How to Spot Bad Moving Companies

By VanLines.com

The task of moving all of your possessions to a new place can be quite difficult. To make it simpler it may be better for you to hire professionals. There are many good and reputable moving companies, but there are some fraudulent ones as well. One sure sign a moving company is bad is when you are being offered estimates before examinations or home visits. Fraudulent movers offer fixed and final quotes on the phone or through online forms.

Also, if you are being offered a much lower quote or rate when compared to other movers in the market then you should beware. Later on, they may charge you double the original estimate before releasing your goods. This means you will have to end up paying ransom to get your household goods back. Here are some ways to spot bad moving companies:

Recommendations:
Look for movers and packers which are recommended by your family, friends, employers, etc. If you are making a move due to business, ask your employer for recommendations and go with it. You may also find a list of trusted movers from your known estate agents. Don't put all your hopes on web sources, as they may be manipulated. A certain mover may have several testimonials and good ratings but those may been have paid for. If you are going with the mover you chose online, make sure find more information about it from elsewhere. You may also talk to some of their previous clients.

Home Visits:
A reputable long distance moving company will always visit your home before finalizing the agreement. To obtain realistic quotes, a home visit is extremely important. The company executive will take a close look at your items and inform you about the services that will needed by you. A home visit will take around 20 minutes. Fraudulent companies often skip this step.

More Than One Estimate:
You must have moving estimates from 4-5 moving companies. This ways you will know if any company is offering you estimates which are lower than market ranges. Mainly bad moving companies offer rates which are unbelievably low. This is a sign of their fraudulent nature. Bad movers may have several hidden costs which you will have to pay later.

Check For A License:

You must verify the chosen mover’s license. All movers must possess a license which is a legal backing of their credibility.

Check The Local Address:
If a moving company doesn’t have their local address listed on the website, then that could be a red flag. Also, check if the chosen mover has been retaining the same brand name for all years for business. Movers without local offices and consistent brand names can be risky to deal with. Relocation can be extremely tiring and stressful. Additionally, if you have fallen in the hands of a bad mover, you problems will only escalate. It is important you look for movers who are worthy of your time, money and energy. Spotting bad movers is extremely easy with the help of the above mentioned points.