This Month's Focus- Moving Scams!
Tips on Avoiding Costly Moving Mistakes

    Maybe this has happened to you or someone you know. In our family, it happened to my mother-in-law when she moved from Tennessee to Florida. She was given  quotes from three different moving companies whom she met with in person. She selected a company and filled out a contract. Once her belongings were packed and in transit, the moving company informed her that it would cost triple what they originally quoted. Is this possible? Yes. They put her items in storage and sent a legal letter threatening to auction off her possessions if she did not comply with their higher price within thirty days. She contacted an attorney who told her she had no recourse, but to pay. She didn't even have grounds to sue!
    
    No wonder complaints against moving companies have tripled since 1995! Did you know that the interstate moving industry has been virtually unregulated since 1995? No wonder why pirating among movers has become a thriving business for scam artists. There is very little you can do to get your goods back other than paying these thieves what they demand. Often times your possessions are thrown into a dirty warehouse and by the time you get them back, they are damaged, stolen or ruined beyond repair! SO WHAT CAN YOU DO, YOU ASK!
 
    BEFORE YOU MOVE, LET US ACT AS YOUR MOVING ARBITRATOR. We can document your list of inventory as well as replacement value of your furniture.  We recommend NEVER filling out a damage report from your moving company as to your perceived replacement value of your furniture and goods or what your perception of repair costs will be. Once you put it in writing, that is the amount you will be compensated for. Often times what you paid for a piece of furniture twenty years ago is not nearly enough to replace it. And repair costs for refinishing, touching up, or repairing furniture can be quite high.

    We are independent and act as YOUR AGENT. We do not work for the moving companies.
Often times the adjusters national moving companies send out to document the damage to your furnishings, work for the moving company. Their job is to save the moving company money, not you. They may give you a low ball estimate of what it should cost you to replace or repair your damaged items, when in reality, it will not cover your costs. Don't settle for less. Demand what your furnishings are worth!

    We will be happy to schedule an appointment with you to prevent you from further disappointment! Please call (423)929-1080. We are proud to service the Tri-cities and would be happy to provide you with referrals upon request.

Here are some tips to look for when selecting a moving company:
1. Never get a moving quote from the internet- Meet with a company representative in person
2. Get a weight-based quote, not cubic feet
3. Request 3 RECENT referrals- ask Realtors, your human resource department, or friends
4. Visit the company in person- a dirty warehouse or unmarked trucks are a red flag
5. Ask for the owners names, addresses & motor carrier license numbers
6. How long has the company been in business UNDER THE CURRENT OWNER
7. Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints
8. Go to the American Movers and Storage Association website for a list of AMSA Certified Movers
9. Don't allow a truck marked with another company's logo to move your furnishings!  
10. Make sure the people who pack your bleongings are staffed by the moving company and not people hired from temporary agencies for the day who are not going to pack and care for your items properly or may have a history of theft.