Your Fort Collins Moving Guide
Whether you're moving to Fort Collins from another city in Colorado, or you're moving to Fort Collins from another state, the moving company you hire will have different regulations to adhere to.
This article explains what to look for in a mover whether you're making an interstate or intrastate move.
Your Interstate Move (Moving to Fort Collins from Another State)
This type of move is regulated and governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Under the FMCSA guidelines, movers must have certain insurances and are given a USDOT number in order to transport household goods between states. They must also have insurance and make their tariffs and price lists available to anyone who requests it. To check if your mover is registered with FMCSA visit: www.protectyourmove.gov, or call (303) 894-2850. You should also check out the Better Business Bureau to check the companies rating and also see if they have any complaints against them.
Your Intrastate Move (Moving to Fort Collins from Another City in Colorado)
A move within Colorado is called an intrastate move, which is regulated by the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). When looking for movers within the state of Colorado, make sure they registered under DORA Colorado, which can be located on www.dora.state.co.us/puc/.
In-Home Estimates
When selecting Fort Collins movers, make sure you get in-home estimate in order to know what your move will cost you. This is also a great opportunity to address any concerns and ask questions you may have, as well as an opportunity for the movers to see your belongings and plan the move in advance. Your moving estimate must be in writing unless your move is under $500 or less or if it's scheduled within five days. Be sure you get estimates from at least three movers, and that they each do a visual inspect of the items to be moved to get a distinct comparison.
Read your estimate carefully, and don't assume something is included in the estimate if it is not written there.
You have three options for estimates:
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Nonbinding: May be more or less than the estimate.
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Binding: Must be the amount on the estimate.
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Guaranteed-not-to-exceed: Must be at or lower than the amount in the estimate.
Lost or Damaged Goods
All moving companies are responsible for the value of the goods that they transport. As a result, companies must have movers insurance in an amount equal to the declared value of your belongings. Movers have the option of providing you with one of three levels of reimbursement for lost or damaged household goods. They are:
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Minimal reimbursement: You get 60 cents per pound for anything lost or damaged during the move.
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Depreciated value: You get the current value of your goods that you previously declared or $2.25 per pound, whichever is greater. (This is the coverage you get if you do not choose a different option.)
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Replacement value: you are reimbursed for the replacement value you declared previously or $4.00 per pound, whichever is greater.
There will be a statement on the estimate that you will be required to initialize that acknowledges the level of coverage you have chosen.
Some moving companies might give only depreciated value coverage.
You may purchase moving insurance separately, and you should check your homeowners insurance policy to see if you have coverage that way.
A moving company may also reserve the right to repair any damaged items prior to replacing them regardless of the level of coverage you selected, but this must be stated in your written estimate.
Claims
If your items are damaged, file a written claim for loss or damage with your moving company. The moving company must acknowledge receipt of your claim, in writing, within 15 days after they receive it. The moving company must then offer a settlement, in writing, within 60 days of receiving a claim.
If you're unable to resolve the dispute, call DORA at (303) 894-2070 or you can file a complaint online.
For an interstate move, FMCSA has no authority to resolve claims. You can file a complaint against the moving company by calling FMCSA's 24-hour toll-free hotline at (888) 368-7238, or go to FMCSA's Web site. This complaint may spark a Federal enforcement investigation against the mover.
