The most popular and corrupt rogue movers prey on homeowners that are moving long distance. They quote you a price over the phone, schedule a date for your shipment to load, collect a deposit, load your belongings onto their truck, and then claim that your charges have gone up significantly because the weight of your shipment has increased. They will actually hold your shipment ‘hostage’ until the additional money is paid. If the money is not paid, they will drop your shipment into a mini storage facility (location unknown to you) and go prey on their next customer.
We also see homeowners scammed in our own area by smaller local moving companies. These companies will quote you an hourly rate that is much lower than their competitors. The lower price is appealing to the homeowner that is trying to save money wherever possible. These smaller companies will often overbook their schedules. They are also known to book a customer’s move and then have an opportunity to book a larger, more profitable move for the same date. Since they cannot accommodate both moves, the story always ends with the first customer needing a mover at the last minute because their moving company did not show up. We receive numerous calls during the summer months from homeowners that have been stranded by their moving company. Unfortunately, our schedule books weeks and months ahead of time and usually does not allow us to accommodate last minute moves.
Some words of wisdom to live by when hiring a moving company to move everything you own from one home to another:
1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Be educated and do your research on the company you are hiring to move your life’s possessions.
2. Make sure the moving company you hire has a physical address in Michigan (especially important for those homeowners moving long distance).
3. If you are moving anything more than a two bedroom apartment, a Sales Representative should come out to your home to perform an in-home estimate or perform a virtual survey of the items to be moved.
4. Always obtain a written estimate of all costs involved.
5. Check the on-line reviews of the moving company you intend to hire.
6. If your move is going to require storage, stop by the moving company and ask for a tour of their facility. This will at least give you peace of mind knowing that they have a physical address and an awareness of how they maintain their warehouse.
7. Any moving company that requires a deposit to hold a date on their schedule should be given a second look.
8. If you receive a great price that is too good to be true – BUYER BEWARE!!
Preferred Moving & Storage has been in business since 1983. We are family owned and operated and are located just off the I-94 freeway in Harrison Township. We are very proud of the reputation we have established for providing professional, reputable, and affordable moving services to the residents and businesses of southeastern Michigan. We are agents of Wheaton World Wide Moving and have a great team of professionals that can move you just about anywhere you need to go!
Call us today to learn more about us so we can learn how we can best assist with your next move. We can be reached at 586.463.4230 or info@preferredmoving.net.
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