Moving is always a stressful event, and can be even more
stressful if you don’t understand the difference between a moving company and a
broker. First things first, let’s get the lingo down. Everyone knows what a
moving company does right? They save your back many hours of aching by taking
your stuff from your old haunt to a new one. But what is a broker responsible
for then? You can contact a broker to hook you up with a moving company that
matches your needs as a customer. Their responsibilities do not exceed this
match up though, and they cannot give you a binding estimate, and are not in
any way responsible for lost or damaged items.
When speaking directly to a mover, you may receive a quote
that is binding, and they may specify that their costs will not exceed a
certain amount after they are able to personally review your belongings. It is
important to check if any quotes you receive include any extra charges that may
apply. Insurance is another cost that may be added aside from the initial
quote. The basic cost of insurance coverage is 60 cents per pound, but each
company is different. You can always work with a 3rd party for insurance
coverage as well.
Be sure to note who is responsible for broken or missing
items, and what process you can take if anything is damaged. Extra charges may
come from parking fees, storage, mileage, or heavy and awkward objects such as
pianos or other hard to move furnishing. You should always let the mover know
about such objects up front and before they arrive on your moving day. Moving
over long distances may sometimes require your items to be transferred to a
different truck, which can increase handling fees or could cause extra damages.
Also be aware of what form of payment will be accepted. Hiring movers that only
accept cash payments is not recommended.
Most companies found on www.movingquotes.net will be able to accept credit cards, as they
should have a merchant account set up. It is also a good idea to be clear of
the exact amount that is due on the delivery date, as this will differ from the
initial deposit amount. Some deposits are refundable, which is a good thing to
check into when searching for a moving company. This article is a follow-up to
a previous question, and attempts to outline the responsibilities of movers and
brokers. In the case of a self-service move, you are responsible for your
belongings and will likely not be reimbursed if an item is damaged due to poor
packing.
