Moving and Planning Guide

Six to Eight weeks Before Moving Day

• Phone your United Van Lines agent. Specify the exact date you want to move and when it will be convenient for the agent to visually survey your household goods and prepare an estimate.
  
  
• Let the agent know if your company will be paying for the move.
  
  
• Before the agent arrives, tour your house from attic to basement. Include the garage patio and storage shed. Decide what to move and what to discard. Remember that the cost of moving an item may be greater than the cost of replacing it. Decide whether you want to do any of the packing – or whether you will have it done by our experienced personnel. Our agent will be pleased to discuss packing services with you. However, if you prefer to do it yourself, ask for our free "Doing Your Own Packing" booklet. In addition, you may want to purchase packing materials from our agent. If you do, the cost of materials and any delivery charge will be added to the Bill of Lading. Show our agent everything that is to be moved. Specify articles that are to be packed so that the estimate will include these charges and be as accurate as possible. Any items you fail to disclose or that are added later to the shipment will add to the cost, even if you have been given a binding estimate.
  
  
• Remember – unless the estimate is binding, it is not the final cost.
  
  
• The total charge will depend on the actual weight of your household goods after they are loaded on the van, plus the cost of any extra services performed by the United Van Lines agent.
  
  
• Make certain that you fully understand the extent of the carrier’s liability (see section titled "Loss and Damage Liability") in case any of your goods are lost or damaged. The extent of the carrier’s liability is governed by the declared valuation statement of the Bill of Lading.
  
  
• Sign the Order for Service after you are sure you have a clear understanding of each section. If you have questions about any section, ask the agent to explain.
  
  
• Keep handy the telephone number and name of the contact person at the local agency.

• If you haven’t already done so, place your home on the market as soon as possible. If you have an apartment, notify you landlord of your moving date.
  
  
• Arrange for a house-hunting trip to the new city. Or, if this is not possible, get in touch with a real estate agent or two and ask for help in locating a house or apartment. You may want to subscribe to the local newspaper in advance of you move. The Sunday edition usually contains a large real estate section. It can be very helpful in giving you some idea of the type of housing available in the new city, as well as providing information (from ads) about living costs.
  
  
• When looking for a new home, take along a tape measure and a list of the exact dimensions of each of your major appliances and other large pieces of furniture. Measure the areas provided for them to be sure you appliances and furniture will fit.
  
  
• Establish credit in the new city. Ask you present banker to recommend a correspondent bank. Arrange for the transfer of funds and contents of you safe deposit box. Have the local credit bureau send your rating to the one at you destination. Also, ask the bank to serve as a credit reference.
  
  
• Check personal insurance policies to see whether moving is covered. Transfer fire, theft and other personal property insurance to ensure coverage at the new home.
  
  
  

• Gather information on lens prescriptions and dates of last examination. Be sure to check current phone numbers and addresses of your physician, dentist and hospital. This will help you at destination when transferring health records.
  
  
• Ask your dentist and doctor to recommend colleagues in the new city. See if your physician offers a records request form.
  
  
• Transfer, sell or resign memberships in clubs or associations.
  
  
• Report your move to any lending agency with which you do business. A lender’s permission may be required to move personal property in which the lender has an interest.
  
  
• Arrange for the closing or transfer of charge accounts. Do not discard present items such as credit cards and hunting/fishing licenses until you are sure they’ll have no value in you new home.
  
  
• Give your new address to your former employer so that a copy of your W-2 form can be forwarded.
  
  
• Arrange with the school authorities for transfer of the children’s school records and credentials – or secure transcripts of the records from the school, if you prefer to take them along.
  
  
  
  

• Start collecting suitable containers and packing materials if you plan to do the packing yourself.
  
  
• Set goals and deadlines to ensure that all packing is completed by moving day. You may want to pack one room per week.
  
  
• Separate and mark any goods that will be going into storage.