Research is very important when it comes to picking a right mover for your relocation. With proliferating scams in the industry, you should be careful while choosing a mover by making sure they are licensed, and reliable. Know all the tricks and tips used by fraudulent movers to lure you in their trap. Make sure that you do not shop for movers online or on the phone because they might change prices even after giving the estimate. Be sure to meet the moving company and assess their reputation before making a decision and get a written estimate.
Some moving companies place you in a hostage situation by taking possession of your belongings and then charge extra for the move. You won’t get your contents back unless you pay the extra costs. There are also movers that give you a low estimate at first but then later on increase the cost to an amount that is not even close to the initially agreed upon amount. You should also be careful of movers that increase delivery/trucking charges based on cubic feet covered rather than weight.
There are certain movers that never deliver goods on time despite tall claims made by them. Having loaded all your belongings onto the moving truck, you have no other option but to wait at your new destination for your belongings. The worst disreputable mover is one that loads all your belongings in their truck, takes your deposit in the form of cash and flees. You might lose not only your money but also in some cases even your belongings.
Don’t Fall Into the Trap
Here are certain tips that you can pay heed to protect yourself from falling prey to such disreputable moving companies.
- Never Pay A Deposit: Reliable moving companies never demand a deposit before even beginning the move planning. Make sure that the mover is more concerned with the safety and security of moving your items rather than money.
- Never Pay Out Cash: Cash transactions should be avoided because they leave no trace of a payment. Worse yet, incase if the moving company runs away with your cash, you will have no way of proving that you made a payment.
- Branded Trucks: Moving companies brand their trucks with their logo and other branding elements. Make sure your mover has branded trucks and be careful of unbranded trucks.
- Pay Attention To The Contract: As a customer it is your responsibility to go over the contract terms and agreement, and make sure that there is no missing information or blanks. It would be foolish to sign agreements that have blanks which can be filled out later by fraudulent companies. You should also make sure that all the items are listed in your contract.
- Physical Address of the Mover: Rather than on simply relying on online claims of a mover, it would be wise to research the company for a real address to assess the existence of the actual business.
- Do Not Overlook The Claims Policy: Incase of any loss, the moving companies should be responsible for compensation. You should find out more about how the company processes claims and whether they are handled quickly and properly.
- Seek Recommendations: When you are looking for a good moving company, you should ask your family and friends who have recently moved. They will guide you in making the selection process easier.
- Ask Your Real Estate Agent: Most moving companies have established profitable partnerships with realtors that can help out customers seeking moving companies. You can ask you real estate agent about reputable movers in your area.
- Get At Least Three Moving Quotes: It is advised to obtain at least three quotes so as to figure out any scams of a potential moving company. Any major disparities in the quotes will protect you from possible scams.
- Mover Bases Price on Weight: You should choose a mover that gives you an estimate based on the weight of the cargo rather than on the cubic feet occupied.
- Check out Complaints’ History: Complaints matter the most when it comes to deciding a moving company for your relocation. Moving companies that have higher complaints should be best avoided.