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When moving locally, different
rules apply
By Laura
Bruce • Bankrate.com
 When
you relocate across state lines, the company that moves you must uphold federal
law and usually follows a tariff that governs rates, rules and charges. In a
local move, which is generally defined as within 30 miles, there's no such animal
-- it's buyer beware.
Get references
Rule No. 1 -- get references. Talk to friends, relatives and colleagues about
their moving experiences. As you narrow down the companies you're going to pick
from, call the Better Business Bureau or, even better, visit your county courthouse.
Lawsuits are public record and many courts make computers available so that
we, the public, can look up cases on our own and not bother the clerks. It's
usually pretty easy to do a search; you need to know the full name of the company.
In just a few minutes the computer will spit out every local lawsuit filed against
the company. Then it's up to you to decide if you still want to hire them.
Don't pick a moving company because it has the best ad in the
Yellow Pages. And don't pick a mover because it's affiliated with a big name
interstate carrier. When it comes to local moves, that affiliation doesn't mean
a thing, says Mary Scott Tuck of the American Moving and Storage Association,
based in Alexandria, Va.
"If anything goes wrong with the local move, the national company
has no responsibility," she says.
On the other hand, an affiliation with a national carrier isn't
something to sniff at, either.
"Often they'll have a good reputation on interstate and local
moves," says Paula Selbein of Naperville, Ill.-based Allied Van Lines. "We expect
our agents to uphold standards and we poll customers to get feedback on interstate
moves, but it should be comparable."
Visit their facilities
As you further narrow your choices, take a trip to their facilities. Make sure
they're not some fly-by-night operation that may not be around later if there's
a problem. That doesn't mean automatically eliminate the three hard-working
neighborhood guys who have a truck and work out of an office in one guy's basement.
If you know people who swear by them, they might be the best option.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, it may be by weight or distance, but most local movers
will charge by the hour. Tuck says customers are buying a van and so many men
at so many dollars an hour. Just as with an interstate move, she advises getting
three estimates. If two are in the same ballpark and the third is very low,
eliminate it -- they may be taking shortcuts or you may get hit with a higher
bill than expected when the move is completed. If one estimate is significantly
higher than the others, look for clues that the mover is jacking up the cost
by demanding that things such as chairs, tables, etc., be boxed.
There's no guaranteed price in a local move. Even a "guaranteed
price estimate" isn't set in stone. It may be a guarantee that the move will
cost "x" amount if it takes six hours, but if the move takes more than six hours,
the "guarantee" is out the window.
Tuck says the main reason local movers don't give a guaranteed
price is because there are too many variables, such as heavily congested local
traffic, that are out of their control.
Down payment concerns
Another area to watch for is the down payment. According to Tuck, it's not unusual
for a mover to ask for 50 percent upfront, the remainder due on delivery. Anything
above 50 percent upfront should be a red flag.
The most important advice of all, get the terms of the entire
deal in writing.
-- Posted: July 1, 2003
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