Press Release  Billerica Moving Company Ordered to Pay Restitution and Penalties for Violating Court Order

Boston — A Billerica moving company and its owners have been found in contempt of court and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution and penalties and change its business practices, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

In a court order, a Suffolk Superior Court found Father and Son Relocation Services Inc. and its owners Bryan and Keith Taylor violated a 2013 consent judgment that permanently enjoined the company from an engaging in an illegal bait and switch scheme that violated Massachusetts consumer protection law.

“Father and Son repeatedly lied to customers and held their belongings hostage, and flagrantly broke the law,” said AG Healey. “We are sharing information we gathered about this company with the Department of Public Utilities and believe DPU should consider whether it should still have a license.”

In May 2013, the AG’s Office entered a consent judgment with Father and Son in which the defendants agreed to stop their illegal scheme. In this scheme, the defendants would give customers low cost estimates for home moves then demand higher fees after loading customers’ belongings onto their trucks and refuse to return customers’ belongings until they paid the inflated fees. In the 2013 agreement, the defendants also agreed to record-keeping and reporting requirements with the AG’s Office.

In May 2017, the AG’s Office filed a complaint for civil contempt against the defendants alleging that despite the 2013 agreement, the defendants continued to engage in their illegal scheme. The court agreed and ordered Father and Son to pay the AG’s Office $75,000, which will be used to pay back consumers victimized by the company’s scheme. The AG’s Office will contact directly consumers eligible for restitution. The court suspended an additional $15,000 penalty that Father and Son must pay if they violate record keeping and reporting requirements.

The AG’s Consumer Protection Division enforces laws to protect consumers from fraud, deception, and other unfair business practices. The Division will continue monitoring Father and Son Relocation Services. A special hotline the office has created for complaints related to this business at 617-963-2619 and consumers may also file a complaint online.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Sarah Petrie and Division Chief Max Weinstein of the AG’s Consumer Protection Division, with assistance from Assistant Attorney General Paula McManus and Director Kevin McCarthy of the AG’s Civil Investigations Unit.

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