Problems with the Paperwork

The most importantly tip for the paperwork is:

READ WHAT YOU SIGN!

We know it’s the 21st century and we don’t read anymore, but please read the documents you are signing. Many bad movers will have you sign unfair deals, or even blank documents that they will fill in later. Don’t let it happen to you!  This section will go over the three big areas to look out for in the paperwork: signed prior to loading, valuation, and delivery date.

The paperwork must be signed prior to loading! This is one of the most common tricks for bad movers. They will load your goods onto their truck and after that state that it will cost more. If you refuse then they will say they will charge you the same amount to just unload your goods. It’ll become a hairy situation, and while you may be right, it’s just a headache to deal with. So make sure the documents are signed prior to loading!
There are two types of valuation, full valuation and released valuation. Off the bat the first thing you will notice is that full valuation costs money while released valuation is free. Typically unscrupulous carriers will push towards released value and hey its free so why not. While the Moving Buddy isn’t saying you should go full valuation we think it is best that you understand which is which.

Full Valuation

Full valuation is simply similar to insurance. If your goods are damaged or missing, the carrier will pay to replace it or repair it for whatever is the cost of the good. How much you have to pay for the valuation varies from carrier to carrier.

Released Valuation

Released valuation gives you 60 cents on the pound for goods damaged. So if you have a new plasma tv and it weighs ten pounds and it’s delivered broken, or “missing” the moving company will give you $6 for it. Now you can see why this comes with a bigger push from the bad moving companies, for often times valuable goods can happen to just “disappear” and with the free tag it is really easy to push.

As we said before while we are not saying one is better than the other, we typically suggest going full valuation if you can afford it.  The peace of mind knowing that your goods will be replaced rather than crossing your fingers that your mover is careful is worth it to many.

Delivery date is simply the date that you said you want the goods to be delivered. This is more to let you know when is the EARLIEST date the goods will be delivered. If you are moving during the moving season, the summer, then be prepared for some delays. The worst part about this is that delays are part of the moving process and there are no laws that prevent the moving company from delaying your goods. Typically the FMCSA will get involved after 21-25 business days, or approximately a month after the carrier is late from the delivery date.