The worst news anyone could receive is that they’ve been scammed by their moving company after a move that’s already taken a toll by itself. Whether you’ve been ripped off, have had items damaged that the company’s outright refusing to compensate you for, or you’ve simply had a very turbulent and distressing experience with them, you have every right to be mad and want to do something about it.
The good news here is that this doesn’t mean you’re at the mercy of the faulty moving company in question. There are actions you can take to address the matter, and we’ll walk you through them. Grab your reading glasses and sit down so you can find out in detail everything you need to consider in the matter and, of course, how to file a moving complaint.
Start by reaching out to the moving company.
Of course, you’re not searching how to file a moving complaint out of spite and have certainly had some contact with the moving company before resorting to drastic steps. However, it’s always prudent to check in with the company and let them know your poor your experience with them was. See if they’re up to compensate you in some way or if they stand firm on their claims of professionalism.
If their response is unsatisfactory or if they’re not even bothering to pick your calls up anymore, you need to seriously start considering a harsher approach. But just because a company might have conducted themselves in ways that didn’t make for the best experience on your part doesn’t mean a complaint on the matter will be entertained or addressed. This is why before filing a moving complaint, it’s wise to look into what makes for a genuine issue.
Understand what aspects can warrant a complaint.
Before you simply go on to scouting portals where you can file a moving complaint, you need to make sure the matter in question is something that concerned authorities would deem worthy of compensation. Anything from losing items, misplacing them, damaging them, or withholding them is a solid circumstance that requires filing a moving complaint.
Moreover, if the moving process is significantly prolonged, and outrageous additional charges come up in your final deposit, then you can certainly file a complaint. Also this is also important to consider because you need to start gathering all kinds of evidence to provide footing to your claim. Everything from contracts to agreements and receipts will come in handy as you proceed with filing a moving complaint.
Submit your complaint to the FMCSA.
The most straightforward approach to file a moving complaint is to submit your complaint in the FMCSA online database. The Federal Motor Safety Association is responsible for overseeing all moving companies and general transportation across the county. As a part of the Department of Transportation, it has a duty to keep a check on all registered and licensed moving companies, which means it’s also the perfect place to check whether a moving company is registered in the first place or not.
Head to the entity’s complaint database, and you’ll find all details about the complaint process there. If the moving company is registered, they’ll have a month to take notice of the complaint and three additional months to address the dispute with you. This will involve a professional third party in the process and ensure that the moving company follows through with things.
Take your dispute to the ATA.
If the moving company you worked with comes under the umbrella of entities signed with the America Trucking Association, then they’re automatically liable to be addressed for any complaints, issues, or disputes for their services. This is the best place to refer your complaint, especially if you’re dealing with larger-scale complaints like being ripped off of a great amount of money or sustaining heavy damages during a move.
The ATA is an excellent option for filing a moving complaint because it receives disputes in detail and is the perfect source to take specific moving-related woes to. If your issue is smaller in size or more general in its category, then there are other more generic entities to handle that kind of situation too. That’s not to say that the ATA doesn’t take on broader complaints of more general nature.
Opt for the BBB:
The Better Business Bureau is a very vast organization that addresses complaints against businesses of all kinds, and moving companies very much fall into that premise. You can find all the information for filing the complaint on their complaint page. It’s important to have all sorts of details and information about the company you’re submitting a claim against; leaving parts of their online form empty or missing important information could have your complaint left unattended.
Filing a moving complaint to the BBB is also more convenient in terms of time because they render the moving company liable for replying to the dispute within a two-week period. This is a significantly shorter time in comparison to other portals, which can take up to months. The BBB also ensures that the perpetrator is notified of the complaint within two days.
File a lawsuit.
Although filing a lawsuit is the last thing on anyone’s mind after a nasty experience with a moving company, sometimes it becomes the only viable option. A small claims court is the place to head to when all other options and portals have not yielded anything out of your complaint against a moving company.
Remember that heading to court, even a small claims one, will cost you money. So, scout for professional legal assistance before delving in too deep. Shelf the lawsuit option as a last resort when other online and less fatiguing methods do not pay off. Also, do consider whether seeking compensation for your bad moving experience will end up costing you more in legal fees or not. Regardless, it’s always best to know that you retain the right to file a moving complaint against an unsatisfactory moving company.