Moving Guide
Moving Experts
Moving from one residence to another can be a stressful experience. By its very nature, moving disrupts your life. There are many decisions to be made and made details to be attended to. For some people it can be an overwhelming experience... especially if the move does not go well!
Given these truisms, it is sometimes surprising how little thought many consumers give to choosing the right mover. All too often, they wait almost until their closing date to even start the process.
Protective Guidelines for families "on the move"
- To find the best mover in your area, begin asking friends for their recommendations
- If you are moving long distance, get your estimates from van line affiliated movers
- Unless you have a very small apartment, insist that a moving consultant come to your home to do a proper survey of what is to be moved
- Ask the moving consultant to clearly explain how your price quote was arrived at so you can do a proper "apples to apples" comparison
- If you get multiple estimates they should be suspicious of the one that is too low - ask for an explanation, especially if weight differs significantly from other estimates
- Ask for references and check those references
- Visit the mover's place of business to see their equipment, personnel and warehouse
- Ask for an address of a move being done in your area and stop by to view performance
- Most van line affiliated movers do not ask for deposits (may be some exceptions for local moves) - be suspicious of any company who wants prepayment or a large deposit
- Ask how claims will be handled and find out who you would call to have this taken care of
- Ask that mover provide a committed pickup and delivery schedule
- Ask for the name and telephone number of your destination agent
- Never just book over the internet, insist that a company representative come to your home to do a in-home survey
- Keep a record of your contacts with mover, especially if there are any problems
- Ask for a confirmation letter detailing all of your specific moving arrangements and a copy of the price quotation
Be a smart consumer. Do your homework well in advance of your moving day. We promise it will make the experience a great deal less stressful which will make life a lot more pleasant for you and your family.
Please Note: The Above information was provided by Atlas Van Lines (Canada) Ltd., in the interests of consumer education.
