The Movers Are Here. Have You Done Your Homework?

When Lyn and Gary Petty sold their house in Bethesda, Md., this spring, they asked neighbors for recommendations on movers, got in-person estimates from several companies before signing a contract and carefully packed up 18 years' worth of belongings. They thought they had everything under control.

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But when moving day came on June 26, their well-laid plans started to unravel.

"The told us they were going to come on the 26th between 8 and 10 in the morning, but they didn't show up," Ms. Petty said. "I called at 11, they said it's going to be 1. At 6, two people finally showed up to move our entire household with a fairly small truck."

After the movers decided that they didn't have enough room to handle the job, the Pettys spent an anxious night at home sleeping on their wrapped mattresses - not with the friends they had arranged to stay with en route to their new place. The next day, a different set of movers arrived several hours later than promised and spent seven hours loading boxes.

"It was gruesome," Ms. Petty said, summing up the two-day ordeal.

Moving is often described as one of life's most stressful experiences. Yet over the last decade, around 40 million people a year have moved, according to Census Bureau surveys, and about 7 million a year move across state lines.

At the same time, minimal regulation and the rise of Internet-fueled scams have opened up opportunities for companies to take advantage of consumers at a vulnerable point in their lives.

"Rogue movers are a phenomenon that has increased over the last 10 years," said Linda Bauer Darr, president of the American Moving and Storage Association, a trade group representing 3,800 moving and storage companies. "A lot of them are setting up Web sites - it's a sophisticated Web site, but there ain't no bricks and mortar behind them."

As it turns out, the Pettys' move involved typical hiccups. Many people are surprised to discover that movers don't always show up when promised, especially during the peak moving season of May through September.

Another unpleasant - and fairly common - surprise is a final price that is higher than the original estimate. That is because many contracts are based on a nonbinding estimate, which is subject to change if the move takes longer than anticipated or involves a heavier shipment.

The cost of a move is typically based on the total weight of the items moved and the distance they will travel, but many other variables affect the total bill. These include whether any items require special handling, whether the movers have to climb stairs and the price of fuel, among other factors.

According to the American Moving and Storage Association, a rough estimate to move the contents of a three-bedroom house from Los Angeles to San Francisco would be ,560 to ,100 for transportation expenses and ,100 to ,400 for packing expenses, if the customer decides to hire the company for that.

Since moving companies often include only minimal insurance coverage for loss or damage in their basic price, consumers pay extra for full replacement coverage. Movers don't usually assume liability for boxes people pack themselves, unless there is evidence that they were mishandled. But consumers should note any damage in the paperwork presented upon delivery and submit a written claim promptly.

When customers are unlucky enough to encounter shady operators, the typical scam involves a company bidding much lower than the industry norm, then demanding several times the estimated price before unloading, a situation referred to as "hostage goods."

Uneven regulation of the moving industry helps create the potential for fraud. Interstate moves are subject to minimal federal oversight, while state laws govern intrastate moves, but these can vary widely in terms of licensing and insurance requirements for movers and what recourse consumers have if their goods are damaged or lost.

All of which adds up to a big burden on consumers to thoroughly research any moving company they hire.

To find a reputable mover, the best sources of recommendations are friends, a trusted real estate broker or local publications.

"People don't tend to be very sophisticated about choosing a mover," said Ms. Darr, whose association offers advice about hiring a mover on its Web site, moving.org. She recommends that consumers get at least three estimates in writing, and insist that a company representative visit the home rather than give a quote over the phone.

Ms. Darr also said to be wary of any prepayment request. "It's a red flag if someone tells you they need a down payment," she said. "That's not common."

Companies that handle interstate moves are required to give customers a copy of a booklet, "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move," which is also available at the Web site of the agency that regulates interstate movers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (protectyourmove.gov). Many states offer similar guidelines that are often posted online; check with a state's Department of Transportation, but it may be a different agency that regulates movers.