If you plan to relocate soon, you should know the restrictions moving companies have on what they can and cannot carry. These restrictions may inconvenience you, but the movers have good reasons for them. Below are some of the common moving restrictions and why moving companies have them.
Hazardous Materials
Movers don’t transport hazards materials because the materials can cause injuries and damage not only to the movers but also to other third parties. Examples of such hazardous materials include explosives (such as fireworks), corrosives (such as battery acid), and flammable substances (such as gasoline).
Fuel, for example, can explode in the moving truck and cause injuries to the movers and other road users and damage property. The victims of the explosion would then hold the movers liable for the damage and injuries.
Plants
Don’t be surprised if your chosen moving company doesn’t want to transport your garden or house plants. For one, plants don’t pack well and can easily get damaged along the way. Besides, the closed back of a truck does not exactly provide plants with a healthy environment. Lastly, the government has laws and regulations against plant transportation.
Animals
You will also need to make special transportation arrangements for your live animals. Whether the animals are your pets or livestock, you have to adhere to government laws and regulations on their transportation. You might break animal cruelty laws if you throw an animal in the back of a moving truck.
Also, different jurisdictions have laws on which animals enter or exit their areas. Your moving company doesn’t want to run afoul of the government, so you have to make alternative transport arrangements for your pet.
Perishables
A moving company may or may not agree to transport your food. The decision depends on factors such as the nature of the food, the moving distance, and the moving company’s policy. For example, no mover will agree to transport highly perishable food (the type that you normally keep in the fridge) for a long distance.
What if the food goes bad and you blame the mover for it? After all, you expect the mover to get your items to their destination in one piece. Get alternative transportation for your frozen meat and fruits.
Sentimental Items
Personal and sentimental items should not go into the moving truck either. Family photographs, family heirlooms, and your card collection should be with you throughout the journey. Pack such things in a small bag, and keep them in your car or your hand luggage if you plan to fly.
Most moving companies don’t carry such items. They won’t compensate you for the loss of sentimental items, which are usually irreplaceable anyway.
Personal and Financial Documents
If you want to move your whole house, don’t pack your personal and financial documents for the movers. The bank records, loan statements, medical records, passports, birth certificates, and identification documents should be with you just like your sentimental items.
You will have a difficult time with the replacement of such documents should they get lost during the move. Besides, criminals can steal your identity or target you with elaborate scams if the criminals get their hands on the documents. The mover won’t rummage into your boxes to confirm that you followed the restrictions, but you still shouldn’t pack these items.
The above are common restrictions, but the specifics vary by company, and the list is not exhaustive. Call Bell Moving & Storage for a moving quote, and we will inform you about our terms and conditions. We can also advise you on how to move the items that we do not handle.
