When Martha and Enrrique Gallard packed up their belongings in Georgia and sent them off in a moving truck headed to their new home in California, they had no idea what problems were awaiting them. But the Gallards were lucky: they found an ally in the Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS). The Gallards…
Dishwasher sprung a leak? Diamond ring losing that special sparkle? TV on the fritz? Lawnmower stopped lawn-mowing? When a big-ticket item like a major appliance, jewelry, or garden equipment breaks, you may have a service contract or extended warranty contract to bail you out of trouble. These contracts cover your purchased items and can provide…
SACRAMENTO—If you’re working with a damage restoration company, the chances are you’ve already been the victim of a catastrophe. But if a damage restoration company moves and stores your goods while restoration work is performed, they are obligated to follow the same laws and regulations that govern household moving companies, protecting you from predatory “bandit”…
Spring is in full swing, and summer’s just around the corner. As temperatures rise in California, so do home sales, and that means people start thinking about moving. May is National Moving Month, and the California Department of Consumer Affairs’ Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS), regulator of the home moving and storage industry…
With moving season right around the corner, predatory moving companies will be out looking to make a fast buck – or a few thousand bucks – off unsuspecting California consumers. The California Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS) regulates household movers performing moves of household goods and personal effects over any public highway in…
What’s nearly as inevitable as death and taxes? Electronic device upgrades. And one precaution that is critical before moving on from a phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer is wiping your data from the device. Whether donating, selling, or simply passing a device to a family member or friend, a factory reset is the minimum…
After years of successful regulation of the thermal insulation and electronic and appliance repair industries, the California Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation (BEARHFTI) became the regulator of the home moving and storage industry, taking the reins from the California Public Utilities Commission in July of 2018. Rather than attempt…
Some manufacturers of children’s products, including the foam interiors of mattresses and upholstered furniture, may have to reexamine their development strategies, now that Assembly Bill 2998 (Bloom) has been signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. Citing concerns over exposure to questionable chemicals, state lawmakers found that although the chemicals were not necessary for fire safety,…
If you’re moving within (“intrastate”) or out of state (“interstate”), or if a damage restoration company is moving or storing your goods while rebuilding your home, did you know there are laws protecting you from predatory “bandit” companies that extort money from customers while holding goods hostage? Read about how the Bureau of Electronic and…
There have never been more options available to consumers in the market for a new mattress, but wading through so much information can make buying a mattress confusing and overwhelming. Prices range from surprisingly cheap to hard-to-believe expensive. There are different styles of construction, different thicknesses, different densities—foams and springs and air levels. And industry…
