Hiring a moving company for your relocation is a great idea, that will easy up all this process. Still, in the sea of moving companies, you may have a problem choosing the right one. They all seem good on paper, but are they really? The crucial criterium that you need to focus on is to find a reliable moving company. The one that you can trust with your possessions. This guide will help you separate the good company from the one that you shouldn’t do business with.

What the term “reliable moving company” means?

First of all, you need to understand why is it crucial for moving company to be reliable. When you are moving, you will need to pack all of the belongings into boxes and transport them to your new home.
Since your cargo contains very important things to you, you need to trust the movers that are handling it. It is their responsibility to transport them safely.
Still, because of the moving industry is a large and lucrative business, there are some fraudulent companies on the market. The ones that can easily drag you into moving scams. Such companies may take your shipment hostage until you pay them more money than you agreed on. They can steal your stuff, or take your deposit and never show to move your home. That is why it is so crucial to choose the reliable moving company.

What to focus on when searching for reliable movers?

Searching for movers online is a good starting point. You just need to know the signs have you found the reliable moving company or not. There are specific signs that reveal is moving company trustworthy.

Licenses and insurance

Any company that is legal has to have a proper license. In the USA soil, the company has to have a USDOT number issued by the Department of Transportation. When you enter the USDOT number into a search engine at transportation.gov, you will have the information about the company and its license.

Also, it is important that moving company has an insurance. If the company doesn’t offer you any kind of insurance on your shipment, that is a clear sign that something is not right.

References, reviews, and complaints

If you have a friend that was using a service of the reliable moving company recently, take their advice. When you know somebody in person that was satisfied with the certain movers, research them, and see will they suit your needs also.

When you are searching for moving companies online, make a selection of three to five top moving companies that you are considering. Then go throw their reviews and complaints.
Try to find the real customer testimonials. They will tell you a lot about moving companies. Still, be careful of the internet trolls. They are usually hired by the competition to talk badly about the good moving companies. You will recognize the false reviews easily since they are bad mouthing the movers without getting into details. The more specific details the review have, the more truthful is.

Reputation

It takes a lot of time and hard work for somebody to build a spotless reputation in the moving business. That is why the most reputable movers are usually the most reliable ones. The reputable and reliable moving company cherish its good name and won’t risk engaging into any form of moving scams. In the time of the internet, every wrong step is exposed quickly. That is why companies that have a good reputation will do their best to keep it. Which means that they will go step further to ensure a customer satisfaction.

In-house estimation

Never trust the companies that are offering only the online estimation of your moving costs. The reliable moving company will always offer a free in-house estimation in order to determine the real costs of your relocation.
The representative of the moving company will come to your home, inspect it thoroughly and make an inventory of all your belongings.
The representative of the reliable moving company will:

• Have a lot of question for you about your relocation
• Make a lot of notes
• Meka a full inventory of the belongings that you are relocating
• Measure the doorways, starts steps, hallways etc.
• Explain if your home has any moving difficulties
• Have a professional attitude
• Be prepared to listen to you
• Answer all of your questions truthfully

When the representative of the company doesn’t write anything down, avoid your questions, and have uninterested attitude, that is a projection of the entire firm. It’s a clear red flag, and the sign that you should cross that company off your list.

Deposit

It is common for movers to ask for a deposit. The amount of deposit is what separates the reliable moving company from the fraudulent one.
While some moving companies won’t ask you for deposit, the ones that do should ask for a maximum of 20% of the estimated costs of your relocation. Any larger amount is a sign of a shady business.
When you are paying the deposit, always charge it on your credit card. That way you can contest the charge if there’s wrongdoing. If movers except for only cash deposit, that is a clear sign that you should find another moving company for your relocation.

Signs of the fraudulent moving company

Moving is a hard task, and if you have to deal with fraudulent movers, it will become an impossible mission. That is why you should take time and find the reliable moving companies.
Signs that you are dealing with the fraudulent moving company:

• Moving company refuse the on-site estimate of your household
• Movers demands large or only cash deposit before the move
• There’s no local address at the company’s website
• There’s no information about licensing or insurance at the company’s website
• They answer the phone not by the company’s name but rather with a generic phrase like “Movers” or “Moving company”
• The address of the offices and warehouse is nonexistent
• The offices and warehouse are in poor condition