Whether you are moving down the street or across the country, moving can be very stressful if you don’t plan ahead. Part of that planning includes hiring the right mover that will ensure your valuable possessions arrive safely at your new home.
A good place to start in your search is to talk with family and friends. Ask questions about any experiences with movers, and listen to any recommendations they have. Begin to compile a list of potential moving companies. But don’t take a recommendation on face value -- times change and so does a company’s management and their success and stability.
Once you have compiled a list of at least three movers, make appointments for them to come to your home for an interview. Ask the company to explain their estimates in detail, and be sure to get a written copy of the estimate. Ask for a sample contract so you can read it over at your leisure. Avoid getting moving estimates by telephone or the Internet, unless you are seriously pressed for time.
Another way to find movers is to contact your local Better Business Bureau, who can tell you how many complaints a company has received. Be aware that a spotless record doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t any complaints; it might only mean that nobody took the time to complain.
You can also try looking on the American Moving and Storage Association Web site (www.moving.org). This non-profit trade organization certifies its members, and requires that they adhere to industry standards. Members also agree to arbitrate disputes of up to $5,000 arising from loss or damage.
If you are making an interstate move, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with these pointers from the Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration:
- If you are moving from one state to another, the moving company is required by law to give you a copy of “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.” This consumer booklet covers the mover’s required participation in a Dispute Settlement Program and provides information regarding their liability.
- The cost of an interstate move is usually based on the weight of your belongings and on the distance they are shipped, plus the amount of packing and other services that you require.
- Movers may weigh your shipment on a certified scale (subtracting out the weight of the truck) to determine the actual weight of your belongings.
- If you are given a non-binding estimate, your mover cannot require you to pay more than the amount of the estimate plus 10%. You will have at least 30 days after delivery to pay any remaining charges.
- If you want absolute price certainty and you can define what articles you are going to move, then you might desire a binding estimate. However, binding estimates can be more costly since the mover might build added revenue into the price to protect them from an inaccurate estimate.
- Ask about the arrangements to pay for the move. It’s customary for movers to require that charges be paid in cash, certified check, or money order.
- Generally, your belongings will be transported in a van, together with those of other families moving in the same general direction, which keeps costs down. Delivery is made on any of the several consecutive days you and the mover agreed on before the move.
- Make sure the mover knows how to contact you to schedule actual delivery. If you cannot be reached at a destination, the mover might place your shipment in storage to avoid delaying other shipments reaching their destinations.