Joseph Enoch writes a great article for ConsumerAffairs.com about how consumers are still "held hostage" by interstae movers. According to Enoch:
The SAFETEA-LU Act, enacted in 2005, by the Governemnt Accuntability Office (GAO) put in place more stringent licensing requirements for interstate movers and increased state authority. However, states are still not given authority to regulate interstate household goods movers and there is no indication that any state has taken advantage of the limited authority the act provides, according to the GAO.
Meanwhile, although the FMCSA has increased its efforts, the agency is precluded from resolving individual complaints and has no authority to force moving companies to do anything after the move has begun.
As a result, consumers who move from one state to another are still being ripped off.
Moving companies continue to quote one price and then jack it up after crossing a state line, if you don't pay, your possessions are held hostage by the moving company. There are very few protections for consumers once you cross the state line.
According to the article, one consumer claims she paid $1,400 deposit and $1,400 when her stuff reached california via credit card, then the movers demanded another $3,500 in CASH!
Clearly the Department of Transportation needs to develop a better controls...
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