What to Watch
For!
Local Moving, also called Intrastate,
means that your new residence will be with-in
the same state, regardless of the number
of miles that you are moving.
Warnings:
- The lowest hourly rate in a local move
is not necessarily the lowest final price.
Some moving companies bait you with low
hourly rates and then in the sneakiest
of ways prolong the time required to finish
the move to raise the cost of your move.
Always choose the moving company best
suited based on the above criteria not
the hourly price.
- Watch out for hidden costs always ask
are there any other potential cots I may
be required to pay?
- DO NOT USE A BROKER. Always ask are
you a broker?
- Before you choose a National Van Line,
keep in mind most Van Lines don't have
the authority to do local moves. The moving
contract will be with you and their local
agent and the Van Line will not be responsible
in the case of any damages or other potential
problems. Rarely will the agent tell you
this and if he does not choose another
mover.
You may have seen recent news stories about
the proliferation of scam movers who have
been abusing customers across the U.S. Typically,
they come in with an estimate that is much
lower than legitimate movers. However, once
these scam movers take possession of your
household goods, they significantly increase
the price and refuse to unload your possessions
until you pay the higher price, usually
in cash.
Here are some ways to protect yourself
from these rogue movers:
- If the price seems too good to be true,
it probably is. Most honest professional
movers are competitive, and there prices
will differ but be within a reasonable
range. If a mover comes in with an estimate
way below all the others, that should
be a red flag to examine the basis of
the estimate before accepting it.
- Legitimate movers generally don't require
a significant deposit before moving you,
and if they do it is a small good faith
deposit. However, scam movers frequently
require large deposits even for the simplest
and least expensive moves.
- DO NOT USE A BROKER Many Internet moving
sites are hosted by household goods brokers
whose names sound like real movers, which
they are not. These brokers turn over
your shipment to a mover, many of which
are rogue movers instead of professionals.
Be sure to ask if your shipment is being
brokered.
- The principle governing industry tariff
specifies that interstate household goods
rates (prices) should be based on the
weight of your shipment (and that weight
should be determined on a scale that has
been certified by an official state agency).
If the mover you are considering tells
you that he is going to base your charges
on the number of cubic feet in your shipment
(which means there is no way for you to
verify the amount you will be charged),
you may want to consider using another
mover.
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