Interstate Relocation – Common Problems and Solutions

Interstate relocations are a very daunting task for anyone, especially if it’s your first time. With long-distance moves, there are more risks involved and more things that need your attention. In this article we’ll highlight some of the most common challenges people face and their solutions.

Choosing the Right Moving Company

A simple search on the internet will give you dozens of interstate moving companies offering their services and promoting how good they are. Each company comes with shiny websites, the whole bells and whistles. This makes choosing the right one hard for first-time customers.

In order to find the best company you have to start by looking in the right places. Certified online quote providers like Top Mover Quotes is a great place to search. Then you have to screen your candidates by carefully comparing their quotes and getting more information about the companies themselves.

Moving Scams

Some people are unlucky enough to get duped by scammers. They either get deceived after giving a huge down payment, or get cheated when it comes to paying the bill.

To avoid getting scammed, make sure that you are dealing with a credible company. This partly involves comprehensive research. Make sure all of their contact details are correct and working. Check if they have the proper licenses and registrations. Get feedback from their past customers. After that, ensure that everything is clear in terms of their services and pricing. Ask for their tariff so you can see how much they can potentially charge you and be careful of those who ask for a huge cash amount prior to the move.

The Company Holds Your Belongings Hostage

Dubious companies can use your belongings as leverage for you to pay their unrealistically high “additional charges”. Review your contract again (make sure to always have a copy) and read the fine print. If you feel that you really are getting cheated, contact the authorities right away.

Delayed Deliveries

Long distance relocations are trickier than local, short-distance ones. Sometimes, there will be instances where the shipment is delayed.

Don’t panic right away. The first thing you should do is review your contract and the details. And if there is a problem, contact them right away and ask what the holdup is all about. Did they encounter weather disturbances? Are your goods okay? Make sure to ask questions and get clear answers. 

Damaged or Lost items

We can never predict damages or lost items. But when they do happen, it’s a real headache.

To protect your belongings you have the option to avail of insurance policies. The amount will usually depend on how much or how heavy your things are. To avoid losing important pieces, make sure that you transport your important documents and jewellery by yourself.

All in all, the key to avoiding these issues is to be proactive and alert. Be mindful of small details and prepare for unexpected situations. That way, you will always be ready to take action when it comes to your relocation.

Your New Home Isn’t Ready Yet

Sometimes the construction of your new home gets delayed and it’s too late to put the brakes on your move. This happens, for example, when you’ve already booked your movers, the new tenants (of your old home) will move in soon, or if you’ve already scheduled the cancellation of your basic services (electricity, water, gas, etc.).

To handle this dilemma, you can just request for your items to be stored in a temporary storage facility while you find a temporary place to stay (a hotel near your new home, a friend or relative). Ask your moving company if they offer free storage as part of their package, most companies usually offer storage for free but only for a limited amount of time (1-4 weeks on average). If you exceed this period, you will then have to pay for storage fees, warehouse charges and handling fees.

You Miscalculated the Space in Your New House

There are times when people tend to compute or estimate well in terms of the size of their furniture and the space available in their new homes. When this happens, you can either choose to avail of storage facilities, or simply sell the items right away.

Of course, the best way to avoid this problem is to take accurate measurements of the dimensions of your new home (measure the doors too). You should also measure your bulky furniture or appliances to see if they can indeed fit. Creating a floor plan of your new home is also a good idea to avoid confusion and miscalculations.

Your Mail Still Goes to Your Old Address

This happens when you forget to cancel your subscriptions or fail to inform people about your relocation. Lucky for you, there’s an easy remedy to this situation. It’s called the power of friendship!

Before heading off to your new home, make sure to inform all of your friends, family and work contacts about your scheduled relocation. But most of all, don’t forget to tell your neighbours and former landlord. This is where the friendship factor comes in. Kindly ask them to have any lost mail sent to your new address. If this is too much to ask (and if it’s possible), you can at least ask them to hold the items temporarily for safe-keeping and you’ll just have someone pick it up (if you cannot do it yourself). You should also cancel all of your magazine or newspaper subscriptions ahead of time. This will also save you from getting billed for materials that you are no longer getting.

Your New State Has Different Laws and Requirements

Moving to a new state often means that you will be faced with a different set of laws and regulations to follow. For example, you may need to apply for new business permits, driver’s licenses and so on. Taxation also differs from state to state.

To avoid any problems make sure to do your research beforehand so you can prepare accordingly. Find the local government’s website or better yet, visit it prior to your move and get your answers straight from the locals and the proper authorities.

For more information on your rights and responsibilities when moving, check out www.protectyourmove.gov.

To sum it all up, an interstate relocation can be very challenging at first but with some planning and smart decision-making, it can definitely turn out to be successful.