Have you ever had a mover show up late, your quote changed, or found items damaged after a move? We hear about these issues all the time, but that doesn’t mean they should be normalized. 

In the episode, Moving Company Red Flags, from Moving Unboxed by 495 Movers, hosts Justin and Andrea walk through the most common (and costly) situations customers run into, and how a professional mover should handle them. 

Here are 10 customer service scenarios that expose a bad mover and what to do if you find yourself in one. 

#1 Your move is tomorrow, and you haven’t heard from your movers 

First and foremost, movers should be reaching out at least 48 hours ahead of the move to confirm dates, time of arrival, addresses, scope of work, and any major inventory changes. That way, there are no last-minute hiccups that will end up costing the customer extra money.

If you do find yourself the day before your move without having heard from anyone, take the initiative and reach out to them. This shouldn’t be the customer’s job, but it’s one precautionary step that helps make sure the crew actually shows up. (Yes, we’ve heard stories.)

That isn’t to scare anyone out of trusting movers. Just do your research before hiring the wrong team.

#2 You thought packing was included and you didn’t pack anything

In a scenario like this, there is clear miscommunication between the customer and the mover from the start. Packing is time-consuming, and typically local moves are charged at an hourly rate.

So if your movers show up on the day of your move and have to pack everything on a job where the customer was supposed to be self-packed, the customer will almost 100% of the time be charged more. In some circumstances, the movers might have to reschedule your move. 

This is another reason why the confirmation call before the move is so important. This gives the customer and the mover another opportunity to go through the move details one more time before the moving crew shows up on move day. 

#3 You find out two days before your move that your apartment building needs a certificate of insurance and an elevator reservation

While your mover should handle the COI, it’s typically the customer’s job to handle the elevator reservation with their building unless otherwise stated in the contract. Most buildings won’t even take elevator reservations from an outside party who isn’t their tenant. 

It’s a red flag in this scenario because this most likely means the customer wasn’t informed by the mover they would need an elevator reservation. This can turn a few hours of work into a full day of labor if the moving crew has to use the stairs. Or you could have to reschedule, which comes with its own set of fees, all simply because an elevator wasn’t reserved. 

When in doubt, reach out to your leasing office for a document that lists the requirements for movers and then get that to your mover. This is a pretty simple step that can even be done 48 hours out from your move; just make sure you’re on top of it. 

#4 Your building only allows move-in and move-out between 9 AM and noon 

While you can’t help a building’s restriction, how your mover approaches this can tell you a lot about the company you’re hiring. Realistically, this 3-hour block is manageable for a one-bedroom apartment. But for bigger moves, this either means a larger crew, which is more costly, or you risk damage to your belongings because the crew has to work fast. 

For a 2-, 3-, or 4-bedroom apartment, with a crew of 2-3 people, 3 hours to move out just isn’t feasible. To a “bad” mover, this is an opportunity to charge more because they can promise to have you moved out within that time frame, but then go over the contracted time.

A good mover will space out the move over a couple of days. For example, one day could be your pack day. The movers don’t need the truck or the freight elevator to pack your belongings. They can simply bring packing materials and all their equipment up through the normal elevator, get everything packed, ready to go, and the customer still gets to sleep in their bed that night. Then, the next morning, they get everything out of your apartment and into the truck within that three-hour window. 

#5 It’s past your arrival time, and your movers aren’t there yet. 

Sometimes, the truck can run 10, 15, or even 30-minutes late, mostly because of traffic. Especially in the heart of traffic in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. Don’t panic; just reach out to your customer service team, and they’ll be able to give you an ETA on the arrival of your crew. With 495 Movers, our crews even call the customer when they are 10-minutes out from their house, so it really just comes down to communication. 

It starts to become a problem if you try calling your movers and no one is answering the phone. Or if you call and they tell you they will show up 1-2 hours late. It should be a no-brainer that you shouldn’t be charged until they actually arrive on-site and start doing work. That said, don’t hesitate to go ahead and double-check when you start being charged.  

#6 You forgot to tell the movers you have a storage unit that needs to be picked up 

While it’s not common, these things do happen. What you want to hear from your mover in this is either yes, no, or let me find out, and they’ll give you an answer the same day. Typically, in these scenarios, the mover has no problem doing the extra work. You just need to be prepared for an additional cost. 

It’s a change of scope, so it’s going to cost more. What you don’t want to happen is for the mover to overleverage the scenario and double or triple the price without knowing what items you’re moving in the storage unit. Before agreeing to anything, your mover should be able to communicate and legitimize any additional cost by breaking down labor, hourly rate, travel time, etc.

#7 There is no parking available for a moving truck, and the movers are on site. 

This is a tough scenario because it’s dependent on the actual property. Some property managers might let it slide, but if you don’t have a freight elevator or building reservation, and there’s no street parking, you’re going to need to work together with the mover to find a solution. 

If you run into this situation on moving day, help expedite the situation by getting your movers on the phone with the property manager. This way they can troubleshoot quick solutions in real time. You don’t want to prolong the process by going back and forth while the truck is blocking traffic or improperly parked. 

And, if your movers try to charge you for the waiting time, this is a major red flag. Before accepting any charges, ask to speak with the company’s customer service team or someone in charge. You shouldn’t be left to pay extra fees when these are details that should’ve been handled before move day, and now both parties are in a pickle. 

An experienced mover understands accessibility can have a major impact on moving costs, and would have already asked about any parking restrictions or reservations during the initial planning process. 

#8 You noticed some small damages and reach out to your movers for next steps

A professional mover will have a claims process set in place that they can clearly walk through with the customer. While most people

What you shouldn’t be met with in this situation is a mover who just blows you off and tells you to go file a claim, that there’s nothing else they can do. Even worse is if they tell you they don’t have any liability protection and you’re stuck covering the damages yourself. 

By law, movers are required to provide a minimum liability, which limits a mover’s payout for lost or damaged items to $0.60 per pound per item. While it’s better than nothing, it takes no consideration of intricate value. A lot of times, movers will even offer something out of pocket. And while it might not be 100% full value, it’s something. 

#9 Your final bill was higher than expected 

While no one wants to pay more, there will be times when a mover does have to charge more. For example, if a customer was supposed to be 100% packed and the movers show up on move day with only 50% of the items packed. That is a classic example of a common mishap that occurs and takes time and labor to resolve, which results in an extra cost for the customer.

That said, any additional cost should be communicated to the customer with a clear explanation or breakdown of all additions. On top of that, a mover who cares about their reputation will work with you to find a middle ground, whether that is through discounts, a faster delivery, etc. Bottom line, they will try to be as accommodating as possible.  

Bonus Tip: A big thing a lot of people overlook when hiring a mover is how they calculate their additional charges or adjust your price if the actual move is different from the estimate. Depending on the mover, your moving estimate can be based on weight, volume, or an hourly rate. What people don’t consider is how the price changes when those numbers do.

For example, let’s say a mover charges $1 per pound, and a customer’s move is 8,000 pounds. At 495 Movers, if your actual shipment comes in at 7,000 pounds, you would expect to pay $1 less per pound, so you would be charged $1,000 less than what was estimated. That’s not always the case. Some movers will then take that dollar per pound and bump it to $1.50 for any overages. Or they might lower it from $1 per pound to only $0.50. 

When vetting a mover, always ask, “If my actual weight or volume is higher or lower than the estimate, exactly how will my price change?” 

#10 You discover an item is missing the day after your move

The first question you will most likely be met with in this scenario is, “Have you opened all of your boxes?” If the answer is no, go through all your boxes. Most commonly, the item was put in the wrong box or in a box that was labeled wrong. It’s more work for you if you file a claim and have to go through the claims process only to end up finding the item later on. 

If you open all your boxes and the item is still missing, that’s when you should reach back out. A reputable moving company will always work with you to retrace your steps, speak with the on-site crew, etc. 

Bottom Line

Not every problem that comes up during a move means the mover is trying to scam you. Things happen. Trucks run late, plans change, and unexpected issues can come up. That said, how your mover approached the situation is what matters. A professional mover should have clear communication with the customer, be clear about pricing, potential damages, lost items, and take accountability when they mess up. 

The best way to avoid a mover with these red flags is to be proactive. Ask the right questions, do your research, and read through the contract terms. At the end of the day, a good mover doesn’t just move your belongings, they help you navigate the entire moving process.