Start with the registration number
Whatever went wrong, the first thing to find is the mover's Florida registration. Under Florida Statutes section 507.03, each mover and moving broker must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which administers the state's Household Moving Services law. If a dispute with a mover cannot be settled directly, you can ask that department whether it can help.
Look for the number on your quote, your agreement and any receipts. If it is not there, ask the mover in writing: "What is your Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services mover registration number?" If a broker booked your move, ask for the broker's number and the number of the company that actually carried your things.
Then pull together your file: the quote, the agreement, any inventory, the delivery paperwork, photos and every message you have exchanged with the company. The cases below all rely on it.
Case: the company cannot give a registration number
If a company booked or carried your move and will not give a registration number, write down everything you know about it: the name it used, phone numbers, website, the truck's markings and the names of the crew. Keep payment records. Contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, describe what happened and ask whether it can help. Do not make further payments until you understand who you are dealing with.
Case: something arrived damaged
- Write the damage on the delivery paperwork before signing, item by item.
- Photograph the item, the box and the packing material, and keep them.
- Write to the mover promptly, attach the photos, and ask for its claim form and the deadline for filing.
- Say what you want: repair, replacement or payment, and include any repair estimate or receipt.
- Ask what level of coverage your agreement shows, and how the mover will work out what it pays.
If the damage is to the house rather than the contents, such as a gouged floor or a scraped doorframe, photograph it the same day and include it in your written claim.
Case: boxes or furniture are missing
Count against your own list and the mover's inventory. Write the shortfall on the delivery paperwork. Ask the mover in writing to search the truck and any storage where your things were held, and to tell you the result by a date. If the items do not turn up, list them in your claim with a description and, where you have them, photos or receipts.
Case: the bill is higher than the quote
Lay the quote and the bill side by side. Check hours, crew size, packing, materials, stairs, long carries and travel time. Ask the mover to explain each difference in writing, and to point to where the agreement allowed it. Pay by a method that leaves a record. If you paid more than you believe you owed, include the difference in your written complaint.
Case: the mover will not unload until you pay more
Stay calm and keep it in writing. Ask the crew lead to call the office, and ask the office to state the amount and the reason by text or email. Compare it with the quote and the agreement. Contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, explain the situation, and ask whether it can help. Keep notes of the time, the names involved and what was said.
Case: the crew did not show up
Call, then send a written message with the date and time. Ask for a firm new arrival time in writing. If you have to hire a different mover, keep receipts for the extra cost, and for any lodging or storage you had to arrange. Include those in your written complaint to the first company.
When the mover does not respond
Send one final letter that sets out what happened, what you have asked for, what you have been offered and the date by which you expect an answer. Keep it short and factual, and keep a copy. If there is still no resolution, ask the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services whether it can help, and have the registration number and your file ready. You can also ask your homeowners or renters insurer whether any part of the loss falls under your own policy.
Pelican Island
On March 14, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island in the Indian River Lagoon, off Sebastian, as the first federal bird reservation, giving birth to the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Before your next move
- Ask every company for its Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services mover registration number before you book.
- Ask whether you are talking to a mover or a broker.
- Get a written quote after an in-home or video survey.
- Ask what the mover's coverage pays and how claims work.
- Photograph furniture and valuables, and keep your own box list.
- Carry documents, medicines and valuables yourself.
Keep the file
Keep the quote, agreement, inventory, delivery paperwork, photos, letters and receipts together until every claim and complaint is closed. A single folder, paper or digital, makes each step above quicker.