The biggest challenge of hiring professional movers for your move is also taking the risk of engaging in a conflict on various issues that entail the move. Disputes are unavoidable under circumstances where items have been damaged and contracts have been breached; however, many of such disputes can be avoided if effective measures are take ahead of time.
Here are 4 measures you can take to avoid any disputes with your moving company:
Measure #1
Inquire in advance about the insurance and valuation on lost and damaged items.
Although your mover is responsible for the items that are transported, there are different types of liabilities that each moving company may take. Various types of protections may require certain charges. Look fully into the types of options you have. It could range from full value protection to released value protection. Under full value protection, the mover may be responsible for any loss or damage during the move. Each moving company has its own full value protection plan. Since released value protection offers minimal protection, you may have to buy additional insurance.
Measure #2
Inform the mover about nature of items.
Inform the movers ahead of time about the type of items that are being moved. Some items could be fragile, perishable, and valuable. Notify the mover in writing about the nature of such items. In case of time lags during a move, the mover can be aware of the type of storage and priority actions to take to protect your items.
Measure #3
Discuss and understand pricing
Be aware of the contractual agreement you would be making with the moving company. Get the precise cost of moving along with additional costs of other accompanying moving services which could add up to the total cost. Verify payment methods and options in order to avoid unnecessary problems on the day of delivery or the day of move.
Measure #4
Get hold of the paperwork.
There are essentially two types of paperwork you should possess after you organize the move. The first one is the order of service, which is a document that gives you a written confirmation of the moving service and the shipment details. It also has the confirmed date of the move and date of delivery along with the valuation of goods insured. Most importantly, it will have a mutually agreed declaration between you and the mover with your respective signatures. The second document is the bill of landing, which is a receipt of terms and conditions of the move along with cost of pending payments which will be handed over to you on the delivery of your shipment.
Through proper preparation ahead of time, many disputes with movers can be avoided by considering the above points. Being aware of some these things can be helpful in resolving unforeseen disputes ahead of time.