Don't let movers kidnap your furniture!
Filed under: Home, Ripoffs and Scams, Fraud
Moving is a stressful event, tempers are tested and wallets are opened all in the need to get your life's accumulations from point A to point B. The NY Times covered an issue some people are having with moving services, especially with state to state moves. In these cases a moving company provides a lowball offer for moving your goods, often sight unseen. When the movers show up at your new home with all of your belongings locked securely in their truck they then request a substantial additional sum of cash to unload your items!If this happens to you unfortunately your options are limited. If you don't pay up the movers may damage or leave with your items and if you do fork over the cash your recourse is also limited. In many states the legislation is not on the books to protect consumers from these unscrupulous state to state movers. When restitution is made through the help of a consumer group the process is often a lengthy and involved one.
I haven't used movers in the past but I have run a small moving and storage business with two of my classmates shortly after graduation. One of our biggest issues was gaining the trust of our customers and assuring them that we wouldn't run off with their futon and mini fridge. Just like mechanics, movers are mostly "good people' but a few bad apples can ruin the reputation of the whole group. Before you hire a mover check out a reference or three and contact your local better business bureau for the company's standing.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-21-2008 @ 7:37AM
ellen said...
From a professional standpoint, it sounds like you and your college roomates were, what is called in the industry "illegal movers". Dudes with a pickup truck. Licensed, legal moving companies do not hold old futons and microwaves hostage - illegal movers do. Illegal movers confuse customers with lowball prices then change the price upon arrival at the new house. Licensed moving companies hire legal workers, not day labor, have supplies, pay for safe equipment, Worker's Comp insurance, cargo insurance, auto insurance, publish tariffs, pass licensing exams, have to pass periodic inspections and PAY TAXES. Did you and your college dudes pay taxes on what you earned for moving those people that you talked into trusting you not to steal the mini-fridge? Customers who don't know the difference will usually choose the lower prices thinking it's just labor. Payment: Legal moving companies work on COD sometimes with deposits for long distance moves, and that is gone over before the Bill of Lading is signed. Illegal movers have ruined the reputation and business for legitimate companies. Customers must check a moving company with their state licensing agencies and get referrals from satisfied friends or neighbors who used that company to move. The Federal Motor Carrier Association provides a free booklet to customers online, and your mover is required by law to provide you with a copy of that booklet when you sign your Bill of Lading. The CA PUC has a list of licensed movers on their website and their Customer Rights & Responsibilities booklet. I urge everyone to go online and read that booklet before hiring anyone to move them.
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5-21-2008 @ 7:41AM
Josh Smith said...
Thanks for the information about finding reputable movers.
In our case we were a licenced LLC but we catered to college students so we moved futons and microwaves. We didn't hold these hostage either but thanks for jumping on that conclusion.
5-21-2008 @ 2:08PM
ellen said...
Your article would have better served it's purpose if you provided the links to the FMCSA, CAPUC and other state's websites related to moving local, intrastate and interstate.
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