If you had an awful moving experience, you may be just thinking that all you want to do is forget about it. Well, putting it behind you will not make it right. Plus, the steps you take could protect other people after you from having the same awful experience. Whether you had an irreplaceable heirloom go missing or if you dealt with the rudest mover you have ever encountered, you should make your experience known.
U.S. Department of Transportation
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation wants to know your service, safety, or discrimination complaint. If you have an emergency, then call 9-1-1. If you want to talk to a human, call 1-888-DOT-SAFE. Otherwise, you can file a complaint right on the website. Damage and loss are not the only complaints this department is concerned with though. Unlicensed status, reckless driving, and even being charged more than 110 percent of the quote are all examples.
To file you will need to supply:
- Your name, address, and phone number
- Mover’s name and contact information
- Bill of lading number
- Shipment origin and destination locations
- MC and DOT number of the mover
- Reason for complaint
Your complaint will go into the public record of the moving company. If the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration decides an investigation or further action is needed you may be contacted.
American Moving and Storage Association
If your complaint is regarding moving service performance or shipment delay you can file a complaint with the American Moving and Storage Association. Depending on the exact nature of your complaint you may be required to pay an arbitration fee. Understand though that the AMSA will come up with a fair resolution, but cannot demand the moving company to oblige. That being said, the resolution could be handy should you end up in small claims court.
Better Business Bureau
You can go to a Better Business Bureau near you to file a complaint, or you can take care of the process online. After you submit your complaint the moving company will receive a copy of it within two days. The movers will need to reply within 14 days. If there is no response, then a second notice will be sent. You will receive information regarding the response. A company not accredited with the Better Business Bureau likely will not respond at all.
Attorney General
Even if you do not contact any of the other options, you should at least make your complaint known to your local Attorney General. This person serves as a president’s cabinet member as America’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer and is concerned with legal affairs. If you are really serious about your complaint, then type, print, and send it by snail mail, rather than email.
Write Reviews
Every day, people just like you search the Internet for moving advice, as well as reviews about moving companies. They rely on the feedback of others to make their decision. Give a review on Yelp and any directory listing where you can find the moving company listed.