BIRKELAND ESTATE SALES

I was pleased with the professionalism of the group prior to and during the sale. All calls were answered promptly. Unfortunately I was out of town during the week when they came in to stage the sale and priced many things that I did not want sold. This was the result of a misunderstanding and my having relayed the information by phone rather than in writing. The sale itself went well and I was told that the proceeds amounted to around $3000. BUT after the sale, I started calling at a month following the sale because I had not heard from them at all and still had no accounting or check. I finally received a return call after the 3rd time and was reminded that our contract stated that I would receive my money at 6 to 8 weeks following the sale. I started calling again after 8 weeks. Despite an additional 6 calls, I have received no reply, no mail and NO CHECK.

Birkeland and associates conducted an estate sale for us over a year ago and we have yet to receive any of the proceeds. They originally said that they were running behind on getting checks processed, but now have stopped returning calls. There was a recent article in the Star/Tribune and it appears they have been doing this same thing with a number of their customers (i.e., having the estate sale and keeping all of the proceeds for themselves).

They were suppose to take a 35% commission and provide account for items sold for more then $25. Every time I call I was told they couldn't do the accounting. In essence they couldn't get the money. Also, in the process of sitting up the sale, they lost a few small items. I saw the items before the sale (when they picked up the items from my home) but the night before when I went to check on the items I noticed a few items missing. I would like them to not only provide the accounting documents but the money for the items sold.

Birkeland and Associates agreed to conduct a consignment sale in September 2011. They evaluate, appraise and price all items. They are supposed to provide an accurate accounting of all proceeds from the sale including a listing of items sold for more than $25. They get 35% of sale price for items over $25 and I am due 65% of this. They did not provide the proceeds from sale and will not return calls. After further followup and investigation, this is the situation. 1. A complaint was filed with the better business bureau, and after several months, this response was received: "After numerous attempts via telephone and certified mail trying to reach this company, they have chosen not to respond to our requests. We understand this does not resolve your complaint against the company and empathize with your frustration over this issue. We will be closing the case as "unanswered". Your complaint will remain in the company's business review for 36 months, our standard reporting period. That review is made available to the consuming public, the news media and various regulatory agencies. Your complaint will reflect the lack of response by Birkeland & Associates and cause their BBB grade to drop. Hopefully your complaint will spare another consumer from having the same experience that you had. " 2. The Minnesota Attorney General's Office is investigating this company, and have been in contact with my mother. 3. Channel 5 (KSTP) did an investigative report on this company in April 2011 to compel them to cough up the proceeds of an estate sale: http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2080874.shtml?cat=1 The work to get the proceeds for my Mother will continue. These people are thieves who prey on the vulnerable. Stay Away!

Setting up and holding the estate sale went very well. The people who set it up and actually were in charge of holding the estate sale were very good at their jobs, and all went well. Problems began when we were waiting for the itemized list of all that sold for $25 or more and our profit check. A letter I received with the contract stated we would get paid from 4-8 weeks after the sale. I called three times, at about the eighth week, the ninth week, and the tenth week after the sale. I was told each time that they were working on it. I seemed to be unable to get either a figure or a check. It was not until I contacted the Better Business Bureau with a complaint that we got paid. This was 11 weeks after the sale. They said that a check had been lost in the mail and that they were issuing a new one. We do not believe that a check was lost. Let us just say that while they all seemed like very nice people, they need some lessons in communicating and business acumen.

The person arrived on time to meet me. He was nice, but wanted to take almost half of the proceeds from the estate sale, take my items to another location (I had to pay for the movers to do this), and then dispose of or return any unsold items again at my own expense. He did not seem interested.

TIM AND HIS CREW DID AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB IN SETTING UP THE SALE, GIVEN THE VOLUME OF ITEMS TO SORT AND PRICE. OUR FAMILY HAD BEEN CLEANING OUT THE HOUSE FOR WEEKS, BUT THERE WAS STILL QUITE A BIT TO DO. THEY GOT THE JOB DONE IN JUST 3 DAYS AND WERE UNFAILINGLY FRIENDLY AND READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. THE SALE WAS VERY WELL-RUN AND THEY LEFT THE HOUSE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WHEN THEY WERE THROUGH. THEY WORK ON 30% COMMISSION.