Moving, whether it’s across the street or across the country, is a stressful activity. And it can be made more or less stressful depending on the quality and dependability of your moving company. Before hiring a mover, here are three important questions you should be asking about moving services.
Is the mover licensed and insured?
Actually, you need to do more than just ask about licensing and insurance, you need to get proof. Buddy Lee’s Shipping & Transport, LLC suggests to, “Ask the company to provide documents showing that it has the proper insurance and licenses to move your stuff. If the move is within your state, the moving company needs to have a license to operate within that state. If the move is across state lines, then the company needs an interstate license from the U.S. Department of Transportation. If you are not satisfied with the answer your mover gives, you can check for yourself what licenses and insurance it has on the Department of Transportation’s website. As an extra precaution, check with your own homeowners or renters insurance company to see if all your personal items will be covered during a move. If not, you should look into purchasing supplemental moving insurance.”
What is included in the price?
Movers offer a range of services, so you should be sure that the price you were quoted includes all services that you are expecting to get. Ask for an itemized copy of the written estimate, including all services and their individual cost, and ask the moving employee to explain anything to you that you don’t understand. Ask if you can get discounts by moving on a different day or by being flexible in when your stuff can arrive at your new home. Also ask to eliminate any services you don’t need. For example, if you plan to pack everything yourself, you need to make sure you aren’t charged for that service. And ask about any extra charges, such as fuel charges or charges to move items in high-rise buildings. You should also ask about any cancellation charges and what the process is for changing dates and if there are charges for that.
One thing to keep in mind is that legitimate moving companies rarely ask for any payment up front. Once they have your stuff on the truck, they pretty much have you at their mercy, so they are unlikely to not get paid what they are owed. If you are asked to put down a deposit, make sure you get a receipt and a written assurance that the deposit will be credited toward the price of the move.
Will you come to my home?
Beware of any moving company that gives you an estimate over the phone without showing up in person to see your stuff. There is no way for a moving company to accurately predict the cost of the move without seeing how big your residence is and how much and what type of stuff you have. If you have to, request an in-home estimate; it could mean the difference between getting an accurate price or having the mover low ball the bid and then try to make up for it later with add-on fees.
Most moving companies are well run and know what they are doing, but as with any business, there are unscrupulous actors. Asking the right questions ahead of time can ensure you don’t get stuck with a bad apple moving your stuff.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-mcholm/hiring-moving-company_b_3184413.html
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/story/2012-07-29/Help-on-way-when-movers-hold-goods-hostage/56576226/1
