CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — You’ve made a significant decision by moving to a new place. But what do you do when the moving company fails to deliver your belongings on schedule?

This scenario unfolded for Kamila, who moved from Michigan to Florida, and prefers to keep her last name private. She explained her struggle with reaching customer service, dialing over 100 times without success in finding out when her furniture and boxes would arrive, or if they would at all.

After closing on her Florida home, Kamila said she found a company called Top Tier through Facebook.

“The initial rate seemed quite attractive. However, a good rate should not be your sole reason for choosing a service,” Kamila reflected. “I specifically asked if they would handle everything from start to finish, including both the pickup and delivery, and they confirmed. Unfortunately, I didn’t scrutinize the contract closely enough.”

Kamila hadn’t anticipated that Top Tier would take her payment while another company was responsible for the move. A process she expected to last six to eight days extended to two months. The agreement with Top Tier stated that “there are no guaranteed pick up or delivery dates and/or times.”

“I have nothing like literally a suitcase full of clothes,” she said.

When a truck finally arrived, Kamila said there were only some of her belongings.

“We met him outside, and he only had part of our belongings—our bedding, a couch, and 12 boxes. I asked when the rest would arrive, and he said two months. I couldn’t handle another two months because we were already two months waiting. He simply shrugged,” Kamila recounted.

Kamila sought help from the police, but they informed her it was a civil issue. She then contacted 10 Investigates. After we reached out to Top Tier, they refused to discuss her case and directed customers to their toll-free number. Following our inquiry, Kamila finally received updates about her remaining belongings.

“I’m grateful for you guys. Really grateful. Because I really don’t think I would have gotten my stuff for another two months,” she said.

Situations like Kamila’s are not uncommon. The Better Business Bureau says it receives an average of 13,000 complaints about movers each year. The BBB recommends knowing two things before signing a contract: whether you are hiring a broker — someone who finds trucks to move your belongings — or a mover, the company that actually does the work. The second thing that’s key is to know your quote.

“Just be careful with very low front-end fees. How are they quoting the job, or are they just quoting it over the phone without really having knowledge of your goods? Are they actually going to come to your home and verify what you have to give you an accurate quote?” said Bryan Oglesby with the BBB.

He said it’s important to get a contract in writing.

“Make sure that contract has a verified estimate that it can’t change,” Oglesby said. “So that’s an estimate that you receive. And it won’t change when the mover comes to do the move.”

The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates interstate moves, says complaints about movers nearly doubled between 2020 and 2021. Many involve overcharging or delayed delivery.

Kamila says she learned the hard way.

“He told me it was a simple mistake. It was not. It was eight weeks of waiting for our stuff,” she said.

She urges others to do their homework.

“Make sure that there is no upcharge. Discuss the boxes because the boxes are very important,” Kamila said.

We provided Kamila with resources on where to file formal complaints and ways she may be able to recover some of her money.

The BBB’s full guide to selecting a mover is posted here.

If you have a problem with an out-of-state move, you can call 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238)  or file an online complaint by going to the FMCSA website.

You can also file with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.