How to Avoid Getting Ripped off By a Furniture Mover

Could moving house get any more stressful than it normally is? It actually can- if you find yourself at the hands of a scamming mover and believe it or not - the swamp is packed with such. Horror stories of victims of moving scams abound. Imagine after paying a pretty penny for what is supposed to be a stress-free move, finding yourself with damaged items and having no recourse whatsoever. It gets worse. You might find yourself bound to pay extra hundreds of Dollars because of hidden costs you were not made aware of. Before you add yourself to the long list of moving scam victims, here are some ways you can spot a scamming mover and stop them in their tracks.

Always do some background checks

You want to use a company with some history. Not just any history but a good shining reputation. You can get a reliable picture of a company's past performance all online. Simply enter the company's name in Google Search and a number of results will show up. Go to review sites such as Facebook where you will find star ratings as well as comments on the company's page. Google Reviews is also great for this. If you see too many 1 or 2 stars, stay away- you are staring into the eyes of a scammer. This is one reason you might want to avoid the new ones that do not have any history unless you want to be their guinea pig.

Consider multiple movers

Ask for estimates from multiple companies then compare them side by side. This will help you establish what's normal and what’s out of the ordinary and therefore probably a scam. If there is one that seems odd in some suspicious way, that is a red flag. Multiple quotes will also help you go in with confidence knowing you are not being overcharged.

Ask for written estimates

Always ask for written estimates from your movers. These should be complete breakdowns with no room for hidden costs. Scamming movers will only give you a vague cost preview and then throw in new expenses as the move progresses. Some victims have had their property hanged onto by movers until they paid these dubious charges.

Do not trust anyone that makes final estimates without coming to your home

Scammers only care about getting you hooked so they can freely milk your wallet. One way they do this is by giving you a quick estimate without even looking at the load involved. It is impossible to give time frames and costs without seeing what loads are actually involved. Stay away from those that give quick baseless estimates. They probably have shocking costs up their sleeves.

Check insurance and accreditation

In Australia, the body that oversees furniture removals is the Australian Furniture Removers Association. Members are required to stick to standard industry practices and these get updated from time to time. Check if your removalist is accredited with the association. If not, you have cause to doubt their authenticity.

Their website might tell a lot

You cannot tell much by looking at a website, but you certainly can pick up something. Does the website look like they paid attention to it? Does it look organised? Is their blog active and updated regularly? If they paid attention to their site, chances are they will pay attention to your project as well.

Check for overall professionalism

Pay attention to the details. A good mover will invest in their employees. They should have company t-shirts or caps and look professional. You can also tell by how they act towards customers. Trained movers will display professional customer relations which makes the whole experience so much better. Another giveaway might be their truck. They are probably not professional if they have an unmarked truck. Research removalists with a proven track record, a good example is the team at Removalists Brisbane in Australia.

Be sure to tick off all the items on the checklist before settling for any company. If you have to be scammed, don’t let it be something that could have been easily avoided.