Many people have heard of the horror stories of bad movers holding peoples belongings for ransom. They demand a lot more money than what was agreed upon and will not unload your belongings from the truck until they have been paid. If an agreement isn’t made, they may just leave all of your stuff outside of your house, or they may want to take it back to their storage compound until the bill is settled. This is just one example of how hiring amateur/un-reputable moving companies can take a turn for the worse.
We’ve compiled a list of horror stories from individuals past experiences to hopefully spare you the aggravation on top of the already stressful event that naturally occurs when moving.
1. A Professional Mover will show up!
This is the most common, you book with a discounted moving company, and on the day of the move, they don’t show up! In metropolitan areas it is very common for the end of the month to be very busy in the moving industry. Most moving companies cannot meet the demand. Some companies will overbook themselves and realize at the end of the month they do not have enough trucks or personnel to fulfill the demand. This shouldn’t happen with professional moving companies, they have the organizational capacity to keep track of all their bookings. Some companies will initially book you to make sure they have that slot filled up, but then drop your booking if a bigger move i.e. more money or easier move comes along i.e. same money without stairs. This might happen the day before your move, and will leave you stranded looking for a mover last minute. It is very hard to find good movers last minute as all the good ones are usually booked up, or you may have to pay a last minute surcharge to get you out of a jam. Most people need to move out at the end of the month so timing is crucial.
2. Professional Movers are trustworthy!
You think you have hired trustworthy movers, but after they load your stuff and start driving away, you never see them again. The plan was to meet them at the destination address, but they vanish. You have been robbed! Sketchy movers gather fake photos, change phone numbers, and arrive with unbranded trucks. This is why you should always work with a trustworthy company that have uniformed employees, branded trucks, and that have a proven track record.
3. Professional Movers will have the experience and equipment to get the job done safely and professionally.
Having the right equipment to make sure that your move is done safely is imperative. It is very easy for non-movers to get injured during a move by falling down stairs or having heavy equipment fall on top of them. A professional moving company will have all the safety precautionary measures in place to minimize this risk. It is very likely for belongings to get damaged – fragile items can easily break in the truck if not packed correctly, walls and sofas can get scuffed if the proper moving techniques are not used. Although accidents may still occur with the most experienced moving company, a professional moving company will at least have adequate insurance to cover any damages.
4. Hiring a Professional Moving Company can be less costly than doing it yourself.
Some folks try to save money by renting their own truck and hire labourers to help with the lifting. Although this might seem clever, it is very risky. First of all, most people forget to rent the moving equipment with the truck, so the move is done without dollies or blankets which makes it take much longer than needed with most furniture arriving damaged. Second, labourers are extremely unreliable. Many times you will have no-shows and will be stuck trying to complete the move with less people than originally planned. Also they are not experienced at moving and may get tired half-way through the move, so the move takes a lot longer than estimated or does not get completed at all. Third, they are not bonded so theft is also another issue. The worst case scenario is if you hired them directly and they get injured during the move, it technically makes you their employer and your insurance will have to incur the cost. (Hopefully you have the right insurance that covers you!)
5. A well-established Moving Company will have a plan B.
A lot of amateur moving companies rely only on one truck or one team. Sometimes the unexpected happens – for instance the truck may not start, it may have a flat tire or it may still be filled with stuff from a move that was not completed from the night before. A well-established moving company will have multiple trucks, or will have the network to make sure the customer gets taken care of. You shouldn’t have to worry about your move getting cancelled due to mechanical issues with a truck, or a team member calling in sick.
At KAL Make Your Move we pride ourselves in being professional, affordable and reliable. We have extensive moving experience in the field with trucks, personnel and equipment to make your move smooth and stress-free. Not only are we fully licensed and insured, but you can count on our integrity and efficiency. Quick, clean and careful customer service is what you can rely on! Moving Toronto and the surrounding areas, call us for a free quote!