In case it is you are planning to relocate to another state for the first time in your life, such a change can be difficult. One of the challenges to overcome would be figuring out the best long-distance moving companies to consider for the job. Making such a decision require you to take into consideration the drawbacks and weigh them against the costs and merits.
To avoid working with unscrupulous professionals, below are few important things you need to know that will help you avoid fraudulent movers.
Never hire movers that are quick to ask for a big initial deposit for their services, and be more cautious if they demand you pay in cash. Any trustworthy moving company will take the time to guide you through the nature of their services and why they are asking for a set amount of deposit. Moreover, such movers will request that you clear the remaining payment once they have helped you relocated and completed the job. They will not be quick to ask for cash payment; instead, they will ask for you to deposit the pay as a cheque or card. They do these things as a measure taken to prove that they are not trying to extort you.
Some of the movers will downplay your specs; they will not take the time to review your property. As such, they are likely to ask for extra fees. Any experience moving company understands the value of looking into what the client will be transporting because the nature of the items being moved can influence the overall costs. Service providers who do not review what things you will be taking with you will place additional charges soon after you hire them and they have loaded up their transit vehicles ready to hit the road.
Make sure that the providers give you a service guarantee that they will secure and protect your things. Some moving companies will not handle clients’ belongings with care. They should be careful with your property, especially if you have paid them to pack and load your stuff into the transport vehicle. Therefore, make sure that you do not hire irresponsible movers for your long-distance relocation. It is not difficult to find movers with good reputation.
Regarding the need to have your properties protected, the moving companies should be insured so that they secure their services against different risks. At times, damages to property on transit can happen due to factors that are beyond the driver’s actions. It can be due to another road user. Whatever the reasons, the moving company should have insurance cover for its transit services. You, therefore, should check with the movers to find out what guarantees they the offer you regarding insurance.
Avoid movers that have changed their business names severally over the last few years. Such companies might have a tainted reputation and blacklisted by the Better Business Bureau. That is why you need to do some background checks before hiring. Moreover, many of the fraudulent moving companies will have staff that rarely undergoes any background checks or drug testing. You must inquire about this before you allow the company to handle the relocation for you. You do not want inexperienced and unprofessional individuals tasked with the work, and they end up damaging your belongings when packing, loading and offloading the items.
The movers you hire to inform you that your property will be under their care and supervision from the time they start packing and loading to items, to when your things are on the road and until they reach their destination and are offloaded. Avoid moving companies that seem to take your belongings hostage, claiming that they will release your things once you complete your payments. That is why you need to have and an agreement signed before they start work. So you should expect a written contract that states the terms of services; you will have to go through the document with a fine toothcomb before appending your signature. Never agree to enter a blank contract with the moving companies.
Lastly, be wary of movers that charge meager rates. In as much as you would not want to cough up a significant sum for the relocation services, you still will spend quite an amount of money on these services. You can determine the average costs by comparing the rates of different moving companies. Also, try to find out why the movers are offering such low prices or discounts as you compare their service package with tier competitors.