Seattle Moves & More Terms & Conditions
THE CUSTOMER AGREES:
Seattle Moves & More will facilitate the load, transportation, and unload of the client’s requested items. Seattle Moves & More will load belongings on the date agreed, and will make best efforts to provide safe storage and delivery of belongings to the destination.
Seattle Moves & More generally charges an hourly rate per person x the number of hours the move takes (port-to-port), with no minimum hours; however, some jobs may require a minimum number of hours. This is based on several factors such as day of the week, time of year, etc. and is set at the manager’s discretion. Seattle Moves & More does not generally add extra fees but if required, may add: Fuel charges, credit card processing fees, or other applicable charges such as: Packing supplies, dump fees, parking permits (if needed), specialty item charges, extended time rates (for jobs that begin before 9:00 am or end after 8:00 pm), and extra labor fees if another worker needs to be called out to the job. Seattle Moves & More may charge or waive any costs at the manager’s discretion.
Discounts for repeat customers and realtor referrals are commonly given. Terms are slightly different for Large Projects, Commercial Moves, and *Long Distance Moves (read below for more information). A small non-refundable deposit is required to secure a date(s) on our calendar. This amount will be billed by separate invoice and once it is paid, the customer is bound by these Terms & Conditions. Your deposit will be deducted from your final invoice the day of your move. Not all moves require an up-front deposit; however, a customer’s agreement to pay their deposit is the customer agreeing to these Terms & Conditions.
The following terms & restrictions apply to every move:
The Client will pack their property into appropriate boxes and other containers unless Seattle Moves & More is hired for packing services. Seattle Moves & More does not accept any liability for items which it did not pack. If Seattle Moves & More is hired for packing services, we accept liability for any damage to items in which we did the packing. Seattle Moves & More will disassemble and reassemble furniture as required. Seattle Moves & More will not re-mount televisions to the wall, or reassemble complicated furniture such as: baby cribs, pilates machines, or any other piece of furniture which requires a long time to reassemble at the destination location. Seattle Moves & More will provide the basic materials (moving blankets, shrink wrap, tools, etc.) to prepare furniture items for safe transport. Seattle Moves & More will supply sufficient employees during the moving process to ensure the safe completion of the job. In the event of damage to an item(s), Seattle Moves & More is held responsible for any external damage if the damage is due to our negligence. If no external damage is present, the party that packed or prepared the item is held responsible.
Customers are responsible for securing their own moving insurance even though Seattle Moves & More provides a free insurance option. Many times, customers find that the free insurance which reimburses customers at only .60 cents per pound is not sufficient to replace a damaged item of great value. Customers may use their own homeowner’s or renter’s insurance which usually offers better coverage, in addition to other options. Seattle Moves & More is not permitted by its insurance company to take liability for breakage or damage to any high risk/high value/specialty items such as: High-value items (worth over $100 per lb), marble, granite, crystal, jewelry, appliances, artwork or sculptures, collectibles, family heirlooms, pianos, all televisions, irreplaceable items, items which have been in storage, or any items listed on a Liability Waiver. In addition, Seattle Moves & More frequently declines to move the following items: Ikea Furniture, Firearms, Alcohol, any Combustible or Flammable liquid(s), Gas BBQ Grills, Oxygen Tanks, Hazardous Materials (like paints, propane, aerosols, chemicals, ammunition), Perishables, and Live plants/animals. Customers should move these types of items themselves in their own vehicle(s). If the customer insists on having Seattle Moves & More move any of these types of items and Seattle Moves & More agrees to do so, Seattle Moves & More may choose to assist the customer but will not take liability for any of those items regardless of the circumstances. Customers requesting those types of items be moved must sign a Liability Waiver. Please note: A waiver does not need to be signed in order for Seattle Moves & More to be released from liability against damage to the items named herein. If the customer has been sent a waiver but did not sign it, the waiver still applies.
There is generally a minimum of 4 hours billing Monday through Friday and a minimum of 5 hours billing Saturday, Sunday and holidays March through October, unless otherwise agreed. Some jobs do not require a minimum number of hours; this is determined by the size and scope of the project. Minimum hours may be waived by a Seattle Moves & More representative.
As stated above, the customer is responsible for insurance. Seattle Moves & More provides free insurance at a replaceable value of .60 cents per pound. The free insurance will be selected if the customer does not specify their insurance choice/option. We recommend customers take additional moving insurance or utilize their current homeowners or renters insurance if possible, as this is usually a greater value to the customer.
Other insurance options for the customer are:
(1) Full Value Coverage –
Offered at a one-time cost of $___ (please call for a quote), paid up front before the move. This fee is nonrefundable. Under this coverage, Seattle Moves & More is liable to repair, replace, or reimburse you for the full value of any lost or damaged items in your shipment. This fee can be high in cost because it is made to cover our insurance deductible.
(2) Third Party Insurance –
The customer may seek third-party insurance through Baker International or other provider. Seattle Moves & More is registered with Baker International. Ask our administrative manager to provide the registration number and details for you on how to choose coverage from Baker; the customer needs our identifying information in order to book this coverage. We strongly recommend third party insurance for long distance moves.
Seattle Moves & More has the right to change these Terms at any time.
PAYMENT
The client is responsible to provide full and complete payment upon the completion of the job, or within 24 hours of the invoice being received. Any late or incomplete payments are subject to a 10% late fee and an ongoing monthly penalty fee of $100. For long distance moves, 25% is required to book, 25% is due upon loading, and 50% is due upon delivery. Some long distance moves can have a different payment structure designed by a manager.
No payment shall be withheld pending damages of any items. Claims are separate from an invoice for moving services that have already been provided. As a small business, when even one customer withholds payment for any reason they see fit, Seattle Moves & More can suffer greatly. Late paying clients can mean a delay in payroll, and can cause huge financial setbacks to the company due to high rent and constantly rising insurance costs, plus high taxes & permits for operating in the City of Seattle. It is extremely hard for a small business in Seattle to operate fully above-board and maintain the quality that we do. If clients don’t pay on time, a snowball effect is imminent. It’s important that clients realize a delay in payment can cease operations. Therefore, we ask all clients to pay on time (the day of their move).
The final moving cost of every invoice will be determined by the number of crew members provided and trucks/equipment utilized for the entirety of the time required to complete the job, as well as costs for time and fuel to arrive at the job site and return to the headquarters (“Port-to-Port” billing). All invoices are under the terms “Due Upon Receipt”. Payments can be made to Seattle Moves & More via: Personal or Business Check, Cash, ACH or credit/debit card* via QuickBooks. Credit/Debit
card payments have a 2.9% processing fee unless the fee is waived. ACH has a $10.00 processing fee. Please let us know ahead of time how you would like to pay so we may bill you accordingly.
Seattle Moves & More hereby agrees that it understands the requirements and intricacies of the client’s move and that it will not charge the client for any additional costs or for any services not described in the moving Agreement or Estimate, unless otherwise agreed upon prior by the customer. If Seattle Moves & More has not received payment from the customer within 15 days of the date of the invoice, Seattle Moves & More may charge the customer’s card on file or refer collection of the unpaid amount to its corporate attorney. Customers who place their card on file agree that Seattle Moves & More may charge the card within 6 months of the moving date if any financial reconciliation discrepancy is discovered. In this case, the customer will be notified before the card is charged.
LONG DISTANCE MOVES:
*Long distance moves are moves over 55 miles one-way in length, and/or moves that cross state lines. Long distance moves are a special service provided to select clients who meet our criteria. To provide an estimate for a long distance move involves a great deal of administrative time and coordination, calculations and preparation. Long distance moves have a different payment structure for deposits and final payments (as stated above). Long distance moves involve high risk as no matter how well the items are prepared for travel, even the mild vibration of the truck on the road over a long distance has the potential to damage some items. The customer is accepting this risk when choosing to move their items over a long distance, and therefore Seattle Moves & More will not accept liability for damages on Long Distance Moves (unless the damage is directly due to our own negligence or we were hired for packing of the items). However, the limitations for liability on the list of restricted or high risk/high value items still apply.
As stated above, and restated here:
Seattle Moves & More is not permitted by its insurance company to take liability for breakage or damage to any high risk/high value/specialty items such as: High-value items (worth over $100 per lb), marble, granite, crystal, jewelry, appliances, artwork or sculptures, collectibles, family heirlooms, pianos, all televisions, irreplaceable items, items which have been in storage, or any items listed on a Liability Waiver. In addition, Seattle Moves & More frequently declines to move the following items: Ikea Furniture, Firearms, Alcohol, any Combustible or Flammable liquid(s), Gas BBQ Grills, Oxygen Tanks, Hazardous Materials (like paints, propane, aerosols, chemicals, ammunition), Perishables, and Live plants/animals. Customers should move these types of items themselves in their own vehicle(s). If the customer insists on having Seattle Moves & More move any of these types of items and Seattle Moves & More agrees to do so, Seattle Moves & More may choose to assist the customer but will not take liability for any of those items regardless of the circumstances.
LONG DISTANCE MOVING INSURANCE
The customer must take adequate insurance to cover the items being moved. Customers who neglect to cover their belongings will not hold Seattle Moves & More liable for damages unless we are directly negligent. In addition, as stated above and restated here, Seattle Moves & More does not accept liability for items which it did not pack. Seattle Moves & More will make best efforts on every move to ensure that items are properly prepared, however, there may be unforeseen circumstances which are beyond our control, and Seattle Moves & More will not be responsible for circumstances beyond its control. Due to the high risk involved in long distance moving, Seattle Moves & More requires every long distance customer to sign a Liability Waiver. Signing a waiver does not mean you are releasing Seattle Moves & More from all responsibility for potential damage. We stand behind our quality and demand excellence from our crew members. Seattle Moves & More will always take responsibility if we are negligent. Customers should read our waiver fully and sign and initial where indicated. Our office is available to answer any questions.
PACKING SERVICES FOR LONG DISTANCE MOVES
The customer may hire Seattle Moves & More for packing services for a long distance move. However, packing services are a SEPARATE service, and the costs are NOT INCLUDED in any Binding or Non-Binding Estimate or Contract for Long Distance Moving. Any Binding or Non-Binding Estimate or Contract for Long Distance Moving is for the TRANSPORTATION COST ONLY and includes the use of the truck, moving labor (loading and unloading), all travel costs, and taxes & fees associated with transportation of the household goods to the destination. The customer will receive an invoice for packing services, which is due upon receipt before the truck departs to the destination.
Once again, to be clear, the customer’s Binding or Non-Binding Estimate or Contract for Long Distance Moving is for the TRANSPORTATION COST ONLY and packing services are NOT INCLUDED.
On rare occasions, a Seattle Moves & More representative may choose to include packing costs in the total transportation contract; however, this is not typical, and unless it is clearly stated on the contract “Packing Services Are Included in this Total Binding (or Non-Binding) Estimate”, then they are NOT INCLUDED.
Federal Rules & Regulations
In addition to Washington State Law, the laws of the City of Seattle and the laws of King County, all policies and procedures of Seattle Moves & More fully comply with UTC Tariff 15-C, located here: https://www.utc.wa.gov/MoverRates