When the move is over but something is not right
A moving problem can show up at one of three moments: while the crew is still unloading, during the first days of unpacking, or weeks later when the bill and the claim paperwork arrive. Each moment calls for different steps, and a problem handled at the first moment can be far easier to settle than the same problem raised much later. This guide follows that order.
Before anything else, find your paperwork: the written quote, the agreement or order for service, the inventory if the crew made one, and the bill of lading or delivery receipt. If you never got copies, ask the mover for them in writing now.
Bozeman's beginning
Gallatin County's history says that when gold was found 60 to 80 miles to the west, the rush ran over the new Bozeman Trail, laid out by John Bozeman, a Georgian also hunting for gold, and that many who came that way returned to farm and trade in the valley; so the town of Bozeman began in 1864.
While the crew is still there
This is the moment with the most leverage, because the people who handled your things are in the room.
- Check large furniture as it comes off the truck: legs, corners, glass, finishes and mirrors.
- Look at boxes for crushing, tears or water marks, and open any that look damaged.
- Count the boxes against the inventory, if there is one.
- Write any damage or shortage on the delivery paperwork in plain words, next to the item.
- Photograph the item, the box and the packing before anything is moved again.
Do not sign a delivery receipt that says everything arrived in good condition if it did not. If the crew lead says to sign now and sort it out later, write your note on the form anyway, and keep your copy.
If a wall, floor, banister or doorframe at either house was damaged during the move, photograph it before the crew leaves and point it out to the crew lead. Ask whether the mover's coverage includes damage to the property itself, not only to your belongings.
The first days of unpacking
Some damage only appears when a box is opened. Unpack the most valuable and fragile items first, while the details of the move are still fresh.
- Keep a running list of anything broken, scratched or missing, with the box label it came from.
- Keep the damaged item and its packing material until the claim is settled; a mover may ask to inspect them.
- Write to the mover as soon as you find a problem, attach photos, and ask for its claim form and the deadline for filing.
- If a box is missing, ask the mover to check the truck and any warehouse where your things were held.
It may help to describe how something was packed. A lamp the crew wrapped and boxed is a different claim from a lamp you packed yourself, and the mover may ask which it was.
When the bill does not match the quote
Lay the written quote next to the final bill and go line by line. Common places for a gap include extra hours, a larger crew than quoted, packing materials, stairs, long carries, disassembly and travel time. For each difference, ask the mover in writing to explain why it was added. If the quote said the price could change only for certain reasons, ask which of those reasons applied.
Pay attention to how you pay. A card payment may give you more options to dispute a charge than cash. If you are asked to pay more than the quote before the crew will unload, stay calm, ask for the reason in writing, and ask the mover what its own policy says.
Filing the claim
A clear claim moves faster. Include:
- your name, both addresses and the move date;
- each item, what is wrong with it and what you are asking for: repair, replacement or payment;
- photos, and any receipts or repair estimates you have;
- the coverage you chose when you booked.
Send it in a way you can prove, keep a copy, and note the date. Ask the mover how long it takes to respond and what happens next. If the mover offers an amount, ask how it was worked out.
The registration question, after the fact
If you did not ask before booking, ask now: "What state registration or authority, if any, covers your moving work, and what is the number?" Put the answer in your file. It can help you find which agency, if any, to contact if the claim stalls. Separately, call your homeowners or renters insurer and ask whether your own policy covers any of the loss.
If the claim stalls
Write a final letter that lists what happened, what you have asked for, what the mover has offered and the date by which you expect a reply. Keep it factual and short. If there is still no answer, ask a state or local consumer protection office what options are open to you, and whether small claims court is a fit for the amount involved.
Damage you cannot see right away
Some problems take time to show: a drawer that no longer runs straight, an appliance that will not start, a mattress that was bent. Test appliances and electronics soon after the move. Ask the mover whether a problem found later can still be added to the claim, and how.
Keep one file
Keep the quote, the agreement, the inventory, the delivery receipt, every photo, every letter and every receipt in one place until the claim is closed. If you move again, the same file is a good place to start: it shows what you asked last time and what you would ask differently.