8 Tips to Help You Find Reliable Movers

Finding the right moving company is usually what makes or breaks the whole moving experience. Your move can go smoothly with little to no stress if careful professionals are handling your possessions. But it can become a nerve-racking process if you get an unreliable company and worry about your household items or an unexpected bill. Your new beginning should start smoothly and finding the right ally will help accomplish the task. Don’t ignore the fact that many people are taking advantage of consumers and you may encounter fraudulent moving companies. Luckily, there are ways to recognize them and instead hire reputable and trustworthy professionals to help you with your move. But how to choose between so many options available? How to know if movers have credentials and expertise, especially in NYC which offers endless choices?

How to find reliable movers

Keep reading to find the best tips to help you find reliable movers:

1. Ask away

If some of your friends or acquaintances recently moved, ask them if they are happy with the service. A recommendation from a friend is a great way to get the best service possible. If you don’t get feedback from people you know, you can always check online reviews. Satisfied customers are one of the ways to tell if the company is trustworthy. Reliable movers will have reviews on their website that will be available to you. If service is good than previous customers’ impressions will speak for themselves.

2. Check their website

Nowadays almost everything is available online. A reputable moving company will invest in its webpage. If the website looks shady or messy, it is probably the best to skip them and keep searching. You should be able to get some basic information about them, their location, and which services they are offering. Their contact should also be very visible and easy to get.

3. Give them a call

After you spend some time on the website and find it satisfying, get in contact with them. Speaking with a moving company’s representative will give some insight into how they operate. If they are reliable, they should ask questions to understand your needs as well as be opened to many questions about moving that you have. Feel free to inquire about anything that you need to know and pay attention to the customer service and how they respond to your questions.

4. Get the quote

If a person you are talking to over the phone is offering a quote straight away, most likely it is a fraudulent company. Every reputable moving company will have to assess your household belongings and your home to determine the price. They will always need to visit your home to offer an accurate onsite estimate. However, get this with a grain of salt because, at times of COVID-19 pandemic, it might not go so smoothly. Perhaps they will be able to do so at a later date or offer an online estimate instead. Whichever the case, reputable movers will need to see your home before providing a price quote. Additionally, their payment system should be transparent. That means you should be able to know exactly which services you are paying for and to understand moving costs. Sometimes there might be hidden costs and you want to avoid surprising expenses.

5. Check if they provide paperwork

Proper paperwork protects both parties in any business. Reputable movers’ services will always follow with documentation. There are three types possible: binding, non-binding, and binding-not-to-exceed contract. It is up to you to choose which one suits your needs. If a company is not providing a contract, keep searching.

6. Check for a license

This should be easy to do, as reputable movers will list their Department of Transportation (DOT) license number and insurance information on their website. You can usually find it on the homepage or in a section that has an explanation about the company. You can also ask the moving company for the proof of their insurance. Also, check if they are a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) which is providing information to the consumers and exposing frauds. Furthermore, check the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA), because all the listed companies are required to go through a vetting process. You can do this easily by going to their website and entering details of your move as zip codes and moving dates.

7. Check if they have experience

If you are planning a long-distance move, it is always best to hire movers that have experience in such matter. If they have been in business for a long time, it can tell you that they are trustworthy. Usually, if the moving company has been established over a decade ago, and still running, it is a good sign they are reliable. Not a rule of thumb when it comes to a simple local move, but it is way easier to tell if they have credentials if they have been in business for a long time.

8. Decide if it is the right fit for you

Eventually, the moving company that has the best reviews doesn’t have to be the best for you. Check out several movers before you make up your mind and settle for the right one. Don’t go for the cheapest one, rather find the one that assures you it will be done safely and that will complete the task in a professional manner. You might be more comfortable with one of them without breaking the budget. Make your decision based on several factors (price, service, equipment, etc.) because the ultimate goal is to transport your belongings safely and as convenient as possible.

Few tips for recognizing fraudulent movers

To avoid getting scammed, choose your movers carefully and take your time to understand how they operate. These are several things that will tell you that you are probably in for a scamming moving company:

• • Estimate without visual and not offering onsite inspection
• • Asking for a large cash deposit before moving
• • Not providing paperwork−contract and insurance
• • Extremely low pricing compared to other moving companies