Choosing a trustworthy moving company can be a difficult task, especially if you’re in a bind for time. Sometimes it can seem like every moving company boasts the same things, but it’s worth the time to find a company you can trust and weed out the scams, in order to protect your belongings during the process of relocation.

At Palmer Moving Services, we want to help you keep your belongings secure, so you can rest easy next time you relocate. To help you out with your next big move, here are the 3 most common moving scams, how to identify them, and how to avoid them.

#1: False Fronts
The first step to take in finding a moving company is to backcheck. Be sure that the company you are looking at has been under that name for a while so that you don’t end up trusting your possessions to a fly-by-night con man. Other ways to uncover these scams is to check whether they have insurance information on their websites, and if they answer their calls with the name of their company and not simply with generic names such as “movers” or “van lines” etc.

Take time to read reviews and if possible, try to come into contact with others in your community who have used that company’s services in the past. Ask what they liked, and perhaps more importantly, what they didn’t.

Another thing to look out for are companies that ask for deposits or payments before the move is completed. This is an easy way to tell the scams from the professionals, as a trustworthy moving service will never ask for payment until the job is completed.

#2: Inaccurate Estimates
The next scam to watch out for is for improper estimation. Be sure your movers send an agent to give you a quote for your move IN PERSON and not simply tries to give you an estimate over the phone.

It is incredibly difficult to properly estimate the number of belongings in a household without actually inspecting on-site. With that said, be sure that the estimator thoroughly inspects each room in your home before giving you a quote. Inaccurate inspections can give better-sounding estimates, leaving you paying more than you thought you would for your move once the job is done.

#3: Sneaky Terms and Contracts
Lastly, when dealing with contracts, be sure that the company you are hiring has you sign one. Don’t do business with a company that doesn’t offer a contract. If a moving company doesn’t offer you a contract, they can take advantage of your trust as well as your belongings.

When you are signing a contract with the moving company you have chosen, don’t forget to read all of the fine print so you can be confident that your property will be protected and you will not be liable for damage that the mover may cause during the process of relocation.

Also, remember that once you have completed your move, you have only nine months to file a claim if you discover damage that is protected under your contract. Those nine months will go by faster than it seems, so properly unpack and check your belongings as soon as you can after relocating in order to be sure you are aware of any damage caused during the move. If you discover damage after the nine-month period, the mover won’t be responsible for it.

For a moving company that has your best interest at heart, turn to Palmer Moving services. We’ve been moving and relocating families in the Detroit area for over 100 years. Making sure clients are happy for more than a century isn’t easy for everyone, but at Palmer, we care about our customers. We want to make your move as stress-free as possible, so we do all that we can to make it clear to you that you’re in good hands. If you’re looking for a moving company you can trust, give us a call today!