California legislators are taking aim at fly-by-night household movers.

AB845, which was approved by the Assembly Transportation Committee April 28, would tighten rules for household goods carriers, according to information on the General Assembly’s Web site.

Joe Furtado, a consultant to the Assembly Transportation Committee, said the bill targets “fly-by-night” movers who draw in customers with unrealistically low estimates, then hand the customer a higher bill after the goods are on their way.

Many of the companies hold the customer’s goods in storage to force them to pay the higher bill.

AB845 would address the problem three ways, he said:

• It would set a “fair-pricing formula,” or some other mechanism that would keep prices from exceeding estimates;
• It would enhance the enforcement efforts of the Public Utilities Commission, or PUC, which would enforce the rules, against problem carriers; and
• It would enhance the sanctions the PUC could apply to movers who violate the rules.

In addition, according to information on the Assembly Web site, the bill would prohibit the movers from failing to deliver goods in a timely manner if the customer requests it and pays the estimated cost of the service, plus valid change orders.

The industry has not opposed the bill, Furtado said, because, “They see it as an opportunity for them to work out protections for the good players, essentially, and get rid of the bad publicity that’s being caused by some bad apples.”

The Assembly Transportation Committee voted in favor of the bill 13-3 after a hearing April 28. It is now headed to the Appropriations Committee; if it passes in that panel, it will likely head to the House floor for a vote.

--by Mark H. Reddig, associate editor

Mark Reddig can be reached at mreddig@landlinemag.com.