My son in law recently transferred from the east coast to the west.  This is his second move since he married my daughter.  On his first move the movers lost a box of my daughters winter clothes.  Not good but not too terrible, oh well.

On this second move its been terrible.  They packed the household goods, furniture and clothes a certain way but when they arrived all the goods were in different packaging.  An expensive mattress that was well packed the first time showed up with black grease like stains, metal headboards were bent and other things damaged and I won't mention missing items since they still may show up. WTF!!

Of course I told my daughter to complain and see if there's some thing that can be done over the damages.  I'm sure they're not the only ones with a bad move so wondering what troubles anyone else has had and what did you do to complain and was your situation fixed?

We told our daughter don't buy nice things because you might still move a couple more times so let the old stuff get damaged before you settle into a permanent position on my SIL's retirement.

BTW on my discharge from the Marines as a single guy I didn't have much but they packed my gear in a huge crate, didn't make sense but has to be the low bids that get these jobs.

Thanks for looking.

Wow. I never paid anyone to pack my stuff, I did that and the moves were pretty short. I watched them load the stuff on the truck and watched them unload it and put it in the house. Sorry for the horrible experience, hopefully she sees some relief.

File for every last bit.

The claims are the "cost of doing business". Why should your family bear the burden of their incompetence. (<- Yes, I'm being generous in my description.)


Low-end movers hire low-end people. They don't GaS about your stuff: they just pack it and move it. Or, worse, they will then go in and assess what they like and sort it later.


I've hired movers, tipped them for a job well-done, and had them find some stuff. (Movers frequently load on one truck, crossload to another with a nearby shipment, sometimes more than once. Your stuff is not put on THAT truck and then left alone.)

I've also forced all the movers out of my house and called the cops on them.

Each group is different.

Damages are insured. Pix, claims, etc.

I should add that these were the contracted movers the USAF sent, my SIL didn't pay unless he had to hire them and gets reimbursed but we didn't get into that.

As a former fed civil service we would get reimbursed for moving travel expenses.  The big money as if you moved yourself as in a Uhaul and you know we packed our stuff with care.  Anyway thanks for your replies.

We had a family member move recently and the people who delivered the stuff were teenagers who tried to extort them, then started messing their stuff up when they wouldn't be extorted. Police had to be called, crazy stuff considering how much those moving companies charge.

It's a serious pain to do it all your stuff, but I've only used a moving company once, never again. Most movers are sub sub sub contractors of the actual company so you never know who these people actually are in charge of your stuff.

I’ve had stuff broken on a military move. I filed a claim and was compensated.

You must carefully note if you disagree with the damage the movers note on the forms as they pack up. If you don’t make the notations, you just signed off on the movers’ assessment of condition of items.

Had one driver show up shitfaced to haul my stuff.

1.  ALWAYS MOVE DIRECT.  if you don't, they download all your stuff and then reload it into another truck to bring to you.  The original truck will unwrap anything in blankets and who knows how the next guys will pack it

2.  File for everything!  We took pictures of all our furniture before this last move to prove the quality and shape it was in.  When they try to low ball you, just talk to jag.  (One guy negligently dumped our $450 entertainment stand off the back of the truck.  They only offered us $75 for a Walmart replacement.)

3.  Inventory everything.  Packers want to save space so will put that extra whatever from the living room in with towels.  When you open the box, its broken.  Now you have to explain why a box labeled  "towels, MBR" has a broken 200yo ceramic Balarinna from the living room.

4.  Lots of pictures of any box that is remotely crushed.

I've moved cross country as well as across town. I always pack the boxes myself so all the movers have to do is move. I assume they are not paid to care for grandma's heirlooms.

I'm currently moving across country again and will be using Pods. Any one have experience with these guys? Seems to align with my pack it yourself philosophy but who knows.

They should be able to file a claim and get reimbursed.

DIY move $$$ in the pocket.  Probably 3 moves, USMC, got paid for mileage and expenses, nothing could possibly be lost or damage.

Second move, two Ryder rentals, one forklift, 8 personal friend helpers. Nothing lost, only a few minor scratches from shifting things during travel.

Government contractors? You get what you pay for.

Their in processing center at new duty station will help them. Bottom line, when items were packed, movers marked the condition of each/most items. Important to be present and validate with what they put.

(If unmonitored, some movers will mark all items as “damaged” when packing to avoid claims when unpacking- or mark as undamaged when they unpack and the SM will unwittingly sign the sheet.)

SM generally has 60-90 days to file a claim- use the installation legal office.

Didn't realize I had already posted here

So what I'm getting from this is that nothing has changed since the 60's and likely before.