Office moves involve transporting a lot of fragile electronics and other expensive items. Hence, it’s not unnatural to have a little voice at the back of your mind asking what if your precious items get damaged during the business move.
While hiring the best office movers in town can reduce your chances of ending up with damaged items, things don’t always go as planned.
Hence, it’s wise to stay aware of what you can do if your items get damaged during an office move.
So, keep reading as the following section discusses guarantees, consumer laws and remedy steps for damaged items after a move.
Damaged Items After An Office Move? Here’s What You Can Do!
The first step in assuring you don’t end up with damaged items is hiring office movers with the equipment or packaging to protect the items. Yet, if you end up with a broken vase, here’s what you can do.
Consumer Guarantees From Trusted Office Movers
Consumer guarantees are fundamental rights specified under consumer law.
If your hired office relocation specialists fail to meet their given consumer guarantees, you can ask for repair, refund or replacement costs. You have a right to receive compensation if the damaged product is a consequence of your removalist’s actions. Also, it’s noteworthy that removalists have a responsibility to pay for damages or losses that are reasonably foreseeable.
When Your Office Movers Are Not Responsible For Paying You?
If the loss or damage of your belongings is not caused by the removalist or their service, they are not liable for paying for it. They also don’t have to pay you if the damage occurred after they have handed over the control of the items to you. Similarly, you can’t hold them accountable for the damages if they are caused by something independent from their business.
What Are Your Rights As A Consumer?
The Australian consumer law provides buyers an automatic guarantee to protect their rights. Hence, this guarantee applies to most products and services, including residential and office movers. According to the law:
i) Your hired removalist is responsible for taking all the necessary precautions and actions to deliver you an acceptable quality of services and avoid damage or loss of items. The services should meet their specified purpose.
ii) As a consumer, you have the right to collect proof of purchase, like an invoice. Similarly, you can get insurance or a warranty from the removalists for added protection. However, remember to read the terms and conditions of the documents.
iii) Removalists don’t have the permission to make misleading, deceptive or false advertising claims.
Remediation Steps To Address Damaged Items After A Move!
As previously mentioned, your hired office movers are responsible for providing you suitable remedies if the damage is caused by their actions. The remedy can be in the form of reimbursement for damaged items, refunds or additional services.
Besides their responsibility, here are a few actions you can take to address the situation.
i) Carefully inspect your items after unloading them.
ii) Don’t sign anything until you have checked all the items. Otherwise, it will be challenging to file a complaint.
iii) Contact your office mover as soon as you notice a missing or damaged item through call, email or letters.
iv) If your removalists cannot or refuse to solve the issue, proceed to contact local moving organisations.
v) You can file a legal complaint and a suit against the company.
What Agencies In Australia Enforce Consumer Law?
Loss or damage of items caused by your removalists gives you the right to receive compensation. The agencies that enforce these laws are
i) The Department Of Fair Trading
ii) Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
iii) State and territory consumer protection agencies
Bottom Line
As mentioned before, the best way to prevent loss or damage of items during relocation is to hire trusted and reputed office movers. Experts recommend always checking the credentials of your movers, the terms and conditions of their contracts and the quality of their services or products to keep your belongings intact until they reach the designated location.
