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Here's a list of 10 easy ways you can find a moving company you trust.
1. Find a mover with a local identity. It's better for you if the moving company does work in the area, whether it's a local company or a local agent for a large van line. Working locally makes it easier for you to check it out, get references from local people, and maybe even pop down to check out their facilities. And be wary of Internet brokers; most just hand your business over to a moving company you know nothing about.
2. Make sure your mover is licensed. It's not hard to check on this. If you are moving within the state, your state is responsible for licensing - check your state's website for which entity does this.
If moving to another state, the feds have jurisdiction. Check with the Federal Department of Transportation -- the website is http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/factsfigs/moving.htm -- to check out these long-distance moving companies.
3. Check with the Better Business Bureau for many unresolved complaints about a mover. The operative words here are ‘many' and ‘unresolved.' A responsible mover may have a few complaints lodged against them -- the more moves a company handles and the larger the population in their market area, the more likely it is it will have at least a few complaints. But it should show that it's tried to remedy the complaints. The moving company's record with the Better Business Bureau should show all of this.
4. Be sure the mover carries proper insurance. First and most important is Workers' Compensation Insurance. Without Workers Compensation Insurance, if someone gets hurt moving (and that happens in an industry where heavy objects are being moved), you might be held liable if the moving company lacks Workers' Comp. This type of insurance is pricey, so it could be the first area an unscrupulous moving company scrimps on.
5. Get a recommendation - but not a recommendation from the moving company. Why would they give you a unfavorable reference? Instead, try to find someone who's worked with the company before - preferably a local company that does a lot of repeat business with a specific mover. If you have no luck, ask the company for the names of the 3 last people they moved -they're not handpicked references, so you have a better chance of finding decent information.
6. Make sure the bid is in line with others' bids. Although it's important to get a good price for your move, you should treat any curiously low bid with a skeptical eye - why can that mover charge so little? Are they cutting costs in a way that could be bad for you? Or do they plan to make up for the low bid by hitting you with other charges later? A low-bid is usually the genesis for this nefarious tactic that you might have read about.
7. Check the mover's membership. Is the moving company a member of an industry trade association, such as a state association for moving companies or the American Moving & Storage Association? Are their salespeople Certified Moving Consultants? Are their moving crews certified? What training programs do they have for their employees? A reputable company will usually be involved in one or more of these types of moving industry groups and have some type of structured training program for their staff.
8. Make sure you moving company explains its pricing. Is the move hourly or by weight? The moving charges for most local moves are based on the time it takes to complete the move. Charges on long-distance moves within a particular state are often calculated based on the weight of the shipment. Again, the rules will vary from one state to another, but you want it crystal-clear to you how your moving company will charge for your move.
9. Get the right paperwork. If you are moving to another state, insist that you receive the following federally mandated documents from your mover: a written estimate that itemizes all of the services that make up the estimate for your total moving costs; a "Table of Measurements" (also known as a "Cube Sheet") listing the items that you will be moving (pieces of furniture, number of boxes, etc.; an "Order for Service" signed by your selected moving company spelling out the agreement between you and your mover regarding the dates the shipment will be loaded and delivered and the estimated cost.
10. Make you sure you feel comfortable with the moving company person who comes out to look at your stuff and give you an estimate. They are a reflection of their company, so if you feel uncomfortable at all - if you don't get your questions answered, if you feel any pressure - keep looking.