How to find reliable movers

There are certain periods in your life which you aren’t sure you can survive. Having a kid for the first time, an illness and moving. Yap, you have to pack everything you own in bags, take it to another spot, and unpack it. Sounds like a piece of cake, right? Well, not really. The problem with moving is that it’s sometimes so difficult to find reliable movers. A reliable international moving company can do wonders – this means less stress, less money wasted and less time spent.

Look up companies in your area

You have to investigate a bit in order to find reliable movers.

Reliable movers are everywhere, but so is the other sort. How do you distinguish the two? One idea is communication. If you, for example, know someone who has recently moved, either to or from your area, do not hesitate to ask. A recommendation always goes a long way. Ask your family. Ask your friends. You need as much knowledge on your moving services provider as you can.

Find reliable movers through reviews

Reliable movers can be difficult to find these days. Fortunately, the age we live in is called Information age for a reason. Any decent or respectable moving company will have some sort of internet presence. One of the common ways to figure out which company you want to collaborate with is Yelp. Yelp is a website that allows for reviews of local businesses. Of course, not all reviews are reliable or impartial, but, you know, ten one-star rating should be a massive red flag. „These guys aren’t reliable! Steer clear!“ is what it’s trying to say. Businesses are much more transparent in this day an age for a reason. Use the internet to find reliable movers!

Research each mover individually

We live in an age of technology and information – use it to find reliable movers.

This one takes time, patience and effort. Reliable residential movers are sometimes hard to find. This means that you have to do a much more precise „scan“ of your local movers. This takes several steps:

• Make a list of movers in your area;
• Check which movers are still active (haven’t gone bankrupt and/or facing foreclosure);
• Shorten the list to top 3 using reviews, number of reviews, comments and internet presence as criteria;
• When you’re down to top 3, compare what they offer, and at what price. A significantly lower price probably (though not always) means fraudulent or unreliable movers;
• Contact them and compare.

Avoid fraudsters at all costs

The question here is, how do you recognize a fraudulent moving company? It’s not that simple, after all. Well, the thing is, there will always be some sort of indicator that the moving company is fraudulent. One clear example are much, much lower prices for the same services. Generally speaking, a lower service cost might just be an attempt to undercut competition – it’s a common tactic on the free market. But if nine out of ten companies are offering a moving service that costs 3-4k dollars, and there’s a company that offers is at 1.2-1.5k, that’s a big red light. Other red flags are:

To find reliable movers, do your own research.

• They don’t have an internet presence. All reliable movers have a website;
• They have a website, but it’s confusing and riddled with inaccuracies – for example, they should publish all of their info on the website, such as company name, address and contact number;
• Your national business registry shows a large number of lawsuits against them (if you’re in the EU, the European Free Trade Court has a list of cases you can search);
• When you contact them, they ask for money in advance.

Obviously, some things do look like red flags, but in fact aren’t. Maybe the company is underperforming due to other issues, such as recession. Maybe their website is a mess because it got hacked, or due to a virus. Maybe it’s just a single careless employee. Red flags come hand-in-hand, which means when there’s one, others will likely follow.

Contact potential movers via phone

You’re unsure about the company – it seems like a good deal, but you just aren’t sure. So, what happens now? You contact them, of course. Once they answer the phone, you need to be assertive (not aggressive!). Ask everything you need to know. You want to be sure the companies you do business with are reliable domestic movers. The questions you must ask, and get answer to, are:

• Do you have your own vehicles (borrowed trucks are a no-go);
• What are the prices they are charging;
• What sorts of documents do they offer – generally, if a document is incomplete, or double-worded or unclear, do not sign it;
• What kind of services do they provide – inquire about their portfolio.

Do not fall into legal traps

Always make sure to read every document they offer you. Reliable movers will have full and complete portfolio, with a set maximum price. Always be aware of hidden costs. Keep in mind that these documents are legally binding. Make sure you read every word, and, if needed, call your attorney. Attorney services aren’t cheap, but spotting red flags in a possible contract isn’t particularly expensive. Also keep in mind stuff like hidden costs, so, i know it sounds weird, but an attorney could save you money. Court cases can also take a long time, especially when it comes to obligation law. There is no reason for you to squander your hard earned money on unclear contracts made by companies which are not reliable movers. In order not to get scammed here’s what you have to do:

• Do not sign any incomplete paperwork;
• Do not give any cash in advance;
• Do not let the company dictate prices – they would love to charge you more for the same service if they aren’t reliable movers. Instead, try to negotiate with them;
• Do not accept suspicious-sounding services such as „table moving“;
• If you’re being threatened by company employees or they start taking your stuff, call 911 immediately!