4 Kinds of Moving Paperwork

Hiring a professional moving company takes a lot of the stress out of moving: packing, lifting, driving.

But if there’s one aspect of it that can be difficult to get through, it’s the moving paperwork. No one likes paperwork. Not even the moving company. Here are the four kinds of moving company paperwork you need to be familiar with.

1. Binding vs. Non-Binding Estimates

This is pretty much what it sounds like, but it’s still important to be clear on the differences between the two.

A binding estimate is just that: it is a written understanding of how much you will pay the moving company for transporting your belongings, and that the price they ask will not exceed that. A binding estimate will always be in writing, and you should keep it in your records.

A non-binding estimate is one that can be changed later, usually based on how much your belongings weigh on the truck. This too should be in writing so there’s no confusion between you and the moving company.

2. Inventory

As your belongings are loaded onto the truck to be shipped, movers will generally make an inventory of the goods loaded and their condition at the time of loading.

While generally accurate, you should request a company of the inventory and personally make sure that it’s accurate.

That way if a claims process is initiated later, there will be no confusion as to the condition of your belongings before they were handed off to the movers.

3. Order for Service

An order for service is what gives authorization to a moving company to transport your belongings from one place to another. It should enumerate the estimated cost (see above) and confirm any extra services and the dates that the move will take place between.

Though it is not legally binding, a moving company should always provide you with an order for service before shipping your belongings.

4. Bill of Lading

Finally, this is the actual contract itself. When looking it over, there’s a couple things to keep in mind: first, a bill of lading it should state when and how much you need to pay the moving company for its services, and second, how much the liability the moving company has for damage to your goods.

E-Z Move: Your Local Moving Solution

Moving paperwork is never fun to read, but you should do so thoroughly and make sure you understand it all. If there’s a later disagreement between you and your moving company this is the document that you both will be referring back to.

Ready to tackle moving? Give us a call here at EZ Move at (520) 808-0347.