You never want to "pick a lemon," such as when you're buying a car, furniture, or your next electronic gadget. You certainly do not want to pick a lemon when you are picking the long distance mover that is going to help you move out of state. We wanted to list the red flags to watch for when you select a long distance mover so you can make sure that you are protected.
Here are the red flags:
1) No in-person inspection offered. If the moving company doesn’t offer an on-site inspection, it’s usually a bad sign. Try to meet your movers in person before they have possession of all your belongings.
2) Demands payment up front. It’s a bad sign if the moving company demands payment in all cash, or wants a large deposit before the move.
3) Does not provide Your Rights and Responsibilities. Federal regulations require that all interstate movers (those moving people across state lines) offer a booklet to movers called “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.”
4) Inaccurate claims of insurance coverage. Make sure the mover is accurate in what they are telling you is covered during the move. You will see this on your contract, or bill of lading.
5) Bad reviews on BBB. Check the Better Business Bureau and check your state movers association to![image]()
look for any complaints and excessively bad reviews of the mover.
6) No name on the moving truck. Make sure that the truck on moving day has a brand name on it that you can easily read.
7) No Department of Transportation number or Motor Carrier number. When you start working with the moving company, and especially on moving day, you should be able to ask for the Department of Transportation number (DOT #) and Motor Carrier number (MC #) and see them both visibly on the moving truck.
Here are the red flags:
1) No in-person inspection offered. If the moving company doesn’t offer an on-site inspection, it’s usually a bad sign. Try to meet your movers in person before they have possession of all your belongings.
2) Demands payment up front. It’s a bad sign if the moving company demands payment in all cash, or wants a large deposit before the move.
3) Does not provide Your Rights and Responsibilities. Federal regulations require that all interstate movers (those moving people across state lines) offer a booklet to movers called “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.”
4) Inaccurate claims of insurance coverage. Make sure the mover is accurate in what they are telling you is covered during the move. You will see this on your contract, or bill of lading.
5) Bad reviews on BBB. Check the Better Business Bureau and check your state movers association to
look for any complaints and excessively bad reviews of the mover.6) No name on the moving truck. Make sure that the truck on moving day has a brand name on it that you can easily read.
7) No Department of Transportation number or Motor Carrier number. When you start working with the moving company, and especially on moving day, you should be able to ask for the Department of Transportation number (DOT #) and Motor Carrier number (MC #) and see them both visibly on the moving truck.