Build an item-level record
Give each affected item a row in your own records. Use the inventory number where available, a specific description of the problem, the date you noticed it, and the names of supporting files. Keep original photos and documents rather than only a screenshot of a message thread.
For example, write 'Dining chair, inventory 42: rear leg split at joint; delivery photo 042-A; before-move photo Dining-07.' This is an illustrative record format, not a finding about liability. Add purchase, repair or other supporting information that the mover requests, without altering the original evidence.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Item | Inventory number and description |
| Problem | Missing part, damage or missing item |
| Evidence | Before/after photos and document filenames |
| Contact | Date, recipient and written response |
| Next action | Claim instruction, follow-up or unresolved question |
Use the correct written process
For interstate household-goods moves, FMCSA states that a written claim must be filed with the mover within nine months of delivery. It does not have to use the mover’s own form. Ask where to send it, keep the submitted version and preserve evidence of delivery. Do not wait for the end of the period to start documenting a problem.
For a move within one state, a rental vehicle or a container agreement, confirm the applicable process and deadlines with the responsible provider or state authority. The federal interstate summary does not establish the rules for every arrangement.
Separate a claim from a regulatory complaint
FMCSA says it cannot resolve claims against moving companies. A complaint to the agency may support enforcement, but it does not replace your claim to the mover. Its guidance also describes the mover’s dispute-settlement program and other possible remedies.
Maintain a communication log so you can distinguish three things: what you reported, what the company acknowledged and what remains unresolved. Record a verbal conversation, then request written confirmation rather than treating your call notes as the company’s agreement.
Keep a clean follow-up file
Create folders for the estimate and contract, inventory, photographs, claim submission, delivery confirmation and correspondence. Name files with the date and subject so you can find the current version. Keep a backup in a location you control.
Use the first-month checklist to schedule your follow-up, but put actual deadlines from your documents or the responsible agency in your own calendar. MoveDayMap does not submit claims, calculate compensation or determine whether a company is liable.