It’s sad to say, but it is NOT okay to trust just any moving company. There are plenty of unscrupulous people out there who either (a) won’t do a good job taking care of your belongings, (b) will do the work but demand unfair amounts or money, or (c) won’t do the work at all.
As important as it is to understand everything your mover DOES tell you, it’s just as important to understand what they DON’T tell you.
1. “Sure, I’ll move your stuff, but I may not give it back.”
Unfortunately, this happens all too often. You choose a company and they give you an estimate. When moving day comes, and all your belongings are packed up and headed across the state or even the country, the mover lays it on you. Not only does your move end up being more expensive than what they told you, but if you don’t pay, you don’t get your belongings back!
Outrageous as it may sounds it happens. Excuses run the gamut – you had more items than anticipated or you are moving during a “peak” time meaning the cost is higher. No matter what it is, someone has heard it – and they weren’t happy about it. And with a real estate boom over the past few years, these stories are increasing by the truckload. In fact, the Better Business Bureau has received almost 10,000 reports filed on moving companies, ranking a close third only behind mortgages and roofing contractors.
Here’s a tip: know who you’re hiring, whether you check them out through customer referrals or through the Better Business Bureau (we recommend you do both). Also, be extra careful if you are moving during the summer months, as almost 60 percent of people move during the summer – this leaves more room for error and dishonest movers.
2. “We don’t guarantee it will be our workers who move your things.”
Sure, you may hire Company A to move your belongings, but it doesn’t mean they haven’t hired Company B to do the work. Especially during busy times, companies have been known to subcontract the jobs and they don’t bother telling you about it. Even worse, one company packs up your stuff, but when you arrive at your new home, it’s someone completely different who does the unpacking.
Another problem is hiring of illegal workers or people who are paid “off the books.” Not only can this cause a problem with liability of your goods, you also run the risk of workers who are not adequately experienced in the job at hand. To protect yourself, make sure your company can guarantee that they are in fact doing the work themselves with an experienced, capable staff.
3. “We’ll give you an accurate quotes once we’ve already done the work.”
Despite how binding your contract may be, assuming you even have one, a company always has a way or sticking it to you in the end. Know what you are getting yourself into, because if you don’t it can end up costing you – big time!!!
4. “We’ll figure out a way to charge you extra.”
Make sure you are made aware of any “extra” charges that could come your way, and demand to be informed before any extra services are performed. Some common ways companies may increase your charges are:
- Your items require “special handling.” This may mean you have an especially heavy piece of furniture or something that may require special care. Unfortunately, they usually don’t tell you this until it has already been moved, forcing you to pay the higher bill. If you question any of your items, be sure to bring this up ahead of time.
- Long carry charges. For example, if the movers have to walk further than expected, they may charge you more than you expected. Therefore, if you know a mover will not be able to park their truck directly outside of your door, let them know ahead of time and ask if it will be an extra charge. The last thing you want is to be surprised when the bill comes.
- Peak moving times. Many movers charge more in the summer months because this is when a majority of people move. You may not be able to avoid this, but at least make sure you know of any extra charges ahead of time.
5. “We follow our schedule, not yours.”
Hopefully, you and your moving company will arrange a date and time for your move that is convenient for both parties. But the truth is you are at their mercy and they know it.
Sometimes the delay is reasonable, such as bad weather, traffic or minor hold-ups. For this reason the movers usually schedule a window of time to pick up and deliver your belongings. For long-distance moves, companies often plan another moving job to share space with yours to help them consolidate moves and save money; however, for all you know, the other moving job is hundreds of miles from yours, which could leave you waiting a long time for your items. Even worse, they may charge you for extra storage time, even though you never approved the extended wait in the first place.
To save time and worry, ask the movers how many deliveries they are making with the truck containing your items and where the destinations are. It’s also important to ask where your stuff is located in the truck – if your things were loaded first, they will be unloaded last. Be sure to ask the driver instead of the company representative that scheduled your move. The drivers will have much more accurate information. You may not have any control, but at least this way you will know what to expect.
6. “Our insurance means nothing. And nothing is the protection you will get.”
Damage to your stuff can happen; it’s just a part of life. The problem is many movers are only responsible for a small portion of your goods. This means they may break your $500 television but may only have to pay you $40 for it.
Most times, movers will give you the option of purchasing extra insurance for an additional fee – and it’s probably worth it. If you purchase additional insurance, make sure you know all the details, because they may try to get out of compensating you for what they may damage or destroy. They could do this by either claiming the items were damaged prior to the move, or they may just ignore the insurance claim until you finally get sick of waiting and just give up.
Many movers will only insure items they pack themselves; however, this can make your final bill much more expensive. If you opt not to purchase the insurance and pack the items on your own, make sure you have a signed document stating the moving company is responsible for missing or damaged items.
A great way to protect yourself is to get insurance on your goods through your homeowners insurance – this assures you more stable protection. Make sure you look over all your goods after the move before signing the receipt. If you don’t, they can claim the damage was done after they left.
7. “Not only are we not licensed, but are company doesn’t even exist.”
Before hiring a company, make sure they (a) are licensed, (b) have a good record with no claims filed against them, and (c) have accurate and positive referrals. You can get most of this information by asking the company directly and checking the information with the Better Business Bureau.
Never agree to pay a deposit. If they have your money before they do the work, you run the risk of them never showing up. A reputable company will not require the deposit.
When you inquire about license information, don’t just go with a company because it has a valid license. Even licensed companies can scam you or provide bad service. In addition, if you cannot find licensing or other important information a company, they are most likely a bad choice and you should probably move on.
Tylor Crestin is writing about the moving industry since 2006. The initial idea behind MovingSham.com was to expose the bad moving companies and make sure consumers do the right choice. This was provoked because of the awful moving experience Tylor had back then.
Now in 2018, MovingSham has become the moving industry blog it is today. Tylor is not as active as he used to be, but he is still publishing stories on hot topics in the moving industry.