A quick internet search could lead military families to believe they can make some extra cash by managing their household goods relocation themselves rather than requesting a military-contracted move.
That may be true, but without the right kind of preparation for what the military calls a personally procured move, or PPM, families often end up shouldering surprise costs during their permanent change of station (PCS), said Isabel Schmitt, an Army veteran, military spouse and co-founder of LOGSA Mil Moves, a company that helps military families with a range of moving activities, including packing and hiring movers.
"On a military move that's going across the U.S., you've got to really think through things," Schmitt said. Even with a contract in place, "it's understanding that contract that's hard -- to see what those charges are at the end of the day."
Here's her advice for avoiding some of the financial risks associated with dealing with the moving industry:
How Should I Approach a PPM Move?
Be proactive, and advocate for yourself. Do the research, and stay safe. If military members have to do two things, it's those.
How Do I Advocate for Myself?
Advocate for yourself at the [installation Transportation Management Office when discussing arrangements], and be firm, because the TMO may push back. At the end of the day, it is concerned with price. But the PPM always saved the government money and hassle because it doesn't have to deal with claims or having to go to the [Military Claims Office], and it was cheaper than what the most expensive movers were charging.
What's the Red Flag to Look Out For?
You're not going to get a move for $1,700 unless you're moving only 1,000 pounds, or something where they can stitch it on with a bunch of shipments. [Movers or brokers may] play a bait and switch. They'll tell you it's two grand, and then by the time it's said and done, it's five.
How Does the Nightmare Scenario Play Out?
A lot of times, online movers -- who say, "Put in your ZIP codes, and we'll schedule you" -- those are brokers. And that very first down payment that you send, that's just the broker fee. So some families end up paying four grand to a broker just so that he can pass their name off ... to another company. And that company still has to make money.
They wait until you are packed and loaded on the truck to show you the paperwork that says that now there's a $4,000 charge for this. And on the other end, they wait until they get in front of your house with the truck to tell you, "Well, now you owe us another $2,000 before we can open the truck and deliver your goods."
Where Can I Do Research to Stay Safe?
If you're going to use a company, make sure you go to [the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's, or FMCSA's] safe-move portal to look up your mover. And if you see something in there that's goofy, or you don't know how to read through it, then there's the PCS Like a Pro page that can help you decipher some of that. We offer that for families, like, "Hey, if you just want us to look up a mover for you, we'll do that for free" ... because even if you're not moving with us, we still don't want you to run into a situation where you end up with a rogue mover and out of pocket $9,000.
What Should I Try to Find Out About Prospective Movers?
First of all, are they authorized [by the U.S. Department of Transportation], or not? This one I'm looking at is authorized. And then check their fleet size. Their fleet size tells you what type of mover they may be. This is a local mover. He's got one truck, two trailers. You can click into their safety rating data, and you see what their out-of-service rates are -- how many times their vehicle has been out of service. Well, these guys have never been out of service -- not a vehicle, not a driver. Then, you can look at their licensing and insurance to see what they're insured for -- they're insured for household goods. ... No complaints have been reported against this company in the last four years.
Can I Get Any Kind of Guarantee?
When you PPM and you go out into the market, you're going into the ocean, basically, to find a mover. ... Because it's always so weird and nebulous, the only way to guarantee a good move is to be proactive and get referrals from friends who have moved with specific companies.
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