Be an informed consumer:

Many times in the past, we have had victims of deceit; call us and inquire about what can be done to help them resolve issues with movers they have hired. Their questions range from not receiving all of their belongings and nonperformance issues, how the price of their move changed drastically from the price quoted, and even a complete "no show" on the day of their move after having paid a 50% deposit.

We feel it is necessary to include information in the Resources area of our website to give people a "heads up" look at their movers. Flowers Transfer does not, and will not, conduct business in this manner. It is our promise to never contract an unverified, outside source to handle your move in our place. Your information will never be sold to a third-party company.

At present, you can type in "movers in Louisiana" on the Internet, and what you will find is out-of-area, and even out-of-state, responses to your search. You may be thinking this is fantastic; you can compare prices and shop around. What's the problem? The problem is, none of these companies are licensed to perform moving services within the state of Louisiana, in any [lawful] way, other than contacting a mover who is licensed to move your goods within the state. All these companies are doing is selling your information to other moving companies who may or may not be licensed or even in the area.

In addition to the previous scenario, if an out-of-state company chooses to violate another state's laws and move you on its own, not only will it suffer consequences if it is caught, but you will, too. If at any point the movers are pulled over by the Department of Transportation for routine checks or a clear violation, their truck will be impounded with your goods on board until all issues are resolved. *Scenario based on out-of-state companies moving goods within another state.*

What should all this mean to you? A company that has no compunction about breaking mandated law likely has no concern about whether it violates laws on pricing or settling disputes with its customers.

Please take a look at the simple requirements the state of Louisiana mandates to be a licensed mover.  

What does it take to be a legal mover?

On a state and local level:

• Proof of insurance submitted to the LPSC showing

               1.  General Liability 
               2.  Workman's Comp. 
               3.  Cargo Insurance

*Don't be fooled by movers who claim to have insurance simply because they have auto insurance.* 

• Each mover must have a bond with the state of Louisiana.
• They must have an actual place of business within the state of Louisiana (office, warehouse, etc. ...).  
• Each mover must file a pricing tariff with the LPSC that states its charge for services when calculating your moving cost, and it cannot deviate from this tariff without consequence. This tariff must be available for your viewing upon your request.
• Each mover must clearly publish its LPSC number and address in all advertisements and on all paperwork pertaining to your move.

*In most cases, if this number is not displayed, the mover is not in compliance with state and local laws. Even browsing through the phonebook does not guarantee that you're speaking with a licensed mover. Advertising companies are under no obligation to verify their advertisements' validity, so if you do not see this information in the advertisement, don't be afraid to ask the company to provide you with proof of compliance.*

• Must provide written estimates to consumers.

Please visit the LPSC website for more information.

You can also visit this section of the LPSC to view bulletins about non-compliance issues.

On a federal level:

• Proof of insurance

               1.  General Liability 
               2.  Workman's Comp. 
               3.  Cargo Insurance

• USDOT number
• Pricing tariff used to calculate charges. Must be accessible to you upon request.
• Arbitration program, independent from the van line, designed to settle disputes.
• Must provide written estimates to consumers.
• Must provide a copy of "Your Rights and Responsibilities When Moving."

Your rights and responsibilities:
 
It is mandatory that your mover provide you with this information.
 
Rights and Responsibilities cover the following:

• Your mover's normal liability for loss and damage.
• Which actions, made by the individual moving, reduce the mover's liability.
• Dangerous or hazardous items that may limit or reduce mover's liability.
• Whether or not your mover may have agents.
• Which items are required to be in a mover's advertisements.
• How your mover must handle complaints or inquiries.
• Your right to inspect the pricing tariff filed by your mover.
• Arbitration programs in the event of a dispute.
• Your mover's obligation to provide you with your rights and responsibilities.
• Other information that must be provided by your mover.
• How charges are collected and whether or not they may be collected at delivery.
• Extending credit.
• Payments types.
• Process for estimating charges.
• Proper paperwork: order for service, inventory, proof of weight, how weight is determined, and what your mover must do if you request supporting documents.
• Transportation of shipment.
• Storage of shipment.
• Signing a delivery receipt that releases the mover from liability.
• Maximum collection on delivery charges.
• Collecting payment if your shipment is split on more than one vehicle.
• Collecting payment if your shipment suffers loss or damage.
• How your bill must be submitted.
• Your right to recover money if your shipment was lost or damaged.
• What you can do to resolve disputes.