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Movers Keep Upper Hand in Interstate Moves

Homestate Senator Runs Interference for Big Movers

By Joseph S. Enoch
ConsumerAffairs.com

June 6, 2006

Movers • Public Citizen: Movers Database Missing Crucial Information • GAO: Consumers Still Held Hostage by Movers • Movers Keep Upper Hand in Interstate Moves • Consumers Held Hostage • Congress May Act • GAO Urges Action • Florida Movers Indicted • A Mover's Advice • A Working Stiff's Advice

Moving can be a stressful adventure -- especially when the moving company you employ holds your belongings hostage.

Since 1995 when Congress eliminated the Interstate Commerce Commission, moving companies have had almost no one to hold them liable for their actions, prices or contracts when moving consumers' worldly goods across state borders.

Many ConsumerAffairs.com readers have submitted horror stories about movers holding their belongings hostage while demanding exorbitant payment -- many times higher than the estimate.

"I was given a quote over the Internet for moving my belongings from Jeffersonville, Ind. to San Rafael, Calif," wrote Karen of Jeffersonville. "My card was charged $1,400 for a deposit. Then charged another $1,400 when my stuff reached California. But Upfront Movers demanded another $3,500 in cash. Only cash."

"I was told not to call the police. If they didn't get my money they would put my stuff in storage and charge me storage. … Its been a few years and it still bothers me to that a move that was suppose to cost maybe a few thousand dollars cost $6,0000," Karen said.

In 2003 Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) sponsored the Securing Consumers' Assurance in Moving (SCAM) Act. It would have given local jurisdictions the authority to prosecute moving companies for consumer violations involving moves across state lines. Although the SCAM Act did not pass, Petri was able to get its provisions placed into the transportation authorization bill, said Petri spokesman Neil Wright.

But in November 2005, Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) placed provisions in the transportation authorization bill that trumped some of Petri's earlier efforts. The new provisions absolve larger moving companies, such as United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit, both headquartered in Bond's home state of Missouri, of any legal accountability.

"I want to express my outrage that this conference report substantially weakens provisions providing greater consumer protection for victims of unscrupulous movers that were part of the transportation bill that was signed into law less than four months ago," Petri said in response to Bond's provisions.

"State authorities will only be able to initiate actions against certain carriers and all others are protected -- no matter what their actions may be. We are putting up roadblocks when we should be tearing them down."

Wright told ConsumerAffairs.com that Bond's provisions are up for renewal in November. However, Wright said it is unlikely they will be renewed because senators Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) have spoken out against the provisions. In that case the bill will revert to Petri's consumer-friendly form.

Bond is unapologetic.

"I don't know and I don't much care," he told The Wall Street Journal when asked about Petri's comments last November.

Joe Harrison of the industry group American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) had a simple explanation: "From Sen. Bond's standpoint, he did what his constituent asked him to do," Harrison told the Journal.

So for the moment, there's nothing much consumers who are ripped off by large moving companies can do, said David Sparkman, another AMSA spokesman.

"Our advice is that you take preventative measures," Sparkman said, though he did not suggest what those measures might be.

That leaves consumers with our Advice From a Professional Moverand the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's www.protectyourmove.gov.

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