It might seem that only an experienced lawyer is aware of all the moving rights and responsibilities that your relocation might involve. In reality, we all should know the legal aspect of a move. Not only it might save us nerve and money, but it will also make the move more efficient and smooth.

All moving companies must provide you with a booklet ‘Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move’. That is created by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Your Rights and Responsibilities when you move

When you receive it from your mover, read it attentively. You will know what types of insurance a moving company can cover, what you can do to limit a mover’s liability of your goods, the difference between a binding estimate and a non-binding estimate, and more. Under federal law, each mover must give you the ‘Rights and Responsibilities” booklet, here you can find our summary of it.

Your rights

• The mover shouldn’t ask you to sign blank or incomplete documents.
• The document should be as complete as possible before signing it. Containing all relevant shipping information, except the actual shipment weight and any other information necessary to determine the final charges for all services performed.
• Movers must give written estimates and may give binding estimates. Non-binding estimates should not always be accurate; actual charges may exceed the estimate.
• You may request the availability of guaranteed pickup and certain delivery dates from your moving company.
• Valuation coverage is not the same as moving insurance. Before moving, do your research on valuation coverage to find out what it does cover and what it doesn’t cover. You can request an explanation of the difference between valuation and actual insurance.
• When you move you have the right to be present each time your shipment is weighed and you may request a re-weigh of your shipment.
• Moving companies must offer a dispute settlement program as an alternative means of settling loss or damage claims.
• You may request complaint information about movers from FMCSA under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and you may be assessed a fee to obtain this info.

Your responsibilities

• When you move your main responsibility is not to disclose any info to the different moving companies about their competitors.
• You should know the difference between the actual mover and a household goods broker. A household goods broker only arranges for transportation and it must not represent itself as a mover. A household goods broker does not own trucks. You should know that a household goods broker usually has no authority to provide you an estimate on behalf of a specific moving company. If a household goods broker provides you an estimate, it can not be binding on the actual mover and you may have to pay the actual charges the mover assesses. A household goods broker is not responsible for loss or damage.

Before you move make sure you read the booklet created by the FMCSA. There are more items there that we haven’t mentioned here such as requirements for the “Bill of lading”, important information about the delivery receipt, and much more. Don’t forget to make sure the moving company you select gives you your “Rights and responsibilities”! Find out your moving company’s DOT number to make sure you do deal with a fake mover. Some moves offer short o long-term storage as a part of their relocation offer. That is a good option if you plan to restyle your new residence before settling in.

What concerns your rights and responsibilities when you move with Moving Me you shouldn’t hesitate. Contact us today and our team of professionals will be happy to help you make your forthcoming move fulfilled! We respect your time and money. Quality service, dedication to work we do and expert care. Start your FREE moving quote right now! We work hard to move you fast!