Choosing the right mover can be tough. You’ll want to make sure that you select a company with a track record of moving your items safely.
And there are certain things you should know when it comes to hiring a mover, such as common scams that may occur. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
One common scam in the moving industry is when movers demand additional payment after their initial quote to release their belongings.
If you suspect this is happening to you, here’s what you can do. When you’re hiring professional movers, you have different options such as packing and piano moving.
These services are available for an additional charge when compared to the basic moving rate.
The most common red flag with any moving service is being asked for extra money to release your belongings “hostage.” If this happens to you, here are instructions on how to make things right so you can move forward.
If you move in Copenhagen, it’s important that you find a (moving company) Flyttefirma that can help make the transition as smooth as possible. You should aim to find movers who have been around for a while and who understand how to do this kind of work.
Review the reviews of federal law:
As the creator of a Handy moving business, it’s important to make certain that your client knows their rights have been protected when hiring you for a job.
For example, according to federal laws, movers must deliver belongings regardless of how it affects your final charges – meaning that if a customer has paid 100% or 110% on their binding estimate.
A non-binding one has been provided, they qualify for delivery and it’s no excuse to later decide not to follow through with the contracted services because you’ve reached this threshold.
Although additional services may cause your final charges to rise just as additional weight would, the movie is still guaranteed at this point so long as these selections were outlined in the written contract.
You should only agree to pay for the quantities that you have already seen and physically verified on your moving day with your hired movers.
If the price of your move is dependent on what happens before or during the packing and delivery process, there’s a good chance that it may end up increasing by more than 10%.
Contact the authorities
The Better Business Bureau says that being informed about your legal rights as a consumer is key to understanding more about the moving industry.
This is because there have been cases where consumers who have not been treated fairly by a company that deals with their possessions the way they should – could be breaking the law themselves.
It’s important to note, however, that law enforcement cannot solve civil issues – but when it comes to instances where significant harm or illegal acts are being committed against you.
Your belongings a police officer would be able to assist in resolving the issue. We’d like to also add at many businesses and government offices can help with any disputes you.
Notify the better business bureau about the incident:
Although the BBB won’t give you your items back, they may be able to warn others about the same or a similar moving company that might do the same thing.
Encourage them to give you some of your things back. It can put enough pressure on someone not expecting the consequences of their actions to change their mind and release your belongings.
You may get different responses depending on their answer – some moving companies take an “eye for an eye” approach and leave poor reviews online about you.
A few have even made harassing phone calls to employers, friends, or family members by searching through public records!
Document every incident as it happens so they note how often they are calling because some states require people and businesses to follow specific rules regarding solicitation.
Although the BBB probably won’t settle your dispute, talking about your experience with the moving company with others can help protect them from dealing with any similar problems.
Having a review of your experience online can be enough pressure to cause some companies to give in and release their possessions.
Talk to your insurance company:
When a moving company is unable to deliver your possessions or simply refuses to do so for one reason or another, you may be able to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
Additionally, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Compliance, Safety and Accountability program tracks the moving companies that fail to deliver on time.
In order to prevent this occurrence. When a moving company fails to deliver and holds your things hostage, there is only one thing that you as an individual can do call the police.
Steer clear of any moving company who does not have a license or whose paperwork is not in order.
Rely on documentation of contact and emails made between yourself and the mover as well as copies of other important documents to prove that you have been communicating with the moving company.
Retain all relevant evidence in case there are legal charges brought against any party of interest involved in this situation.
However, if the property is over $500,000 or pertains to intellectual property like patents or artwork, you may wish to consider hiring a lawyer to help resolve your dispute.
FAQs related to Is it common for moving companies to steal your stuff?
How do I complain about a removal company?
If a moving company leaves your things or drops them off at the wrong location, it is generally up to you to locate the truck and receive your things, or pay an additional fee to have another truck sent out.
If a moving company won’t come out, contact them in writing and let them know what they did wrong.
Don’t waste any time in filing complaints with both the local police and at torn by general’s office, as these agencies could have enough information on file to assist you in pursuing legal action into recovering your belongings.
How do you prevent theft when moving?
Pack your bags with number patterns on them. Keep the generally cheapest ones in the front. Marking boxes with tape that has different colors will help you sort them afterward and find what you’re looking for more easily.
By making an index of what’s in each box, you’ll be able to quickly figure out where anything is so that you can dispose or re-use the contents.
If you’re incredibly strapped for time, then at least make an index of each room’s contents so that movers won’t know whether or not something “new” has been added to the box.
It’s just an old duplicate which can easily be disposed of after grabbing one from another box marked as sorted and ready for shipping.
Conclusion:
Theft is nothing new for moving companies. In fact, it happens so often that there is even a name for it: Bait and Switch.
This is when a moving company will advertise a low price for moving services. Once the movers arrive to your location.
They will knock on your door and tell you that they will have to charge you more for the actual move.
They may even tell you that your move is too big for them to handle and that you will need to hire more movers. They will then ask you to sign multiple blank pieces of paper.
Once they do, the movers will be able to take anything they want so you cannot hold them responsible. The movers may even say that some items are damaged when they are not.