Damages

Damages: What to expect when you’re moving?

Besides having a mover pack up your belongings and selling them on E-bay, damages are the biggest fear when choosing to move your home or office.

Even the best movers can cause damage or scratches to your property when moving. Since home owners insurance doesn’t usually cover your items while in transit, it is so important that you choose your mover carefully, ask lots of questions and get things in writing. You need to know: Who is responsible for payment or replacement of furniture if it is damaged in the move? Does the mover pay for damages to items that we packed or they packed?

According to the Canadian Association of Movers, the liability for loss or damage is shared between the consumer and the mover. By law, a mover’s liability is only 60 cents per pound per article moved and the consumer assumes the rest of the risk. This is not something many consumers know.

The CAM says, “This means that for a 50-pound TV the mover’s liability is $30. This coverage is obviously not sufficient to protect the customer. Your household goods, on average are worth $10 per pound or more. A reputable mover will offer to accept the customer’s risk for a fee or include this coverage in the price of the move.” Make sure you clearly understand what you are getting and that it covers your needs and protects your belongings.

ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS!!

Get all your agreements in writing.

Choose your mover carefully and get lots of references.

By: Sharon Osvald and Andrew Brown

Packing - Part Two

When preparing for a move, packing is a very important part of planning. Whether you hire your moving company to pack or decide to pack yourself, here are some important tips to keep your items intact when travelling from A to B. This is a continuation from last week, Packing Part Two.

The Basic Rules for Packing:

1.Large boxes should not contain heavy articles. Not only could the boxes tear but also they are extremely difficult to carry.

2.Standard-size cartons should be used for stacking.

3.Heavier items should be placed in the bottom of boxes, on their strongest side with items separated by cushioning material.

4.Boxes should be filled completely so they don’t cave in.

5.Cartons should be secured with tape and clearly marked. Properly calculating the required packing materials is a challenge. Movers estimate a standard number of containers for a move and then adjust for the customer's needs, such as for doctors who often have a great quantity of books.

6.Special items – statues, gun collections, crystal chandeliers – may require custom-made containers and special packing.

7.Movers cannot transport inadmissible items like explosives, ammunition, aerosol cans and flammables like gasoline, paints or cleaning fluids.

By: Andrew Brown- Taken from the rules of packing from the Canadian Association of Movers.