Terminology Tuesday!
First and foremost, we want to stress the importance of determining if your mover is registered with FMCSA by accessing www.protectyourmove.gov or calling FMCSA at (202) 385 9805. Unfortunately, we hear so many horror stories of people signing with moving companies that seem to be too good to be true and we want to stress to you that anything that seems too good to be true… Probably is! Hopefully, our Terminology Tuesday series will help you know and understand the information provided by the professional mover. The expert mover should provide you with the following basic documents as a part of your move.
Estimates: estimates should be clearly described- in writing– do not accept oral estimates. Here at Exodus, we believe in order to get the most accurate estimate you must see what you are estimating. Therefore, we are more than happy to give you an in person estimate.
Order For Service: this is a list of all the services the mover will perform and shows the dates that the household goods will be picked up and delivered.
Bill of Landing: contract between you and the mover and receipt of ALL your belongings. You should be given a partially completed form before the vehicle even leaves the residence of origin.
Inventory List: receipt showing each item you shipped and its condition. At Exodus we provide and go over the inventory list with you so we can agree on the description of the goods condition before and after the move.
Applicable Transportation Charges: charges that a mover assesses for its services must be contained in a published tariff which MUST be made available upon request. If you feel that a mover has overcharged you, you can contact the Surface Transportation Board at (866) 254 1792 to obtain assistance.
Filing a Complaint: you may file a complaint against a mover by visiting www.protectyourmove.org or calling 1-888-DOT-SAFT Monday-Friday.
We hope that you never go through the typical horror moves that we too often hear about. It is super important that you understand your rights and your responsibilities before selecting a mover. We believe that the best way to avoid problems is to be informed and plan ahead.
