If you have an upcoming relocation, feeling overwhelmed is normal. There are so many aspects to moving that one can hardly stay on top of every task and still manage their work-life and family. Luckily, moving companies Northern VA offers are available at affordable prices, so anyone can have professionals take care of their relocation and do all the hard work. However, knowing that there are countless fraudulent movers out there scamming people every day makes the process of hiring movers much harder. We are sharing some valuable tips so you can successfully avoid having a bad moving experience. You deserve to remember your relocation with a smile on your face!
Avoid a bad moving experience with these tips
Anyone can have an enjoyable relocation if they have the right moving help by their side. But, getting to that point sometimes proves to be hard. Moving scammers are popping up everywhere, and they’re not always easy to recognize, especially if you are in desperate need of moving assistance. There are plenty of reputable moving companies Fairfax VA residents can choose from, you just need to know some tricks on how to avoid fraudulent ones. Here’s what you can do:
- do quick online research on the company
- check customer reviews
- don’t consider hiring movers that ask for a big chunk of money upfront
- avoid movers that are suspiciously affordable
Do your research
Google is a powerful tool, and with a quick online search, you can find plenty of information on the moving company you are interested in. Even though this step might feel unnecessary, don’t skip it. You can easily find reliable local movers VA has at its disposal, but it’s crucial to check their license before hiring anyone. All moving companies have to be registered with the Department of Transportation, and also in the FMCSA i.e. the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Those are some basic pieces of information that every mover should provide on their website, and if they are missing it might be better to skip that company. It is also worth checking if a company has a physical address and contact information listed on its website. The lack of address is a red flag, and you should steer clear of such moving companies.
Check for customer reviews
The best thing that you can do when hiring movers is to check online reviews. Both happy and unhappy clients will gladly leave a review, either on the mover’s website or on a third-party website such as Yelp or Angie’s List. You should always look for impartial website reviews first. Keep in mind that there can be some fake comments. If a mover has all 5-star reviews, that should raise some suspicions on your part. The same goes for when they have all negative reviews. In both cases, the movers could be scammers. Honest moving companies usually have a lot of customer reviews, but those are mostly in the 3-4 star range. Not to say that a company can’t have genuine 5-star ratings. It’s only a red flag if all the ratings are 5 stars and they are all posted on approximately the same date.
Don’t feel bad to ask questions
Moving is not the cheapest endeavor. So, when you hire movers it is your right as their client to ask all the questions that concern you regarding your relocation. Don’t be ashamed or think your question is stupid- there are no stupid questions. All your concerns are valid and reputable moving companies will gladly be available to answer any questions. To ensure you have a positive moving experience, you need to ask about the details of your relocation that concern you. For example, ask your movers what time they will be at your home if they charge extra for flights of stairs, or what exactly their moving service includes. These are some of the first questions you should ask. If the person you’re talking to doesn’t want to answer, look for another mover. Being transparent with a client is important in the moving business.
Move on from moving companies that ask for significant amounts of money upfront
No reputable local or long distance movers Northern VA offers will ask for all or most of the money to be paid in advance. It is a standard for movers to ask for something in advance, but those are usually small sums of around $100. If you come across a moving company that is asking you to pay for their services in advance, skip it. You could be dealing with fraudulent movers that are trying to scam you.
Think twice before hiring movers that give you an estimate much lower than the others
When you start looking for movers, you should get moving estimates from at least three different companies. This is done so you can get a better insight into the pricing and what each company provides as a moving service. Some movers include packing in the pricing of their moving services. Others charge for flights of stairs. It is important to know what you’re getting for your hard-earned money. However, the cheapest option is not necessarily the best. If you get an estimate that’s much lower than the other two or more, skip that company. If it’s too affordable to be true- it probably is. Those don’t necessarily have to be scammers, but there will likely be some extra fees with that company. In such instances, the total amount you need to pay gets much higher than the estimate you initially got.
It’s easy to avoid a bad moving experience with reputable Northern Virginia movers
Going with dependable, honest movers is key when you want to avoid a bad moving experience. Moving can be stress-free and enjoyable, you just need to find a moving company you can rely on. Hopefully, our tips were useful and you’ll have an easier time avoiding scammers when you hire movers for your upcoming relocation. Good luck!
