CANADIAN COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – An estate sale company is accused of not paying out thousands of dollars in profits to metro families.

Dealing with a loved one’s death is stressful enough, which is why many familes turn to estate sale companies to help.

According to EstateSales.org, there are no official estate sale rules, regulations or guidelines for companies to follow, finding a reputable servie can be harder than it looks.

Whitney Smith is the owner of True 2 You Estate Sales, LLC.

Court records show the company also operates under Smith Liquidation Services, claiming to specialize in downsizing, relocation, estate sale services and online consignment.

However, Smith is currently tied up in Canadian County Court proceedings for not paying out the proceeds from an estate sale she held last fall.

After months of waiting, the families, many of them grieving the loss of a loved one, were forced to take her to court.

The attorney who helped the family said Smith promised to pay out the family’s portion of the profit she owed; however, he said she’s been stringing the family along, instead.

“An estate sale happened, items were sold, money was collected by the estate sale company but never paid over to the estate,” said Ryan Owens, The Bethany Law Center.

“That timeline [that the money was due to the family] came and went and the my clients still haven’t been paid,” he added.

KFOR contacted Ms. Smith for her side of the story but did not reach her.

However, a court transcript from recent proceedings notes Smith didn’t have an excuse for not paying the family what she agreed.

The court ruled in favor of the family, and under Oklahoma law, there are provisions in place that double the damages for what gets taken in circumstances like these.

Owens said Smith has a few more days to appeal before they begin their efforts to collect on the judgment.

“Be aware if you’re the person who thinks you’re going to steal from the probate estate because it’s going to add up very fast,” he said.