Moving advise for people moving to florida (coupon, 2014)

[nobelvanlines]

I have Compiled this list of tips to help make your move less troubled!

1. Ask for a lot of questions. When choosing a moving company, the details are extremely important. The very first and most important question you should ask is: Are you licensed? If the company is licensed in Florida State , they will be able to provide you with a Florida MR license number (Nobel Van Lines's is MR-476). Their license number, as well as their address, should be listed in their advertisement. Write it down. Also, call the DOT to confirm the license number is legitimate. The DOT will be able to tell you whether the company's required insurance coverage is in effect. 2. Tell the estimator all the details. When calling around for estimates, tell the estimator everything you are moving. If you leave out "a few pieces," it will affect the quote you receive . If you are moving into or out of a walk-up, it will take a bit longer than a move into or out of an elevator building. If you had any problems getting certain pieces into your current apartment, let the estimator know (i.e., narrow stairs, large furniture). Your estimator will have to take that information into consideration when determining the time it will take to complete your move.
3. Beware of hidden charges. If you call around and most of the companies give you basically the same time estimate, and one gives you a much lower one, don't assume it's the best deal . For example, if you have a one-bedroom apartment and most of the companies are estimating about five hours, and one tells you they can do it in two, don't take the bait. Movers are not supermen; you generally have an idea of how long your move will take. Nobody knows your things as well as you do. If the hourly rate is substantially low, be leery of "hidden charges." If they offer a lot of "free" stuff, like boxes, insurance, etc., be prepared for them to make up the difference somewhere else. 4. Insurance/Valuation. Movers are required to "cover" your belongings at no additional charge "up to 60 cents per pound." This means, if you have a lamp that weighs ten pounds, you are entitled to no more than $6.00, regardless of the true value of the piece. Additional valuation must be charged for , and is determined by the value of your goods. If you wish to be paid depreciated value for lost or damaged items, you must declare a lump sum value for the entire shipment, and pay an extra charge. 5. Written Estimates. We suggest asking the companies you contact via telephone to fax or mail a copy of their estimate, including an inventory list, which will bring to attention any pieces that were not discussed.

[whatever2014]

I can tell you one moving company in Florida to stay far away from and that is JoChas Movers, owner Charles. The absolute worse experience. They will not take responsibility for damaging many pieces of our furniture. does anyone know besides the BBB who in our state of Florida to contact to make them accountable for the damages and lost items? I know an attorney is an option, but trying to avoid the costs. If it comes to that then I will go that route. Everyone in Florida stay away from that company. they advertise on Groupon. Don't do it.

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by whatever2014

I can tell you one moving company in Florida to stay far away from and that is JoChas Movers, owner Charles. The absolute worse experience. They will not take responsibility for damaging many pieces of our furniture. does anyone know besides the BBB who in our state of Florida to contact to make them accountable for the damages and lost items? I know an attorney is an option, but trying to avoid the costs. If it comes to that then I will go that route. Everyone in Florida stay away from that company. they advertise on Groupon. Don't do it.

The BBB is useless. You have to pay to join and they are a marketing company. Useless.

[jhlcomp]

Excellent information! And, yes, the BBB? No idea why they exist except to make money.

[ralanprod]

Originally Posted by whatever2014

I can tell you one moving company in Florida to stay far away from and that is JoChas Movers, owner Charles. The absolute worse experience. They will not take responsibility for damaging many pieces of our furniture. does anyone know besides the BBB who in our state of Florida to contact to make them accountable for the damages and lost items? I know an attorney is an option, but trying to avoid the costs. If it comes to that then I will go that route. Everyone in Florida stay away from that company. they advertise on Groupon. Don't do it.

The company I work for handles moves, but generally more commercial work than residential.

Movers in the tri-county area are highly regulated, and you can file a complaint with the consumer protection department with the county your move took place in. They are serious about their jobs. We are inspected annually, and the inspector goes so far as to measure the lettering on our trucks with a ruler to make sure it is large enough. You don't even want to know the fines if you are caught doing residential moves without a license.

A few things to keep in mind.....

A mover cannot give you an accurate quote over the phone. If they do give you a quote that way, don't be surprised if there are additional charges later on. Most movers will not give you a written quote based on a phone conversation because they are legally bound to charge you what was quoted. At best you can get an "estimate" - usually based on an hourly rate.

Always get a written quote. This should be on the required form in the tri-county area that spells out your rights and responsibilities.

As was mentioned, unless you declare and pay for additional coverage, your items are worth only $.60 per pound. Our company does not even sell additional coverage because of all of the issues that can arise. We refer customers who want additional coverage back to their homeowner's insurance agent. Then if there is some issue over the value of a broken family heirloom, the insurance company can deal with it.

As for damaged items... It happens. Fortunately not that often for us, but no matter how careful you try to be - accidents happen. Generally speaking if we are at fault, we do go above and beyond what we are legally required to do, to correct the issue. Not all companies are like this. We do most of our work on referrals (no advertising at all actually), so we have to keep our customers happy.

Another factor - packing. If you want to pack your own items to save on money, remember that your mover is likely to dispute any damage to those items. (They can't know the prior condition or the quality of your packing.)

If you have a specialized item like a piano or a large grandfather clock - don't trust it to a regular mover. Call an expert. Trust me.

No matter how cheap it may be, never hire an unlicensed mover. The license protects you as the consumer. Verify it with the county consumer protection office.

[whatever2014]

Thank you so much for your response. I will absolutely call the consumer protection department. These people should not be doing this to anyone else. I appreciate all of your insight. I wish there were more honest movers like yourself. We literally watched these guys drop our dresser drawer and break it. Our wall unit was badly scratched, glass broken, and it was only two years old. His trucks did not have any lettering about his company. We found this idiot from a Groupon ad, so we had no idea. It was a rented truck. Anything else you can assist me with to report this person and save other's from him would be appreciated. I did notify Groupon and the BBB, I am thinking of pursuing a claim for damages in small claims court.

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by whatever2014

Thank you so much for your response. I will absolutely call the consumer protection department. These people should not be doing this to anyone else. I appreciate all of your insight. I wish there were more honest movers like yourself. We literally watched these guys drop our dresser drawer and break it. Our wall unit was badly scratched, glass broken, and it was only two years old. His trucks did not have any lettering about his company. We found this idiot from a Groupon ad, so we had no idea. It was a rented truck. Anything else you can assist me with to report this person and save other's from him would be appreciated. I did notify Groupon and the BBB, I am thinking of pursuing a claim for damages in small claims court.

My mover also rented a truck but they did an excellent job. Moving is an expensive, back breaking job. I'd be leery of a mover with a coupon but that is just me.

[WEmoveU]

Great post ralanprod!
We’d also advise everyone preparing for a move to get familiar with “Your Rights and Responsibilities” booklet (PDF) that along with other useful relocation information can be found on official US Dept. of Transportation website: https://www.protectyourmove.gov