Moving can be very stressful and intimidating, especially if you don’t have any experience with it. To move with ease, it is highly recommended to hire a professional moving company. But not the first you will find. Do your research and choose the best. To avoid moving scams, you should be prepared and carefully choose and hire a mover.
What should you focus on?
Don’t rely on the price, because expensive does not mean good. You can move within the budget and still have a reliable mover by your side. Know what to expect from cheap movers and what is included in the price you are paying. Moving is not cheap, but you should not decide on the price.
How to avoid moving scams?
Start with moving preparation as soon as possible, no matter where you are moving. Probably you will need more time than you think. To have an organized relocation, make a good moving plan. Prepare it in advance. Here are three main things to pay attention to when hiring a moving company.
#1 Don’t accept an unseen estimate
An online moving estimate is a good way to get the average costs of the relocation, but it is not accurate. If the moving company doesn’t want to give you an in-home moving estimate, it is one of the red flags. By getting an in-home moving estimate, you will have the accurate price for the upcoming relocation, and the company you want to hire will know how much work they have and how much they will charge you. An estimator should come and give you the price. Contact a few companies and get different estimates and then compare the bids.
#2 Read online moving reviews
Learn more about the company you want to hire by reading online moving reviews from past clients. But, pay attention not to read fake ones. Many companies will write reviews by themselves by a fake name. If the comments are too positive, or the date of posting is the same, or they add too many details, you can assume it is not real. Search different websites and platforms. Such as YELP, Facebook, BBB, visit the company’s official websites, etc.
#3 Large deposit
If the company asks you to pay a large deposit before moving, it is a huge red flag. A deposit can be about 25-30% of the total price, DON’T pay upfront. Don’t pay attention only to the deposit, but also compare different moving services and different bids. Also, don’t sign a blank contract or the incomplete contract – red flag alert! It is always better to be safe than sorry, so purchase moving insurance and protect your items and yourself from the scammers – just in case. Avoid moving scams but also protect yourself and you have nothing to worry about.