Beyond Apex

Consider this situation. You decide on a moving company, schedule a time for delivery and pickup, and then you sign a contract with them. After a few weeks, you find yourself in your new home with everything you own secured in a truck outside. The movers have added several additional expenses to your account and are threatening to withhold your belongings if you don’t pay them. Your possessions are being held captive by the folks you believed would help you move and make your day much simpler by carrying the heavier items.

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Regretfully, such incidents do occur. As a result, you must be quite cautious when selecting a moving company and extremely watchful while handling your agreement with them. See the next 10 pages for further advice.

10. Research Firms

First things first: find out which moving firms do high-quality work by conducting some informal research. Ask your friends via email if they have any advice or cautions on moving businesses they have previously hired. If the businesses you are considering provide references, give them a call. After you’ve reduced your options, research any moving firms you’re thinking about by contacting the Better Business Bureau. You should avoid using any of those businesses if they have a history of complaints against them.

9. Obtain Multiple Estimates

The cost of an interstate relocation is determined by the weight of the goods being transported, the distance to be covered, packaging, and other services. Well before you relocate, get two or three estimates. You could even want to schedule an in-person meeting with a relocation specialist and have them see your house. In this manner, the expert may examine your possessions and provide a reliable estimate of the cost of moving them. Ask the moving firms if their quotes are final or subject to change when you chat with them. A phone estimate should never be accepted.

8. Ensure that everything that has to be moved is communicated to the mover.

Make sure that the mover knows exactly what has to be relocated. And this is the reason: If anything is added to the shipment that wasn’t included by the estimate, the price will go up. Additionally, ensure that the mover is informed of any unique situations that might make the relocation difficult. For instance, is there a chance that parking at your new location may be difficult for the moving truck? You can be charged more for the walking that movers must do to deliver your belongings to your new location if they have to park far away.

7. Obtain Insurance

Your possessions are covered when they are at your house if you have homeowners’ or renters’ insurance, but not when they are traveling between residences. Therefore, you might want to think about getting moving or relocation insurance if you have a long commute. It is doubtful that the movers will be insured against breakage resulting from inadequate packing unless you pay them to pack your items. You may even ask the movers to pack your stuff if you want to guarantee coverage for damaged items. A variety of insurance packages are available for purchase. Up to a particular quantity, the moving firm is responsible for a specific dollar amount multiplied by the shipment’s weight.

6. Examine the Contract Carefully

A bill of lading, which is a formal agreement between the client and the mover, will be given to you by the mover. Before you sign, be sure you understand the terms of the agreement by carefully reading it. After that, remember to keep your copy of the bill of lading. You’ll want to have it on hand to make your case if something goes wrong. Additionally, you have to pay the amount specified on the bill of lading when you sign it. The mover’s name and address, the payment method they accept, the time of pickup, the minimum and maximum amounts to be paid, and other payment-related information should all be included on the bill of lading.

5. Inquire About the Contract

Verify that any agreement you sign addresses rates and fees, the mover’s responsibility for your belongings, the dates of collection and delivery, and the protection of your claims. Carefully read the document. Don’t stress over keeping the moving company waiting while you review the contract to make sure you understand all the terms. Before you sign a contract, you should confirm that a moving business is legitimate because frauds involving moving companies are not unusual. Ask inquiries and follow your gut if something in the contract seems off. The last thing you want is for your moving company to take your belongings hostage and charge you more.

4. Relocate in the winter

You might be able to get a better deal if you can move between October and April. Make sure to call well in advance for quotes and to finalize a contract if your relocation is planned during the peak moving season, which runs from June to September. When comparing quotes from moving firms, don’t forget to place them on your dining room table or kitchen counter for when the movers visit your house to inspect your belongings. The moving firms will be more inclined to work out a bargain with you if they are aware that they have competition.

3. Adhere to the Delivery Date

If you decide to modify the delivery date after your shipment has been picked up, you could have to pay for storage. Therefore, make every effort to ensure that you can move into your new house on the appointed day. If you’re not better organized, you could have to store your belongings for a night, which will cost you money that you might have saved. There are other hidden expenses to take into account: It might be more expensive to move a challenging object, like a piano. Additionally, you might need to engage specialized handlers or buy additional insurance coverage for your expensive artwork.

2. Verify that nothing was damaged or lost in your inventory.

If the carrier causes loss or damage to the goods, the movers are liable. When you check the inventory sheet during delivery, make a note of any missing items or damaged boxes. You might believe that you won’t have time to go through every box when it arrives at your house because moving is so chaotic. However, you should review your inventory sheet to ensure that everything is present and seems to be in good shape. Make sure that everything on the list has been delivered, at the very least.

1. Verify if the business is legitimate.

Because moving scams are so common, you want to be sure the business you engage with is trustworthy. Check it out, then. If the business appears to be doing well, stop over and have a look. Do the trucks have clear labels? If they aren’t, that’s bad. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s SaferSys website allows you to look up the company’s motor carrier licensing details. To check if everything appears to be in order, enter the DOT number that was provided by the firm. For instance, the address on the SaferSys website and the one you received from the business should match. The moving firm should have interstate moving authorization if you’re relocating to a different state. The home products should also have a checkmark next to them.