Moving your home or your business is stressful enough as it is, unfortunately the moving industry’s reputation is often damaged by illegitimate operations who don’t have the customer’s best interest and are looking to scam them out of their money.
Scam moving operations make a promise of “low cost” and the “best deal” and they prey on customers who do know what to look for and how to vet the moving company. They are not professionally trained, don’t have the proper equipment, don’t care about your belongings and sometimes do not even show up after taking your money.
Reviews
There are a few ways to do your research into reputable companies, and one of these ways is by checking customer reviews.
Complaints
Another way is to check on complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the American Moving and Storage Association.
Cost/Fees
Finding out if there are any extra fees, if a deposit is required, if it’s refundable, and if they offer a free moving quote is important.
Estimates
It’s important to shop around and get at least three estimates, in writing. Take caution in simply accepting the lowest bid, it can be a red flag if one of your three bids is much lower than the others. The cheapest value is not always the most favorable!
With a little due diligence you can be certain that you are hiring a reputable moving company and avoid many of the unfortunate consequences of dealing with a rogue operator.