How do you move along when your movers are late?
Your contract allows late delivery to count as a breach of contract, but suing takes time, especially without damage or an egregious delay.
Your moving contract, called the Bill of Lading, states your delivery date, but no specific laws require moving companies to compensate you financially for late arrivals.
Contact the moving company's corporate office immediately when your movers are late to get an updated arrival time and a clear explanation for the delay.
Hiring a local moving company gives you a clear point of contact, so you can confirm schedules and resolve late deliveries quickly.
If you arrive at your new home before your professional movers—who are transporting everything you own—it’s normal to feel nervous about falling behind schedule.
Moving is a stressful time, and it doesn’t help when your movers and all your personal items are running late. Here’s what you can do if your movers are running late with your belongings and how to use your time wisely while you wait.
First, don’t freak out. There are lots of reasons your movers might be late. Most likely, a delivery ran longer than they anticipated, something happened with the moving truck, or other unavoidable incidents.
Follow these steps to figure out what’s going on:
Contact the moving company: Call the head office of the moving company and talk to management. They should be able to tell you exactly why the movers are late and give you an updated time of arrival.
Use your time wisely: If you have any last-minute tasks, complete them now. You can use the extra time to label boxes, finish cleaning, or load boxes into your car.
Research other options: If you can’t reach your moving company or aren’t getting a concrete explanation for their late arrival, you can contact last-minute movers and research other options. This tactic may work if you haven’t paid a deposit to your original moving company. But if you did pay a deposit, you might end up fighting to get it back if you switch to another company on moving day.
If your moving company already has your belongings, but the truck is running late for some reason, try not to panic. Instead, contact the company’s corporate office to notify them of the delay and find out how long you’re going to be waiting. Then, you can use your time efficiently.
If your moving company is a few hours behind for one reason or another, this is the perfect time to take care of some odds and ends.
Start cleaning: Complete some cleaning tasks in your new home. After all, cleaning will never be as easy as when the house is empty.
Run errands: Use the extra time to pick up groceries, home improvement items, and anything you’ll need to enjoy your first night in your new home. Make sure the moving company has your cell phone number so they can call you if they arrive earlier than planned.
Explore the area: Check out your new neighborhood, especially if you moved to a new city. Drive around, take a walk, or talk to your new neighbors.
A one- or two-day delay is a stickier situation than a delay of a few hours. If that’s the case, you should be in close contact about the status of the delay and the whereabouts of your belongings. Follow these steps to manage your time wisely:
Make sleeping arrangements: Figure out where to sleep if you don’t have a bed in the house. You may need to check into a hotel for a couple of nights or buy an air mattress to tide you over.
Tackle improvement projects: If you have a day or so on your hands, tackling projects like painting rooms, changing the locks, or putting in new carpeting are good tasks to take care of while your home is empty.
Work on the exterior: Why not do some work on the exterior of your home? Starting a landscaping project only requires a few tools and a trip to your local nursery or home improvement store.
A delay of a week or more is not an ideal situation, but you can still make the most of your time before the movers arrive. This unfortunate situation is a good time to complete large-scale projects, such as installing new flooring or paving the driveway.
When you hired your movers, you should have signed a contract that stated the specific date on which your belongings should arrive at your new home. This document is called the Bill of Lading, and your driver must give you a copy before they start loading your items.
Unfortunately, there are no specific laws in place that require moving companies to compensate you financially if they’re late with your delivery. However, if you are having trouble getting a hold of the moving company and your things are missing, you may have fallen victim to a moving scam.
If you suspect this is the case, contact the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration immediately and file a claim. Your state may also have an agency that specifically deals with moving scams and complaints.
Technically, a late delivery is a breach of contract, unless a grace period is built into the verbiage. However, it may not be worth your time or effort unless items were damaged in transit or the company was egregiously late with your delivery. Sometimes it’s best to let them know you’re unhappy, leave an honest service review on their website, and move on from the situation.
I recently moved to another state and chose United Trust Van Lines after comparing several companies. Their team was punctual, professional, and extremely careful with my belongings. I was especially impressed with how they handled my home office setup and fragile items. Everything arrived on...
United Trust Van Lines, LLCShowed up on time and cleaned carpets well, but didn?t move furniture.
Voda Cleaning & Restoration of ColumbusA reliable team for moves across state. My switch to a new place needed careful lifting through tight hallways. The movers checked the doorway first, then carried heavier pieces with slow, controlled movements. Their patience helped prevent damage, and I?d choose them again.
**Would rate a 0 if i could** NEVER USE THIS COMPANY!!!!! They shattered my tv console and dresser, lost a mirror, and never finished the move. The broken furniture cost me over $600 to replace. They left me with 6+ hours of personal labor moving my 1BR apartment, when I was quoted a FULL...
All My Sons Moving & StorageI could not have moved without the help of Jen Stover! I was in my house for nearly 20 years, so the thought of clearing it out while working full time was overwhelming. Jen takes great joy in sorting and organizing while asking the hard questions with patience and compassion. Jen is...
Go and Stow Home OrganizingCouldn't have been a worse experience. 3 of my belongings were lost and 5 belongings were damaged. My furniture was clearly dragged across the ground. The movers couldn't move the furniture I paid extra heavy weight fees for so I had to help them move my own furniture. The manager gave me...
US Interstate and RailExcellent experience for me! They helped me a lot with my move. very reasonable price. Good communication with the office manager is excellent.
Goodview Moving and StorageI was concerned about my possessions safety throughout the move but Bridge View Van Lines took all necessary security measures to make sure everything arrived in mint shape I am really appreciative of their effort and commitment They made my long distance move seem simple
Bridgeview Van LinesThis moving company is the best in Columbus, Ohio! They rescued me when my movers didnâ t show up. Do not ever use Plane Movers! They never showed up for my move, claiming that I never signed the contract. They didnâ t call me to follow up, communication was awful. The people that work for...
All My Sons Moving & StorageOzie and Tyquese were great and worked fast. It was a good move
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