What Are My Rights?

Are you considering hiring an Orlando local moving company, or a long distance one, to transport your belongings during a move but worried about if your things will be safe? Are you afraid of winding up with unprofessional movers who take advantage of you? If so, you should know your rights as a consumer and ensure that your rights are not violated. First, you will need to know what your rights are as a consumer when you hire a professional moving company.

You Choose

Your first right as a consumer is to choose the moving company that you wish to hire. You are responsible for researching the moving companies Orlando to find the ones that have good reputation so that you can reduce your risks. You can check online to see if the companies have professional looking websites.

Local Moves and Binding Estimates

Moving companies that are performing moves within Florida must abide by a Florida law that requires movers to give consumers binding estimates before they begin to load anything into trucks. Binding estimates provide definitive costs for the services based on the belongings that are on the inventory. The cost cannot increase if the items weigh differently than estimated, but the cost can change if items are added or additional services are purchased. If the movers refuse to unload a customer’s belongings, the customer has the right to call the police, and violators face fines of up to $5,000.

Interstate Moves and Estimates

Long distance Orlando moving companies that will go across Florida state lines during the move must abide by different consumer protection laws. The companies will provide binding and non-binding estimates. Federal laws state that moving companies can charge no more than 10 percent above the estimate with non-binding estimates. Be sure that you know whether you are receiving a binding or a non-binding estimate, and hold the moving company to the agreement.

Keep your consumer rights in mind whenever you are doing business with moving companies. Reputable companies will know and respect your consumer rights.