Across Town Movers | Across Town Movers

26Jul

Five Things You Need to Know to Avoid a Moving Scam

Moving intrinsically places you into a vulnerable situation. You’re entrusting almost every one of your worldly possessions into the hands of a stranger; praying that they don’t break your grandmother’s clock and that they don’t scuff up that flat screen. But most importantly, you’re trusting that they won’t take you and your possessions for a financial ride.

Moving scams are easy to operate, and therefore they are fairly rampant in today’s society. Many times moving is a last-minute affair, and in the stress of moving an entire household in one day, warning signs can be overlooked in the hustle and the bustle.

One of the most important pieces of advice to keep in mind when moving is to do a proper amount of planning. Scheduling your movers well in advance of your moving date can allow you to shop around and cause you to pause and reconsider when something about your chosen moving company doesn’t seem quite right.

Keep these tips in mind when planning your move to avoid a potential moving scam:

1. Read reviews, ask for recommendations, and do your homework.

Friends and family are always a great place to start when looking for information about reputable companies. Ask around for suggestions and listen to them recount their experiences. After all, some of the best businesses rely on referrals as their most important means of growth and success.

Check for your moving company’s affiliations and their listing with the Better Business Bureau as well as websites like movingscam.com and the American Moving and Storage Association. Read up on Yelp to see what other customers have said about the service. There are even government run websites like ProtectYourMove.gov and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Check your local California Moving and Storage listings for a more tailored list.

2. Get a real estimate. Or better yet, get two or three.

Many moving companies will estimate your moving project over the phone or through online forms. Look for companies that will come out to your house and spend time cataloging your moving needs.

If you have very large items, breakables or those that need to be disassembled before transit, this can complicate your move. Talk with your movers about how this will affect the final cost of your move and what you can do beforehand to alleviate the extra cost.

Not only should you ask for an estimate from your mover, but you should shop around for prices. Most companies will claim that they have the best prices in the business. But you should always run the numbers for two or three competitive companies and choose which one has the charges and the services that make you feel the most comfortable.

The best scams are those that specialize in eating up unnecessary time. Movers will accidentally take the wrong way, move items slowly, or carry less than they are capable of carrying in order to eat up minutes on the clock, which can quickly burn a hole in your pocketbook.

3. Read the contract carefully

Fine print is nobody’s friend, but it can make the difference between a deal and a disaster. Ask for a copy of the contract in advance of your moving day so that you can read through it beforehand. Look for potential charges that are unlisted, and question any items that seem suspect. Hidden charges can ring up or even double your bill when all is said and done. If you have questions about any part of the contract, don’t make assumptions or infer the implications of any passage. Ask questions and request modifications to any part you don’t agree to. If any anticipated expenses are unlisted, ask that they be included in the contract.

Carefully sort out the coverage of your items during the move. Many moving companies have a general coverage of your items, but do not claim responsibility for items that are highly expensive (such as china, jewelry and antiques) or certain furniture brands that may break easily during transit. If you don’t see coverage for specific items listed, ask about them in advance.

4. Know your rights

It is of utmost importance that you understand your rights when working with moving companies. Many scams are based on the assumption that the victim is not aware of their rights and the mover’s responsibilities. You can find the US Department of Transportation’s list of these rights at www.protectyourmove.gov. Being equipped with the knowledge that movers must give written estimates and that you can request guaranteed pick-up and delivery dates can give you leverage in the event of a dispute.

5. Trust Your Instincts

Sometimes even when everything seems to be in order, something still just doesn’t feel right. If the company is hard to get a hold of, does a lot of hand-waving and offers a “don’t worry” sentiment when you ask for the details, or doesn’t seem to have much in the way of reviews or history…you should most definitely have concern. Scam artists are still artists, and they can build a masterpiece out of making you agree to questionable deals with expertly-honed tactics. Make a list of everything you want to ask your mover before you begin, and don’t settle for less than ticking off each one of the items on your list.

Prepare early and look for a company with a good name and solid reviews. Moving scams are prevalent enough that the government has provided resources for movers. Scam artists can run up your bill, hold your possessions for ransom, or disappear with them altogether. Take heed of the seriousness of the matter and do what you can to protect your pocketbook and your possessions.

With some good planning and a little bit of research, you can sail smoothly through the stress of moving and land at your new home with everything in one piece for an honest price.

Moving Tips for Packing a Huge House

While living in a large house can be great, it may overwhelm you when it comes time to move. If done properly, you can pack up a huge house with ease and eliminate many of the typical stresses of moving. There are several aspects to take into consideration when packing up a big house, but the overall best advice is to be prepared and extremely organized.

When you begin packing, start with all of the items that are not being used on a frequent basis. Good rooms to begin with would be your attic, basement, and all the closets in the house. If you get those areas packed far in advance, it will take a huge burden off your hands when you have to pack everything else.

After you have packed away the things you never use, it is time to start strategically planning the rest of your rooms. You should pack one room at a time to break down the long process of packing a huge house into several smaller and more manageable steps. To keep organized, start off by color coding each room and put a sticker with the room’s color on each box. This will help to organize the packing into the truck and unloading into the new house. Once you are ready to attack the project of packing your home and moving, there are several moving tips to think about during the process.

Boxes: Boxes are really the backbone of your move. While you may be able to reuse some older boxes, it will save you from a lot of headaches if you use newer, stronger boxes. The size of the box determines what you will pack into it. The large boxes are meant for lighter, bulkier items like pillows and linens. If you pack heavy items in a large box, you and the movers will struggle to move it and the box may even break. The small boxes work great for heavy solid items like all the books from your library. Mid size boxes are great for miscellaneous items and fragile items as long as you use plenty of padding like paper, towels, and bubble wrap.

Other Supplies: You will need some basic supplies for the move. Tissue paper, packing paper, packing tape, permanent markers, knife, scissors, and of course boxes will all be used during the move. Make sure you have more than enough of each because you don’t want to be stuck on the big day without important supplies.

Labeling: The most important step that will keep you from tearing out your hair is to label everything. You should use color coded stickers to designate the room the box goes in and a large felt tip marker to write what the contents are. Indicate “fragile” and “this end up” on the box and list the contents on the side of the box. If the box belongs to a certain individual in the family, mark their name on each box that is theirs. Last but not least, add either the number “1” or letter “A” for boxes that you want to be unpacked first at the new house. You will then be able to quickly and efficiently unpack without ripping through boxes trying to find everything.

Packing a Box: How you pack a box is just as important as the size the box is. You will need to put the heaviest items on the bottom of the box with the lighter things on top. Each box should have similar items in it to help with labeling and keeping organized, and you should not mix things from different rooms into one box. The kitchen stuff should all go into kitchen labeled boxes – don’t mix the living room and kitchen, for example. Between each layer of items within the box, stuff packing paper for padding.

Three Box Rule: When you go into a room and begin packing, you should follow the three box rule. One box for packing things up, one for garbage, and one for the big yard sale that you will need to have to sell off the clutter. Having the three boxes ready to go when you start packing will make it quick and easy to pack.

What to Leave Out: All of your important documents and valuables are to stay on you at all times. Aside from that, you will need the basics for daily life such as toiletries, a few kitchen items, a couple pairs of clothes, and just the linens you will be using. Those items will all be packed up last and unpacked first at the new house so you have everything you need.

Moving Truck: If you rent a moving truck, you will probably need the biggest truck available for your huge house. Depending on the size of your house, you may need to do two trips, but if you pack properly you hopefully can get it all in one tightly packed load.

Hiring Movers: Moving a big house will be physically demanding and you will want to hire a moving company who can handle the heavy items, packing the truck, and unloading it quickly. You don’t want to injure yourself during the move so let the strong guys on a moving team do the hard work for you.