Pre-Move Information Booklet

Table of contents

Introduction

A successful move is not a matter of chance. It is the result of planning, hard work and accepting the responsibility to assure a successful move. The results of your efforts and active involvement will have a direct impact on its success. To make your moving experience less stressful, this pre-move information booklet details the services you will receive from the Carrier (the moving company) and what will be expected of you (the shipper) during each phase of the shipment of your household goods and effects (HG&E). Every effort has been made to ensure the contents of this booklet reflect the intent of the current Household Goods and Moving Services (HGMS) contract. Please take the time to review the information contained in this booklet. Reviewing the information will help you understand and manage your expectations. If you have any questions about the contents of this booklet or any phase of your move, you are encouraged to contact your Moving Consultant or your Transportation Agent/Relocation Reviewer/Departmental Co-ordinator (referred to as TA throughout the remainder of this booklet). It is mandatory that you acknowledge receipt of this booklet by signing and dating the enclosed form.

General Information and Responsibilities

Your Responsibilities:

  • Upon receipt of your posting message you are responsible to immediately register with BGRS in order to have your move booked.  Any delay in booking your move may result in additional cost to the Crown which you may become responsible for.
  • You are responsible to adhere to all movement services timings as coordinated by the Transportation Agent and agreed upon between you and the carrier.
  •  You or your representative are responsible to be present at your residence between 0800 hrs and 2030 hrs on each day a movement service is scheduled to occur. Your residence is your place of duty during your scheduled moving services.  Your absence during these services requires the written approval of your CO which must be provided to the Base F&E section.
  • Failure to adhere to the timings coordinated between you, the Transportation Agent and the carrier, may result in additional and significant costs, which you may become responsible for.
  • You are responsible to thoroughly review this booklet, fully understand all move processes, and seek clarification for any areas with which you are unsure.
  • Provide personal e-mail and cell phone number to allow for contact at both origin and destination.
  • You are in control of all stages of your move.  At any time if you are feeling overwhelmed or feel you are losing track of the current movement service, you have the right to request the Carrier’s representatives to slow down or temporarily stop whatever service they are performing. (pre-move consultation, pack, load, unload and unpack)
  • At any time during your move, the Carrier is not performing their responsibilities as per the content of this booklet, contact your local Transportation Agent immediately
  • For shipments transported during winter months, it is highly recommended that you allow 24 hrs for sensitive electronic equipment to reach room temperature prior to use.

Carrier’s Responsibilities:

  • The carrier is responsible to deliver services and provide documentation in the official language of your choice (English or French).
  • The carrier is responsible to coordinate all HG&E and PMV movement services (pre-move consultation, pack, load, unload and unpack) to commence between 0800 hrs to 1600 hrs and cease no later than 2030 hrs, Monday to Friday, excluding officially recognized Federal Government holidays.  Movement services may occur outside of these times if approved by the Transportation Agent and agreed upon by you and the carrier.
  • The carrier is responsible to confirm with you, at least 24 hours prior to service delivery, the exact timing when the pre-move consultation, pre-packing, packing, loading, unloading and unpacking services will be rendered.  They must adhere to the mutually agreed upon times and promptly notify you of any delays in excess of 1 hour. The total delay shall not exceed 4 hours from the agreed times.
  • The carrier is responsible to provide you with dedicated telephone, facsimile and e-mail services at the carrier’s office and must acknowledge or respond to all transmissions within 60 minutes between 0800 to 1600 hours (carrier’s office time).
  •  With regard to the safekeeping of HG&E the carrier is responsible for the following:
    • to use all reasonable precautions to protect HG&E from damage and loss.
    • to use appropriate handling equipment when moving/loading HG&E.
    • to protect all HG&E from the elements (rain, snow or sun) and theft at all times.
  • With regard to the safekeeping of the residence, the carrier shall properly protect the residence from inadvertent damage. The carrier shall be liable for replacement/repair costs for damage to the origin and destination property caused by the carrier.
  • The carrier is responsible to provide you with copies of all signed documentation.
  • The carrier is responsible to notify you immediately when a HG&E or PMV shipment has incurred loss or damage (i.e. inadvertently dropped the TV in the van while unloading or sliced the couch while removing shrink-wrap).

Step 1 – Pre-Move Consultation

Your Responsibilities:

  • Be present for the pre-move consultation.
  • Insure your residence and HG&E are in a sanitary condition.
  • Familiarize yourself with the content of the Pre-Move Information Booklet.
  • Ask questions if you are in doubt.
  • Identify all articles that you plan to move.
  • Identify any items that may be in a storage area which is not immediately adjacent to your residence (condo storage lockers, PMQ garages, etc). For the purpose of this contact, these areas are considered a single pick-up with your main residence.
  • Identify all high value items.
  • Review the room-by-room survey provided by the carrier and your weight entitlement.
  • Contact the carrier if you have any additions/deletions to your household goods after the survey has been performed.

Carrier’s Responsibilities:

  • Notify you in the case of any delays in excess of one hour and the delay shall not exceed four (4) hours from the agreed time.
  • Provide and review the Pre-move Information Booklet.
  •  Answer any questions.
  • Perform a complete visual survey of your household goods and provide an estimated weight of your shipment.
  • Identify items that require special preparation or that cannot be safely transported – Annex A, Appendix 1
  • Identify services which are not covered under the contract – Annex A, Appendix 2
  • Provide a thorough review of the claims process
  • Provide a list of all appliances and electronics that require certification on packing day.
  • Provide a copy of room-by-room electronically generated survey within 2 business days of the survey being performed.
  • If you would like additional replacement cost protection coverage because the government provided RCP is not sufficient for the value of your goods, the carrier will make it available.

Amplifying information for the Pre-Move Consultation can be found at Annex A.

Step 2 – Packing

Your Responsibilities:

  • Be present on the agreed time with the carrier and at all times during pre-packing and/or packing and servicing/certification.
  • Ensure that only non-essential articles are packed if pre-packing arrangements were made.
  • Prepare your house for the packing team: defrost refrigerators and deep freezers, remove all items to be shipped from the walls, move articles from crawl spaces and attics to an area more readily accessible to the carrier (with the exception of attics in PMQs at CFB Borden and Kingston).
  • Dispose of or make alternate arrangements for shipment of flammable or dangerous goods and other non-admissible items.
  • Prepare those items which are only acceptable for transport, if prepared by shipper.
  • Ensure any tags from previous moves are removed from your items.
  • Clearly identify all items that will not be packed and/or moved to your new residence (i.e. items going to long term storage, items travelling with you, etc.) to the packing crew. When possible, these items should be removed from the work area of the packers to avoid confusion.
  • Have appliances and electronic equipment available for preparation for shipping and certification.  You must provide the blocking kit for front loading washers.
  • Segregate high value articles in one room.
  • Ensure all high valued items are annotated on High Value Inventory (HVI) listing.For claim purposes, it is highly recommended that you allow the carrier to professionally pack all of your items.

Carrier’s Responsibilities:

  • Arrive on the agreed time or notify you of any delays.
  • Protect the floor of the residence to prevent damage to floors.
  • Ensure that only non-essential articles are packed if pre-packing arrangements were made.
  • Place aside non-admissible item(s) and identify articles needing preparation.
  • Complete certification of major articles, appliances, and electronics.
  • List and pack high value articles.
  • Remove all empty containers, packing materials, and other debris accumulated incidental to packing and loading from your premises.

Amplifying information for the Packing Service can be found at Annex B.

Step 3 – Loading

Your Responsibilities:

  • Be present on the agreed time with the carrier and be present during the whole loading operation.
  • Accompany the driver during the tagging and listing of your goods.
  • Agree with the listings and exceptions, which identify the condition of your items (dents, scratches, etc.), before signing off on them; note any objections in ink on the inventory.
  • Damage to property/ residence must be reported immediately to the driver.
  • You and the carrier are responsible to check all rooms, closets, attics, basements, cupboards, drawers, sheds, grounds and garage to verify that nothing has been left behind.

Carrier’s Responsibilities:

  • Arrive on the agreed time or notify you of any delays.
  • Protect residence during loading operation.
  • Tag and list all your household goods and packed cartons.
  • Point out to shipper and note pre-existing damages on the inventory.
  • Protect goods against bad weather.
  • Annotate damage to residence on inventory listings or bill of lading.
  • Remove all empty containers, packing materials, and other debris accumulated incidental to packing and loading from your premises.

Amplifying information for the Loading Service can be found at Annex C.

Step 4 – Unloading

Your Responsibilities:

  • Be present on the agreed time with the carrier and be present at all times during unloading.
  • Account for all your items using Bingo Sheets or Inventory Listing.
  • Note any untagged items for later reconciliation with the Inventory Listing, you shall transfer all discrepancies to the Inventory Listing.  The Bingo Sheet is used for the convenience of the member and is not a legal document.
  •  Note any damaged boxes.
  • Do not sign the inventory until you have examined your goods and noted any damaged or missing items on both the Driver's copy and your own copy of the Inventory. If you fail to note damages/losses at this time, this portion of your claim may be jeopardized. The signing of the inventory at the time of delivery shall not preclude claiming for damage and/or loss of small packed items that may have gone astray in the packing or unpacking material as well as to articles where damage was not readily visible at the time of delivery.
  • You have the right to stop the unloading at any time to determine a tag number of an item, and you have the right ask the unloading crew to slow down if you are having trouble-keeping track.

Carrier’s Responsibilities:

  • Arrive on the agreed time or notify you of any delays.
  • Protect your residence from damage with pads, etc.
  • Protect your goods against bad weather (i.e. rain).
  • Reconcile discrepancies between the Bingo Sheet and the Inventory Listing and annotate any irreconcilable discrepancies on the Inventory Listing.
  • Within the limits of space and access, place items in rooms specified by you or as per the inventory sheets.
  • Alert you to any damage/loss and assist in the annotation of said damage/loss.
  • Re-assemble pieces of furniture and any other items that were disassembled at origin by the carrier.
  • Reassemble items taken apart at origin by our carrier or by the driver.
  • Stop the unloading at any time if you require to determine a tag number of an item, and to slow down if you are having trouble-keeping track.

Amplifying information for the Unloading Service can be found at Annex D.

Step 5 – Unpacking

Your Responsibilities:

  • Be present on the agreed time with the carrier and be present at all times during unpacking.
  • Set the priorities for which rooms you would like to have unpacked first in order to ensure your house is made habitable as soon as possible.
  • Put unwrapped items “away”' in cupboards/drawers, etc;
  • Tell the unpackers where your clothes, that were shipped in wardrobe boxes, should be hung.
  • Insist that the unpackers slow down if, at any time, you feel you are “losing track” of the unpacking.
  • If the unpacking is not finished by 2030 hrs, you have the right to request that the unpackers return the next business day to complete the work.
  • Use the Loss/Damage Packed Items form to note any damaged or lost items discovered during unpacking. If you do not, this portion of your claim may be rejected.
  • Do not sign the Certificate of Unpacking or the Loss/Damage Packed Items Form until you are confident you have checked all of the items you requested to have unpacked.  Failure to note loss or damage at this time may jeopardize this portion of your claim.
  • If you elect to do your own unpacking, you will have to sign a form certifying that you refused unpacking services. If you refuse unpacking services, the carrier will not be responsible to pick up empty cartons and parking material.

Carrier’s Responsibilities:

  • Arrive on the agreed time or notify you of any delays;
  • Commence unpacking services no later than the next business day after unloading.
  • Prepare appliances and major articles for use at destination within 24 hours.  Carrier will not reconnect or plug-in any appliances or electrical equipment. Certification is at Carrier’s discretion.
  • Unpack all boxes, barrels, cartons, and crates.
  • Place unwrapped items on tables/counters/floors, but will not put them “away” in cupboards or drawers, etc.
  • Hang clothes, removed from wardrobe boxes, in closets.
  • Remove all boxes and packing material unpacked by the destination carrier’s personnel no later than five business days after the unpacking is complete, or as agreed to by you.
  • If the destination carrier refuses to unpack, they will sign the unpacking certificate to that effect and will be liable for packed items that are damaged or lost.

Amplifying information for the Unpacking Service can be found at Annex E.

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