How to Move Without Losing Your Mind
Last updated May 2024
There's still much you can do to assure you get the best possible service during a move.
During the Move
Have your mover prep an inventory based on the one you supplied; then sign it and keep a copy. It will be your evidence for missing or damaged goods.
For a long-distance move, get the name, address, and phone number of the agent you will deal with at the destination. Make sure the driver knows how to reach you.
Read the bill of lading—the contract between you and the mover—before signing. Keep it with you until your shipment is delivered, all charges are paid, and all claims (if any) are settled.
While your goods are in transit on a long-distance move, stay in contact with the mover’s agent at your destination.
At the Other End
Be present at the destination. On a long-distance interstate move, if you do not show up within a few hours of the truck’s arrival (two hours for most movers), the mover has the right to put your goods into storage and charge you.
Unless you have made other arrangements, have cash or a certified check on hand to pay. Because many movers expect to be paid before unloading, make sure you have enough money. If your mover accepts credit cards, use one. This eliminates the risks of holding or traveling with a large amount of cash, and gives you rights under the Fair Credit Billing Act and card-issuer policies to dispute a charge if you later find goods are missing or broken.
Plan in advance where you want to place your things, so you can instruct the mover.
Check the condition of each item as it is unloaded, and check your inventory to make sure each item has arrived. You won’t have time to open every carton, so focus on inspecting cartons containing especially fragile or valuable items. The mover will probably ask you to sign a copy of the inventory acknowledging receipt of the goods in the condition described. Don’t sign anything without first noting any damage.
If you find damage after the movers leave, notify the company promptly; and keep the broken items and packing materials as you found them in the box, so the mover’s claims representative can check them.
Resolving Disputes
If your property is lost or damaged, or if you incur expenses because of a mover’s delay, you can claim damages.
If you have a dispute with a local mover, first try to resolve it by talking to them. If you can’t reach an agreement, file a complaint with a local government consumer agency or the Better Business Bureau, or sue in small claims court.
If you have a dispute with a long-distance mover, send a claim letter to the mover’s headquarters (not its local agent). You have nine months to do this and the company must acknowledge your claim within 30 days and make an offer of settlement, pay, or deny it within 120 days.
No federal agency is authorized to settle disputes between long-distance interstate movers and their customers. If you have trouble settling, you can go to arbitration or file a lawsuit.
Interstate movers are required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to participate in a dispute settlement program. There are some limitations: Disputes that qualify for arbitration are limited to claims of loss and damage, and additional charges billed after delivery of shipment. Arbitration is mandatory only for claims of up to $10,000 on interstate moves of household goods for individual shippers. Claims greater than $10,000 may be resolved through arbitration only if both the customer and the mover agree to the arbitration. There may be a fee for arbitration; the arbitrator decides who pays it.
The American Trucking Associations’ Moving & Storage Conference (ATA-MSC) offers an arbitration program for its members and their customers. As with the FMCSA’s dispute settlement program, the ATA-MSC limits arbitration to claims of loss or damage and additional charges billed after delivery of shipment. To participate, customers must request arbitration within 90 days of the mover’s final written offer or denial of the claim. If the claim cannot be settled and the case proceeds to arbitration, the customer pays $300 of the $650 administrative fee for claims of $10,000 or less; for larger claims, the fee progressively rises. After reaching a final decision, the arbitrator may decide to refund all or part of the customer’s portion of the fee, depending on the circumstances.
If you decide to sue, you must bring your lawsuit against a long-distance mover within two years of the date that the mover first gave written notice denying any part of the claim. The FMCSA website can provide you with the name and address of the mover’s process agent.
Long-distance interstate movers must provide customers with certain information. Along with a written estimate, it must provide written descriptions of its process for handling questions, complaints, and claims as well as a summary of its arbitration process.
