Moving your family
or business is a big task but there is one thing
you should know from step one. Finding a mover
on the internet is fast and easy, the Internet is a
great source for research and a great way to
get an idea of average moving costs with moving
calculators found on most moving company
websites. But it should not be used as a
means to contract with any mover or packing
company. A fair and reasonable estimate
can only be given if the movers
estimator actually views the goods being moved.
If you have a written estimate done by a representative who came
to your house, you have certain legal protections against the
price being jacked up. So long as you do not make any material
changes in the move, the mover can only collect within a certain
percentage of his estimate on delivery. Many movers know if they
give you a written estimate, they will be legally bound within
limits to their estimate, so they may try to actually talk you
out of sending an estimator. This is a warning sign
that this is a company you do NOT want to work with, no matter
how nice or sincere the fellow sounds on the phone, or how cheap
they may seem.
There are many
unscrupulous moving companies or individuals who pose as movers with
Internet websites. They lure unsuspecting
consumers with unusually low prices and then
hold the goods hostage, claiming the cost of
moving the goods far exceeded the amount of the
estimate. We have heard many stories of lost or
missing property so insure each item is tagged
with some type of inventory identification
label.
These moves are
often conducted between multiple states to avoid
scrutiny by the states’ law enforcement
officials. Federal law enforcement does
not have enough resources to track, prosecute,
and convict these thieves and extortionists.
We join with other
packaging professionals and encourage federal
lawmakers to provide resources for enforcement
of the federal motor carrier laws and to crack
down on these questionable activities. For
now, avoid doing business with a mover / packer that
deals strictly over the Internet or by
telephone. Always get a written estimate and
research the movers. Check with your local
Better Business Bureau
website.
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