What to do When Your Mover Lets You Down

By Scott Boone

Image courtesy of pixabay

Having done more than 5,000 moves, I always try to make sure that my clients get their money’s worth when they hire my firm.  That being said, any time you move everything you own, there is always the possibility of having one of your possessions damaged, lost or destroyed.  In fact, the farther you move, the more likely this can happen.  That’s because a number of interstate movers use multiple trucks and sometimes even transshipping warehouses to move you across the country. This means if you move cross country, there is a high probability that the truck and crew that packs your stuff up, won’t be the same ones who drop them off.  Either way, if you do have something that gets dinged, dented, dropped or destroyed, you need to know how to proceed to get satisfaction.

When should you file a complaint?

Not only are your possessions valuable, so is your time.  Below I have a short list of valid reasons to file a complaint with your moving company

      1.      The truck was late – The reason you make an appointment with a moving company is to make sure that your move proceeds in an orderly manner.  However, should your movers be late by at least a half hour, common courtesy dictates the crew chief should call you.  There are legitimate reasons why the truck could be late, including traffic delays, inclement weather and mechanical difficulty.  That is understandable.  What’s inexcusable in my book is if the driver fails to inform you about the cause and extent of the delay.  If the truck winds up being hours late, you can seek compensation.  More on that later.

     

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2.      The crew was unprofessional – Another moving no-no is for the crew to be rude, slovenly or careless with your belongings.  (This is also another reason to ask any moving company that you intend to hire whether their crew are employees or day laborers.) It is all too common for an inexperienced crew to damage furniture, major appliances and fragile items.  This is because day laborers receive little to no training before clocking in for their shift.  That doesn’t mean that experienced movers can’t damage your things.  It’s just less likely.  Regardless, if you find your moving crew being rude to you or members of your family, you should complain to the owner.  If the crew seems to be working in slo-mo or are taking an inordinate amount of breaks, you should complain to the owner. Just like the captain of a ship, the owner of a moving company is ultimately responsible for getting his charges safely from one port to another.  The owner is also responsible for the conduct of his crew.

      3.      Items were damaged, lost or destroyed – The amount of damage likely to be done to your belongings is in direct proportion to the experience of your crew and how well your belongings were packed.  If the movers also pack your belongings, then they have no excuse for damaging or destroying your stuff.  If you pack and they only move your belongings, the amount of compensation you can expect to collect is in direct proportion to how well your items were packed and what kind of insurance coverage you were provided under contract.  (If your contract reads “basic carrier coverage,” this means you can expect to be reimbursed for damages at the rate of sixty cents per pound.  If the contract reads “full value protection” you should receive the current market replacement value.)

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      4.      You were overcharged – This complaint is more prevalent than you might think.  That’s because a number of moving companies routinely provide their customers with low-ball “estimates” with a number of weasel clauses that can then be used to wrangle more money when they truck pulls up to deliver your belongings.  This is especially prevalent if the move is based on weight instead of time, since it is all too easy to guess low and then show you the weight certificate after the fact that indicates you need to pay more.  The best way to avoid this and other overcharge tactics is to read the contract thoroughly and to work with a mover that charges by the hour instead of the pound.

Who You Gonna Call?

Let’s say that one or more of the above-mentioned problems were encountered during your move.  What should you do about it?  It all depends on how bad the infraction was and how put out you really are.  If you are dealing with a conscientious, caring mover, most if not all your grievances can and should be settled with a phone call to the owner.  Since no business wants a bad review posted online, a mover who really gives a damn about his customers and his business will do whatever he can to make the customer happy.  Of course, this doesn’t apply to fly-by-night operators, or movers who routinely bid low and then try to gouge their customers after the fact.

What to Do when Things Aren’t Satisfactorily Resolved

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If you don’t get any satisfaction by phoning the owner, you may have to take matters to the next level. The important thing to remember is if you want to get even, avoid getting mad.  An angry exhibition is not only going to make it nearly impossible to get what you want, it will force the mover to become defensive as well.  Below are some steps designed to help you rectify the situation peacefully.

      1.      The pen is mightier than the sword – The next step is to file a complaint in writing.  In a few words you should list the items in the complaint, documenting any damage, breakage and/or other items for which you seek redress.  The best way to get the mover to see things your way is by making it clear that the offending items were things not in your control.  They were the fault of the moving crew.  Again, try to keep the accusations to a minimum.  However, you should inform the mover that if the situation is rectified you will take matters to the next level by posting a negative review and even possibly filing a complaint with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety administration.  The FMCSA is interested in issues concerning lost or damaged goods, failure to deliver goods, overcharging and safety issues. More importantly, if you file a complaint with the FMCSA, they will make sure your mover acknowledges your claim within 30-days, as well as requiring the mover to resolve the claim within 120-days.

      2.      To file a complaint with the FMCSA, you can either use their Household Goods Consumer Complaint form or you can call their hotline at (888) 368-7238 (Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST).

      3.      The mouse that roared – Should you be forced to take the matter to the FMCSA, or you simply feel the mover was less than professional when dealing with your issues, I urge you to take the matter to the masses online.  With a few clicks of the mouse, you can post negative reviews on everything from search engines and social nets, to consumer portals such as the BBB and Angie’s List. 

The bottom line is while you can’t always get satisfaction for every grievance experienced during a move, you can affect a mover’s bottom line by alerting other consumers to any underhanded or unprofessional behavior you witness first hand during a move.

With over 5,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.