11 Tips for Recruiting a Moving Company You Can Trust

It is not unusual for people to move from one place to another on multiple occasions, throughout the course of their lifetime. Relocations can be permanent or temporary. In any case, it’s always a good idea to enlist the services of a moving company. If you plan to do it yourself, it can be a bit stressful and time-consuming.

Many moving companies claim to be professional movers, only for people to find out that such companies are either scammers or lack the necessary professional ethics required for delivering high quality moving services. So, if you have been looking for relevant information on hiring a quality moving company to pack and transport your items, you are in the right place. This article contains all relevant tips relating to quality hiring a moving company.

Below are 11 tips on how to hire a quality moving company.

1) Moving inventory

The first thing a reputable moving company will do is estimate your items before fixing a price. An estimator from the moving company will assess the items you intend to move to determine the weight and space the goods will take in the truck. Before agreeing on the fee, ask for relevant information from the estimator to avoid being overcharged.

2) The estimator should look through all items

If the estimator is not looking through enough is a sign of unprofessionalism. An estimator should ask questions know the items you plan to move and what you will be leaving behind.

3) Don't pay a large deposit

As a rule of thumb, payment should be made on delivery when dealing with a moving company. Also, you should make payment with your credit card instead of paying through a debit card to shield you from fraudulent activities.

4) Be mindful of companies that switch names

There is nothing wrong with companies changing an existing name or address. However, by doing this consistently, some companies use these tactics to evade the Better Business Bureau. Before you hire a moving company, ensure you know the company's permanent address and go through the name history.

5) Seek recommendations from friends and family

Before hiring a moving company, you can ask friends or family members to recommend for you a moving company they can trust to handle the movement of their belongings. You can ask the moving company to give you references from those that have hired them in the past for more validation. The information you get from acquaintances and the company's previous clients can give you more insight into their mode of operations.   

6) Understand their terms and policies before signing

When dealing with a moving company, understand every aspect of the contract before adding your signature. Also, before the driver leaves on a moving day, ensure all your items are on the inventory list.

7) Be wary of extortionate packing fees

You can pack your belongings in two ways: either do it yourself or pay for extra packing costs. If you are hiring a packer, expect inflated prices on moving supplies and labor costs. Also, ask for the packer's experience before assigning the contract.

8) Ask questions relating to additional costs

Every moving company has an internal policy on how they fix prices for extra duties. For every special moving task, there will be a surcharge. So, from the movers for additional costs applicable to your situation.

9) Always report problems early

Delay defeats equity, which is why you must act fast if you have a problem with a moving company. Legally, you have nine months to file a claim on damaged or missing items. Before the moving day, you should cross-check all items on the movers' bill of laden and inspect everything again, upon delivery.

10) Don't accept a guaranteed quote

There are three types of moving: a non-binding estimate, binding estimate, and non-binding to exceed the estimate. Knowing what this contract stands for will assist you in negotiating with a moving company.

11) Insurance

The general insurance policy applicable to all moving companies is replacement value protection. Under this insurance policy, the moving company is liable to the following:

• Repair damaged items to the extent of the previous condition or pay you the cost of repair
• Replace the item with an item of the same value or pay the client for replacement cost

Final thought

You must be prepared to do all the necessary research on any moving company that you plan to hire for your relocation, because your belongings are at stake. There are many fraudulent operators out there claiming they are movers, when in fact they do not possess the proper qualifications or equipment needed to perform safe and secure moves.

So, before you settle for any moving company, you must run a background check on their operation history before deciding on the moving company to hire for the job.