@hexbear.netOPM
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      15 days ago

      Water damage is awful, I’m sorry you ended up losing a bunch of stuff because of it. Hopefully the process goes smoothly with the claim and you can replace what you need quickly without issue. I think it’s normal to feel a little numb when dealing with stressful stuff like that, on top of everything else. Hope you’re not too hard on yourself for it.

      • gingerbrat [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        15 days ago

        Thank you love cuddle

        I hope I get the money back too and everything will turn out fine. As to being hard on myself, I don’t think I am. If anything, I feel surprised at my apathy for the whole situation. Idk if that makes sense, at least I hope it does.

        • un_mask_me [any]@hexbear.netOPM
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          15 days ago

          It does, I definitely get the muted feeling that depression can cause. I guess I was trying to say that even if the reaction wasn’t as strong as you expected, it’s okay. Is it possible after so much time had passed some of the attachment to a lot of the stuff just faded?

          • gingerbrat [she/her]@hexbear.net
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            15 days ago

            It’s alright, thank you again :)

            I am very happy about the mementos surviving, yet the stuff that didn’t survive really had no real emotional value. A bed, as personal as it is, is still just a bed. And the other stuff that got damaged is pretty much the same type of utility objects (a coffee machine for instance). I guess what feels so strange about it is that I usually am very energetically emotional about bad things happening, yet with this storage unit, I got scared very briefly, but then I felt almost indifferent.

    • Keld [he/him, any]@hexbear.net
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      15 days ago

      People react to trauma at different speeds and in different ways, and you shouldn’t feel bad about not feeling trauma for not losing precious mementos. I hope you get money for a new bed, anything else would be stupid.

      • gingerbrat [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        15 days ago

        Me too. I’m actually slightly versed in trauma from personal experience, so it’s not alien to me. I just know I usually have stronger reactions to traumatizing events and this one feels almost underwhelming. I think it’s the depression adding another layer of apathy to these experiences.

        Thank you for listening meow-hug

    • gingerbrat [she/her]@hexbear.net
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      13 days ago

      Update: The damage claim is being processed, I received multiple profuse apology mails from the owner of the storage unit and they’ll refund this month’s and last month’s rent. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than not getting anything it all.