Moving within the State of Ohio: What you need to know!

When choosing a moving company for your move in the State of Ohio, documentation is provided regarding your rights guaranteed by State Law and enforced by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.  These rules are in place to enforce proper operation for the moving company providing services, and also to protect you as the consumer!  Here are the document inclusions, and a brief explanation of each for better understanding during your next move!

Estimates:  All moving service providers must give an estimate that clearly outlines and describes all charges that will be incurred as a result of your move.  During the planning phases, a representative of the moving company will either verbally or physically inventory all items that will be included in your move to ensure that the estimate is accurate. 

Protection for Lost or Damaged Goods:  Moving companies are also required to provide insurance for the goods that will be included in your move.  The types of insurance vary, and will most likely affect the cost of your estimate.  The three types of insurance are minimal reimbursement, depreciated value and replacement value coverage.  Minimal reimbursement is determined by a rate per pound for an item that is damaged or lost.  Depreciated value insurance is either the value after depreciation, or $2.25 per pound for the item in question, whichever is greater.  This is also the standard level of coverage.  Replacement value coverage is the total replacement value of a lost or damaged item, or $6.00 per pound, depending on which figure is greater.  Each estimate includes a section for choosing the coverage plan that best fits your needs!

Determining Moving Charges:  In Ohio, moving companies are required to file a tariff or price list with PUCO that contains all possible charges.  Mileage, hourly rates and additional services such as packing and assembly will all factor in to the estimate and charges for a move.

Payment and Scheduling:  Generally the moving date is reserved at the time of scheduling, as the Moving Company will need to ensure availability.  This information is also part of your written estimate, and any changes need to be agreed upon by both you and your moving company.  Payment is also part of the estimating process, and generally depends on the type of estimate you receive.

Questions and Comments

As a trusted service provider, your Moving Ahead Services team is available for questions before, during and even after your move!  The PUCO IntraState Moving Rights document outlines many of the topics that arise during a move, and our professionals can elaborate on those as well as provide other helpful insights!