At one point in your life, you may hire the services of a moving and storage company. The assumption is that your belongings will arrive at the destination safe and intact. However, while unpacking your belongings, you may discover some items never arrived.
On such occasions, you may wonder what to do. Where, and how do you file the claim? Are there any chances of recovering the lost item?
In this post, we feature what to do when a moving company misplaces your stuff.
Table of Contents
1. Double Check Your Belongings Before Taking Any Other Action
If you notice that an item or two could be missing, the first step you need to take is to check more keenly. Chances could be that you have misplaced or packed the item in the wrong box. Thus, do not conclude the item is lost and start phoning the moving and Storage Company without double-checking for the lost item. If the item is not found, you can proceed to the next action.
2. Come Up With A Description Of The Lost Item
Perhaps the best approach to prepare yourself for claiming any potential loss of an item during the move is to come up with a description of the lost items. The moving and storage services company might have documented the items on their inventory list before picking. However, you never know if their report captures all the essential details.
Therefore, in your report, include all details that you can remember about the lost item. If you have a picture of the missing item, include it in your description. You can refer to the purchase receipt to capture the item serial number and other details about the lost item.
Ensuring a complete description of the item can help in retrieving it from the storage warehouse. The inventory staff will also refer to the report to identify any misplaced items or lost and found objects.
3. File A Claim With The Moving Company
With a fully detailed description of the lost item, it is time to file a claim with the moving company. Claims of lost items or damaged items can be initiated online. This is through the packers and movers application or sending an email to the relevant department.
If your preferred moving company uses the moving service application, look out for the application section that allows the customer to file claims. Thus, signup on the platform and attach the detailed description of the missing item. The staff will attend to the request quickly and provide a report.
If the processes of filing claims for a lost item is not clear to you, refer to the moving contract you signed for more precise directions on how to file a claim. Alternatively, you can contact the moving company personnel to find out what they say about the moving company.
4. In The Case of Rejected Claims
If the moving company rejects your claim, arbitration could be the next course of action. To request arbitration, you need:
- Name and address of the moving company
- The items pickup and the delivery dates
- Addresses of the pickup location and the delivery location
- The identity of the staff in charge of the move
- The bill of lading number or the claim number
- The total cost of the claim
Therefore, make sure that you have the detailed correct, and hire an excellent attorney to assist with the arbitration. Remember that you need to put up a strong case for the moving company to pay for the lost item.
5. Do Your Part To Prevent Loss Of Items During The Move
Do not assume that your items are safe and shall be delivered to the destination because you are working with a full service moving company. There is no way to specify that nothing will get lost along the way. However, you can be sure that your items shall be delivered to your designated address intact through specific practices.
How To Avoid Losing Your Items During A Move
Here are essential practices to ensure you are not filling the lost items claim form.
- Pack One Room At a Time: It may longer and even pain you, but packing one room at a time is a great approach to avoid losing any items.
- Create a Moving checklist: The right moving list helps you take inventory of the items while packing. The plan shall also be used when unpacking to verify that all items are received in good order.
- Hire Professional Moving Company: Full service moving company uses relocation management software built with an inventory for managing all items. Therefore, avoid hiring incompetent movers who will only misplace your item, causing lots of pain.
Conclusion
Losing your valuables during a move can be so painful. You need to ensure best practices when organizing the next move to avoid losing items. In an unfortunate event where you lose your items, the criteria explained herein will guide you in retrieving the lost items. But most importantly, hire a professional moving and storage company to minimize the chances of losing your belongings.
