When moving day is around the corner, packing isn’t the only thing renters need to do to prepare for your move. Those who pay monthly for their living space are subject to the whims of a building manager or landlord when they are moving, both at the origin and destination of their move.
For most renters, this means they must follow the rules of the apartment buildings they’re moving from or to. Moving isn’t an everyday thing for renters, so most aren’t as familiar with the most common stipulations that they should be prepared for as a professional moving company.
Know the Deadlines
When people move in rental buildings, they often don’t realize those buildings have rules for movers they want their tenants to follow, whether moving in or moving out. One of the most common rules dictates when a building’s tenants are allowed to be moving in the building.
A typical apartment building will try to make sure moves take place somewhere between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Building managers want to try to the best of their ability to prevent unauthorized personnel from entering certain parts of their buildings, and clear the building during busy hours when tenants are home and moving throughout the building.
Knowing how much flexibility is available is key when booking movers, as they have busy schedules just like the clients that hire them. If the apartment building being moved into won’t allow moves to take place past 5 p.m., the movers likely need to plan to be finished at 4 p.m. and leave an hour in the itinerary as a contingency for unforeseen delays arising during the move.
Reserve (both) Elevators
No one likes getting stuck in traffic; it can turn a simple task into an elongated chore. Traffic can happen in the elevators of a populated rental building if multiple people are trying to use it to move in or out at the same time. To avoid elevator congestion, rental buildings typically ask their tenants to reserve their elevators in order to use them for moving without any delay.
It is always recommended for tenants to reserve their elevators, but how vital it is, depends on the building. Renters should do their best to reserve elevators in both buildings, not just at the origin or destination. Having both elevators booked will allow buildings to provide contingencies to the other tenants in the building, and allow the movers an expedited route for the person moving’s belongings.
Check for COI
Many apartment buildings request their tenants provide a COI (certificate of insurance) from the tenant’s moving company before they give the movers the green light to start hauling things to their truck. Tenants need to check if either the building they’re moving to or the building they’re moving from requires a COI, and if their moving company can provide one that meets their standards.
A COI from a mover shows the building that the company is insured to cover any damage to the building that could take place during the move, which is a quite legitimate concern in scenarios where large furniture is being moved in small hallways. Rental buildings will want to be 100% sure that insurance can cover for any damage in the scenario something does go awry.
Check for Clearances on Stairs/Elevator
Apartment buildings are most commonly found in large cities where every square foot carries a price. As a result, these buildings typically do their best to make the most out of every inch of space in their buildings. This can lead to some tight turns and small clearances throughout the building. In some buildings, this may mean that certain large furniture pieces won’t fit through these spaces.
Renters should be prepared to check if all their inventory will be able to get through the planned path for them before they attempt to go through with that plan on moving day. Time is of the essence on moving day; deadlines are looming over the move and the movers themselves are usually paid by the hour. Anything that gets stuck or has to be taken apart throws a time-sucking monkey wrench into the process, inconveniencing everyone in the process.
About the Author: Nancy Zafrani is the general manager of Oz Moving & Storage. A day-one employee of Oz, she has 25 years of experience in the moving industry. As a New Yorker, Nancy also has lots of experience dealing with small apartments and organizing.
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