Long Distance Moving Companies: Five Scams To Watch Out

Read More About Business Ideas & Tips

Many people looking for a moving company are frequently misled into believing that a good reputation is enough for a successful relocation. Being an unregulated business, the moving business is a common place to get cheated.

Looking at the most recent year, there were 9,405 complaints from consumers regarding relocation companies, the BBB informs. Unfortunately, even the most reputable companies can be involved in scams and you can not always relay on the regulatory agency as it has limited budget and resources.

Low Rate Bids

The most popular moving industry scam is giving you a low estimate and then changing you extra fees at your destination - once in a while this ends up being four times the amount of the estimate you were given! If you refuse to pay the extra charges, the moving company will store your possessions in a warehouse until you cough up the money. Even if you've put your signature on a "binding and not to exceed quote", you are not safe, so make sure you've read the contract really carefully!

Negotiating Your Move To A Third Party

Some moving companies will try to cheat you by overcharging you and subcontracting the work to another mover at half the price that you paid. Keep in mind that, usually, the subcontractor is not responsible to deliver goods in time as it is specified in the contract. What is more, their employees are often day laborers who have no real experience in moving fragile items and, consequently, breakage is common.

Minimal Insurance Policies

The third most common scam that consumers usually complain about is breakage. Most people don't know that most companies' mover's liability coverage allows them to pay you only around $60 per pound for a damaged item. Which means that if your gorgeous plasma TV purchased for a few thousand dollars gets broken, you will be reimbursed only $30!

You can avoid this scam with a clause in your homeowner's policy that covers damages caused during the moving. What is more, take pictures of your possessions and be sure that your movers sign a statement of the condition of your items.

Cost Based On A Per Foot Bases

The fourth common way that a moving company will rip you off is the weight versus cubic feet arrangement. You are entitled to witness weigh-ins and verify the amount, but a mover can make your load take up as much space as they want it to in order to jack up the charges. So, try to calculate the weight by dividing your load with number of items. Beware if you arrive at more than 45 pounds for each piece.

Extra Parking Fees

Another popular scam is extra charges incurred by claiming the movers could not park their truck in front of your residence, resulting in "long carries" from half a block or so away. You may have to pay several thousands of dollars for this! Still, you can avoid being sucked into this scam by planning everything ahead.

How To Avoid Scams

You can avoid these scams by reading moving company reviews on the internet or consumer publications, getting several quotes, having an attorney approve the contract, and documenting the condition and weight of your load. It may be a good idea to ask friends who've moved recently which companies they used and how well the movers performed.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Don't be taken by rogue long distance moving company by making a hasty decision as to who to hire for your move. Request your free no-obligation moving company quote from several seasoned moving companies to compare services, best value, and save up to 35% on your move.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Business Ideas & Tips Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Business | Business Ideas & Tips

Our other websites
All about SEO
Beauty Tips Forum

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Link Us
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Sitemap

New Stuff
About Us
Developer
Good shopping portal
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service