Finding a local moving company may be a bit easier than finding interstate movers, but one has to admit both are equally taxing and stressful ordeals.
At any rate, relocation will always be accompanied by anxiety that all members of the family have to deal with eventually, so hiring a local mover makes the entire transition a lot easier for everyone involved.
Know Your Resources
It is important for people to know the resources that are already made available for everyone who will be relocating.
Remember that there are government agencies that protect consumers and their rights against fraudulent movers and the like.
These branches of government include the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the US Department of Transportation.
Other than protecting the rights of consumers, these agencies regulate the various businesses involved in the moving industry and they govern both local and interstate operations.
They also require each moving company to register their businesses.
They also certify that each business that is registered with them follows standards about customer service, operations, insurance, good business practices, and other federal regulations.
Safe Practices to Live By Choose Registered Movers
At this point, it is pretty obvious that there are a lot of advantages from choosing a registered local moving company.
When one chooses a registered moving company, you can be sure that it is legit, that it operates according to current industry standards, and that customers' rights are protected throughout the entire transaction.
Dispute Settlement
In case any piece of customer property gets stolen, damaged, or lost during the transportation thereof, customers should be informed beforehand about the moving company's dispute settlement options/programs.
Get a Copy of Customer Rights and Mover Responsibilities
This is an important document to have in case a customer has to make certain disputes against a local moving company.
With this in hand, customers can identify specific items that were agreed upon and have a basis for any claims made.
If a moving company can't provide this information upfront, then customers are better off hiring the services of another company.
It is important for these companies to be able to properly define customer expectations.
Customers should be made aware of the extent of the mover's liability and should be informed about the things that they can do in case their property gets lost, damaged, or stolen.
Take note that customers can also download a copy of this document from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website.
Published Tariffs
Always ask the local movers for the currently published tariffs for moving services. This is a safeguard against overcharging
Important Reminders
When moving locally, remember that customers will usually be charged for every hour of service rendered.
In contrast, interstate movers usually charge by weight or volume of goods plus mileage.
Additional charges are made in a case of traffic, carrying items up through different stories of a house or building, and the kind of transportation equipment that was used among others.
These and other important factors should be considered when looking for a local moving company.