Choosing a Mover can be a daunting task but Cord Moving and Storage agents for North American Van Lines can help.
Planning – It’s never too early to begin planning your move. Start out by decluttering your home! Create a Trash, Donate to the Habitat Restore in your town and Keep pile for your entire home; you won’t believe how much stuff you don’t need. Donate used clothing and other household goods, which will provide a tax deduction. For other items, have a yard sale.
When should I move?
If you can move during the off-peak season, from September through April, you may get a better price and find that movers can be more flexible in their pickup and delivery. If you need to move during the busy season of summer, schedule it mid-month and/or mid-week, which may result in a lower price and fresh crews. Weekends and ends of the month are busiest for movers.
Who should I look for? Cord Moving strongly recommend choosing among the more than 4,000 companies who are AMSA members. Each one has passed the background screening with government authorities at the state or federal level, as well as with their Better Business Bureau chapter. They have also pledged to abide by and uphold the AMSA Code of Ethics. They are reputable, legitimate companies who operate under honest business practices and the law.
Many AMSA members proudly display the AMSA logo on their website. Unfortunately, some bad guys steal our logo, so you can check the latest list of ProMovers to verify membership. Or call at (888) 849-2672 – they will be glad to help.
In addition to the AMSA logo, the association has established the ProMover program; a quality certification program for all the members who provide interstate moving services, and local moving services. These members, subject to annual background checks, are authorized to also display the ProMover logo. Learn more about the ProMover program.
You can check your interstate mover’s complaint history at the federal government’s consumer information website for household goods moves.
If you’re moving internationally, look for a RIM-certified company. RIM companies have been certified by AMSA through training, testing, and verification that they meet the standards for equipment and facilities to handle quality international household goods relocations safely and efficiently.
Brokers
Household goods brokers arrange moves by serving as an intermediary with any number of actual movers, who buy jobs from them. Brokers, however, are not themselves movers; and do not operate trucks or handle shipments.
Using a third party can lead to problems. If the broker can’t sell the job to a mover for any reason, such as a low estimate or availability, you would end up without a mover on the day of your move. Once a broker does sell a job to a mover, the broker may not be willing to intervene on your behalf if any problems or concerns arise involving the move.
Under federal regulations, all household goods brokers must:
- Be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- Use only movers that are registered with FMCSA
- Provide you with a list of the moving companies they use
- Provide you with the Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move and the Ready to Move? publications
- Include in their advertisements their physical business location, MC number, and their status as a broker that does not transport household goods but arranges for such service – BE CAREFUL!!!!