While moving can be rough, a bad mover makes everything that much more horrible. Here are some ways to make sure that whatever moving company you use is a good one.
Just-In Time Moving, Phoenix movers, a licensed moving company that provides excellent service, exceeds physical limitations and provides the kind of hassle-free experience that will build the company’s reputation. This is why you should look for a mover with lots of 5-Star reviews, plus an A+BBB (Better Business Bureau) Rating.
But what are the specific qualities you need to look into when it comes to choosing the right company for your move? According to a recent article by Consumer Reports, finding the most reputable moving company for your move can take some time and effort, but it’s entirely worth it.
A public relations professional from Las Vegas ended up learning the hard way. After taking some time searching for a professional moving company online to make the move from Vegas to a new house in Texas, she chose to go with the company that gave her the lowest bid of $1,700.
Once she paid a required 50 percent deposit and another $450 on moving day, she was stunned to discover her possessions hadn’t been moved to Texas but to a storage unit near her Las Vegas home. The moving company extorted her for another $450 to give her back her belongings. After that, the public relations professional rented a truck along with some workers to move her belongings to Texas. The cost however came to a whopping $4,000.
Consumer Reports says that bad moving experiences such as these are all too typical. It’s not uncommon for a moving company to lowball their estimate and then when the move is underway and reached the point of no return, they’ll hold the customer’s belongings hostage until they come up with more cash. Still, others will demand major deposits and then simply not show up, alleges a spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau. With that said, if you’re moving soon here’s what to look for in a reputable moving company.
Go With a Local Mover
The president and CEO of American Moving & Storage Association, a trade organization that handles interstate, local, and international moves, emphasized the importance of hiring local movers. They stated that by opting for a local moving company, such as Cedar Park, TX movers, you can avoid the risk of falling victim to deceptive online-only movers. Additionally, they advised potential clients to conduct thorough checks, including visiting the moving company's site to inspect their trucks, equipment, and personnel, ensuring a reliable and trustworthy moving experience.
Be Sure to Demand Estimates
You should obtain at least three, in-home estimates in writing. You should automatically be suspicious if an estimate is very low or if the moving company in question only provides estimates online or over the phone while refusing to send a company representative to scope the job. A lowball estimate provided not in writing is plain evidence of a scam.
Moving Company Credential Verification
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which is a division of the Department of Transportation (DOT) that is tasked with overseeing bus and truck safety on U.S. roads for moves between different states, a mover must have a credentialed number issued by the DOT. The number will serve as a license, which identifies a commercial vehicle hauling cargo or transporting passengers under the parameters of interstate commerce. If the mover you’re presently considering for your interstate move is licensed, it should provide the DOT number on both its advertising and its website. The mover, if reputable, must also possess a carrier number that’s been issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Read Complaints and Reviews
It’s a simple task to go online to access sites like Yelp to examine what other previous customers have said about the moving company you’re interested in. Just Google the company name along with the keywords, “reviews” and “complaints.” This way you might discover if the company has a report with the Better Business Bureau which is said to maintain reviews of more than 20,000 moving-related businesses.
Make sure to look for the letter grade that the BBB has assigned the moving company. Search for any government actions, reviews, bank liens, or complaints that have been lobbed against them. You can also go to the Department of Transportation to review the moving business’s complaint history by utilizing the search bar.
Moving to a new place can be exciting because it represents a new life. But the actual process of moving can be fraught with hassle and deception. Avoid movers that lowball their asking price only to hold your belongings hostage.