Summer is always the busiest season for moving companies. Since school is out, many families decide to move while it is easier to uproot their children before a new school year starts. That being said, 2015 is looking to be one of the busiest moving summers in a long time. A general tip from Columbus movers: the busier the moving season, the more likely a fraudulent moving company will trick you and commit questionable acts.
According to Deputy Administrator at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Daphne Jefferson, the majority of moving companies are legitimate, honest, and dependable. However, she still states that, “moving fraud is a really big problem”.
Jefferson further mentions that her administration receives thousands of complaints against moving companies each year; 3,000 in 2014 alone. The biggest complaint they receive is that a moving company jacked up the price last minute, and the latest scandal in the quest for demanding more money for moving your belongings, is by not giving you your belongings until you pay – what is now being called “hostage load”.
In lieu of all of the issues surrounding moving companies, federal and state regulators are offering tips to keep home owners safe:
- Hire a mover based off of recommendations
- Don’t ever hire a moving company that can’t provide a licensing information
- Never settle for a quote over the phone or from online
- Get multiple estimates and pay close attention to which estimate includes the most services
- Avoid any company that says you have to pay a deposit.