There are two parts to every move. The obvious one is the physical one. You will need to pack and move a lot of things during the process, so a lot of attention falls onto that part. However, there is the other one that people don’t often even think to mention. This is the paperwork. You might not be aware of the fact, but moving requires you to deal with a huge amount of paperwork. How you deal with this is all up to you – but there are a lot of terms and things that you will need to know and understand. Lucky for you, that’s exactly the reason why we are here! In this article, we talk about understanding movers contracts and paperwork! Read on to find out the most important things you need to know!
Why is understanding movers contracts and paperwork important?
The first thing you need to think about is why it is even important to understand all the paperwork. There will be a lot of papers and things to look through during your move – and you might find it tiring to sort everything out. Add to that the fact that there are just so many different terms that you need to deal with, and this can start giving you a headache in a matter of minutes.
However, understanding movers contracts and paperwork is of utmost importance for many reasons. First, without it, you might not get the sense of what is going on. The moving paperwork is full of information about different steps your movers will take. It also contains lists of things that you yourself need to do – and shouldn’t be doing at all. So, if you do not understand it, then who knows what can go awry. Your items might disappear or your movers might not be able to carry them to your new home. Your storage units Kuwait might end up being the wrong one or you might not even know how to find all your items after the move!
What’s more, once you sign a paper, it becomes a legal document that people can use in the court. If you do not have a firm grasp about movers contracts and paperwork, then you can easily become a victim of a moving scam. Since no one wants to be a part of this – understanding movers documents and paperwork is a must in every move! Knowing this, let’s take a look at various terms that can appear in a moving contract.
Estimates and quotes are the most important things when it comes to understanding movers documents and paperwork
Estimates and quotes are the primary order of business when you are working with a moving company. This number informs you about how much your movers will charge you for the move. Knowing this, you can make a decision about which movers to pick from – or how to form your moving budget. For these reasons, it’s important that you learn what different estimates mean and how to differentiate them.
First, there is a non-binding moving estimate. These are basically what the moving estimator assumes the cost of the move will be. They might look at the weight of your items as well as all the moving services you want out of them. Afterward, they will give you a number that they believe the cost of the move will be at. However, what you might pay at the end might be 10 percent more than this number.
On the other hand, a binding estimate means that the moving company guarantees the cost of the move. They will visit your home and look at your things, and then give you a written assessment of all the things you are moving. Keep in mind that this is a norm – and you should request it if the moving company suggests an estimate over the phone. After all, how would they be able to know about your items without taking a look at them? The thing you shouldn’t forget, though, is that you cannot change your mind about moving your items later. Once you have the assessment, you cannot add or remove items from it!
Bill of lading is another important document that you need
When moving, the company you are working with needs to give you a document called Bill of lading. There are a lot of things to find here, so pay attention to it. Basically, it serves as the moving contract between you and the company taking care of your items. These are the items that will go on the Bill of lading:
- contact information and the license of the company – these are the basics: their name, office address and phone number, so you can contact your moving company at any time. Along with that, you will also find the USDOT number or the MC number as well as other licenses;
- your own information – just like the company gives their info, so must you;
- where from and where to your items are going;
- the dates of pickup and delivery – these, along with the addresses are important;
- the costs of the service and how you will pay for them – again, pretty important stuff!
- how you will solve any disputes that might happen.
Inventory list
The final thing that you need to know when understanding movers contracts and paperwork is the inventory list. This will usually come together with the Bill of lading, and you won’t be able to change it during the move. THis is why you need to make sure all your items are clearly marked on the list – together with the conditions they are in! Only then will you have a successful and stressless move!