None of these scenarios allow a moving company to refuse delivery until they are given full payment in cash, or to hold your property hostage. The FCSMA document spells out your rights regarding payment. Be wary of any company that demands full payment in cash.

If Weights and Measures gets involved in a dispute, our investigators will require consumers to make the appropriate payment, based on the appropriate charge based on weight or volume. The moving company will be instructed that they must complete the delivery.

If you want the Department of Weights and Measures to intervene on an interstate move, see the Help section below.

BEFORE HIRING AN INTERSTATE MOVING COMPANY:

DO

√  Investigate the moving company before signing a contract.

√  Make sure you understand the methods used to determine all costs. Ask to see a copy of the company’s Tariffs. Remember that each company’s Tariffs may be different.

√  New federal rules state that a mover must offer you the option of purchasing Full Value Coverage, which usually stipulates a payment for damage that is based on a dollar amount per pound. A carrier must offer full-value coverage for movers at a certain cost.  If you decline to pay for that coverage, they must have you sign a written waiver declining Full Value Coverage.

√  Unless you purchase Full Value Coverage, be aware that most company insurance policies base reimbursement on the weight of your goods. If a box of expensive crystals or antique china is broken in a move, you will be offered a reimbursement based on how many pounds those items weighed, not on their value.

√  Tell the moving company that you want to base your charges on weight instead of cubic volume. While most movers are reputable, there are many ways that an unscrupulous mover can use volume to inflate the cost.

√  Many consumers find it’s best to work directly with a moving company.

√  Remember that FMCSA rules state that a consumer has a right to know if a company is a broker that will turn the actual move over to a different company. When you are soliciting quotes, ask if the company is a moving company or a broker.  If a company is a broker, be careful.

√  Make sure the moving company doesn't charge you for the truck weight. Have the company weigh the truck without your merchandise on it, and then ask to see a weight ticket for the truck after it is unloaded.

√  Have someone present when your goods are picked up, and have someone present when your household goods are delivered.

√  Read all the documents you are given. A moving company must supply you with a copy of your rights, a receipt or bill of lading that specifies the weight or volume of your goods, the origin and destination points, and the number of boxes being transported.

√  Be present when the weight of your household goods is established. There are many ways for a moving company to increase the “Tare” (empty) weight of a moving van. For example, the weight of a truck can vary by as much as 1,000 pounds based on whether the fuel tanks are full or empty.