You have enough to think about on moving day…the last thing you need are unpleasant surprises. One of the top unpleasant surprises is finding out your move will cost more than you originally planned. Don’t be one of the unfortunate people caught in this situation – get your moving costs in writing before moving day.
Worst-Case Moving Cost Surprise
An unscrupulous moving company offers a low moving cost quote to a customer over the phone. The customer agrees to the phone quote and schedules a move. After the moving company loads all of the customer’s belongings and arrives at the customer’s new home, they tell the customer that the move will cost much more than anticipated; and that they will not unload the items until the much higher moving fees total is paid.
Under this scenario, the unscrupulous moving company knew all along that there were planning on holding the customer’s belonging hostage until inflated fees are paid. This type of behavior is unethical and illegal – yet people frequently fall victim to this scam.
More Common Moving Cost Surprise
A legitimate moving company offers a ball-park quote over the phone to a customer, based on the customer’s explanation of what needs to be moved. On moving day the moving company finds out that the customer failed to mention certain items over the phone (i.e. clothing in closets, items in a garage, large wall hangings). The moving company has to revise their phone quote on-site to account for items not mentioned in the phone consultation; and explains to the customer that they must agree to the higher moving fees before the move will begin.
Under this scenario, the legitimate moving company is simply trying to provide a more accurate cost estimate, and the customer feels that they are being taken advantage of, because the fees are now higher than what they were told on the phone. This is case of miscommunication; and while no fraud has occurred, the business relationship between the customer and moving company has gotten off to a rough start.
Avoid Moving Cost Surprises with a Written Moving Estimate
You can easily avoid these unpleasant moving day scenarios by working with a moving company that will send a moving specialist out to your home before your move, walk-through your home to survey your items, and speak with you in detail about your moving day needs. At the end of the consultation the moving specialist will provide you with a written estimate of your moving costs.ABC Moving & Storage believes this is the best way to prepare for your move; and so does the government! Here are some links to government websites discussing the importance of getting your moving costs in writing:
