Toronto couple hit with $20,000 damage bill after appliance delivery goes wrong
When Joseph Leung needed to replace his washer and dryer, he had no idea it would end up costing him more than $20,000 and causing him more than six months of stress.
Leung, and his wife, Janet, bought a washer and dryer from Costco last April. The couple arranged to have the appliances delivered to their condo near Avenue Road and Lawrence Avenue.
Surveillance video from the building on that day, which was obtained by CTV News Toronto, shows the delivery truck leaving after making the delivery, and driving right in to the building’s garage door before it had fully risen.
"I think that's very irresponsible," Leung told CTV News Toronto, "because they noticed the damage and they didn't inform me about it. So I have to find out from the security calling me saying 'there's damage.'"
Leung said at first, he thought maybe there had been a scratched wall, but he had no idea how extensive and expensive the damage was -- until he got an invoice from the property management company.
"I'm on the hook for $20,000 of damage," Leung said.
The damage to the garage door costs roughly ten times what the Leung's had paid for the appliances. Since then, Leung says he's been trying to get Costco, or the delivery company, to cover the cost of the damage.
"It's been really stressful, like it's being going on for like half a year. I've been chasing, making phone calls to everyone."
Leung said he was told that Costco subcontracts their deliveries to an outside company, who then uses a third company to do the actual deliveries. Adding an additional level of frustration for Leung who said, "I have to do all the chasing with the subcontract delivery company, and their subcontract delivery company and their insurance."
In the meantime, the Leung's property management company has given them three extensions to pay the $20,000 bill to cover the damage. The latest extension is December 3.
"If not [paid]," said Leung, "they will put a lien on my unit. And that could affect my credit score, as well as re-mortgaging and other stuff."
"At one point they told us to claim our own home insurance to cover the damage," Janet Leung explained. "Then we have to pay for our deductible, and then the premium would increase and we lose our no claim discount."
CTV News Toronto reached out to Costco earlier this week. Within hours, a representative of the company had reached out to the Leung's. A Costco spokesperson told CTV News Toronto they have offered to cover all of the costs of the repairs.
For the Leungs, it will hopefully mark the end of a multi-month effort to fix a problem they didn't cause.
According to Janet, "the whole thing is just ridiculous."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
BREAKING 15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members today during a ceremony at British Columbia's legislature cenotaph commemorating the Second World War's Battle of the Atlantic.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
As storms moves across Texas, 1 child dies after being swept away in floodwaters
A child in Texas died Sunday after being swept away in floodwaters as storms swept across the state.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.