Bad Terms and Policies to Watch for in a Move Company

When you’re finding those who will help you move, a company appraisal is key to make sure you’re getting reliable assistance. Here are some red flags in a moving contract or policy that will tell you a moving or removal company may not be what they seem.

Weight Based Charges or Adjustable Moving Fees

Your base price is one thing you need to watch carefully. Your initial price quote is what you use to evaluate the cost of getting your stuff from point A to point B. If that rises substantially, you’ll have a problem. Not nailing down a specific final price before the movers show up is a big mistake.

Moving companies, storage companies and others have been known to boost rates after loading the truck, effectively holding your possessions hostage. Many call this a “hostage freight” situation. The way to avoid this is to get a final price in writing before you sign onto using a company. Then, later, your written agreement will help in negotiating the final payment.

Vague Time Frames

Depending on the movers you select, time may become a factor in the moving job. Time usually isn’t an issue with a professional company that works in a very orderly way, but with smaller local movers, all kinds of things can cause delays in a moving job. However, time is often very important to the client, who has planned time off from work to deal with the move. Don’t let a late job derail your relocation. Make sure you can hold your movers to a time frame.

Breakage

Another big issue with the terms and policies of professional movers is their outlook on damage to your possessions. Again, this varies according to the company. However, too many movers both large and small have a surprisingly callous attitude toward damage, especially if it happens during loading.

A lot of good firms will use the standard tie-downs, blankets and other gear to make sure goods don’t break during the ride, but things can still get broken as they are loaded. Some movers even throw items randomly on top of a truck load, which is a terrible way to provide shipping for anyone. If your company tells you that “some things will always get broken”, they’re lazy and unprofessional. Hold movers to standards regarding damaged items.

Lack of Employee Checks

Some movers may also have a problem with another policy area: hiring. Clients who regretted hiring a moving firm will often tell stories about employees with aggravating tendencies to make themselves at home during the move. This includes a wide range of behaviors, from blasting their music and tracking mud through a house, to distracting clients with inappropriate questions or lounging around in the client’s home without doing any work at all.

Clients may also have questions about the background checks done on employees. Movers have a lot of access to a household’s personal affects and their homes, and those who hire movers need to be able to trust them to be honest and professional.

Look for these items in a moving company, and get some idea of their policies before you sign, to avoid a whole lot of troublesome situations.