Before you hire a moving company do your homework. Every year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration fines more and more moving companies for various violations. Last year, their investigations resulted in over 300 fines for safety violations among moving companies in the U.S… Some unethical moving companies sacrifice safety and scruples for better profits. Don’t be daunted by this, there are several steps you can take to find an ethical moving company.
First things first – do your homework on choosing a suitable mover. Picking the wrong movers could result in major financial losses due to bait and switch tactics, as well as damage to your precious personal treasures – not to mention potential theft. Prior to engaging a moving company, you will want to see if there are complaints against them at the Better Business Bureau. Also, check out this new website called www.movingscam.com, designed just for monitoring bad moving companies.
The Department of Transportation reports that there are specific signs that your moving operator may be less that ethical:
- The mover doesn’t offer or agree to an inspection of your household goods prior to giving an estimate. These estimates are often too good to be true – a bait and switch tactic.
- The moving company demands cash or a large deposit before the move – anything more than $100 should be cause for concern.
- The mover doesn’t provide you with a copy of Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, a booklet movers are required by Federal regulations to supply to their customers.
- The mover claims all goods are covered by their insurance is not likely being candid.
- The company’s website has very few details about the licensing or physical address.
Long time moving company owner in Los Angeles, Stan Korski, says, “Many moving companies prey on last minute movers – most legitimate companies require weeks of advance booking, so when a last minute mover calls, some movers take advantage of the situation.” An integral part of a low cost move is clearly advance planning.
At Los Angeles Professional Movers, they recommend booking at least six weeks in advance, which means you should start researching your moving company at least 7 weeks prior to your planned move date. Another advantage to booking early is that you can often negotiate the cost of the move and other details, as well as make special requests from your selected moving company.
Industry experts recommend avoiding summers and weekends when booking your move. Increased demand during those periods result in higher costs and diminished availability of quality moving services. In 2008, most violations, in proportion to the total number of moves, were discovered by the FMCSA. Poor planning blended with a move during a busy season could significantly narrow your moving service alternatives and make you more vulnerable to predatory operators.
Almost all moving companies charge additional fees for special requests or contingencies sometimes not totally disclosed, so prepare for it. It is important that you ask pertinent questions about extra costs, insurance policies, license numbers, and the mileage that is or is not included.
All in all, the most important thing to remember is not move without a plan. Sometimes a move is decided on impulse. When it comes to hiring a moving company, impulsiveness can be expensive.
This is an article written by Sydney Welkinson – I thought I would share these tips on my blog.