Posts Tagged ‘long distance moving’

When looking for a moving company, you might think that any company with a good reputation will do, but you would be wrong. Being an unregulated business, the moving business is a common place to get cheated.

While checking with the BBB, only last year there were a staggering 9,405 complaints filed against moving companies. Unfortunately, the agency that handles the safety and regulation for moving companies has limited resources so it’s up to you to avoid the more common scams that even reputable moving companies can be guilty of.

Low Billing Estimates

The most popular moving industry scam is giving you a low estimate and then changing you extra fees at your destination – once in a while this ends up being four times the amount of the estimate you were given! If you decide not to pay for the additional fees, the relocation company will take your things and store them in a warehouse, hence forcing you to pay the extra charges. Simply signing a “binding and not to exceed quote” is not enough to ensure you are safe from scams, so you should read every word of your contract very carefully!

Negotiating Your Move To A Third Party

Some companies deliberately overcharge their clients and then subcontract the job to other movers at a considerably lower price. Keep in mind that, usually, the subcontractor is not responsible to deliver goods in time as it is specified in the contract. What makes things even worse is that their employees usually have no real experience in moving fragile items, so breakage is not infrequent.

Minimal Insurance Policies

Breakage is a third common scam that consumers complain about when they move their households. Most people don’t know that most companies’ mover’s liability coverage allows them to pay you only around $60 per pound for a damaged item. Which means that if your gorgeous plasma TV purchased for a few thousand dollars gets broken, you will be reimbursed only $30!

To protect yourself from damage during a move you should add a rider to you homeowners policy. What is more, take pictures of your possessions and be sure that your movers sign a statement of the condition of your items.

Price Based On Cubic Feet

The fourth common way that a moving company will rip you off is the weight versus cubic feet arrangement. You are allowed to watch weigh-ins and verify the number, but a mover can make your load take up as much space as they want it to in order to jack up the charges. Be sure to calculate the total weight of your load and divide it by the number of items you have. If you come up with more than 35-45 pounds per piece, be suspicious of your mover’s motives!

Extra Charges For Parking

Another popular scam is extra charges incurred by claiming the movers could not park their truck in front of your residence, resulting in “long carries” from half a block or so away. You may have to pay several thousands of dollars for this! So, make certain that you plan how to steer clear of this scam.

How To Avoid Scams

You will be able to stay away from these scams by studying moving company reviews online or consumer publications, getting several quotes, having an attorney approve the contract and documenting the condition and weight of your load. It may be a good idea to ask friends who have recently moved about how satisfied they were with their movers.

Don’t be taken by rogue long distance moving company by making a hasty decision as to who to hire for your move. Request your free no-obligation online moving quotes from several seasoned moving companies to compare services, best value, and save up to 35% on your move.