Every year there are thousands of complaints filed against moving companies. The complaints are mostly about loss or damage to property, overcharges, and reports of a situation where movers refused to give back belongings and kept them hosted demanding extra payments. That is the reason why many people opt for a DIY move in an attempt to avoid a rogue moving company. If you decided to pack and move without any professional help, you would still appreciate some professional advice on packing, loading, and moving your belongings. And, if you happen to move in the middle of the holiday season, find a minute to watch this and learn how not to miss all the fun while moving.

Whatever moving option you would choose, look at our 10 warning signs that will help you recognize a fake mover before it is too late.

Warning signs to pay special attention

1. The mover demands cash or a large deposit before the move.
2. Fake movers often do not provide a written estimate. Movers must give written estimates and may give binding estimates. Non-binding estimates should not always be accurate; actual charges may exceed the estimate.
3. The mover asks you to sign blank or incomplete documents. The document should be as complete as possible before signing it: it should contain all relevant shipping information, except the actual shipment weight and any other information necessary to determine the final charges for all services performed.
4. The mover promises to determine the charges after loading. Remember that rogue movers typically work like this: without ever visiting your home or seeing your belongings, they give a low estimate. When your things are on their truck, they demand more money before they deliver or unload them and they force you to pay more than you agreed to.
5. The mover doesn’t agree to an on-site inspection of your household belongings and gives a low estimate over the telephone or online.
6. The company’s website has no local address and no info about their registration or insurance.
7. Also, fake mover doesn’t provide you with a copy of “Your Rights and Responsibilities”, and a copy of FMCSA’s Ready to Move brochure, that movers are required to provide you and their customers in the planning stages of interstate moves by Federal regulations.
8. The mover says that all your belongings are covered by their insurance. Remember that valuation coverage is not the same as moving insurance. Before moving, do your research on valuation coverage to find out what it does cover and what it doesn’t cover, you can request an explanation of the difference between valuation and actual insurance.
9. The mover answers the phone with a generic “Movers” or “Moving company,” but not with the company’s name.
10. Moving company‘s offices and warehouse are in poor condition or don’t exist.

A Mover or a Broker

On a moving day, a rental truck arrives rather than a company-owned or marked fleet truck. You should know the difference between the actual mover and a household goods broker. A household goods broker only arranges for transportation and it must not represent itself as a mover. A household goods broker does not own trucks. You should know that a household goods broker usually has no authority to provide you an estimate on behalf of a specific moving company. If a household goods broker provides you an estimate, it can not be binding on the actual mover. You may have to pay the actual charges the mover assesses. A household goods broker is not responsible for loss or damage.

Be careful

Imagine, the mover claims that you have more stuff than estimated. If this happens, be sure the mover provides a revised estimate that you both sign, listing the additional items or services as well as a price that you both have agreed to, and remember to sign before they begin packing or loading. You should also be provided with a copy of this new estimate.

Attentively read our article “Your rights and responsibilities when you move”. Do your best to recognize a rogue mover before they have your goods. Contact us today and our team of professionals will be happy to help you make your forthcoming move fulfilled! We respect your time and money. Quality service, dedication to the work we do, and expert care. Start your FREE quote right now, don’t hesitate!

If all this scam hassle makes you feel reluctant about hiring a moving company or you want to make your move less expensive all you need is a rental moving truck and a few assistants to help out with the heavy lifting, and the loading/unloading of your things. From hiring moving labor professionals to recruiting friends, here are five money-saving options to consider. In this case, you have to be twice as careful with the legal aspect of your move. Do not hesitate to watch our advice on how to secure your rights as a moving customer.

HireAHelper

… is one of the most reliable online marketplaces for finding and booking these moving labor professionals. According to HireAHelper, the movers are either labor-only moving companies that specialize in load and unload services, or they’re full-service moving companies willing to send workers out on labor-only moving jobs. If anything breaks or is damaged, HireAHelper states that the individual moving company should settle the damage claims on their own. Nevertheless, if they don’t, you have a backup option. HireAHelper provides complimentary mover’s insurance when you place your order for the mover through HireAHelper.

College Hunks hauling junk and moving

… is a licensed and insured moving and junk removal service. The Tampa-based company offers junk removal services, donation pickups, packing help, residential/commercial moving, and moving labor assistance nationwide. The company notes that many of its customers actually combine these services when moving. However, if you’re only looking for someone to assist with heavy lifting and single item moves. College Hunks also offers a simple hourly labor option.

Moving Helper

… provides customers with an online marketplace to search and locate local moving services in their area. These services propose packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, cleaning, and driving assistance. The website also ranks all Moving Helpers based on the company’s star rating. Customers can read unedited customer comments and analyze ratings about each and every Moving Helper before making their decision. This way you can easily find the most reliable service.

Truck rental add-ons

If you’re planning to hire moving labor professionals, you’ll probably rent a moving truck as well. Fortunately, most rental truck companies also offer to load and unload services directly through their websites. For example, U-Haul partners with Moving Help (mentioned above) to find local laborers in the area, and Budget Truck Rental partners with HireAHelper. Make sure to check with your specific rental truck company to see what labor options are available for your next move.

Recruiting friends

… is the best option, especially if you have some pretty strong buddies and need to save money.

Besides saving plenty of cash, a DIY move grants you total control (and flexibility) over the move. You may control the timing and the way you pack and protect your belongings, loading and unloading the moving truck. Additionally, when it comes to packing all of your precious belongings, you won’t have to worry about boxing up everything according to your mover’s guidelines. If you have not yet made up your mind and trying to decide between a full-service and a DIY move, have a look at a very detailed description of each that names all pros and cons of both options.

Contact us today and our team of professionals will be happy to help you make your forthcoming move fulfilled! We respect your time and money. Quality service, dedication to the work we do, and expert care. Start your FREE moving quote right now, don’t hesitate! We work hard to move you fast!