Movers withholding our goods based on inflated charges from an illegitimate Bill of Lading
Location: Washington, USA
My moving company picked up our goods based in Illinois on 5/21/26 for an interstate move to Washington, contractually guaranteed by 7/03/26. When they first arrived, we signed a bill of lading and paid them half the remaining balance, the other half to be paid upon receipt (stupid I know, we obviously hadn’t checked this website)
After pickup, the moving foreman told us we used more space than the contract allowed, and that we’d have to sign a second binding estimate and bill of lading if they were to move the goods. I agreed, since they already loaded our stuff and we really didn’t have an option, but the contract itself wasn’t sent over until we’d already departed the premises, and were in Iowa (about an hour later).
Upon doing some digging (our outstanding balance jumped from $708 to ~$2300), turns out the second bill of lading is illegitimate per FMCSA guidelines, and any adjustments to the bill of lading must be made and signed prior not only to departure, but to the loading. When this happens, the first binding estimate ($708) is reaffirmed.
The moving company has been told this several times, and we even received a call from the moving foreman himself crying saying that he knows he messed up but that if we don’t pay the $2300 that they’ll dock the outstanding $1600 from his pay (illegal for them to do, and also fake tears, but it happened regardless). I disagreed and even found him laws protecting him from pay docking which I told him about in the event that he wasn’t lying (and to appease my own bleeding heart), and we hung up.
It is now 3 weeks since the goods were supposed to be delivered, racking up a bill deduction of $30/workday ($420 total). We received a call today that they will arrive tomorrow morning, and that if the goods are not paid for with the full $2300, they will hold them hostage and charge us storage.
We’re going to the police today once I get off work here in an hour to have them present during the move hopefully, but I just want to double check with others and make sure I have a legal leg to stand on here. This entire thing has been exhausting, I’ve been living in an apartment with the only furniture as my mattress for two months now, and I just want my shit back. Are we legally cleared to only pay the $708, with the $420 deduction to be paid out via check from the moving company afterward?