It is always advisable to know both your responsibilities and your rights in a commercial relation. Estimates are the ones which cause most conflicts between movers and beneficiaries and that is why all aspects related to estimates should be clarified.
Perhaps the greatest challenge encountered in the relationship between customers and Boston movers is the estimation of costs. Cost estimates are a specific aspect of any commercial relationship which involves services. Moving services are even more exposed to the misunderstandings and confusion of cost estimates and that is why both clients and Boston moving companies have various rights as well as responsibilities in this respect. Here are the things you need to know:
• Boston movers need to produce a written estimate for every shipment which they will be transporting for you.
• As a beneficiary,
you must receive and keep a copy of the written estimate.
• The written estimate must contain a number of estimated costs related to different aspects of the moving such as advance charges, transportation, accessorial charges, and more.
• Boston moving companies must always present the beneficiary with a dated estimate which needs to be signed by the latter.
• As a beneficiary, you may choose whether or not the Boston movers will produce the estimate following a physical assessment of the goods to be transported. But this is only possibly if the moving company you have chosen is not located further than 50 miles from the pickup location.
• No matter if the estimate is produces as a result of physical survey or not, the estimate must still be in a written form and should be signed by the beneficiary before any shipment procedures are started.
• Estimates are just that, estimates. They do not come with any strings or obligations attached. Therefore, Boston movers will not expect you to accept their estimates just like that and you, as a client, are not required to accept any estimate as it is.
• Sometimes, people choose to have their estimates done through brokers. Boston moving companies are not necessarily accepting the respective estimates. Again, their written agreement is a must in order to make sure that your mover does indeed accept the broker’s proposal. Verbal acceptance is not relevant in this case.
• The estimate should also contain all payment methods which the mover or its agent will accept at delivery. In most cases, common payment methods are typically accepted including checks, cash, charge cards, credit cards, and so on.
• An estimate is exposed to change before loading the shipment. That happens because Boston movers will in fact know their actual costs and consequently yours as they perform the loading. No amendments can be made after loading.
• Boston moving companies can provide two types of estimates: nonbinding and binding. Binding estimates man that the moving company will have to perform the services within the specified costs.
• A non binding estimate is just that, an estimate. It does not bind the mover. It means that you will pay according to the actual weight of the shipment and as per the services provided. The non binding estimate is purely for orientation.
• Additional services requested after the estimate was signed are charged separately. Impracticable operations charges are also to be paid separately. In most cases, such charges are not more than 15% of other charges.
