Your mover must be registered, and you can check

Any company moving your household goods across state lines must be registered with the FMCSA and carry a USDOT number. Nationwide Moving operates under USDOT 971993 and MC 411763.

You can look any mover up on the FMCSA register before you book. It is worth doing, and it takes a minute.

You are entitled to the booklet and the estimate in writing

Before an interstate move, a mover must give you the FMCSA booklet Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, and must provide a written estimate.

Estimates come in more than one form. A binding estimate fixes the price for the shipment and services described. A non-binding estimate is the mover’s best assessment, and the final figure follows the actual weight or volume. A binding not-to-exceed estimate sets a ceiling but lets the price fall if the move turns out smaller.

What you can be asked to pay at delivery

On a non-binding estimate, a mover cannot require more than 110% of the estimated charges before unloading. Anything above that is billed afterwards, and you have at least 30 days to pay it.

On a binding estimate, the amount is the amount, provided the shipment and the services are what was described when it was written.

Liability: the two levels of protection

Released Value is the basic level and is included at no extra charge. It covers 60 cents per pound per article, which for most furniture is a fraction of what the item is worth.

Full Value Protection means the mover is liable for the replacement value of a lost or damaged item, and can repair it, replace it, or settle in cash. It costs more, and it is the level most people expect they already have.

You choose which applies, in writing, before the move. Items of extraordinary value usually have to be listed specifically.

The bill of lading is the contract

The bill of lading is the document that binds the move. Read it before signing, keep your copy, and do not sign anything blank.

The inventory taken at pickup is what any later claim is measured against, so it is worth walking through it rather than accepting it at the door.

Delivery, and what happens if plans change

The mover must deliver within the period agreed in writing, and must tell you if the schedule slips. If you cannot accept delivery, the shipment may go into storage, and that storage is usually at your expense.

Keep a note of who you spoke to and when. Almost every dispute is easier to resolve when there is a record.

If something is lost or damaged

You have at least nine months from delivery to file a written claim. The mover must acknowledge it within 30 days and must resolve it, by paying, declining or offering a compromise, within 120 days.

Interstate movers must also offer a neutral arbitration programme for disputes about loss, damage and charges, and must tell you about it.

What is expected of you

Describe the shipment accurately, including everything going, and mention access at both ends. Read what you sign. Be available, or name someone who can act for you, on both days.

Do not pack flammables, corrosives, explosives or anything else on the prohibited list. Movers are not allowed to carry them, and one leaking container can affect an entire load.