After the Move

You have just completed your move to your new home or apartment. Unfortunately, there will be no rest for the weary just yet. Now it's time to find out if the move has been a successful one.

Be present to receive your shipment or have an authorized person waiting on site.
The carrier is required to contact you the day before they arrive.

If the carrier is held up from completing the job, through no fault of his own, basically waiting on you, you will be charged accordingly. You are given a window of 2 free hours.

If you are not available at your new destination to receive your items after the 2 hours, they will be placed into a storage facility. This means you will have to pay for a number of extra costs:

The effort it took to place your items in storage

The renting of the storage space

The time, truck, and manpower that it will take for them to deliver your items back to your home/apartment.

Have your Bill of Lading on hand, and for long distance movers, have the weight tickets available.
Does the price of the final bill match the estimate you were given? Write down the carrier's reasons for any discrepancies.

The carrier has the option and the right by law to bill you before unloading your items. If you refuse to pay, he has the right to place your items in storage at your expense.

Unloading and rearranging.
If everything is in order, the movers will unload your items into your place. Check the condition of each item.

You must tell the movers exactly where you want to place your furniture. Only in local moves where you pay the labor by the hour will the workers stay and rearrange your furniture to your satisfaction. Hopefully, you mapped out your new home prior to the move and you know exactly where each article goes.

Thoroughly check the Inventory.
Check the condition of your items as they are unloaded and unpacked. Look for damages or missing items. Note every discrepancy on the carrier's inventory list. Give detailed descriptions or take photos if you must.

Remember that you have a period of 9 months after your move to file any damage or loss claims since you may not unpack every box right away,

In the event of damages contact the moving company immediately.
Good moving companies quickly respond to damage claims. Request that an agent of the company come over to inspect the damage. Moving companies reserve the right to repair damaged items rather than replace them. Keep in mind that the movers are not responsible for damage to articles in boxes you packed. They're also not liable for the interior workings of electronics, only for the visible damages to its exterior.

Filing a Claim.
You must file a loss or damage claim against your mover within 9 months after your shipment was delivered. The mover is legally obligated to acknowledge any claim within 30 days and to resolve it or offer a settlement within 120 days.

Gratuities are in order.
Depending on the service, the average tip for a local move is -5 an hour; long distance moves are 7-12% of the final bill. Pay each of the movers separately.

To avoid any pressures for tips, your best bet would be to ask the moving company beforehand about what their workers usually make in tips.

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