Article Summary:

Article Content:

The moving industry is complicated. It uses a lot of lingo that most consumers don’t understand: You get your estimates as ‘binding’ or ‘non-binding’; movers use a ‘tariff’ to determine rates; when the mover ships your goods, you receive a ‘bill of lading.’

And when you go to check out your mover, you run into a mass of regulations. If you’re moving within your state, your state government regulates your move; if you’re moving across the country, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration does. Finding (and understanding) information about your mover on either of these agencies’ websites can be hard, too.

It’s understandable, then, that most people don’t put in this kind of gumshoe work. However, there are three basic moving pitfalls that, if avoided, can help save you from a lousy experience with poor moving companies.