Things to Do When Choosing a Mover for Your Interstate Move

Published by nora | Filed under Buyer / Seller Tips, Miscellaneous, Real Estate

Moving from one state to another always demands extra energy from those who are making the move, but you can have a smooth and hassle-free move from one state to another if you research and plan your move months before the day of moving.

An interstate move is covered by regulations implemented by the U.S.  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), so it’s wise to read moving advice and tips from the FMCSA:

1.  Read the booklet Ready to Move? on the website www.protectyourmove.gov. This will ensure that you don’t waste your money on rogue movers and you don’t lose your household goods through fraud or inefficient shipping.

2.  Read the FMCSA booklet entitled Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. This booklet contains advice on choosing your mover, estimating moving charges, making sure the satisfactory pickup, transport and delivery of your household goods, and resolving disputes with your mover.

You can read the contents of this booklet on the website www.protectyourmove.gov, and later, you can ask for a copy from your chosen mover for reference purposes.

3.  Choose a mover that has the following three basic things:

• a U.S. Department of Transportation number
• authority from the FMCSA to transport household goods interstate
• adequate insurance for its operations and your shipment

4.  Check the performance of the mover you’re considering by looking at the complaints database of consumer protection organizations such as Better Business Bureau.

5.  When getting advice from friends, relatives or neighbors, know where their advice is coming from. Certainly, information gathered from own experiences is more reliable than second-hand information.

6.  Obtain moving cost estimates from three or more of the household movers that passed your preliminary evaluation. When comparing, consider the services provided by each mover and why a certain mover charges much higher than the others.

7.  Make sure also that your chosen mover has the following:

• a dispute settlement service
• a clear procedure for evaluating damages on your household goods and determining their responsibilities related to the damages
• a contact system that enables you to contact the mover before, during and after the move

8.  Aside from www.protectyourmove.gov, you can also obtain information about moving from the website www.moving.org.

9.  Lastly, read all information on your cost estimate, service order, bill of lading and all
other documents before you sign them. Remember that your mover cannot charge you for more than 10 percent above the written estimate of your moving cost.

When considering Tampa as your relocation destination, contact Tampa4U.com for help in looking for the best affordable home to move to.