Can Moving Companies Store Your Belongings?

This is going to depend on the company concerned and what your agreement with them is. Most companies will have a specific moving window during which they can deliver unless there is a specified date for the delivery.

 

So, What Happens to My Stuff In the Meantime?

As long as they have not exceeded the delivery window, they are able to store your items until such a time as they do make the delivery. They are obliged to take reasonable care that the items are safe. So, for example, they couldn’t leave them out in an open yard overnight.

 

How Do I Know When Delivery is Going to Take Place?

It makes sense for companies to make arrangements for an exact time and date with you. That way they can be sure that someone is at home to receive the items. Again, they might arrange this when you sign the contract, or at a time closer to the delivery window.

 

Be Wary of Scams

One scam that moving companies might try to pull is to collect the items and then store them and demand more money to release them. This practice is not legal, and they can be civilly and criminally charged for doing this.

Make sure that your contract is very specific about the conditions, the price, etc. If they try and pull this stunt, they could be fined up to $10 000 a day so it can be a good idea to remind them of this.

 

Can I Ask them to Store the Items for Me?

In some cases, you might need somewhere to store items. Maybe you are still looking for a place to move into on the other side. Some moving companies will offer this service, but you should check this upfront and find out exactly what the costs will be. Mohawk Moving & Storage does offer storage options for your move.

 

How Can I Make Sure That I Get a Fair Deal?

There are some horror stories out there about moving companies holding goods to ransom. Desperate consumers end up having little choice but to pay up in some cases. You can call in the cops or sue, but those resolutions will all take time.

Your best defense is to start out by choosing the moving company carefully. Check whether or not they are licensed, check reviews online, find out about them through the Better Business Bureau. Ask them questions like whether or not they are insured, and how accurate their delivery schedule is.

If they seem to be cagey in their responses, look elsewhere.

 

Conclusion

In some instances, the moving company may store your belongings. Their right to do so, however, depends entirely on the contract that they have with you. They can, for example, allow for a delivery window in case of unforeseen delays.

They cannot, however, hold your goods beyond the contract date or demand that you pay extra for them to be delivered.

In order to ensure that things are handled properly, you need to do careful research before signing any kind of contract. As boring as it is, you also need to read the terms and conditions laid out in the contract so that you know what your rights and responsibilities are.