<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="14-3103" title_number="14" title_name="Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions" subtitle_number="31" subtitle_name="Maryland Household Goods Movers Act">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “excess charges” means an amount, in excess of the estimate provided to a consumer, charged by a household goods mover for additional services that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Are provided before or during an intrastate move; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Are necessary because of circumstances that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Are beyond the control of the household goods mover; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Could not have been reasonably anticipated by the household goods mover.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Subject to subsection (e) of this section, a household goods mover shall provide a written estimate to a consumer before providing household goods moving services for an intrastate move.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The written estimate shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Separately identify each household goods moving service that the household goods mover will provide and the price of each service;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Separately identify each fee that the consumer will or may be required to pay;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>State the estimated total price;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>State the time and method of payment for the household goods moving services; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Indicate clearly whether the estimate is binding on the consumer and household goods mover.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A consumer who receives a binding estimate from a household goods mover may not be required to pay more than the estimated total price stated in the estimate for the household goods moving services described in the estimate.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A consumer who receives a nonbinding estimate from a household goods mover may not be required to pay more than 125% of the estimated total price stated in the estimate for the household goods moving services described in the estimate, plus any applicable excess charges.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A consumer may waive the right to receive a written estimate under subsection (a) of this section if the waiver is made voluntarily and without coercion by the household goods mover.</text>
  </level>
</section>
